unit xiv: installing and maintaining computer hardware€¦ · web viewrahan sherwood. 16-mar-17....

South Thames College

Unit XIV: Installing and Maintaining Computer Hardware

Assessment-BTEC Level 2 IT

(PASS CRITERIA)

Rahan Sherwood16-Mar-17Student ID: 1367410

Rahan SherwoodStudent ID: 1367410Unit 14-BTEC Level 2 IT

P1) Explain the benefits of installing and maintaining hardware for two different technology systems

When considering the hardware of computer systems we must consider all the components involved. These include network card, memory and processing device (internal). We should also consider the external devices including the printer, network router and barcode reader.

Key reasons for this is to prevent or identify faults occurring in the computer system. To upgrade internal components such as CPU (Central Processing Unit) and RAM (Random Access Memory). It is also intended to improve external hardware devices to develop performance. Another reason is to change the functionality of a hardware system e.g. allowing printing/scanning.

Failure to carry out frequent maintenance could also cause other risks to the computer, these include;

Failure of the cooling fan Freezing of the computer screen Data loss Overheating problems Short circuit power supply Slow start up Error messages (e.g. ERROR 404)

Installing and maintaining technology systems is important because it can help your computer run at a suitable level of performance. Carrying out regular checks can help to minimize the chances of problems occurring. For example, clearing internal and external parts from dust can benefit the user as it prevents the build-up of dust that could potentially form a thick blanket that eventually cause blockages. The blockages will cause further damage to the technology system, which would then put the user at a disadvantage as their system will need repairing or replacing.

To help minimize these problematic faults, a few things that would need to be looked upon would involve:

Monthly diagnostics (Solving problems found in the computer system) Making sure that components are handled properly

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The main purpose requirements for installing and maintaining hardware in a technology system are to reduce costs, improve and maintain customer service and improve health and safety awareness.

Cost

By frequently maintaining the Desktop PC or Laptop, Mr Smith could significantly reduce cost by upgrading his computer software to a highly upgraded and more advanced software. This is because maintenance reduces the risk of faults and upgrades the system performance. By carrying out regular upgrades and routine maintenance, it will cost Mr Smith’s much less money than it would to replace the entire system.

Improve Performance

By improving the performance of Mr Smith’s Desktop PC or Laptop, it will allow the system to last longer and to meet the client's/user’s requirements. The systems start up would be much quicker and it will allow applications and operating system to run more smoothly and effectively.

Improve and Maintain Customer Service

To help improve and maintain customer service, Mr Smith must make sure that his Desktop PC or Laptop are in good working condition. This will make his computers run faster, which will lead to better processing of his computer system and making customers happier to work with him.

Improve Health and Safety

To help Mr Smith improve health and safety in his working environment, he must ensure that he has a good posture when sitting in front of a Desktop PC or Laptop. This is done through a process called ergonomics. Ergonomics is a topic in which there are ways for finding the correct posture to help prevent Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) . By knowing this, this can benefit Mr Smith by making sure that his hands are adjusted into a more comfortable position when he is doing his work.

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System: Mr Smith's Desktop

PCBenefits

CPU: 2 GHz Single Coreto

CPU: Intel core i5-7y75 processor

1) One benefit for installing a CPU would be that his PC will have an increase in performance. For example, the higher amount of GHz on a processor, the faster and quicker it will be.

2) Another benefit of installing a CPU would be that the amount of cores on the processor is increased. When increasing the amount of cores e.g. (Single Core >> Dual Core), this can process more information on multiple cores than before the installation.

RAM: 2 GB DDR2to

RAM: Crucial 8GB kit DDR3 PC3L-10600

1) One benefit for installing a RAM would be that Mr Smith will be able to have lots of applications running at the same time.

2) Another benefit for installing a RAM would be that Mr Smith will be able to edit large files such as high resolution pictures easily.

HDD: 160 GB @ 5400RPMto

HDD: Toshiba P300 3TB 3.5”

1) One benefit for installing a HDD would be that it can keep programs and documents on when the computer is switched off.

2) Another benefit for installing a HDD would be that Mr Smith will be able to have a bigger storage capacity. This can be a benefit to him considering that he does lots of graphic designs such as front covers of Books and CD’s, logos etc.

G.Card: NT Radeon 512MB V-RAM

toG.Card: Sapphire AMD RX

460

1) One benefit for Mr Smith when installing a Graphics Card would be gaining better graphic quality when creating his designs for his company.

