IT System Administration and

Maintenance
CSC2020
Lecturers:-
William Coey
David Gault
Ashok Ramasubbu
Tony McHale

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 General Health and Safety issues

 When you enter a building for the first time you should take
note and be aware emergency exit routes and doors.
 Make yourself familiar with emergency exit doors and
routes when you enter a lecture theatre or laboratory for
the first time.
 When a fire alarm sounds you must leave the building you
are in by the closest route available to you.
 You should report all accidents that occur in this building to
the Computer Science General Office.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 General Health and Safety

Trained First Aid Officers in this building :-

 David Gault (room 01 029)
 Colette Tipping (room 01 009)
 John Ashe (room 01 006)

Safety Officers in this building :-

You should inform the Safety Officers if you are concerned of any issues relating to Safety
and Security in this building

 David Gault (room 01 029)

 John Ashe (room 01 006)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Course Outline

Double weighted module with 4 components

Each component will equally contribute towards the overall module
(i.e. have a 25% weighting).
In order to obtain a pass for the entire module, you must achieve a
satisfactory performance in each of the four components.
The assessment of competency will be based on a student’s
logbook recording investigations, findings and recommendations
and an on line test based on weekly practical assignments. (30%)
Knowledge and understanding will be assessed within 2 x 3hour
written examinations. (70%)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 IT System Administration and Maintenance
320CSC220
Computer Upgrade and Maintenance
(PC based) Lecturer – William Coey
1st Semester Weeks 1-6

Windows Client Installation, Configuration and

Administration (Windows XP) Lecturer – David Gault
1st Semester Weeks 7-12
Windows Server Management and Maintenance (Window Server
2003) Lecturer – Ashok Ramasubbu
2nd Semester Weeks 1-6
Unix Use, Configuration and Administration (Unix flavour to be
decided) Lecturer – Tony McHale
2nd Semester Weeks 7-12

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 IT System Administration and Maintenance
320CSC220
 Lectures (BCB, WTS)
– Mon 10-11
– Wed 10-11

 Practical’s (Room 0G003 (old number G1),

16 Malone Road)
– Wed 11-2
– Thurs 2-5

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Computer Upgrade and Maintenance
(weeks 1-6)
 Identify the names, purpose, and characteristics, of system
modules/components.
 Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field-
replaceable modules for desktop systems. Given a
replacement scenario, choose the appropriate sequences.
 Identify proper procedures for installing and configuring
common ATA devices.
 Choose the appropriate installation or configuration
sequences in given scenarios.
 Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and tools

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Computer Upgrade and Maintenance
(weeks 1-6)
 Identify the various types of preventive maintenance measures,
products and procedures and when and how to use them.
 Identify various safety measures and procedures, and when/how to
use them.
 Determine the issues that must be considered when upgrading a PC.
In a given scenario, determine when and how to upgrade system
components.
 Recognize common problems associated with each module and their
symptoms, and identify steps to isolate and troubleshoot the problems.
 Given a problem situation, interpret the symptoms and infer the most
likely cause

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
Installing, Configuring and Administering
Windows XP Professional
(weeks 7-12)
 Perform an attended installation of Windows XP
Professional
 Install, configure and manage a range of hardware devices
and drivers
 Monitor, control and manage file, folder and printer
resources
 Configure and manage user profiles and desktop settings
 Implement and manage network protocols and services

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
Installing, Configuring and Administering
Windows XP Professional
(weeks 7-12)
 Configure and manage security
 Monitor system performance and reliability
 Troubleshoot the installation, configuration
and management of Microsoft Windows
XP’s services, drivers, settings and attached
hardware devices.
 Optimise system performance and reliability

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Managing and Maintaining a Windows
Server 2003 Environment
(weeks 13-18)
 Manage and maintain physical and logical devices
 Manage users, computers and groups
 Manage and maintain access to resources
 Manage and maintain a server environment
 Define and manage disaster recovery
 Troubleshoot computer accounts, user accounts
and access to files and shared folders
 Optimise a server environment for application
performance
w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Unix Use, Configuration and
Administration
(weeks 19-24)
 Outline common types of Unix system and X
Window desktop
 Demonstrate basic competency in the use of a
range of Unix editors
 Configure and administer a Unix file system
 Configure and use network services and
applications

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Unix Use, Configuration and
Administration
(weeks 19-24)
 Configure and administer user accounts
 Manage processes and system controls
 Develop shell scripts

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Logbook Format (1 of 2)

 A fixed spine logbook is compulsory.

