the LIFELINE of Technology Industry

I have noticed that it seems as though my truck seems to run much better after I’ve cleaned it and removed all that dirt and mud. My truck actually doesn’t run any better, but my attitude towards a clean truck is much better than when it was dirty.

A clean computer will cause you to have that same type of attitude but in this case, your computer will perform any task you command it to do much faster. Its very important to keep your computer’s work area and the components of the computer itself clean. This applies to both inside and outside of the System Unit, Monitor, Printer, Keyboard and Mouse.

Always refer to the manual of the computer or component when you want to perform any preventive maintenance. Be certain to remove any and all Electrical Static Buildup from your body and clothes before working with components.

Preventive Maintenance Of The System Unit
The inside the the System Unit gathers dust over time and can become rather hot. Electrical charge inside the system unit attracts dust and keeps this dust on such components as the CPU and its Cooling Fan. Eventually this dust cause a heat buildup inside the case and shortens the life expectancy of the components.

Cleaning Of The System Unit
At Least Once A Year remove the system unit cover and use compressed air in a can to blow off dust from all Drives, Chips, Connectors and their Connections. Be sure to perform the same preventive maintenance on the Motherboard as well. Slightly tilt the system unit case in such a way as to blow bust from the top of the motherboard and then try to carefully do the same behind the board.

Over time dust buildup behind the motherboard can cause it to shorten out on the case itself. Never use a Nylon Brush or anything that may cause Static Electricity. ESD or electrical static buildup could easily damage your CMOS and other chips mounted on the board.

Preventive Maintenance Of The Mouse
If you notice that the cursor on the screen is rather sluggish or there seems to be a dead spot in your mouse, most likely your mouse is in need of cleaning. Follow these simple steps to clean the mouse after the PC is turned off and the mouse has been disconnected from the rear of the system unit:

• Turn the mouse upside down and remove the plastic plate that holds the ball in its socket. Follow the direction of the arrow to remove the plastic plate. Use slight finger pressure when turning the plate.
• Turn the mouse right side up and remove the ball from the socket. Clean the ball with mild soap and warm water. Do Not use alcohol since this will cause the rubber to dry and crack.
• Clean the rollers in the socket with a link-free swab and alcohol. Turn the rollers with your finger to ensure all dirt has been removed.
• Take a good look at the pins at the end of the mouse connector for bent,dirty, broken, or pins that may have been pushed in. Check the mouse connection on the back of the computer for any signs of wear and tear or any other type of damage.
• After you’ve finish cleaning both the ball and ball cavity, place the ball inside the mouse and replace the plastic plate. Rotate and/or push the plate to lock it in place. Reconnect the mouse to the computer and turn the system on. The cursor on the screen should now move freely and smoothly. Be sure you have a clean mouse pad with no wet, cracked, or rough spots.

When you are ready to begin installing your new DVD Drive, have plenty of roon on your desk or table to work. Allow enough space to move around and to be able to move the system unit as well.

Check to see if you have ample light. You may want to have a container to place small screws in. The system unit cover may have small screws and you don’t want to lose them.

After you have plenty of work space and ample lighting, prepare your mind as well. Make this and every other adventure of working on your computer educational and fun.

REMOVE THE COMPUTER COVER

First
Turn off your computer and unplug all peripherals. Take notice of how you unplug or disconnect any devices.

Second
Remove the side panel of the tower system or the cover if you have a desktop. Place the panel in a safe place well out of the way.

Third
Before touching anything inside the system unit, remove electrical static charge from your body by touching a door knob or any unpainted metal surface.

Fourth
Remove the new drive from its protective wrapping and take the time to read through the manual. Be sure you have all components and save the box just in case it need to be returned.

Fifth
Check the jumper settings on the drive to be sure it is set to master. If you are adding this drive as a second drive, you will have to set one as master and one as the slave drive.

Your manual should make this procedure quick and fast. A small pair of tweezers can be used to remove the small jumper to the correct position. Most drives are set to master by default.

SLIDE NEW DRIVE IN COMPUTER

Sixth
Locate the drive bay for the cdrom drive. In most cases, its at the top of the case. If you are removing another drive, slide it out partially, disconnect cables, and slide the drive out completely. Take note of the location of all connections.

If you are installing a new drive the first time, use a small screwdriver to pop off the 5. 25 inch drive bay cover and bezel on the system unit case.

Seventh
Slide the new drive in partially and connect the data, sound, and power cables to the rear of the drive. Slide the drive in completely and use small screws to secure the drive to the case.

In some cases, the drive is secured to the case with the use of Drive rails. These rails should be mounted on the old drive if you had to remove one. Check the drive’s manual if your new drive came with side rails.

When connecting the cable, carefully graps the cables by the ends and not the wires themselves. Carefully but firmly push the connectors into their sockets until you are certain of a good connection.

If you are installing this drive as a second drive and have made this drive the secondary or slave drive, connect the drive to the center connector on the Ribbon cable. The master drive must be at the end.

Eighth
After all cables are re-connected to the drive and the drive is secured to the case, replace the system unit cover, reconnect all peripherals. Be sure the faceplate of the drive is flush with the front of the computer.

SETUP YOUR NEW DVD DRIVE

Ninth
Boot up the computer and in nearly all cases, the operating system should detect the new drive and install the device driver if necessary.

In most cases, new cdroms and dvd drives will not come with a cdrom or diskette with a device driver. Windows should install the drive with ease.

Some new drives will come with a cdrom full of software, such as games, music, or movies. Check this cdrom for software utilities that you may need to help run and operate your drive.

Tenth
Check your new drive to see if Windows has recognized it. Click on My Computer and you should see the drives installed. Check for both drives if you installed the drive as a second drive.

And that’s it. You can now use the drive as a huge data backup. Or you may want to make movies. Whatever the case, check the drive for compatbility with other drives.

Take the time to learn absolutely everything about that computer you’re reading this with. Quickly master the art of installing not just the dvd drive, but all drives and other components.