2) Another benefit for Mr Smith when installing a Graphics Card is that the memory embedded into the Graphics Card will be faster and will boost the graphics on the graphics card to make it go faster

Screen: 14''to

Screen: Samsung U24E850R 24''

1) One benefit for Mr Smith when installing a computer screen would be higher resolution, precision and display. Mr Smith will be able to complete his work in HD (High Definition).

2) Another benefit for Mr Smith when installing a computer screen would be the size. It is a small-scale monitor, not

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heavy and easy to carry around. It’s good for basic tasks such as browsing the net and word processing.

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P2) Describe the purpose and Mr Smith’s requirements for installing and maintaining hardware in a technology system

Improving Mr Smith’s Desktop PC will increase the storage capacity. This is important because Mr Smith is a graphic designer who produces High Definition graphics such as front covers of books and CD’s and logos. Advanced quality CPU and more RAM will improve the speed of Mr Smith’s computer which will allow him to use the latest version of software such as Photoshop, GIMP and Pixelmator because modern software requires a rapid speed of the CPU and more RAM and storage space.

It will also allow him to multitask which can lead to Mr Smith getting more tasks done over a shorter period of time. This can be done by increasing the amount of cores. For example, Mr Smith might be reducing the size of an image in Photoshop and in the meantime designing the front cover for a CD album. It will also increase his productivity because the computer will be able to process data faster.

These activities will benefit Mr Smith's system through high compatibility, increased capacity, increased speed, increased reliability, software requirements and network requirements

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P3) Produce a plan for installing and maintaining hardware in a technology system including:

I) A list of installation and maintenance activities

Installation and Maintenance Activities How Did I Do It?

Keeping the keyboard spotless: Clean with compressed air with a pair of goggles

Cleaning your CD and DVD Clean with compressed air with a pair of goggles

Cleaning the case Clean with compressed air with a pair of goggles

Make your computer screen shine: Mentholated spirit and a lint free cloth

Cleaning the fan Clean with compressed air with a pair of goggles

II) A description of hardware components and devices and software resources required for an upgrade

Hardware Components and Devices a nd Software Resources HARDWARE SOFTWARE

CPUA temporal storage device to execute instructions on the computer system just like a metaphorical brain

Driver

A group of files that enable one or more hardware devices to

communicate with the computer's operating system. Without drivers, the computer would not be able to send and

receive data correctly to hardware devices, such as a

printer.

RAM

A hardware device that allows information to be stored and retrieved on a

computer. RAM is a volatile memory and

requires power to keep the data accessible. If the

computer is turned off, all data contained on RAM is

lost.

B.I.O.S(Stands for

Basic Input/Output

System)

A ROM chip located on all motherboards that allows the user to access and set up their computer system at the most

basic level.

HDD

A non-volatile memory hardware device that

permanently stores and retrieves data on a computer system.

Graphics An internal board that creates a picture on a

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Carddisplay. Without it, you

would not be able to see what is happening on your

computer screen.

Mr Smith’s current hardware (Desktop PC): CPU: 2 GHz Single Core RAM: 2 GB DDR2 HDD: 160 GB @ 5400RPM G.Card: NT Radeon 512MB V-RAM Screen: 14”

Mr Smith’s computer hardware to be upgraded (Desktop PC): What will I need to do? Image

CPU: Intel core i5-7y75 processor 4M Cache → 3.60 GHz

Open the case with a screwdriver making sure that the power is off.

I shall make sure that I am wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a new CPU

RAM: Crucial 8GB kit DDR3 PC3L-10600 8GB (2x 4GB)


I shall make sure that I am wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a new RAM

HDD: Toshiba P300 3TB 3.5” SATA 6.0 Gbit/s Interface 7200RPM 64MB Cache

Back up all the data to an external device. Open the case with a

screwdriver making sure that the power is off. I shall make sure that

I am wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a

new HDDG.Card: Sapphire AMD RX 460

Windows 7 Ultimate software RAM Size: 1024MB Processor Speed: 1250 GHz


I shall make sure that I am wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband

and replace it with a new Graphics Card

Screen: Samsung U24E850R 24 Inch 3840 x 2160 pixels 23.5 inches 4 USB ports

Replace the screen with a highly functional screen

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http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Computer+hDD&view=detailv2&adlt=strict&id=4FF8F90969CD8684C10398B5173256B66BCC6307&selectedIndex=1&ccid=X7SGqS19&simid=608005982575200290&thid=OIP.M5fb486a92d7d8b3dab366626489b240cH0

