Cs Assignment Lo 3-4

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS
ASSIGNMENT [LO3 LO4] |
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................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
1

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

Introduction
Working 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
Computer System
Specification
and
Configure
a
to Meet the Design
Health and Safety Issue

Electro-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 band
Also 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
FIGURE 1: ANTI-STATIC WRIST
BAND3

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

FIGURE 2: 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.
FIGURE 3: ANTI- STATIC GLOVES
Anti- Static Bags

These 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.
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 Professors 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.
F IGUR
E
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
FIGURE 6: PROCESSOR
the processor will go on the
board.
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, its 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
FIGURE 7: RAM
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.
FIGURE 8: HDD & ODD
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.
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.

BIOS Configuration

FIGURE 9: BIOS CONFIGURATION
DESKTOP Configuration
Wallpaper Change:

FIGURE 10: WALLPAPER
CHANGE
Desktop Icon Change:
FIGURE 11: DESKTOP ICON SETTINGS
10

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

Turning the PC ON
Making 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 dont 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.
Display
After turning on, the monitors 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 sound
Before 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.
11

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.
Processor
After 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 drive
After 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.
Operating System
After 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.
Desktop
Check 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
12

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 testing

The 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
Tasks on a Computer System
Maintenance
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.
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.
Defragmentation
Disk 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.
13

You additionally can set calendar to do disk defragmentation manually or

can be set to be done auto.
14

FIGURE 12: DEFRAGMENTATION PROCESS
Advantages
It arranges your unorganized files, so that the file contents dont
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 wont need to work as hard to read sorted files.
Anti- virus scanning
Anti- 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
15

Advantages
The systems 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 compression
It is the process in which the chosen files 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
16

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

Back- Up
This 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
17

FIGURE 15 : BACKUP PROCESS
Disk Clean- up
It 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
Makes the overall performance faster.
18

1.d.
Upgrade
the
Hardware
Software on the Computer System
and
Upgrading Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla 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 upgrade
1. Open Mozilla Browser and click on the orange Firefox button on the
top left corner
2. Click on the Help menu and Select About Firefox
3. A pop-up About Firefox box will appear and click on Check for
updates
4. If updates are available download will start will be installed
5. After completion, click on the Restart to Update button. The browser
will restart and new updates will be applied.
19

20

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 wont 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
21

Professors computer as he requires a 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 Professors 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.
22

References
Gordon, W (2011). How To Build A Computer, Lesson 3: Building A
Computer
Available at: http://lifehacker.com/5827491/how-to-build-a-computer-fromscratch-lesson-3-building-the-computer [Accessed on: 10/12/15]
Computer Hope (2015). POST and Beep Codes
Available at: http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm
12/12/15]
[Accessed
on:
Hasting, M (2015). POST Beep Codes

Available at: http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml [Accessed
on: 12/12/15]
23

Computer Hope (2015). Anti-Static Mat

Available at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/a/asm.htm [Accessed
on: 13/12/15]
Computer Hope (2015). Anti-Static Bag
Available
at:
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/a/antibag.htm
[Accessed on: 13/12/15]
Computer Hope (2015). Upgrade
Available
at:
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/u/upgrade.htm
Scribd Inc (2015). Computer Systems
Available at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/200785267/Computer-Systems
Computer Hope (2015). Wrist Strap
Available at:
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/w/wrisstra.htm
Mozilla (2012). 10 Reasons To Upgrade To The Latest Version Of Firefox
Available at: https://blog.mozilla.org/theden/2011/12/01/10-reasons-toupgrade-to-the-latest-firefox-version/ [Accessed on: 11/12/15]
24

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UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT [LO3 LO4] |

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

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

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

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

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Health and Safety Issue

FIGURE 1: ANTI-STATIC WRIST

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Place your wrist in the strap and join the

Anti- Static Mat

Also known as Grounding Mat, is

Anti- Static Gloves

Anti- Static Bags

FIGURE 4: ANTI- STATIC BAGS

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

How to Build and Configure a Computer System:

5: THE MOTHER BOARD

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Step Four: RAM. The

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Step Five: Hard Disk Drive. The HDD is

FIGURE 8: HDD & ODD

Step Six: The Optical Drive. The DVD

Step Seven: Plugging Everything. A 24-pin or 20-pin plug, the largest

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FIGURE 10: WALLPAPER

Desktop Icon Change:

FIGURE 11: DESKTOP ICON SETTINGS

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Testing the System

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

This is more likely due to a misconfiguration or the wrong type of memory

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

make sure all needed software are installed properly; re-install if

Conclusion of the testing

Software and Hardware needs to keep up so as to work legitimately. To

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

You additionally can set calendar to do disk defragmentation manually or

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FIGURE 12: DEFRAGMENTATION PROCESS

Anti- virus scanning

FIGURE 13: ANTI- VIRUS SCAN

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FIGURE 14: FILE COMPRESSION

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Some other tasks

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FIGURE 15 : BACKUP PROCESS

FIGURE 16: DISK CLEAN-UP

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Upgrading Mozilla Firefox

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

UNIT 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

FIGURE 17: FIREFOX UPDATE PROCESS