LO1. Identify Routine Problems

Information Sheet 1.1: Current Industry Hardware and Software Products and Services

Introduction to IT hardware and software

Hardware

Computer hardware is the umbrella term used to describe the physical collection of elements that complete a whole computer system. Hardware encompasses the external tools that allow users to operate a computer, such as the keyboard and mouse, outer elements of the machine such as the monitor and tower, and internal components like the motherboard, graphics card, and data storage.

Software

Computer software is the term used to define the sets of code, data, and instructions stored on the computer’s hard drive that operate the machine from behind the scenes. In other words software allows a computer to actually perform tasks, without software, computer hardware would be entirely useless. Application software gives functionality to an app, which will then run on operating software within a computer.

What is an Operating System?

An operating system is a type of software that manages the hardware and software components of a computer system, all programs, excluding firmware, require an operating system in order to function. Operating systems (OS) are found on any device that contains a computer, such as mobile phones, videogame consoles, web servers, and smart watches.

Types of Operating System

Windows

Windows is the name given to the many versions of an operating system designed, developed, marketed and sold by Microsoft. The first version of Windows was introduced in November 1985 as a graphical operating system shell in response to an increasing interest in graphical user interfaces.

As of 2016, Windows is still the most popular operating system on PC’s, but the exponential growth of Android smartphones has led to the sharp decline of Windows in mobile devices. In 2016, Microsoft released Windows 10 for PC’s, smartphones, and tablets, whilst a specialized version of Windows is used on Microsoft’s Xbox One games console.

Mac

The family of Macintosh operating systems is a graphical user interface designed by Apple Inc. for specific use on its series of Macintosh personal computers, and has been installed as standard on the devices since 2002. Apple’s first operating system debuted in 1984, and is now referred to as ‘classic’ Mac OS. Apple uses its current operating system, High Sierra, which has an entirely new architecture and annual updates on all of its device software including: iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

Linux

Linux was originally created for personal computers in 1991 by Finnish-American software developer Linus Torvalds as an operating system modeled around the free and open-source development and distribution of software. Linux, although not as widely used on personal or handheld devices in the consumer market, is the leading operating system used on servers and mainframe computers, with a 99.6% market share of the Top500 supercomputers.

Android

Designed for use on touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, Android is a mobile operating system created entirely by Android Inc., which Google bought in 2005. The user-interface works on the principle of direct manipulation, and transforms touch gestures that correspond with real world actions, such as tapping, swiping, and pinching, to move on-screen objects.

iOS

Formerly known as iPhone OS, iOS is a mobile operating system created by Apple Inc. exclusively for its mobile and handheld devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPodTouch. Boasting a total worldwide download of 130 billion, Apple’s App Store consists of more than 2.2 million iOS applications, and major versions of iOS software are released annually.

Types of Hardware

Desktops

A desktop computer is a personal computer designed to be used at a single location. They sit on, or near a desk or table due to their size and power requirements. The ‘computer’ is the tower that houses the power, motherboard and memory, which can be positioned horizontally or vertically, dependent on space available. Additional electronic components attach to the tower to allow the user to operate it, such as a key board, mouse, and crucially, the monitor.

Monitors

Also known as displays, a computer monitor is a visual display for computers that can be connected to a computer via VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt or DVI connections. Originally, computer monitors were used for data processing, while television receivers were used for entertainment. From the 1980s onwards, both televisions and computer monitors have been used for both processing and entertainment purposes.

Laptops

A laptop is a portable computer, suitable for use while travelling and working on the move. They generally offer the same capabilities as desktop devices, but cost more due to their more compact and complex design.

When opened, the lower part of the device hosts the keyboard, whilst the upper part houses the screen. Laptops have integrated screens, speakers, keyboards, trackpads, processors, memory, integrated webcams and microphones, some laptops also use touchscreen technology.

Thin Clients

A thin client is a basic lightweight computer specifically created to connect into a server remotely, usually via desktop virtualization and cloud environments. They contrast with conventional PCs in functionality; thin clients are heavily reliant on another computer (server) to be useful, whereas PCs can perform computational tasks alone.

Tablets

A tablet computer is a flat thin mobile computer with a touchscreen display. They are typically larger, but strongly resemble smartphones, using touch technology to navigate rather than a keyboard or a mouse.

Convertible

There are three types of convertible tablet. Generally, they are devices that blur the line between a tablet and laptop. A defining feature of a convertible tablet is a keyboard, with standard convertibles having a keyboard built into the framework. These tablets are called convertibles because the keyboard can be folded away when it is not needed, such as the Lenovo Yoga.