 A suitable logbook can be purchased from
the Computer Science General Office.
 You will use one logbook for all 4
components. It is important therefore that
you do not loose this book.
 The format of the practical classes will be
‘see and do’. In the logbook you will record
your activity, outcomes and conclusions.
w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Logbook Format (2 of 2)

 The logbook must be signed by the lecturer,

or a nominated assistant, at various stages
during each practical and at the end of each
practical class.
 You will submit the logbook for assessment
at the end of each component. ( the end of
week 6 and 12 in each semester )
 You can then collect your logbook at the
beginning of each subsequent component.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Examination structure :
There will be 2 examination papers, each consisting of 2 sections of 3
questions. You will answer 1 compulsory question from each section plus
any 1 from the remaining 2 questions in each section

 Paper 1 (January 2011)

Computer Upgrade and Maintenance
Windows Client Installation, Configuration and Administration

 Paper 2 (May 2011)

Windows Server Management and Maintenance
Unix Use, Configuration and Administration

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Monitoring and Administration
 Attendance at lectures and practical’s is deemed
compulsory.
 You will be required to sign in at each session and a
spreadsheet of attendance will be maintained.
 In no circumstances should you sign in another student.
 Attendance sheets will be filed for inspection should an
issue arise.
 Given the hands on nature of the practical's on this module
it will not be possible to easily rearrange a practical session
if you are unable to attend one.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 IT System Administration and
Maintenance
320CSC220
Component 1 –
Computer Upgrade and Maintenance

Lecturer details:-
William Coey
room BCB 01 005 or Ashby 9.13
w.coey@qub.ac.uk
telephone 9097(4629/4062)
 Component 1 –
Computer Upgrade and Maintenance
structure
 6 weeks
 10 by 1 hour lectures – Monday and Wednesday 10-11.
 2 of 1 by 3 hour ‘see and do’ practical session (1 per
fortnight) - Wednesday 11-2, Thursday 2-5. Followed by a
final assessed 1 hour practical
(room 0G003 Number 16 Malone Road, via link corridor from
BCB rear stairwell)
 Logbook of practical work – will form part of assessment
along with either an assignment or questionnaire during the
final practical.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Safety Advice
Protect yourself
 Take care when lifting or moving Cathode Ray
Tube (CRT) monitors – they’re heavy!
 CRTs use very high voltages and are not
serviceable except by skilled technicians. Do not
remove CRT covers
 Beware of sharp edges on PC cases, and on tools
such as screwdrivers and pliers
 Beware of mains voltages and DC power supplies
outputs.
 Never poke around inside PC with tools when the
power is on.
w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Safety Advice
Protect the equipment
 Use a properly earthed antistatic mat and wrist
band. These will safely discharge static electricity
that can destroy PC circuitry.
 Do not eat your lunch or snacks over a PC,
particularly if cover is removed. Computer
components do not like liquids or crumbs.
 Keep your work area clean and tidy.
 Never poke around inside PC with tools when the
power is on.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
An Introduction to
PC Hardware
Fundamentals

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
Babbage’s ‘Analytical Engine’ would have been
the predecessor to a modern computer, had it
worked! It was a mechanical system that had
everything we need to describe as a computer?
– An Input Device (akin to looms in a textile mil!)
– A control unit (barrel with slats to control the processor)
– A processor (hundreds of axles and thousands of gears)
– Storage (like above - could hold 1000 50 digit numbers)
– An output device (printing press plates)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview

Babbage’s Analytical Engine

(copy of original built in 2009 -on display in the Computer History Museum in California)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
The first digital electronic computer appeared
around the late 1930’s – The Atanasoff-Berry
Computer, or the ‘ABC’

Atanasoff Berry

http://www.cs.iastate.edu/jva/jva-archive.shtml

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
Other pioneering digital computers;
Colossus – developed by British scientist Tommy
Flowers to decode German secret messages in
WWII http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/content/museum/tour24.rhtm

ENIAC -The Electrical Numerical Integrator and Calculator

http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/mauchly/jwmintro.html

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Britain’s Oldest Working
Computer Roars to Life
 9th September 2009

 http://info-wars.org/2009/09/06/britain%e2%80%99s-oldest-working-computer-roars-to-life/

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
In essence a computer is a collection of electronic
switches. The first electronic computers used
vacuum tubes. The invention of the transistor (to
replace the vacuum tube) in the late 1940’s lead
to the development of integrated circuits and
eventually the first microprocessor , the Intel
4004, in 1971.
http://www.intel4004.com/

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
Intel co-founder Gordon Moore predicted in 1965,
that the number of transistors on a chip will
double about every two years.

