PC Hardware & Printer Maintenance Course

Lesson 1 • Electrostatic Discharge and Safe Handling

Covers ESD risks, grounding techniques, and anti-static tools required before touching components. Directly prevents costly damage during all hands-on lab work.

Lesson 2 • PC Form Factors and Component Overview

Introduces desktop, tower, and small-form-factor chassis types alongside internal component categories. Establishes the vocabulary needed for all subsequent hardware work.

Lesson 3 • Workplace Safety and Tool Selection

Addresses electrical hazards, proper lifting, and selecting the correct hand tools for PC work. Ensures students operate safely before opening any system.

Lesson 1 • CPU Installation and Thermal Management

Covers socket types, pin alignment, and correct thermal compound application for reliable heat transfer. Mistakes here cause immediate or long-term system failure.

Lesson 2 • Motherboard Architecture and Chipsets

Explains chipset roles, PCIe lanes, and bus architecture that govern component communication. Provides the conceptual map needed before physical installation.

Lesson 3 • BIOS/UEFI Setup and POST Verification

Guides students through UEFI navigation, boot order, and POST beep code interpretation. Confirms the processing subsystem is functional before adding peripherals.

Lesson 1 • Power Supply Units: Selection and Testing

Explains efficiency ratings, modular vs. non-modular designs, and PSU testing with a multimeter. A failed PSU is the most common cause of no-power system faults.

Lesson 2 • Drive Installation and Cable Management

Demonstrates physical mounting, SATA and power cable routing, and M.2 screw standoff placement. Proper cable management improves airflow and serviceability.

Lesson 3 • HDD, SSD, and NVMe Drive Technologies

Compares mechanical, SATA SSD, and NVMe storage on speed, endurance, and use cases. Informs correct drive selection for each deployment scenario.

Lesson 1 • Display Interfaces and Monitor Setup

Explains HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA signal differences and resolution capabilities. Correct interface selection prevents display artifacts and signal loss.

Lesson 2 • GPU and PCIe Card Installation

Covers physical GPU seating, PCIe power connector attachment, and slot locking mechanisms. GPUs are the most common expansion card and require careful handling.

Lesson 3 • USB, Audio, and Input Device Management

Covers USB generations, internal header connections, and audio codec configuration. Ensures all user-facing ports and devices function correctly after assembly.

Lesson 1 • Driver Installation and Device Manager

Covers chipset, GPU, NIC, and audio driver sequencing and Device Manager error resolution. Correct driver order prevents conflicts that cause instability.

Lesson 2 • System Updates and Baseline Security

Applies OS updates, configures firewall settings, and establishes user account controls. Delivers a secure, patched baseline before the system reaches end users.

Lesson 3 • OS Installation Walkthrough and Partitioning

Guides students through installation wizard steps, partition creation, and activation key entry. Covers both clean installs and reinstalls over existing partitions.

Lesson 1 • No-Power and Boot Failure Diagnosis

Diagnoses dead systems using PSU paper clip test, POST card readings, and component swap methods. These are the most frequent hardware faults in field service.

Lesson 2 • Storage and Performance Fault Isolation

Uses disk health tools, benchmark utilities, and Event Viewer logs to isolate slow or failing storage. Prevents data loss by catching drive failure early.

Lesson 3 • Troubleshooting Methodology and Documentation

Introduces the six-step troubleshooting process and service ticket documentation standards. A repeatable process reduces mean time to repair across all fault types.

Lesson 1 • Thermal and Dot-Matrix Printer Principles

Describes direct thermal, thermal transfer, and impact dot-matrix mechanisms and their media requirements. These technologies dominate receipt, label, and forms printing.

Lesson 2 • Laser Printer Imaging Process

Explains the seven-step electrophotographic process from conditioning to fusing. Understanding this sequence is essential for diagnosing all laser print defects.

Lesson 3 • Inkjet Printer Mechanics and Printheads

Covers thermal and piezoelectric inkjet technologies, nozzle arrays, and ink delivery systems. Inkjet faults are almost always printhead or ink-path related.

Lesson 1 • Paper Jam Diagnosis and Clearance

Identifies jam locations using printer error codes, clears media without tearing, and inspects feed rollers for wear. Improper jam clearance causes secondary damage.

Lesson 2 • Inkjet Printer Maintenance and Nozzle Care

Demonstrates printhead cleaning cycles, nozzle check patterns, and ink system priming procedures. Neglected inkjet heads are the primary cause of print quality failure.

Lesson 3 • Laser Printer Preventive Maintenance

Covers toner cartridge replacement, drum cleaning, fuser kit intervals, and roller cleaning schedules. Preventive maintenance extends printer life and prevents emergency calls.

Lesson 4 • Network Printer Configuration and Spooler Repair

Configures static IP assignment, print queue management, and spooler service recovery for shared printers. Network printer faults affect entire workgroups simultaneously.