E-readers

E-readers are essentially tablets designed specifically for reading digital e- books and other published works, such as periodicals. Also known as e-book readers, any device that displays text on a screen can be described as an e- reader. Tablets that have been specialized and optimized for reading e- materials are marketed around their portability, readability in different levels of light, and battery life, they are also capable of holding thousands of books but often weigh less than one.

Interactive Screens

Large interactive touchscreens, touch tables, and touch walls are essentially much larger versions of handheld tablets, and were made popular in 2008 when Microsoft unveiled its ‘Surface’ table top. They are usually made with a panel of glass, which is coated in a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide, and more modern interactive screens allow multi-touch functionality, meaning the screen can detect more than one touch-point.

There are five common types of touchscreen technology used today: 5-wire resistive, surface capacitive, projected capacitive, surface acoustic wave, and infrared.

5-Wire Resistive – uses two metallic layers that register touch when pressed and come into contact
Surface Capacitive – uses a transparent electrode layer of glass which recognizes touch using the static electricity generated by the human body
Projected Capacitive – works in the same way as surface capacity, but also allows the user to wear surgical or thin cotton gloves
Surface Acoustic Wave – creates an invisible grid of ultrasonic waves on the surface, which when broken by touch partially absorbs the wave and allows the receiving transduction to locate the touch-point
Infrared – uses IR emitters and receivers to create invisible grids of light on a surface, which when interrupted by touch allow the internal computer to pin-point where it was broken.

Interactive screens are fast becoming the ultimate communication medium in areas such as: control rooms, education, broadcast studios, training rooms, video conferencing environments, boardrooms and as interactive public signage. They come in all shapes and sizes, with standard screens being 70 inches, up to 100 inches.

Mobiles

A mobile phone is a portable telephone that makes and receives calls over a radio frequency. These devices, which many people today say they ‘can’t live without’ have only existed for the last 44 years.
The first handheld mobile phone was introduced to the world in 1973 by Motorola, weighing 2kg. The first commercially available mobile phone did not appear until 1983 however – the Motorola DynaTac 8000x.

Servers

A server is a computer program or device that provides functionality for other programs or devices.
Servers are typically classified by their purpose, for example:

A web server is a computer program that serves requested HTML pages or files for internet access.
An application server is a framework that allows applications to be created and used, an application will run on the app server.
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between a device and another server from which a user or client is accessing information.
A mail server is software that receives incoming e-mail from local users and remit senders, and forwards email for delivery.
A virtual server is a program that runs on a shared server, configured in a way that the server does not appear shared.

Network Attached Storage

NAS drives allow you to store large amounts of data. The main reason people purchase NAS drives is for media playback. A NAS drive enables users to play media on TVs without having to connect to a computer. They use much less power than a regular PC too, which makes them cheaper to run.

Projectors

A projector is an output device, like a monitor, that takes images generated by a computer and reproduces them onto a surface that is usually large, flat and lightly colored. Projectors can be used for presentations or films, as they are able to produce either stills (slides) or moving images (videos).

Wireless Access Points

In computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP) is a type of hardware that allows a Wi-Fi ready device to connect to a wired network by connecting the WAP to a router and sending out radio signals that wirelessly connect the device. Prior to wireless access to networks, setting up a network that everyone could connect to in a business required miles of cables running through walls and ceilings.

Types of Software

Short range wireless broadband technology, also known as Wi-Fi is the essential piece of technology required for people around the world to access the internet, wirelessly. From schools and offices to homes, coffee shops and even cars, Wi-Fi is at the heart of modern connectivity.

The pace of Wi-Fi integration into modern devices now means that the internet can be accessed on: personal computers, video games consoles, digital cameras, tablets, mobile phones, digital audio devices and modern printers.

Web Filter & Security

A web filter is a program that screens incoming web pages to determine whether the content should be displayed by the user. The filter checks the origin or content of the page, against a set of rules provided by a company or person who has installed the filter.

The type of content or pages that are targeted by web filters include: objectionable advertising, spyware, viruses and pornographic content.

Web filters reduce recreational internet surfing among employees and students, whilst securing networks from web threats. Web filters are also popular in schools because they protect pupils from adult content, prevent them from accessing social media or from being reached by people that may wish to harm them.

Hosted Desktops

Switching to a hosted desktop is another mainstay for organizations conscious of protecting their business’ data. A hosted desktop is a form of virtual space that uses the internet to store business data securely in the ‘Cloud’ – a computer-generated storage space. It gives instant and secure access to business software, documents, and files from anywhere in the world, at any time. A hosted desktop is particularly useful for organizations that wish to save money by removing the need to fund IT support and multiple sets of hardware, such as servers. It is also a useful tool for large corporates or mobile workers that need a lot of people to be able to access files remotely, enabling collaboration within the virtual environment.

