Working Insideyour PC

Opening Case of a Pc

Taking ESD Precautions

Take precautions before workinginside your PC

Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that

shipped with your computer.

To avoid damaging your computer, perform the following steps before

you begin working inside the computer

Ensure that your work surface is flat and clean

to prevent the computer cover from being

scratched.

Turn off your computer (see Turning Off Your

Computer).

Disconnect all network cables from the

computer.

Disconnect your computer and all

attached devices from their electrical outlets.

Press and hold the power button while the computer is unplugged to ground the system

board.

Remove the cover.

Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or

contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a processor

by its edges, not by its pins.

Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You

should only perform troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your product documentation, or as directed by the online or telephone

service and support team.

To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist

grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface,

such as a connector on the back of the computer.

How do I open my computer case?

Before opening the case, disconnect all the cables

from the back of the computer and place it on

a table. Next,

identify the chassis you're working with. Below is a short list of different ways a

computer case cover is held on.

Screw - Case held on with

screws.

thumbscrew-Case with screws

that require no special tools and can be tightened

and loosened with your fingers.

Often, these screws also have

indents that allow them to also work

with tools if needed.

Screwless -Case that has

no screws, only held on with

metal or plastic clamps that can release

from the case by pressing buttons or switches.

Screw / Thumbscrew computer casesSt

ep #

1 The screws, buttons, or other mechanisms to open a computer case are almost always located on the back edges of a computer. If the case has screws, these will need to be removed before the case cover can be removed.

Step

# 2

Once screws have been removed from the back of the case, push the side cover of the computer case towards the back of the computer. Either the side of the computer case will slide off, or the complete cover will be removed.

Step

# 3

Finally, some computer cases use a combination of thumbscrews and screwless mechanisms to hold on the side of a computer case. If you only needed to remove one on the back of the computer, it's likely you're working with this case.

Screwless computer cases

As mentioned earlier, screwless computer cases work by using buttons,levers, or push arms. For example, NEC, Dell, and other major computermanufacturers used a popular screwless entry case where a singlethumbscrew is removed from the back right side of the computer case, andwhile the computer is on its side, press and hold in two small levers on thetop and bottom and push the side towards the back of the case.

In addition to the above example, a screwless computer case may havesimilar levers that may be located in other locations such as the bottom ofthe computer case or the front of the computer.

Finally, there are also several other screwless computer cases that utilizebuttons often located on the front bottom portion of the computer case.pressing this button will release the side of the case, allowing it to beremoved.

ESD Precautions and Proper Handling Procedures

Avoid carpets in cool, dry areas. Leave PC cards and memory modules in their anti-static packaging until

ready to be installed.

Dissipate static electricity before handling any system

components (PC cards, memory modules) by

touching a grounded metal object, such as the system

unit unpainted metal chassis.

If possible, use antistatic devices, such as wrist straps

and floor mats.

Always hold a PC card or memory module by its edges. Avoid touching the contacts

and components on the memory module.

Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables. A

damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical circuit.

Prevent damage to the connectors by aligning

connector pins before you connect the cable. Misaligned

connector pins can cause damage to system

components at power-on.

When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable

connector or strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.