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Samsung++U24E850R+24+Inch&view=detailv2&adlt=strict&id=37A36ED5A8EB771DC8D48F6260F6F80ECEEAF23D&selectedIndex=2&ccid=Ad61Q87G&simid=607998595312124531&thid=OIP.M01deb543cec65bbf954d4c9dc3988884o0


Mr Smith’s current hardware (Laptop):

CPU: 1.7 GHz Dual core RAM: 1 GB DDR2 HDD: 260 GB @ 5400RPM G.Card: Integrated Intel Graphics GPU 512MB V-RAM

Mr Smith’s computer hardware to be upgraded (Laptop): What will I need to do? Image

CPU: Intel Core i5 4690K Processor Processor Speed: 3.5 GHz Processor Count: Quad Core (4) Max. Memory Support: 32768 MB

Open the case with a screwdriver making sure that the power is off. I shall make sure that I am

wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a new CPU

RAM: Kingston 4GB Type: DRAM Speed: 1600MHz


wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a new RAM

HDD: HGST Travelstar 1TB @ 7200RPM Rotation Speed: 7200 Cache: 32MB Capacity: 1000 GB

Back up all the data to an external device. Open the case with a screwdriver making sure

that the power is off. I shall make sure that I am wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it

with a new HDDG.Card: ASUS TURBO-GTX1060-6G 6 GB

Processor Speed: 1708 GHz Hard Drive Size: 6GB Number of HDMI Ports: 2


wearing an Anti-Staic Wrisband and replace it with a new

Graphics Card

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III) A description of fault-finding tools and techniques

Tools And Techniques Description

Power-On Self-Test (P.O.S.T)

A test that a computer must complete to show that all hardware is working properly. If the test has passed successfully, the machine will give of 1-2 short beeps to show that it works.

Anti-Virus A software that can prevent strong and powerful viruses from entering a computer system.

Defragmentation A utility software that re-joins the fragments of any random document together.

FirewallA type of software that monitors all data coming through the internet and stops all harmful programs from getting through.

IV) A Test Plan

Hardware Type of Test ExpectedResult?

ActualResult? Comments Duration

(Minutes)

CPUSwitch it on to see if

booting sequence occurs(2GHz to 3.60GHz)

OK60

Minutes(1hr)

RAM

Switch it on to see if booting sequence occurs.

Start-up by opening multiple programs

(2GB to 8GB)

OK 20 Minutes

HDD

Switch it on to see if booting sequence occurs Open files. Check if OS is

booted correctly(160 GB to 3TB)

OK 40 Minutes

Graphics Card

Changing the graphics card to the highest

resolutionOK 40

Minutes

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P4) Install and maintain hardware in a technology system For this Assignment, I will be required to replace two internal hardware components that were faulty and also upgrade two different internal components.

The two internal components that I will remove and replace are the:

1. HDD (Hard Disk Drive)2. RAM (Random Access Memory)

The reason for this is to repair faults by replacing all the damaged parts available.

The two components I will upgrade are:

1. HDD (Hard Disk Drive)2. RAM (Random Access Memory)

Before I start my installation, I must make sure that before I start working, the workspace that the activity is about to be performed in is clean and clear from any harms/dangers. I must also be aware that I am wearing an Anti-Static Wristband (ASW) whenever I am operating with a computer. Electrical hazards should be taken as a serious point and may occur if safety measures are not observed. Wearing a wristband must be done to prevent the build-up of static electricity on their body, which can result in an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) . In case of a fire hazard, I must keep a fair distance and put the fire out with the nearest fire extinguisher. If this is not possible, I must evacuate the room through the nearest fire exit. I must also make sure that when I am about to lift a computer case from the ground, I must bend my knees and keep a straight back to prevent any cases of spinal injury. I must also make sure that there are no trip hazards on the floor. This must be prevented by making sure that all objects e.g. bags, wires/cables and spillages are out of harm’s way and cleaned up straight away. In addition, food and drinks must not be consumed as this can cause mess and spillages on the floor, which can lead to trip hazards. Finally, I must not run around the workspace with computer components in my hands, as this is likely to cause injury to other people. To prevent this, whilst a

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computer practical is taking place, I must keep at a steady pace to prevent running into others.

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This is me taking out PC wiring to start my practical. I must always wear an Anti-Static Wristband (ASW) whenever I am operating with a computer. Electrical hazards should be taken as a serious point and may occur if safety measures are not observed. Wearing a wristband must be done to prevent the build-up of static electricity on their body, which can result in an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD).

This is me taking out a faulty RAM module (Random Access Memory), ready to be replaced with a highly upgraded version. The faulty memory module is 2GB of data, whereas the new memory module is 8GB of data.


