CIOS F210
Hardware and Software
Config. and Troubleshooting

Labs Page


Lab 1

Internet Hardware Lookup
You are in the lab where you fix computers for your company. Someone brings in a computer that is not functioning. It has been with the company for some time and pre-dates when records were kept on the computers in your company. You need to know what the normal operating states for the motherboard and hard disk are.
Remove one of the motherboards and one hard drive from your demonstration box (The box I gave you at the start of the class) and acquire data sheets for them. (Hint: The computer above the lab bench is connected to the internet).


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Lab 2

Breakdown and Re-Assemble Your Computer
In the tall cabinet of your workstation you will find 2 computers. Take computer "A" out and put it on your workbench. Plug it in and boot it up to confirm that it is running. Shut the computer down and unplug it. Remove all of the cables from the outside. Be sure you are wearing the ground strap.
Open the case. Remove the following parts and place them on your area of the center table:
  1. all expansion cards
  2. all disk drives
  3. RAM memory
  4. the power supply (do not open it)
  5. the motherboard
  6. all internal cables
Ask me to come over and check that you have removed all of the items requested.
The next part is simple. . .put all of the parts you have removed back where they were. Before you close the case, have me look at your work. Then, close the case, connect the external cables and boot the system. Have me check off your work when the system is up and working.


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Lab 3

Step by Step Assembly of a Working Computer
You will be tempted to rush through this, however, I recommend that you take your time and understand what is happening at each step. REMEMBER TO DISCONNECT THE POWER CABLE BETWEEN EACH STEP !!
Step 1a: Once again, begin by disassembling the working computer in your cabinet (Hint: Did you turn it on first to verify its condition ?? If not, expect to lose points.)
Step 1b: Remove all of the parts you removed during the last lab except for the power supply (you can leave it installed in the case). Also, leave the power cable to the motherboard connected. That's all that should be connected. Remove all of the memory cards, drives, expansion cards and ribbon cables.
Step 1c: In order to get a jump on a future lab, while you have your computer taken apart, record any identifying information you can find on your motherboard. You will want to get the data sheet on your motherboard (or the computer) for a future lab.
Step 2: Mount the CPU. You can use the process on page 794 as a guide (you many not have a PII CPU, but you can still follow the process). You should know the difference between the CPU, Fan & Heat Sink. When you have the CPU mounted, plug the system in and record what happens. (Hint: look at page A1 at the back of your book).
Step 3: Install the video card. Until you get a video card in the computer, the computer can only communicate by sound. Install the card (there is a diagram on the top of page 800) and plug in the monitor cable. Plug in the system and record what happes. Something is happening on the monitor, considering all of the components are not connected. Where is the program running from ??
Step 4: Install the memory. The book shows an example of this process on page 798. When the memory is installed, turn the system on and record the differences. Reboot your computer and enter BIOS. Do you have an option in BIOS to check the memory at startup ?? If so, be sure it is on. Close BIOS and reboot your system. Can you see the memory being checked ??
Step 5: Install one floppy drive in the computer (the process for installing a drive is outlined on pages 808-814 in your book). Start your computer, record where it stops. Reboot your computer and enter BIOS. Set the boot sequence to begin with the A: (floppy) drive and then to go to the C: (hard drive). Save the changes and exit BIOS. Take the red floppy out of your plastic bin and insert it into the floppy drive. Reboot your system. At this point, your computer should boot to a command line interface.
Step 6: Install one hard drive in the computer (the process for installing a drive is outlined on pages 808-814 in your book). Start your computer. Does it boot up to Windows ?? If not, determine why.
Step 7: Put the remaining parts back in your computer and make sure it runs.


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Lab 4

The Memory Lab
This lab consists of 2 parts.
  • Part 1: you will research your platform to determine what range of memory your computer can handle This should be in the form of a data sheet and you will email me the URL of the data sheet. Keep in mind that this could be a data sheet for the computer manufacturer (Like Dell) a data sheet for the motherboard (Like one of the Motherboard documentation sites) or a data sheet from a company that sells memory like Crucial Technology.
  • Part 2: you will successfully configure your computer with 2 different memory configurations. You will capture a screen shot from the Control Panel proving each configuration (Hint: Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-General). Paste both screen shots into a word document and send the document to my email address as an attachment.


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Lab 5

Hard Drive Reconfiguration
In this lab you will perform a minimum of 3 hard drive configurations on your computer.
  • The first configuration will use 2 hard drives and 1 operating system. You will use 2 IDE hard drives and install both of them into your computer. Make both drives accessible in a Win2K environment.
  • In the second configuration, you will create a dual boot system by installing Win XP to your existing system without removing Win2K.
  • In the third configuration, you will restore the computer to its initial state -- 1 drive and 1 OS (Win 2K). In each case you will run the DOS FORMAT command and clear the drive. You will also run the DOS FDISK command to establish partitions.