Office 365

Office 365 is the umbrella brand name given to Microsoft’s package of software and service subscriptions that can be used on both Windows and Mac operating systems. Office 365 provides cloud storage space on its OneDrive platform and 60 minutes of Skype minutes each month. One of the main functions of Office 365 is email. Connecting employees and customers via the internet, the 365 package also provides access to the below software applications: One of the main functions of Office 365 is email. Connecting employees and customers via the internet, the 365 package also provides access to the below software applications:

Word – A word processor
Excel – A type of software for creating data spreadsheets
PowerPoint – A program for creating presentations
Microsoft Access – A database management system
Outlook – A personal information manager, including: email, a calendar function, task manager, and an address book
OneNote – A note taking program that collects handwritten or typed notes, drawings, audio commentaries, and screen clippings
Publisher – A desktop publishing application for designing work
Skype for Business – A communications client used for conferences and meetings in real-time
Project – A project management application
Visio – A diagram and flowcharting application

Information Sheet 1.2: Industry Maintenance, Service and Helpdesk Practices, Processes and Procedures

Maintenance Procedures and Their Importance

Procedures, in the broadest sense, are the way something is performed, that is, a technique, process, or method of work. In industrial environments, these tools are widely used in the search for certain patterns of routine tasks and execution.

It’s common for people to refer to procedures as work instructions, which they are, but technically there’s a difference.

A procedure is a description of the activities involved in the flow of a job. In other words, it’s a macro and standardized script of all the activities of a process. And the Work Instruction (WI) is a detailed description of a single activity.

How important are procedures?

It’s necessary to establish a policy that governs their use and how to deal with possible deviations. Normally, the company’s quality area is in charge of these policies. And for each new one, all maintenance team involved must be informed and trained on the procedure.

Maintenance procedures or even work instructions are extremely important and must identify pre-conditions, precautions and provide clear instructions so that the work to be done doesn’t deviate.

All this to ensure that the flow is carried out in accordance with your operations’ strategy. To perform maintenance, the procedures must be technically accurate, properly verified, validated, authorized and reviewed.

Initially, we can classify them into two types:

Management;
Legal.

Management Procedures

For management, we can develop some procedures to establish a pattern of important activities, such as:

Expense control (direct purchases and stock): an important document to demonstrate the seriousness and commitment the team has when it comes to expenses. In this procedure, we can define how to control the emission, follow-up and receipt of direct purchase requests. And in the case of stock parts and supplies, it’s possible to establish how the use of these resources should be. In both cases, it’s necessary to determine both the responsibilities and the documents necessary for the flow of these activities.
Failure analysis: important document with certain assumptions of when and how to carry out failure analysis. Define the entire flow of this activity, responsible parties, and deadlines, among other things.
Preventive plans: the definition of how scheduled maintenance and predictive maintenance is handled. It’s an important document that meets the ISO 9001 standard, as it specifies how maintenance addresses asset needs.

Legal Order Procedures

Here the procedures meet some regulatory or legal standards. Without them, accidents or disasters could compromise the company. We can name a few:

Contingency plans: some standards such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 establish that you need for a contingency plan. In other words, a method must be developed on how to act in situations of great impact on your manufacturing operations.
Safety inspections: in this case, they’re the appropriate procedures to meet legal inspection requirements, sustained by regulations. For example, there are the inspections defined in NR-13 regarding pressure vessels and boilers.

Information Sheet 1.3: Industry Standard Diagnostic Tools

Computer diagnostics tools are pieces of software that give you the knowledge you need to be able to potentially repair your own computer. Some of these tools come built in to your operating system while others come from 3rd party software developers. Either way, these tools help save you time and money.

Computer diagnostic tools can be used scan your computer’s hard drive, check your ram for errors, check CPU temp and give you information about any other devices connected to your computer. These tools are made to find problems that may be disrupting your computer’s normal performance. Once a problem is found, you can then plan your repair.

#1 Windows Performance Monitor

The first one on our list is built right in to Windows operating systems. The performance monitor gives you a quick view of vital information related your computers hardware. From here, you can check out your CPU, Memory, Disk info and Ethernet information. You can use Performance Monitor to examine the effects of your running applications in both real time and by collecting data to check out for later analysis.

#2 Windows Resource Monitor

This diagnostic tool is more robust that Windows Performance Monitor. It is better suited for tracking individual aspects of CPU, Network, memory and disk usage. This tool gives you an in depth look at what processes are affecting your CPU, how much memory is being used what is using it, individual process disk activity and network information like current TCP connections and what processes are listening on what port.