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This is me taking out a faulty HDD (Hard Disk Drive), ready to be replaced with a highly upgraded version. This faulty hard drive is 160GB of data, whereas the new hard drive is 3TB of data.

Here I have now replaced the old 160GB hard disk drive with the highly improved 3TB hard drive.


Part B: Installation of a Multi-Functional Device

The Task

For this task, I will be installing a Multi-functional device (printer). For this practical, I will be trying to install all the functions of a printer onto a laptop device. The reason for this installation is to ensure that all the components are installed correctly and that the device can be used as intended.

Printer Name: HP ENVY 110

The client user requirements are to print, copy and scan all the documents and objects you wish to perform any of these tasks on.

What health and safety requirements should I consider?

The following are some the health and safety requirements that need to be followed:

ERGONOMICS – Ensure that when working at a computer desk that you keep your back at the correct sitting posture to prevent your back and the rest of the body for RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)

MANUAL HANDLING- Ensure that when handling heavy items that you keep your back straight

TRIP HAZARDS- Ensure that all the items in the surrounding work area are free from any trip hazards such as, bags, coats and litter.

REPORTING OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURES - All injuries and near misses must be reported to any member of staff so that they can be recorded

Tools I will need

Printer (HP) Printer manual CD install Disk Paper Ink USB and power cable Printer instruction manual

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What will I do before I carry out my installation?

Before I carry out my installation, I must check that my working environment is clear from all possible trip hazards. I must also ensure that when handling my main device, I must have straight back when handling it. You should also ensure that all tools needed for this task are ready for use such as:

Ink Paper Installation Manual Installation Disk

SLA (Service Level Agreements)

Whilst uploading the new system to your computer software, you must agree to all of the Terms and Conditions. To help agreeing to the Terms and Conditions, you will need to read them making sure you fully agree with these demands. If you disagree to any of the Terms and Conditions, the computer will automatically stop your installation for your software, and you will have to restart your installation from the beginning.

The Main Installation

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A picture of the main multi-functional printing device (HP ENVY 110)


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Image of the confirmation for the installation to begin

Image of the beginning of the installation


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Image of all the available software selections

Image of the SLA (Service Level Agreement) – see pg.4

Image of the final section of the installation


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Image of the completed installation


P5) Test the modified technology system for functionality against the purpose and repair any faults as necessary

Hardware Type of Test

Expected

Result?

ActualResult? Comments

Justification to the purpose

Duration

(Minutes)

CPU

Switch it on to see if booting

sequence occurs

(2GHz to 3.60GHz)

OK OK

Operating System loads

perfectly3.60GHz CPU

detected

To render an image

using Photosho

p

60 Minutes

(1hr)

RAM


sequence occurs.

Start-up by opening multiple

programs(2GB to 8GB)

OK OK

RAM was installed

successfully by opening

multiple programs8GB RAM detected

Run any digital

software at the same time

20 Minutes

HDD


sequence occurs Open files. Check if OS is booted

correctly(160 GB to

3TB)

OK OK

I opened the files with in

the HDD and files loaded correctly.3TB HDD detected

Able to save any big files such as pictures

logos, 3D Images

40 Minutes

Graphics Card

Changing the graphics card to the highest

resolution

OK OK

I adjusted the brightness

and resolution of the displayMaximum

Able to create image with

higher resolution and to view HD pictures

40 Minutes

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P6) Explain how the modified technology system is suitable for the intended purpose and original requirements

When I improved Mr Smith’s Desktop PC, I needed to make sure that when he needed to upgrade his software, he could have more power and space to perform all the tasks he needed to do. For example, by gaining a larger amount of space on his Hard Disk Drive (160 GB to 3TB); it would allow him more space to store bigger files like 3d images on his system. Another reason would be that by upgrading the Random Access Memory (2GB to 8GB), it would allow Mr Smith’s computer to start up and shutdown faster and multiple applications at the same time. A final example would be making sure that when the Central Processing Unit (2GHz to 3.60GHz) is about to be replaced that the amount of gigahertz (GHz) is higher than before. This is a benefit because the higher the GHz number is, the faster his computer will run and will enable to compile complex tasks e.g. rendering images.

Afterwards, I needed to make sure that this same process occurred when I improved Mr Smith’s laptop. For example, when replacing a faulty graphics card with a highly upgraded version, it can improve the quality and resolution of imagery and videos.

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unit xiv: installing and maintaining computer hardware€¦ · web viewrahan sherwood. 16-mar-17....

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