Glossary
of
Terms

What's Inside
ESD
integrated circuits
motherboard
CPU
math coprocessor
cache
clock speed
system bus
external bus
CPU revisited
memory
hard drives
disassembly
reassembly

Disassembly (continued...)

Removing the Cover
The standard way of removing tower cases used to be to undo 4-6 screws on the back of the case, slide the cover back about an inch and lift it off. Manufacturers are beginning to come up with trickier and more intricate methods of assembling these cases all the time. If there is no manual, then a little time taken for careful inspection may be in order. Here are some things to remember:

  • Don't Force Anything. If it has to be forced, it will probably break. If there are no screws on the back of the case for the cover, check the plastic faceplate on the front. Some pry off to reveal screws or release levers (remember, careful inspection). If everything on the front has its own bezel around it (including the LEDs) then maybe the plastic front pops off (or maybe the case slides off the front).
  • If you notice a separation between the sides and the top, then they must come off separately. My favorite ATX case allows you to remove two screws from the back, then slide the side panel to the rear an inch and remove it. The other side removes the same way. It's a good, solid, well built case.
  • Make sure any screws removed are for the cover. You don't want to unscrew the power supply by accident and have it fall inside your computer. That's a bad thing.
  • After the case is removed, place it in a safe place, where it won't get knocked of a table, kicked or stepped on and bent.

 

Removing Adapter Cards

  • Again, documentation is very important. Yes, that 16-bit ISA card will probably work in any 16-bit ISA slot, but there may be a reason it's in that particular one. Document the type of card and which slot it comes from.
  • Check the card for any cables or wires that might be attached and decide if it would be easier to remove them before or after you remove the card.
  • Undo the screw that holds the card in place.
  • Grab the card by its edges, front and back, and gently rock it lengthwise to release it. Do not wiggle it side to side as you can break the card, the slot, or the solder. Sometimes it helps to grasp the inside corner of the card with one hand and place a finger from the other hand under the associated port out the back of the computer to pry up the one end of the card.
  • Once the card is removed, you may want to record any jumper settings you see, just in case one is accidentally dislodged. Try to store the card in an antistatic bag. If you don't plan on replacing the card then a cover should be installed over the slot opening.

 

Removing Drives
Removing drives is not that difficult. They usually have a power connector and a data cable attached from the device to a controller card or a connector on the motherboard. CD-ROMs may have an analog cable connected to the sound card.

  • The power will be attached using one of two connectors, a large Molex connector or a smaller Berg connector for the floppy drive. The Molex connector may need to be wiggled slightly from side to side while applying gentle pressure outwards. The Berg connector may just pull straight out or it may have a small tab that has to be lifted with a tiny flat screwdriver.
  • The data cables need to be documented. Remember the pin one rule. Know where each one goes before you pull it out and record its orientation (which side is the stripe on, where is pin 1?). Pull data cables gently and carefully. In other words, don't yank them off, and pull level and in the direction of the pins.
  • Now you need to do a little more inspection, can the entire drive bay be removed? Does that particular drive come out the back of the bay or does it slide out the front before the bay is removed. If a bay is removable, you may have to remove some screws or unclip a lever then slide the bay back and off. If the bay is not removable, there should be access ports on the other side of the case that allow for access to those screws (there should be, I've seen some that you just about have to remove the motherboard to access these screws). Now you can remove the screws and slide the drive out the back of the bay. If the drive slides out the front of the case, then remove the screws and gently slide it forward.

continued...