Lesson 1Cooling System (fans, heat sinks, thermal paste, laptop cooling): heat management and performance consequencesDetails how PCs generate heat and how fans, heat sinks, and thermal paste remove it. Learners relate poor cooling to throttling and crashes, then practice cleaning, airflow planning, and safe paste replacement on desktops and laptops.
Sources of heat inside a PCFans, heat sinks, and airflow pathsThermal paste purpose and careLaptop cooling limits and tipsCleaning dust and checking airflowLesson 2Storage Drives (HDD, SSD, NVMe): function, speed differences, capacity planningCovers how HDD, SATA SSD, and NVMe drives store data, differ in speed, and affect boot and load times. Learners compare interfaces, plan capacity for OS and data, and apply basic health checks and replacement strategies.
How HDDs store and access dataHow SSD and NVMe store dataSpeed impact on boot and appsChoosing drive size and layoutChecking drive health and lifespanLesson 3Peripheral interfaces (USB, HDMI, audio): common issues and simple fixesReviews USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, and audio jacks, including data and power roles. Learners match symptoms like no display or no sound to likely causes, then apply safe cable checks, port cleaning, and basic configuration fixes.
USB types, speeds, and power limitsHDMI and DisplayPort basicsAnalog and digital audio connectorsDiagnosing common port problemsSafe cleaning and cable checksLesson 4Power Supply Unit (PSU): power delivery, symptoms of failure, safe checksExplains PSU purpose, form factors, and power ratings, then links unstable systems to power issues. Learners practice safe visual checks, basic multimeter tests, and recognise when replacement is safer than further diagnosis.
PSU role in AC to DC conversionWattage, rails, and efficiency ratingsRecognizing PSU failure symptomsSafe visual and smell inspectionsUsing a PSU tester or multimeterLesson 5Motherboard and Chipset: component interconnections, BIOS/UEFI basics, impact on upgradesExplores motherboard layout, chipset roles, and how buses connect CPU, RAM, and devices. Learners review BIOS or UEFI basics, boot order, and firmware updates, then assess upgrade options based on sockets and supported standards.
Main motherboard components mapChipset roles and bus connectionsRAM slots, PCIe, and storage portsBIOS or UEFI setup and boot orderUpgrade limits from sockets and chipsetLesson 6Random Access Memory (RAM): purpose, how it affects multitasking and responsivenessExplains RAM’s role in active tasks and how capacity and speed affect responsiveness. Learners relate multitasking slowdowns to memory limits, check usage in tools, and apply basic seating, slot, and test procedures.
How RAM differs from storageCapacity needs for common tasksRAM speed, channels, and latencyRecognizing low memory symptomsReseating and testing RAM modulesLesson 7Central Processing Unit (CPU): role, performance impact, and indicators of issuesExplains CPU responsibilities, core and thread concepts, and how clock speed and cache affect performance. Learners link high usage, heat, and throttling to slowdowns, and practice basic monitoring and stability checks.
CPU tasks in system operationCores, threads, and workloadsClock speed, cache, and IPC basicsMonitoring CPU temps and usageCommon CPU bottleneck symptomsLesson 8Hardware-related symptoms and user-level diagnostics: labelling overheating, slow performance, no boot and initial checksFocuses on translating user complaints into hardware clues. Learners map symptoms like no boot, freezes, or fan noise to likely components, then apply structured, low-risk checks to narrow causes before advanced repair.
Collecting clear user problem reportsNo power or no boot initial checksSlow or freezing system triageOverheating and fan noise cluesWhen to stop and escalate repairLesson 9Network Adapter (Ethernet/Wi-Fi): role, basic troubleshooting steps for connectivity issuesDescribes wired and wireless adapters, link speeds, and IP basics. Learners follow a structured checklist for no-link and no-internet issues, including cable checks, Wi-Fi signal, drivers, and simple reset steps before escalation.
Ethernet ports, speeds, and cablingWi‑Fi standards and signal factorsChecking link lights and statusIP settings and simple reset stepsUpdating or reinstalling driversLesson 10Laptop Battery and Power Management: battery health, calibration, and how it affects shutdowns and performanceCovers how laptop batteries store energy, age over time, and affect performance and shutdown behaviour. Learners review health metrics, calibration steps, power plans, and safe handling, plus when replacement is recommended.
Battery chemistry and wear over timeChecking battery health indicatorsCalibrating charge and dischargePower plans and performance modesSafe handling and replacement cues
