A technician is upgrading the Wi-Fi card on a laptop. Which of the following should the technician do first?

The most critical first step before performing any internal hardware upgrade on a laptop is to ensure the device is completely de-energized. This is a fundamental safety procedure to prevent electrical shock to the technician and electrostatic discharge (ESD) or short-circuit damage to the components. The process begins by disconnecting all external power sources, with the primary one being the AC power cable. Only after all power sources, including the internal battery, are disconnected is it safe to open the chassis and begin working on internal components like the Wi-Fi card.

A. Disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna cables: This action is performed during the physical removal of the card, well after the laptop has been powered down and opened.
B. Set the physical Wi-Fi switch to disabled: This is a software-level or low-power hardware function that does not remove the main electrical power from the motherboard.
D. Install card drivers: This is a software-related task that occurs after the new hardware has been physically installed and the laptop is powered back on.

1. Dell Inc.

Latitude 7400 Service Manual (2021). In the section "Working on your computer

" under "Safety precautions

" the procedure mandates as a first step: "Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets." This is followed by steps to remove the base cover and disconnect the battery before accessing internal components. (Page 8).

2. HP Inc.

HP EliteBook 840 G5 Notebook PC Maintenance and Service Guide (2019). In Chapter 5

"Removal and replacement procedures

" the prerequisite steps listed under "Component replacement procedures" state: "Disconnect the power from the computer by first unplugging the power cord from the AC outlet and then unplugging the AC adapter from the computer." (Page 31).

3. CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Exam Objectives. Objective 5.4

"Given a scenario

use best practices for proper safety procedures

" covers equipment grounding and antistatic procedures. The universally accepted best practice for hardware service

which is tested under this objective

always begins with the complete removal of power sources to ensure personnel and equipment safety.