Cs Assignment Lo 3-4

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS | ASSIGNMENT [LO3 – LO4] |

Table of ContentsIntroduction............................................................................................................................. 3

Task 1.a. Build and Configure a Computer System to Meet the Design Specification..........3

Health and Safety Issue........................................................................................................3

Electro-static Discharge (ESD)..............................................................................................3

Anti-Static Wrist band......................................................................................................3

Anti- Static Mat................................................................................................................ 4

Anti- Static Gloves............................................................................................................4

Anti- Static Bags................................................................................................................4

How to Build and Configure a Computer System:................................................................5

BIOS Configuration...........................................................................................................8

DESKTOP Configuration....................................................................................................9

Task 1.b. Test and Document the Computer System that has been assembled.................10

POST................................................................................................................................... 10

Testing the System.............................................................................................................10

Turning the PC ON..........................................................................................................10

Display............................................................................................................................11

Beep sound.....................................................................................................................11

Processor........................................................................................................................11

Hard disk drive................................................................................................................11

Operating System...........................................................................................................12

Desktop.......................................................................................................................... 12

Conclusion of the testing....................................................................................................12

1.c. Perform Routine Maintenance Tasks on a Computer System....................................12

Defragmentation................................................................................................................13

Advantages.....................................................................................................................14

Anti- virus scanning............................................................................................................14

Advantages.....................................................................................................................15

File compression.................................................................................................................15

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Advantages.....................................................................................................................16

Some other tasks................................................................................................................16

Back- Up............................................................................................................................. 16

Advantages.....................................................................................................................16

Disk Clean- up.....................................................................................................................17

Advantages.....................................................................................................................17

1.d. Upgrade the Hardware and Software on the Computer System................................18

Upgrading Mozilla Firefox..................................................................................................18

Advantages.....................................................................................................................18

How to upgrade..............................................................................................................18

Upgrading Hardware..........................................................................................................20

Benefits of upgrading.....................................................................................................20

Recommendations......................................................................................................... 20

Conclusion..............................................................................................................................21

References..............................................................................................................................22

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IntroductionWorking as an assistant to the Professor, I assisted him in making a report explaining the types of computer systems, its components and their functions. Then I designed a computer system for his official use.

My supervising Professor has now approved my design specification and appointed me to build him the computer. He has specifically asked to provide with the computer system a document that would act as a user guide for him. The main purpose of this assessment is to build the Professor a PC that would meet his expectations and allow frictionless, problem free computing. In my following report, I aim to make a detailed and thorough user guide for the Professor which would be hassle free and helpful.

Task 1.a. Build and Configure a Computer System to Meet the Design Specification

Health and Safety IssueElectro-static Discharge (ESD)Before beginning the building and configuring of the computer, it is extremely important to maintain caution about the hazardous electric work that would occur. ESD can occur while handling metal components and can destroy or damage the system parts without even at time feeling the shock. Anti- static basically refers to the protection of the computer components by the prevention of ESD.

Anti-Static Wrist bandAlso known as ESD Wrist Straps, are utilized to prevent ESD by securely grounding the person working with electronic hardware. Each Anti-static Wrist Strap comprises of a band of fabric with fine conductive filaments woven into it. The filaments are normally made of carbon or carbon-filled elastic, and the strap is bound with a stainless steel fasten or plate.

It is a strap that wraps around your wrist like an arm jewellery with a wire that connects to the PC. The wrist strap keeps the client grounded, which avoids Electro-static harm to a PC

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FIGURE 1: ANTI-STATIC WRIST BAND


Place your wrist in the strap and join the flip side (alligator clip) to a non-painted metal part of the PC case. The wrist strap ought to stay on your wrist during the whole process of the configuration.

Anti- Static Mat

Also known as Grounding Mat, is a table or floor mat which functions similarly to that of the band mentioned above. It reduces the danger of ESD and further damage of sensitive components.

Anti- Static Gloves

These are made up of polyester material and has a non- slippery surface to handle fragile electronic components and to prevent ESD. These can be used where bare hands should not be entered.

Anti- Static BagsThese help prevent ESD inside a bag where the electronic components are placed. Most commonly seen in newly bought computer components. Only the inside of these bags form the protection for the device it carries.

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FIGURE 2: ANTI- STATIC MAT

FIGURE 3: ANTI- STATIC GLOVES

FIGURE 4: ANTI- STATIC BAGS


How to Build and Configure a Computer System:

Step One: The Casing. ATX Casing, Cheval 2525BE; PSU 400W. This was the casing I chose in my design for the Professor’s computer system. The first thing to do is opening up the casing by unscrewing a few screws on one side of the case box. It is best to look around the case properly first and understanding which component will be fit where and how, for example: the hard disk or DVD driver etc. The casing comes with a Power Supply Unit of 400W. The PSU is connected on the far end top of the casing with its fan facing where the motherboard would be attached.

