Hardware in Detail notes

7/29/2019 Hardware in Detail notes

1/12

Hardware Skills

First, identify the parts on the front of an assembled computer ...

Monitor

Keyboard

Mouse

CPU Floppy Drive, CDROM Drive

Power, Reset Buttons

Identify what you have

What type and speed of Processor?

How much RAM?

How big hard drive?

Special boards or interfaces?

Are there network, bios, or other settings we should record?

Next, identify all the input/output ports on the back ...

Page 1 of 12


2/12

Compare connectors, features, older vs. newer, male vs female ...

Keyboard (AT, PS/2, USB)

Mouse (Serial, PS/2, USB)

Modem (RJ11 telephone jack)

Serial

USB

Parallel (DB25)SCSIFirewire

Sound In/Out

Video In/Out

Monitor (VGA)

Game Paddle

Other?

Clean the Mouse

(Does not apply to optical mice!)There is nothing more frustrating than a flakey mouse

Think of it as an upside-down trackball. Remove the

ball from inside -- use 2 hands and twist. It can bewashed with plain, soapy water. Rinse and dry

thoroughly. Do not reinstall it until it is completely

dry. Use canned air to remove dust from the socket

Internal contacts can be cleaned with Q-TIP/swap and

alcohol. Use very small amount, do not wet insides.

Clean the Outside of your Computer

Canned air and vacuum. Damp cloth with plain water

and a small amount ofmildsoap. Do NOT GET

ANY ELECTRONIC PARTS WET! Use a Q-TIP

with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove sticky or stubborn

dirt -- be careful not to spill alcohol on electronics!

Page 2 of 12


3/12

WARNING: PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLYARNING: PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLYCarefully Disassemble a Known-Working Computer

Instructions BEFOREOpening the CPU Cover

First backup any user work. Ideally, perform a FULL BACKUP of thehard disk (or verify that it has been done recently, for certain).

Do a PROPERShutdown! (Start -> Shutdown ... )

Turn off ALL Peripheral Devices (e.g., external modem, disk)

Remove ALL Cables!

Work in a Dry Area with Shoes/Sneakers On!

NEVER Open a CRT (Monitor). CRTs contain large capacitors which storecharge. They store enough charge to cause serious injury even 2 WEEKS after being

unplugged. Also, if a CRT gets smashed, the implosion results in glass flying in every

direction. If you determine that a CRT is defective or needs calibration, refer it to a

qualified service technician.

Page 3 of 12


4/12

Avoid Static Electricity Damage to Computer Parts:

Use Anti-Static Wrist Strap to Handle All Electronic Components

Must be grounded to chassis or grounded work-area

Hold Boards by EDGES Only

Do Not Use Magnetic Screwdrivers

Handle ICs with Extreme Care, Only by Ends

Set Parts Down on Grounded, Anti-Static Surface, or in Static-freebags, with component-side UP

If you are an expert--supervised by a trained adult--it is sometimes acceptable

to plug in power to the chassis, as a method of grounding. You might see me

doing this. NEVER DO THIS WITHOUT PERMISSION AND EXPERT

SUPERVISION. Always use extreme care around the power supply and power

cables. Usually, if you avoid scraping your feet on carpeting before working on

the computer, the metal chassis will provide sufficient grounding anyway.

Be extra cautious working on All-in-One computers (such as eMachinesor beige Power Macs). It is OK to open the CPU area to gain access to

the motherboard, add RAM, and so on. It is NOT OKto reach inside or

up into the CRT area. Refer to the instructions above regarding CRT

dangers.

Do not open up a laptop computer, until you have had substantialadditional training. It can be very tricky to get all the cables back in

place, and it is very easy to damage the LCD display.

ADVANCED ACTIVITY: Ask one of the instructors to help you

CAREFULLY remove the keyboard or bottom cover(s) from a laptop

computer, such as to add RAM, upgrade the hard drive, or (e.g., iBook

models) install a wireless card.

For any cable, connector, or screw, which might get confused or which

can be attached in more than one way, take careful notes. Use a baggie

or similar to hold small parts.

Be Sure You Remember How to Put Everything Back Together!Keep small, similar parts in a tray or baggie

Check if there is more than one way that a connector could fit

If so, be sure to note the color/order of each connection.

Dont be shy about labeling cables, including up/down/left/right

Page 4 of 12


5/12

Do NOT take things apart beyond the point where you know you

can recover!

Do not take apart the disk drive -- they are hermetically sealed, and

once opened are no longer of value.

Identify the Internal Components

Power Supply -- the biggest and easiest to find -- where does thepower cord plug in?

Notice that the power supply almost always includes a FAN.

Notice the THINK power cables versus the THIN (e.g., ribbon)

variety for data cables. Most devices require both.

Motherboard or Main Board or System Board

Advanced: Manufacturer and Model (find specs on Internet)

SlotsAdvanced: Bus Type (e.g., (E)ISA, PCI)

Integrated Circuits (ICs)

Floppy Drive (3.5 versus 5.25)Hard Drive(s)

CDROM Drive(s)

DVD? CD-RW?

Other Removable Storage (e.g., Zip Drive, Tape Drive)

Heat Sink and Muffin Fan for Microprocessor

Page 5 of 12


6/12

Micro-Processor (Manufacturer, Model, Speed)

Random Access Memory (RAM) slotsHow many are full? Can you figure out the density of each?