    Here is the boot.ini file which will restore the computer to the way it was when you first started this lab.


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Lab 6 & 7

Simple Failure Resolution
Before you came in today, the lab assistants and I have intentionally sabotaged each of your computers. I will assign you to a starting station, solve the problem --
  • Make the system work. Record what you did to make the system work (to be turned in)
  • Put the system back the way it was for the next team (Be sure not to add any additional problems, part of your grade is based on if you can put the system back the way it was).
  • Proceed to the next available station (I will tell you which station to go to next). Solve as many as you can.


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Lab 8

Build Your Own System
This is a 2 part lab.
In this lab, you will assemble a computer. The parts to make your computer work are in the drawers marked "A" for your class. This is a very important lab. If you are working as a team you should take turns working with the computer. In this class you will get a basic "Vanilla" computer working. It will include:
  • The Components necessary for a working system (per our previous labs)
  • A Hard Drive with an installed Operating System
  • A working Sound Card (with no Device Manager Conflicts)
  • A working NIC Card (with no Device Manager Conflicts)
When you are finished with your computer and it works, allow me to verify it works. Then prepare the documentation for it to turn in.


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Lab 9

Build Your Own System (Continued)
This is a continuation of Lab 8.
During this class, you will add additional components to your system. Please remember I am keeping track of who has there hands in the computer. If there are 2 of you at the station I want to see both sets of hands in the computer (and both wearing a ESD strap). In this class you will add the following parts to your computer:
  • A AGP Video card (with no Device Manager Conflicts)
  • A Zip Drive that I can see and access in Explorer
  • A working Modem Card (with no Device Manager Conflicts)
  • Everything Working together (with no Device Manager Conflicts)
When you are finished with your computer and it works, allow me to verify it works. Then prepare the documentation for it to turn in.


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Lab 10 & 11

Installing 3 Operating Systems
In this lab you will perform 3 Operating System Installations. First you will install Linux (Fedora) as the only OS on the system. Use the following Linux Install Handout to help you with the install. Show me your working system and let me check you off before you proceed.
Next, install Windows 2000 and Windows XP as a Dual Boot on your computer. Both Operating Systems should be running when you call me to verify your assignment. Use the NTFS file system and partition the hard drive(s) to at least 2 partitions with each OS on it's own partition.


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Lab 12

Small Peer-to-Peer Network
In this lab, you will connect your computers to a Peer-to-Peer network with all of your classmates. Use the orange network sockets at your workstation. Install a NIC in your computer. Use the TCP/IP protocol to talk to the network.


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Lab 13

System Cleanup, Documentation & Recovery Plan
In this lab each partner will do there own seperate work. Working on your own you will perform three tasks on your computer:
  1. You will bring the computer to an Initial working state (described below for lab computers)
  2. You will Document the system and place the documents in a binder to be turned in
  3. You will create a Disaster Recovery Plan (as if your computer were a server for a corporate network).
Hints: Screen Shots are great documentation. Windows XP or 2000 are much better at plug and play than Windows 98. When you finish putting your computer in it’s initial state it may be more difficult to get a large file printed.
Initial State for Lab Computers
Component Computer A Computer B
Memory 64-128Mb DIMM 64-128Mb DIMM
Hard Drive 1 - 2+GB Drive 1 - 2+GB Drive
Video Card PCI (no AGP) PCI (no AGP)
Sound Card 1 1
CD ROM 1 1
Floppy 1 1
NIC 1 1
Modem 1 1
Operating System Windows 2K (Stand Alone) Windows 2K (Stand Alone)
Partition 1 - Primary - 100% 1 - Primary - 100%
BIOS Default Settings Default Settings
Other Parts Remove them Remove them

This lab can be worth as much as 150% of a normal lab score. However, you must go out of your way to get the extra 50%. (An extra 50% worth of lab points can erase several low quiz scores). Hand written documentation, no matter how easy to read will not get full (100%) credit. Much of the Extra Credit portion of this assignment can be done at home if you have internet access and a Word Processor. I will consider letting you perform this lab on your home computer. If you want to do this, tell me IN ADVANCE. You will need a current system Pentium or better in order to take this option.

A disaster recovery plan can be as small as a paragraph or several pages. Amount is not as important as quality. Your plan should address a method for backup & recovery and can also contain other techniques for improving system integrity.Your Disaster Recovery Plan should be on a seperate piece(s) of paper from the other documentation.


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