Step Two: The Mother Board. In the box, you shall find a mainboard and an I/O Shield; which is basically the back panel cover for the casing. First we need to snap on the I/O Shield on the back. Then carefully take out the motherboard as it is too fragile. Now place the female screws also called risers on the casing wherever the motherboard has the holes to be screwed in. then carefully place the mainboard lining with the back panel and on the risers. Then screw in the male screws carefully but firmly on the motherboard mounting points. FIGURE 5: THE MOTHER BOARD

Step Three: The Processor. It is one of the most fragile part of the computer assembly. We must be extra gentle in handling the processor as even one small bump on the microchips can damage the whole CPU. After taking it out of the box locate the arrow on the unit and line it with the arrow on the mainboard, this is the direction the processor will go on the board.

5FIGURE 6: PROCESSOR


To place the CPU, we need to pull the lever on the board and then place it accordingly and then gently push back the lever to the lock position.

After the processor is set in, it’s time to place the heatsink cooler that comes with the processor. It is very important to make sure there is thermal paste between the cooler and the processor or it can be damaged of over-heating. A wire with a 4-pin plug coming out of the fan has to be directly connected to motherboard in the 4-pin socket nearby where the CPU is.

Step Four: RAM. The RAM is installed in the RAM slots on the motherboard. There are two clips on the side which has to be pulled back before inserting in the RAM into the socket. After lining up the notch of the RAM with those in the socket, press down the RAM into socket. This requires a little force till the two clips are snapped on.

Step Five: Hard Disk Drive. The HDD is mounted on the bay area of the Casing by sliding in the drive and screwing tight in place.

Step Six: The Optical Drive. The DVD driver is installed and screwed in on the bay area on the top after pulling the plastic cover from the front.

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FIGURE 7: RAM

FIGURE 8: HDD & ODD


Step Seven: Plugging Everything. A 24-pin or 20-pin plug, the largest coming out of the PSU is the power cable for the motherboard. It is plugged in into to the big 24-pin socket on the board. It click locks in place after a firm push.

SATA, Data and Ribbon Cables, these are the cable connectors for the HDD and optical drives. Ribbon Cables are outdated now as they were too much hassle. The SATA cables actually contain two cables, one small black plug that is coming from the power supply and the other red one that comes with the motherboard. The long pin from the power goes to the hard drive or optical drive, the data cable goes from the HDD or optical drive to the motherboard.

Molex Power Cables are used to connect other things to the PSU. The male side plugs from the case fans are connected to the female Molex cable on the PSU.

Final Step: Turn It On. After attaching everything in place and making sure the wires are not tangled on to the board and closing the casing lid, it is time to turn on the pc.

Attach the monitor on the VGA port of the motherboard from the back of the casing, connect the keyboard and mouse in the USB or PS2 ports, plug in the power cable and turn the power on. Then press the power button on the front of the case. If everything is attached where it should be then the computer will turn on and the POST Screen will display on the monitor.

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BIOS Configuration

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FIGURE 9: BIOS CONFIGURATION


DESKTOP ConfigurationWallpaper Change:

FIGURE 10: WALLPAPER CHANGE

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Desktop Icon Change:

FIGURE 11: DESKTOP ICON SETTINGS

Task 1.b. Test and Document the Computer System that has been assembled

POSTShort for Power-On-Self-Test, is a test the PC must finish to confirm all equipment is working appropriately before beginning the rest of the boot process. In the event that the PC passes the POST the computer may give back a single beep and if unsuccessful, it will create beep code(s) to that demonstrates an error and not boot.

Testing the SystemTurning the PC ONMaking sure power is plugged and switched on, turn the power switch on the back of the power supply unit. Then press the power button on the front of the casing. If there is no sound from the fan or if you don’t see the fan moving then the issue is power related. Also notice if the power button light turns on or not. If not then Re-Connect the power cord firmly and restart the power switch.

When I tested the system, there was no power related issues so I moved on to the next step in testing the computer.

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DisplayAfter turning on, the monitor’s tiny LED on switch light should turn on and the display screen show light up with writings. If not then make sure the data cable of the monitor connecting the VGA Port is firmly plugged in and the monitor is switched on. The switches should be on the right or bottom of the flat panel screen.

When I turned on the computer, the display did not turn on at first. Then I tightly screwed in the VGA cable into the port and pressed turned it on again. Then the display screen lit up.