Cache Memory? Video RAM?Read Only Memory (ROM)

Video Board (or Video Section of Motherboard)

Modem (Internal or External)

Network Interface Card (NIC or Ethernet Card)

Battery (NB: these come in several sizes and shapes)

Page 6 of 12


7/12

Explain the Purpose of Each Component and How they Work Together

Some Key Concepts of Computer Science

Every Component Requires a Source of Power and a Data Path

Processing data requires energy.

Computer Data is Stored as On/Off Patterns. Everything (numbers, letters,

words, pictures, can be represented as numbers in the BINARY NUMBER

SYSTEM.

Bits and Bytes

Count from 0 up to 7 in binary000 100

001 101

010 110

011 111

Explain the relationship between OCTAL, HEXADECIMAL, and

BINARY representations of data.

Learn the ASCII Character Code

A = 65. = 1000001

a = 97. = 1100001

Which bit gets turned on when you hold down the Shift key?

Take apart a 3.5 floppy disk. Whats inside?

Take apart a 5.25 floppy disk. Whats inside? Which holds more?

What is a Kilobyte? Megabyte? Gigabyte? Terabyte?

NB: 1K = 210 = 1024 1000

Moore's Law: A factor of two (in size, cost, speed, ... ) every 2 years.

(Its really more like every 18 months?)

Processor Generations and Processor Speed (Megahertz)

Intel 286, 386, 486, Pentium I, II, III, IV

Motorola 68020, 68030, 68040, PowerPC, G3, G4

Sparc, Ultrasparc, ...NB:Processor Clock Speed Does Not Always Predict Performance

Page 7 of 12


8/12

CarefullyClean the Insides of your Computer

Dust and Dirt are Enemies of Computers!

The Read/Write Heads float on a cushion of air which is smaller than a

large dust particle.

Muffin Fans and Electric Current combine to attract dust and dirt into the

computer.

A clogged fan can block air circulation and "melt down" the cpu.Take Pride in your work:Always clean a computer when you service it

A clean computer is more likely to be a reliable computer

Use Canned Air

Use Mini-Vacuum Cleaner

Be Very Gentle! Do not actually touch the components.

Do not Use Liquids

Adding and Removing Components

Remove a RAM SIMM/DIMM (Memory Stick)

Wear Anti-Static Wrist Strap, properly grounded.

Each end of memory stick has a clip which holds it in place--

bend outward. Notice the orientation so that you can put it back

correctly. Tilt to 45 degree angle and slide it out Use thumb and

forefinger of each hand.

Never forceit! If it doesnt come out easily, something is wrong

Doing this improperly can damage the motherboard and ruin thecomputer permanently

Page 8 of 12


9/12

Add a RAM SIMM/DIMM (Memory Stick)

You should have already checked how much RAM is currently

detected by the OS. Wear grounded antistatic wrist strap.

Identify the correct slot(s).

Know whether SIMMs/DIMMs must be installed in specific

locations, or in matched banks or in matched pairs.

Know whether any dip switch settings are required (probablyyes on older computers; probably no on newer computers.Sometimes you have to remove smaller (lower density) modules to

make room for newer (higher density) modules

Tilt to 45 degree angle and gently insert, holding by ends

Push downward and toward upright angle -- gently

Never force it!

Verify how much RAM is now detected by the OS

If you get serious hardware errors (inability to start up), the stick is

probably just not seated correctly. Remove, re-seat, retry.

Remove a NIC/Ethernet Card

Be Sure to Wear Anti-Static Wrist Strap, properly groundedRemoving any retaining screws

Holding the board only by the edges, gently pull it upward, away

from the slot. Do Not Force it!

Add a NIC/Ethernet Card

Be sure you have the right card for the Computer Model -- is it a

PCI slot or an (E)ISA slot?Remove the cover plate

Install gently -- Do Not Force it!

Add retaining screw (if appropriate for Computer Model)

Later, Install and Configure Software Driver.

Replace the Clock Battery

Page 9 of 12


10/12

Remove the Hard Drive

Be Sure to Wear Anti-Static Wrist Strap, properly grounded

Removing any retaining screws

Hold the drive only by the edges.

Sometimes there is a mounting bracket that you need to reuse.

Do not force it.

Install a Larger Hard Drive

Be sure you have the right type of drive for the computer model:

ATA SCSI

Configure using jumpers or dip switches, depending on the make

and model. ATA drive would normally be set to primary master

if it will be the C: drive of the computer.

SCSI drives require termination and a unique ID number, normallyfrom 1 through 6.

Later, ensure that BIOS detects drive information correctly,

then format and partition.

Page 10 of 12


11/12

Laptops

Laptops require additional caution. The parts are smaller and more delicate.

Once removed, it can feel much like putting the toothpaste back into the tube.

Each brand and model can have unique ways of connecting peripherals or

adding accessories. Here are some pictures from one example, illustrating thePCMCIA (or PC) slot, the second battery slot (which can hold a CDROM

drive or floppy drive) and so on. Plastic inserts/spacers protect the PC slot

when there are not cards in use. Use care when inserting cards, do not force.

Page 11 of 12


12/12

Page 12 of 12

Hardware in Detail notes

Documents

Transcript of Hardware in Detail notes