#3 Open Hardware Monitor

Open Hardware Monitor is a free open source application that runs on Windows and Linux systems. This diagnostic tool monitors your computers temperature sensors, fan speeds, voltages, load and clock speeds. If your computer is shutting down by itself, hanging or crashing, this tool can come in real handy by telling you that your system is overheating or the fans aren’t working properly.

#4 Speccy

Speccy is another great computer diagnostic tool. This application gives information on just about everything including software, hardware, peripherals, disk info, graphics & network data. It’s easy to use layout make troubleshooting and maintenance a breeze. It’s a great application to start with when you are looking for specific info about your computer.

#5 HD Tune

HD Tune Pro is a great tool for HDD and SSD diagnostics. This utility allows you to benchmark your storage device showing you the minimum, maximum and average transfer rates along with many other useful tools. The other features of HD Tune include detailed drive info, error scanning, & drive health. The pro version allows you to check the health status of multiple drives, offers folder usage info, secure erase, file benchmark, disk monitor, cache test & extra tests.

Computer diagnostics are meant to serve a vital purpose. They are important tools which work automatically, with very little effort necessary from the end user. They help you discover and fix problems within your hard disks and network configurations. Rather than manually searching for small, hard-to-find problems on your own, you can simply allow computer diagnostics tools to take care of your problems for you!

Information Sheet 1.4: Malfunctions and Resolutions

Anytime you are using a PC and it is not working the way you intend it to, that’s a problem. Everything from sticky keys to memory failure can be frustrating and prevent you from using your computer properly. While a common joke these days, “turning it on and off” is the best first step to troubleshooting computer issues and can save you tons of time and hassle. Another great first step is to test the cables you are using as well before jumping further into troubleshooting. When power cycling a PC or replacing cables doesn’t work, there are some more approachable solutions you can try before reaching out to a professional help.

1. General Slowdown

One of the most common problems users have with their computer is that it is “running slow.” This can be caused by many different things. However, typically it is referring to the time it takes to turn on the PC, open programs, or do just about anything. In some extreme cases, this can even mean input lag from your keyboard to what appears on the screen. This issue can be incredibly frustrating, because it can affect multiple programs or areas on your computer and seriously reduce productivity.

Solution

Nine times out of ten, the main reason for general PC slowdown is a lack of—or the improper distribution of—hardware resources. What this means is that specific programs or processes are using too much of your RAM, hard drive, or CPU.

Just running your operating system takes a base amount of resources, so if you have a pesky program using too much of your computer, it can struggle to run the OS. This can cause common slowdown issues like input lag. An easy way to check to see what program is hogging your resources is by using Task Manager.

To do this, right-click your taskbar and click Task Manager. On the top of the Task Manager window, you will see a tab that reads “Performance.” You can click this tab to see how much of your computer resources are being used at one time. Suppose these values are at or near 100%. In that case, you can close excess programs as needed until your computer is running comfortably again. A good rule to remember is to only open programs you are actively using. This ensures your computer is running optimally at all times.

2. PC Will Not Turn On

Pressing the power button on your computer and having nothing happen can feel like the end of the world. Luckily, power issues do not necessarily mean the entire PC is broken or that data has been lost. Both desktops and laptops can refuse to turn on for a number of reasons. Sometimes it can even be just a peripheral such as an external monitor that is having problems and stopping the PC from turning on entirely. If you press the power button to start your PC and nothing happens, do not panic. Remember to give the computer a moment to fully power-on before pressing the power or reset button again. If you are still having issues, try some of the quick fixes below!

Solution

Laptops are more prone to power issues than desktops due to their external power supplies and internal batteries. If there is any damage to a laptop charger or internal battery, most modern laptops will prevent themselves from powering on to prevent the faulty equipment from causing any more damage. When possible to do safely, you can fully power-down and unplug the machine, then remove the battery before trying to turn off the PC again. If this solution solves the problem, then most likely, it is time to replace your battery. If this does not fix the issue, try using a different AC adapter with and without the battery to determine if either of those devices is causing the startup issue.

With desktops, power issues are more straightforward but can be more complicated. 99% of desktop computers will have a power button on the front of the case and a power switch on the back of the case near where the power cord plugs in. Desktop computers will not power unless the power switch in the back is turned on, and the button in the front is pressed. This is always the first thing you should check when experiencing power issues on a desktop PC. If this does not solve your problem, you can carefully open your case when the computer is powered off to see if your power supply is connected properly to your other computer components. It is safe to reseat connections and remove any excess dust or debris in the case. However, it is not recommended for average users to remove or change internal power supply connections.

