Technicians need the right tools to do their job. These tools include PC toolkits, mobile device toolkits, voltmeters and circuit testers.

The CompTIA A+ defines a very specific workflow process to troubleshoot any problem on a system. These steps will help you mentally break down the steps to diagnose and repair a computer problem.

Mike takes you on a tour of the primary PC components including the computer case, monitor, and various peripherals including the keyboard, mouse, speakers, and more.

Learn the basic parts of a PC in this episode.

Computers are everywhere if you know where to look! What are the parts and the functions of a computer? What do all these devices have in common?

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is quite possibly the most critical component of a PC. But what tasks does the CPU deal with, and how does it go about handling them? Let’s dig into the core features of a CPU.

The modern processor is loaded with features that you need to know in order to excel as a PC technician. Let’s examine some of the modern CPU’s abilities and get hands-on with a tool that has become a necessity when dealing with central processing units.

As technology evolves, the industry sets standards to define milestones. There is possibly no standard more prolific than 32-bit and 64-bit computing. Every piece of hardware and software released in the last three decades follows either the 32-bit or 64-bit standard.

Choosing a CPU that meets all of your needs is one of the most important decisions that you will make when building your PC. The wrong choice can mean a computer that does not perform the needed tasks or quickly becomes outdated. Since we have already learned about CPU features such as multi-cores and clock speed, let’s discuss choosing the right CPU for the job at hand.

By now you are probably wondering what that alphabet soup of letters and numbers alongside a CPU name means. Understanding the nomenclature of CPU models will ensure that you fully understand how they work. In this video, we are going to learn about the different generations and their corresponding CPU architecture.

While anything that uses electricity generates some heat, no other piece of hardware in our PC generates more heat than the CPU. Keeping temperatures under control is one of the keys to a system’s longevity. Let’s beat the heat and learn all about CPU cooling.

Every computer needs a CPU. The installation steps are straightforward but should be handled with care to prevent damage. Additionally, some form of cooling is required.

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) comes in a number of versions defined by the doubling of commands they process per clock cycle. It’s important for techs to recognize these technologies and the speed rating systems used.

Individual sticks of DRAM will have very different capacities. It’s important to understand RAM capacities and how sticks work together to provide the total memory for a system.

DRAM varies in other ways, such as single-sided or double-sided DRAM. Different motherboards may or may not be able to take advantage of these features.

Running out of memory is something we try to avoid. All operating systems use virtual memory (or RAM), a part of your mass storage set, to act as (very slow) memory in case your real memory runs out.

Upgrading your RAM is one of the quickest tasks that you can do to immediately increase system performance. Whether you are doing a new PC build, or simply updating your system, you are going to need to know how to install and troubleshoot RAM.

Basic Input/Output Services (BIOS) is code (firmware) built into every motherboard to give the CPU basic communication with the hardware attached to the motherboard. BIOS is a critical part of the PC and a good tech needs to understand its function.

The power-on self-test (POST) takes place every time a system starts. POST checks the system and communicates any problems it finds to the user.

A small system-setup program built into the motherboard firmware enables techs to configure low-level features and options for the system’s hardware. A good tech needs to know how to access and use system setup on any computer.

A system’s BIOS is robust and rarely causes trouble, but when it does a good tech must be ready to troubleshoot. Understanding a few simple tricks can make troubleshooting easier.

Motherboards, power supplies, and cases are surprisingly interchangeable due to industry standards called form factors. Techs should know common form factors and the benefits and challenges of each.

A motherboard chipset is what determines the RAM capacity, USB capabilities, CPU architecture, and more. Mike explains how the modern chipsets have evolved over the years and why they matter today.

The motherboard is the backbone of a PC. The type and model of motherboard that you choose can have a profound impact on your system and often determines which components you are able to use. What should you look for when picking out a new one? We’ll explore that and more as we learn about choosing the right motherboard.

Installing a motherboard into a case is part science and part art. The science comes first. The motherboard must match the case’s form factor, and the motherboard and parts must be compatible. Then, the art: the subtle crafts of preparing everything you need; organizing your workspace as you go; planning a few steps ahead to avoid back-tracking; and the soft, patient touch to ensure everything fits together properly.

Mass storage (disk drives and solid-state drives) store the operating system and applications. Despite the different technologies, systems talk to these many devices in similar ways.

Hard disk drives (HDDs), which store data on rotating magnetic disks, have been the go-to mass storage media for decades. A good tech understands how this venerable media works and understands magnetic media’s unique needs.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are quickly replacing HDDs for mass storage needs on almost all computers. SSDs are faster and more robust than HDDs and come with their own maintenance needs.

The Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) has been around in one form or another for decades. Despite its age, SCSI drives still appear in niche systems. It’s important to recognize SCSI systems and where they’re used today.

Mass storage (disk drives and solid-state drives) store the operating system and applications. Despite the different technologies, systems talk to these many devices in similar ways.

Hard disk drives (HDDs), which store data on rotating magnetic disks, have been the go-to mass storage media for decades. A good tech understands how this venerable media works and understands magnetic media’s unique needs.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are quickly replacing HDDs for mass storage needs on almost all computers. SSDs are faster and more robust than HDDs and come with their own maintenance needs.

The Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) has been around in one form or another for decades. Despite its age, SCSI drives still appear in niche systems. It’s important to recognize SCSI systems and where they’re used today.

Today’s computers often use multiple mass storage devices. It’s critical that the system boots from the right device. Boot order is handled via the system setup.

The Random Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks (RAID) is a philosophy of using multiple drives working as a single drive – an array – for speed or redundancy. A good tech should understand the many RAID levels and the benefits they provide.

Hardware RAID uses a purpose-built RAID controller to configure and maintain RAID arrays. It’s important to understand the benefits of hardware RAID and how to configure and maintain RAID arrays.

Microsoft’s Storage Spaces feature provides a superb tool to configure many different RAID configurations on any Windows system. A good tech knows which types of RAID it supports and how to set them up.

Securing mass storage is a critical aspect of system security. Make sure you know the many ways a system’s mass storage can be encrypted.

Mass storage devices sometimes fail, resulting in the potential loss of critical data. A good tech knows the tools and procedures to diagnose and repair many mass storage problems.