backup  procedures,  maintenance  procedures,  security procedures, and so on. Diagnostic/Troubleshooting Information For  performing  diagnostics  and  for  troubleshooting problems,  there  may  be  separate  manuals  or  the information  may  be  included  in  an  appendix  of  an owner/user manual. Become familiar with the kinds of operator/user  diagnostics  you  can  perform.  In  this  way, you  may  be  able  to  identify  and  isolate  problems.  Error messages  also  provide  information  to  help  you  solve problems. Usually, an appendix or special section will include a list with some explanation. Most  of  the  hardware  components  have  built-in system checks that occur when the particular piece of equipment is powered on. If an error condition occurs during   the   self   test,   an   error   code   or   message   is displayed. You will use this code or message to begin the  troubleshooting.  Get  the  manual  and  look  up  the error,  this  will  give  the  cause  of  the  problem  and  an action  to  take  to  fix  the  problem  and  clear  the  error condition. There   are   several   commercial troubleshooting   and   information   software   packages available to use in performing system checks, each of which will include an operating manual on how to run and   interpret   the   results.   Remember   to   use   the associated  manual  for  whatever  troubleshooting  that you do. INSPECTING  THE  COMPONENTS Once  the  computer  components  arrive,  the  first thing that needs to be done is to inspect the components. This is accomplished in several steps: l l l Inspect  the  boxes  for  damage  before  opening them. After  opening  the  box,  check  to  be  sure everything is there (e.g., operating instructions, cables, and cords). Remove the components from the box, looking for   damage   (e.g.,   cracks   in   the   case,   loose connections, missing parts). After checking over each component and making sure everything is there, it is time to begin connecting everything   together. SETTING UP THE HARDWARE The  first  thing  you  must  do  when  setting  up  the hardware is to read the installation instructions. They will tell you what cables belong to what equipment and how   to   hook   up   the   equipment   properly.   In   the following paragraphs, we will give you an idea of what is involved when installing a microcomputer having a separate monitor, keyboard, and printer. Normally, each device comes with its own power line cable (except the keyboard, which gets its power from the system unit). You plug each into an electrical outlet. Be   sure   all   power   cables   are   polarized, grounded,   shielded,   and   have   a   three-conductor grounding   plug. This  brings  us  to  another  very important subject, power requirements. Power  Requirements Most  microcomputers the  range  of  100  to  130 can  operate  on  voltages  in volts  or  200  to  230  volts alternating current (at). They are able to accommodate either  voltage  through  the  use  of  a  selectable  switch called  a  voltage   or line  select  switch.  The   voltage switch on our particular microcomputer is located on the back panel of the system unit (see figure 1-25). CAUTION Changing  the  voltage  switch  to  a  different setting, say from 115 volts to 230 volts, would also require that the power cable be changed. Do  NOT  attempt  to  do  this  on  your  own; instead, have it done by a qualified electrical technician. If you’re not sure of the line voltage that is being supplied  to  the  electrical  outlets  in  your  work  space, have  a  qualified  electrician  check  them  for  you. Further, it is recommended that the outlet you select to support your system be used only by the microcomputer system and its peripheral devices. 1-26