Beep soundBefore the BIOS came on, if the system makes beep sounds it could be due to many reasons depending on the number of beeps.

When I turned on the system, it made 3 short beep sounds. This means Base 64K RAM Failure. The diagnosis of such issue is that the principal bank of memory likely has a bad memory chip in it some place. It is conceivable that there is an error identified with the motherboard or a system device also. So it meant that there is an Apparent Memory Failure. This is more likely due to a misconfiguration or the wrong type of memory is used.

As the first time I tried with the DDR3 4GB RAM and a DDR2 8GB RAM together. Which might be the reason why it is misconfigured and I should lower the RAM Speed. So I turned off everything including the power and opened up the casing to check on my RAMs. I removed the DDR2 stick and re-inserted the DDR3 RAM stick. After it snap locked in its place I closed the casing and turned back on the power then the power button and the display.

The display turned on with one short beep; which meant everything was fine and the BIOS was on.

ProcessorAfter getting into the BIOS Setup and seeing the system information, if the processor is detected and performing that means the processor is working properly. If not, then check if it is properly fixed to the board and test again.

I found my processor was working fine.

Hard disk driveAfter turning on the pc, get into the ROM BIOS Setup and select hard disk drive auto detect. Then install and check it with a disk manager to check if it operating and performing. If not then make sure the drive is properly connected to the power supply and motherboard.

When I tested and checked the HDD was working perfectly.

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Operating SystemAfter the BIOS screen the system should show the already installed Windows loading and desktop turning on. After the desktop is loaded go to Computer, then right-click properties and check the version of windows installed.

When I performed these operations I found my OS running smooth and perfect.

DesktopCheck whether all the basic shortcuts (computer, recycle bin etc.) are there on the desktop. And make sure they open and basic software are present. Check for virus and remove it by anti –virus software. If all software are detected then everything is running perfectly. If not, then make sure all needed software are installed properly; re-install if necessary.

When I checked, I noticed the software for the webcam I provided was not properly installed so I had to re-install it. Also the software for Word Processing (Microsoft Office) was also bought and installed and the application is running smooth and files are being saved to the Documents Folder. All the other installed software are now working fine.

Conclusion of the testingThe Professor can configure his own computer systems by the help of the guide lines which includes assembling and building a PC, understanding POST codes, installing drivers, installing software and other hardware. Ways of testing the components of PC, hardware and software has been described thoroughly. By following these mentioned test measures, the Professor can overcome the glitches of trouble shooting and faults could be identified.

1.c. Perform Routine Maintenance Tasks on a Computer System

Software and Hardware needs to keep up so as to work legitimately. To make sure a PC is functioning properly, software and hardware need to work side by side. In the event that one of these fails to function, the PC won't work and it may cause further issues. Along these lines, software and maintenance is critical to increase the execution of PC and also to minimize system failures.

I suggest performing hardware and software maintenance after every two to three months if the usage is regular.

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On the possibility that the software and hardware support is not took after, the PC will face the danger of damaging many components and segments of the PC. Regular maintenance makes the processor fast, detects failures and can increase the life span of the components.

DefragmentationDisk Fragmentation will make hard disk to work proficiently. It helps increase the overall speed of the system. The major task of disk defragmenter is revamping fragmented information on a given hard drive. You additionally can set calendar to do disk defragmentation manually or can be set to be done auto.

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FIGURE 12: DEFRAGMENTATION PROCESS

Advantages It arranges your unorganized files, so that the file contents don’t need to travel from

one disk to another to find or check data. Anti-virus scans will take less time as files are defragmented and organised. Programs and applications will run more efficiently and faster after disk

defragmentation Makes the job easier for the hard drive as after the defragmentation process won’t

need to work as hard to read sorted files.

Anti- virus scanningAnti- virus software are used to protect a computer system from threats of virus, malware, spyware, internet virus – Trojans, worms etc.

FIGURE 13: ANTI- VIRUS SCAN

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Advantages The system’s security is maintained Protection from virus threats via spam mails Safeguarding the important data and files in the computer. Protection from viruses, spyware and malware

File compressionIt is the process in which the chosen file’s size is reduced to save disk space or for faster and easier transmission over the internet or the network. It creates a version of the same files using the same data but at a much reduced size than that of the original files. It is also known as file zipping; and a common used for such task is the WinZip.

FIGURE 14: FILE COMPRESSION

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Advantages Makes room in the storage space Less use of bandwidth Faster transfer speed Less money spent in storage devices

Some other tasksBack- UpThis is the storage of copies of the existing files as a back-up. It is done to recover files if the computer system is affected and all files are lost.

