Computer Repair: Opening a Computer
So now we have the “system” side of things covered, but sometimes you just need to get your hands on the project to make it work. So in this post I am going to cover properly opening a computer. To do this task you are going to need a clean surface to work on, a screw driver (Philips) to open the case, and a grounding bracelet. That last one is a tricky one, as they are not too easy to find. You can do this without one (as I have for many years) but it is not best practice. All the things inside a PC are electrical, so one static shock to your RAM and its toast… so the bracelet helps prevent that.
To begin, let’s unplug everything from your PC starting with the power. Flip the power switch on your power unit to off, and unplug the power. Continue to unplug everything from the back of the PC. Don’t forget, the keyboard, mouse, USB, or anything you may have plugged into the front as well. Once you are free of cables, you can lift the box and move it to your work area.
Once you are in your work area, lay the computer on the table with the motherboard facing up. You may ask yourself, where is the motherboard? When you look at the rear side of the PC everything is going to plug into one side or the other. That side is where the motherboard is, so lay that side on the table flat. Now we need to open the other side. Use your screwdriver to remove the screws securing the box side. Once done you should be able to shift the box side a bit and remove it completely. If you have trouble, then there is probably something wrong. Make sure you are not trying to take off the motherboard side, and if the problem continues seek professional help.
Once you have the PC open, then it’s time to work. From here you can clean the PC, remove or add hardware, or even reseat a few cards to troubleshoot any areas of concern.
That’s it. Just put the computer back together the opposite way we took it apart. Plug everything back in, flip the power and you should be ready to go.
If you need any help with a project like this, or if you have a question or comment, please be sure to drop me a line or contact me directly.
Until next time!
~Geoff