The 4004 processor used 2,300 transistors.

The Core i7 processor uses 731 million!

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
– define a PC?
 motherboard
 processor (Intel compatible)
 memory
 storage devices (HDD, DVD - CD,FDD)
 Keyboard, Video, Mouse – KVM
 Operating System

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview
– and what is not a PC?
 programmable logic device (PLD/PLA)
 Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
 Personal Data Assistants (PDA)?
 laptop?
 workstations?
 servers?
 Apple Mac ? – fits previous criteria since they replaced the
PowerPC processors with Intel processors in 2006? ‘Boot Camp’
app allows Windows OS on MAC! But Closed box – no upgrade -
graphics cards, HDDs, etc – except possibly with the Mac Pro.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Overview

 For many professionals a PC is specifically related

to the original IBM PC (1981) concept. For quite
some time after its launch new systems were
referred to as IBM compatible
and many PC terms still refer
back to the IBM PC, PC/XT
PC/AT.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 What is a PC
ESPRIMO E Series
 Mainboard D2724 (proprietary) 
 Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q9xxx
 System Bus PCI/PCI Express
4000MHz or 1333 MHz FSB 
 Memory - max.8 GB (4 slots)
 DIMM, DDR2 SDRAM (DDR2 PC2-6400 ) 
 16/48-speed DVD ROM/  DVD SuperMulti
writer double layer support
 Slots 2 x PCI low profile
1 x PCI Express x16 low profile
1 x PCI Express x1 low profile
2 x PCI full height
1 x PCI Express x4 
http://uk.ts.fujitsu.com/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/professionalpc/ESPRIMO/Datasheets/ds_e
sprimo_e(2).pdf
Check features in detail and run 3d models at:-
http://ts.fujitsu.com/rl/products/flash/esprimo_minisite/index.html
w.coey@qub.ac.uk
Inside a PC

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components
Motherboard
 BIOS chip
 Chipset
(Northbridge- memory, PCI bus, etc
Southbridge – I/O functions, etc)

 Expansion slots
 Memory slots
 CPU with cooling fan

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components
 Processor
Central Processing Unit
(CPU) is the ‘engine’ of the
PC

 Memory
Random Access Memory
(RAM) is the primary memory
which holds the programs and
data used by CPU
256MB Fujitsu Desktop 168-pin PC133 SDRAM

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components
 Floppy Disk Drive
FDD
Simple inexpensive removable media.
Probably destined for room 101. Often now
only available as an external option.

 Optical drives
Compact Disc (CD)/Digital
Versatile Disc (DVD)/Blu ray
High capacity removable media

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components
 Hard Disk Drives
HDD
The Hard Disk is the Primary archival
storage media. The HDD refers to both
the disk and the mechanism that controls
the positioning, reading, and writing
to and from it.

Cables sockets and

connectors
IDE, SCSI, SATA, DC power
(all keyed for correct connection)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components
Monitors
 Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Thin Film Transistor (TFT)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Hardware Components

 Video, Audio, Communication ports

Embedded graphics adaptors and sound adaptors,
graphics cards and sound cards, Display ports –VGA,DVI,
Keyboard and mouse ports, parallel, serial, Universal Bus
Ports (USB)

 Power Supply (PSU)

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Conclusions
For Practical Classes:-
Safety first
 Protect yourself
 Protect the equipment

Keep work area tidy when carrying out maintenance

Read manuals and prepare for required task

w.coey@qub.ac.uk
 Attendance sheet
 Remember attendance at lectures and
practical classes is deemed compulsory.

 Make sure you have signed the attendance

sheet before you leave.

w.coey@qub.ac.uk