Advantages Important data stays protected and secured Protected data stays stored for a long time

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Disk Clean- upIt removes unnecessary and temporary files from the hard drive to create more free space in the disk.

FIGURE 16: DISK CLEAN-UP

Advantages Increase free space in the hard drive Makes the computer more reliable as disk clean up deletes unwanted programs

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FIGURE 15 : BACKUP PROCESS


Makes the overall performance faster.

1.d. Upgrade the Hardware and Software on the Computer System

Upgrading Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free open web browser which much faster and secured than internet explorer. It is less vulnerable to viruses and malware of the internet.

Every now and then, Mozilla issues a newer version or update or upgrade of Firefox making it better and less of glitches and errors. Most of the time the setting in the browser is set to ‘auto-update’ and the software upgrades automatically. But if not set to the automatic option, users have to check and upgrade the browser manually.

Advantages Free of cost Every upgrade will make browsing speed faster Improved memory usage and stability

How to upgrade1. Open Mozilla Browser and click on the orange Firefox button on the top left corner2. Click on the Help menu and Select About Firefox3. A pop-up About Firefox box will appear and click on Check for updates4. If updates are available download will start will be installed5. After completion, click on the Restart to Update button. The browser will restart and

new updates will be applied.

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FIGURE 17: FIREFOX UPDATE PROCESS

Upgrading Hardware It is generally referred to the replacement or addition or upgrading of an existing component in the system due to which the performance will be boosted.

Benefits of upgrading Overall performance of the computer increases and the processes done are more

smooth and fast Can use programs that needed higher requirements The capacity to do more work increases

Recommendations The RAM I used was a 4GB DDR3 RAM, an addition of one more 2GB of DDR3 RAM will make a huge difference on the performance of the system. As the operating system is 64-bit, the upgrade won’t become a hassle and rather boost the system to perform better.

As the motherboard can handle up to 4 storage devices, I recommend to add a 500GB Solid State Drive (SSD) along with the given HDD to the Professor’s computer as he requires a

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large storage space. SSD is significantly faster than the traditional HDD as it does not spin and is less likely to be damaged quickly.

A set of speakers can be added to the Professor’s computer as he might need to play necessary things out loud or may not want to use his headphones always.

Conclusion

The thoroughly described guidelines will surely assist the Professor about the configuration of the computer system provided. The methods of testing the different components of a computer system will allow the Professor to detect faults and avoid troubleshooting. The hardware and software maintenance includes: files back-up, disk clean-up, defragmentation, anti- virus scanning, and file compression. These should be maintained regularly by the Professor so as to avoid major issues and solve persisting problems. The upgrading of the browser and other hardware; their method and benefit gives the Professor a more stable and reliable computer system that runs smooth and is beneficiary to his day to day requirements.

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References

Gordon, W (2011). How To Build A Computer, Lesson 3: Building A ComputerAvailable at: http://lifehacker.com/5827491/how-to-build-a-computer-from-scratch-lesson-3-building-the-computer [Accessed on: 10/12/15]

Computer Hope (2015). POST and Beep CodesAvailable at: http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm [Accessed on: 12/12/15]

Hasting, M (2015). POST Beep CodesAvailable at: http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml [Accessed on: 12/12/15]

Computer Hope (2015). Anti-Static Mat

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http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

http://lifehacker.com/5827491/how-to-build-a-computer-from-scratch-lesson-3-building-the-computer

http://lifehacker.com/5827491/how-to-build-a-computer-from-scratch-lesson-3-building-the-computer


Available at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/a/asm.htm [Accessed on: 13/12/15]

Computer Hope (2015). Anti-Static BagAvailable at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/a/antibag.htm [Accessed on: 13/12/15]

Computer Hope (2015). UpgradeAvailable at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/u/upgrade.htm [Accessed on: 10/12/15]

Scribd Inc (2015). Computer SystemsAvailable at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/200785267/Computer-Systems [Accessed on: 12/12/15]

Computer Hope (2015). Wrist StrapAvailable at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/w/wrisstra.htm [Accessed on: 13/12/15]

Mozilla (2012). 10 Reasons To Upgrade To The Latest Version Of FirefoxAvailable at: https://blog.mozilla.org/theden/2011/12/01/10-reasons-to-upgrade-to-the-latest-firefox-version/ [Accessed on: 11/12/15]

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https://blog.mozilla.org/theden/2011/12/01/10-reasons-to-upgrade-to-the-latest-firefox-version/

https://blog.mozilla.org/theden/2011/12/01/10-reasons-to-upgrade-to-the-latest-firefox-version/

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http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/a/asm.htm