The individual who can perform computer repair is able to open the casing case, determine what components are not functioning correctly, and fix or replace them. You can learn to repair one part at a time. Hands on experience is the only way to become really proficient at diagnosing and fixing the malfunction.

The motherboard is a circuit board and every other component connects to it. They all look similar, however, there may be small differences from one name brand to another. If it is the motherboard that is not working correctly, that is the component that needs to be fixed or replaced.

When the novice repair person opens the PC case, he or she will see connections for the peripherals that attach to it. Take out the screws and remove the old motherboard. Special screws called spacers may be in place and you lay the new motherboard over them. Then fix the screws that attach it to the casing.

The CPU may be in a specified position. It must be aligned with slots when you reinstall it. As you replace the other components, do not confuse the CPU fan slot with the chassis fan slot. They may look alike but there are small variations in size.

Attach the RAM and jumper wires into the correct slots. These wires control the light on the front panel of the casing. There will be variations in instructions from one computer to another. You should receive a manual for each component. Then you can begin fixing the IDE cables to enable use of the hard drive, CDROM and floppy disc drive.

Next, fix all drives and connect the IDE cables. Connect the power supply cables to the drives. This group of three cables are referred to as the Y cable. Finally, attach to the monitor and test if it is functional. This is the optimal way to familiarize you with the inner components of the computer. You will now be on the way to becoming capable of doing basic computer repair.