Three layers to be taught:

HARDWARE

THE BIOS

WINDOWS (in how it relates to hardware)

SOFTWARE/APPLICATIONS/BEST PRACTICES

Add'l Resources

Hardware:

The motherboard:

The backbone of the system

With components installed:

 

RAM (memory)

The right type for the right machine

Even if it fits, doesn't mean it works!

Ram is either inserted at a 45 degree angle to slot and snapped vertically into place

Or, in this example, is pushed down from above until it snaps into place.

Expansion Slots-

Sound cards

Network cards

Modems

Video Cards

USB cards

Firewire cards

ISA-the oldest standard-BLACK slot (not on this particular motherboard)

PCI-the current standard for everything EXCEPT video cards-white slot

AGP-the current standard for video cards-brown slot

Examples of cards:

ISA Sound Card:

PCI Network Card:

AGP video Card:

 

Many of the things you can add in expansion slots come built-in to the motherboard

There has been an increasing trend towards integration--

Network cards are generally integrated

Ditto modems

Ditto sound and video cards

If you can’t get the integrated device to work in Windows, you can add in a replacement in an expansion slot.

Stick the card in, and press firmly.

Expansion cards are secured with screws that bolt to the frame of the case.

Other motherboard components:

Power Supply:

The power supply converts the A/C coming from the wall into regulated DC power for the components in the computer.

The more WATTS the power supply has, the more devices it can supply power to.

Pictured above is a 350 Watt power supply--it has many connections because it has LOTS OF POWER!

There are three types of connectors coming off the power supply:

The first supplies power to the motherboard itself--which goes into a specific slot on the motherboard:

The second and third types supply power to floppy drives and IDE devices:

 

 

Hard Drives, CD-ROM drives are called IDE devices:

They plug into the motherboard with a specific type of cable:

On each cable, there can be up to TWO devices:

The master goes on the end

The slave goes in the middle

The jumpers on each drive must be set according to their position on the cable.

Most Hard Drives and CD-ROM drives have a diagram explaining how to do this:

Remember, make sure the jumpers are set,

then plug in power cable,

then plug in the ribbon cable, making sure to orient it correctly--RED TOWARDS POWER

 

Plug the other end of the ribbon cable into the motherboard.

RED TOWARDS number 1 pin, or in newer computers, align the tab on the cable with the slot in the motherboard.

Nowdays, motherboards have two slots for ribbon cables to go, and 1 slot for the floppy drive.

That gives you 4 IDE devices you can have working in your computer at once.

The two ribbon cables are called PRIMARY and SECONDARY.

Each IDE device then has a name:

PRIMARY SLAVE, PRIMARY MASTER

SECONDARY SLAVE, SECONDARY MASTER

Floppy drives:

Same deal, EXCEPT the ribbon cable is DIFFERENT

The power connector is different

The ribbon cable MAY be red AWAY from power

 

Putting things in their place:

The size of the case itself determines how many drive bays are in the case

This case is a FULL TOWER

floppy drives and hard drives go in 3.5" bays

CD-ROM drives go in 5.25" bays

 

The BIOS--an overview

The lowest part of the computer:

When you boot up, the BIOS runs tests on the system, recognizes the hardware, memory, expansion cards--

The BIOS is entirely unaware of the operating system.

Once the tests have been completed and if at least one hard drive is working, the BIOS will direct the hard drive to load whatever operating system is found on it.

At this point, Windows takes over--

Working with the BIOS:

To enter the BIOS SETUP, hit the appropriate key when the computer starts up--the screen will generally display what key this is.

If you're not sure, try

F2, SHIFT+F2, F7, SHIFT+F7, F10

If, when you boot up, all you see is a facist corporate logo, hit the ESC key, and the screen may display some useful information about how to enter the BIOS SETUP.

ALWAYS REMEMBER:

If you mess up something, you can choose "Restore default values"

If the BIOS is password protected:

You can clear the password by removing the button battery on the motherboard for 30 seconds.

 

Hardware and the BIOS:

Selecting a boot device--

look for a category that says: "BOOT ORDER" or "FIRST BOOT DEVICE"

Make sure "HARD DISK" is the first boot device.

If you need to boot off a floppy, make "3.5" FLOPPY" is selected

 

Making sure all of the IDE devices are enabled in the BIOS

Make sure all the primary and secondary devices are set to ENABLE or AUTO

 

Windows & Drivers--

The software that helps the HARDWARE communicate with Windows.

Most of the mundane stuff on the motherboard is automatically recognized and dealt with.

If you add a device in an expansion slot, or if the motherboard has built-in sound, video, networking, etc, you need drivers for the device to function in windows.

If you don't have the disk that has the drivers for the device, you may be able to download them from the mfg's website.

To do this, you need to identify the mfg. of the device AND the name and model of the device itself.

This can sometimes be impossible, in which case, you may be screwed.

If you are successful in finding a driver, download it to a place you can remember on the hard drive.

Install the driver as follows:

The Hardware (Device) Manager:

Get to the device manager screen under control panel->system->device manager.

Updating Drivers

Hit the plus sign next to the category of the device you want to work with

Double Click the Device

Click on the driver tab

Now, click "Update Driver"

The following process differs between which version of Windows you are using:

As general advice, you will want to search a specific location on the hard drive to find the driver you downloaded. You do NOT want to leave this up to Windows.

Once you find the driver and windows installs it, you're set.

SOFTWARE/APPLICATIONS/BEST PRACTICES

DOCUMENT YOUR WORK

For the good of yourself, and those around you.

USE STRONG PASSWORDS

Virii-

Virus scanning software is a necessity on Windows-based computers.

SUGGESTION: Buy one subscription license per organization

REDUCE RISK OF GETTING INFECTED:

Update Windows:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Convert people from Outlook Express to Eudora Pro

http://www2.ucsc.edu/cats/sc/software/eudora/eudorapro-download.shtml

Add'l RESOURCES

Straight from the source, if you need to find the meaning of an obscure Windows or Office error message,

Start here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;kbhowto&sd=GN&ln=EN-US&FR=0

Then broaden your search with Google:

http://www.google.com

The best PC hardware-related resource out there:

http://www.pcguide.com/

A good primer for the wild work of Windows networking

http://www.ipprimer.com/

General information about Windows annoyances:

http://www.annoyances.org/