3. Peripherals Not Working

Sometimes the most annoying problems are not with your computer itself but rather with the peripherals you are trying to use with the machine. Keyboards and mice see a tremendous amount of daily use, so it is not uncommon for them to fail on occasion. Other devices such as microphones or presentation-based remotes can have complicated setup processes that can create potential issues later down the road. When any of these devices fail to work properly, they can create costly and annoying downtime that is not ideal for any user.

Solution
The first thing to check when an external device is not working is its connection to the computer. Cables can easily break, or ports can be obstructed. Before getting into any more serious solutions, it is always best practice to try using different cables or connections on your machine to see if a device will begin working again.

If the cable or hardware itself is not the issue, you can try reinstalling drivers to see if that fixes the problem. Drivers are the software your PC uses to communicate with and utilize hardware properly. All devices from keyboards to Wi-Fi cards have drivers. Sometimes, they can become corrupt or fail to update properly, and that can create problems when trying to use your devices.

A quick way to see if you are having driver issues is to check Device Manager. This is an area of your settings you can get to by searching or right clicking your start menu. Once in Device Manager, you will see a list of all the hardware connected to your computer. If any piece of hardware has issues, there will be an exclamation point next to the device. This means the device is detected by your computer but not working as intended.

There are two solutions you can try from here to get your device up and running again:

First, you can right-click and update the drivers for the device. This will require a restart but can be a quick and easy way to implement this fix.
If updating does not work, you can also try reinstalling the drivers. To do this, right-click the device again, but this time click “Uninstall Drivers” and then restart your PC. This removes the current drivers from your machine and then reinstalls the proper drivers once the computer restarts.

4. Audio Issues

Virtual meetings have become standard these days, and so have a host of audio issues that can make using your PC unbearable. Microphones can get accidentally muted, or audio sources can switch within different programs. Hardware can fail, but it is uncommon. More often than not, sound issues can be resolved from within the operating system. However, there are multiple ways to access and change sound settings, so troubleshooting issues can be frustrating when waiting for a virtual meeting or video call to start.

Solution

Most keyboards, headsets, or microphones come with a dedicated mute button. When dealing with sound issues, it is always best practice to check these functions and buttons first. Accidental button or key presses can sometimes mute audio sources in programs or your entire PC audio.

When all of your devices connect as intended, and you are still having audio issues, the next step is to check and see if your volume is low or muted from within your operating system. If you are still experiencing audio problems, the last thing you can check is your playback sources. By right clicking your speaker icon, you can bring up your audio settings, which will show you a list of available audio devices. You can then test each one with the press of a button and ensure the proper device is selected for your PC.

Unfortunately, if none of these software fixes worked, it could be a hardware issue. If your PC’s generic audio driver (found within the 3.5mm headphone jack) isn’t working or isn’t compatible with some of the features of your headphones, you can look for a USB headset — the USB connection will work around any issues with the driver and often fixes any software compatibility issues with the headset.

5. Blue Screens

The most terrifying of computer problems is the dreaded blue screen of death. This term refers to the blue error screen that appears when your computer has a critical failure of some kind. Blue screens can result in data loss or worse and need to be addressed immediately. OS updates can sometimes result in blue screen errors, and if that’s the case, you can usually fix the problem yourself.

Commonly, there is an error code associated with a blue screen, so you should try to write that information down when possible. If it is a more severe issue, IT professionals can use those codes to help diagnose and repair your computer more efficiently. There are, however, a few things you can try carefully to fix blue screens and prevent a costly repair bill.

Solution

If you get a blue screen error that looks like it is the operating system or software related, you may be able to fix it yourself. If the error code you see has to do with hardware, you should not attempt to work on the computer yourself, because you could risk further damaging your PC.

When software issues cause blue screens, the first thing you should do is let the system turn off and try to reboot on its own. Modern computers have functions and features that will automatically attempt to repair these issues. Sometimes a simple restart and wait could fix random blue screens. When automatic tools fail to work, there are other solutions you can attempt. You can use an operating system installation tool to try and roll back updates or run more advanced repair tools without the risk of further damaging hardware. The last thing you could try would be to reinstall the operating system on the PC. Just remember you need to be incredibly careful when doing this because you could lose all of your data without the proper backups in place.

No matter what industry you operate in, you will be interacting with computers at some point. Due to their complex nature, PCs can be prone to some common problems. By learning what causes these computer problems and some quick fixes to try, you can often reduce your downtime or even eliminate costly IT support bills. Remember that power cycling can help with most issues, and you should always try the most basic solution first to save time and hassle. Don’t be scared to try these solutions yourself either, because each new issue you fix is a learning experience and will make the next even easier.