Preventive Maintenance Practices SS1 Computer Hardware & GSM Repair Lesson Note

In our previous lessons, we learned how to fix things when they break. But a Great Technician is someone who makes sure things don’t break in the first place.

Think of Preventive Maintenance like brushing your teeth. You don’t wait for a toothache before you brush; you do it every day to keep the “doctors” (and the bills) away.

The “Visual Inspection” (Using Your Eyes)

The first part of maintenance doesn’t require any tools—just your eyes and ears. This is called a Routine Check.

What to look for:

• The “Burn” Check: Look at the power plugs and sockets. Do you see any black marks? That means electricity is “sparking,” and it could cause a fire.
• The “Cable” Check: Are people stepping on the computer wires? Are the wires twisted like a basket? Twisted wires break inside, even if the rubber outside looks fine.
• The “Fan” Check: Look at the back of the computer. Is the fan spinning? If it’s stuck, the computer is “suffocating” and will die from heat.

The Cleaning Routine (The “Dust War”)

In Nigeria, dust is our biggest enemy. It settles on the motherboard and acts like a thick sweater, making the chips get too hot.

Daily/Weekly Tasks:

1. Blow it Out: Use your air blower to push dust out of the laptop vents or the desktop “brain” (CPU case).
2. Screen Wipe: Use a dry microfiber cloth. Never use a wet “towel” or “Omo” (detergent). A wet cloth can leave water marks that stay forever.
3. Keyboard Flip: Turn the keyboard upside down and give it a gentle tap. You will be surprised by how much sand and crumbs fall out!

Software Maintenance (Keeping the Brain Clear)

It’s not just the “body” of the computer that needs cleaning; the “brain” needs it too. A computer full of “junk” files will be slow and frustrating.

• Disk Cleanup: Computers save a lot of “temporary” files that they don’t need. Running “Disk Cleanup” once a month is like taking out the trash in your house.
• Anti-Virus Scan: Run a full scan once a week. It’s better to catch a virus while it’s small before it “eats” all your documents.
• Startup Apps: If 20 apps try to open the moment you turn on the computer, it will be very slow. Turn off the ones you don’t need!

The Power of Record Keeping

This is the part many technicians forget, but it is the most important for a professional. You must keep a Maintenance Log Book.

Why keep records?

1. Pattern Finding: If you notice that Computer No. 5’s battery dies every 6 months, you might realize the wall socket is bad.
2. Accountability: If you are the lab prefect, the log book proves you have been doing your work.
3. Resale Value: If you want to sell a phone or laptop, showing the buyer a record of how you maintained it makes them trust you more.

What to write down:

• The Date.
• The Device ID (e.g., “Laptop 01”).
• What you did (e.g., “Cleaned dust, updated Windows”).
• Any problems you found.

Creating Your Maintenance Schedule

To make your work easy, use a simple table like this one. You can pin this on the wall of your workshop.

The Technician’s Timetable

Class Discussion

1. If you see a small spark when you plug in a laptop, should you keep using it or report it? Why?
2. Imagine you are in charge of a school computer lab. How would you stop students from “stuffing” crumbs into the keyboards?