In our lab we added an second optical drive and had to set the different settings to master and slave. I am having a problem, as I have always, trying to figure out why these new technilogical devices have to have such a negative reference and implication, but I'm going to leave that alone. Back to the disucssion at hand.
Our lab was divided into groups and together we were able to connect the devices as well as the settings. Everyone in the group did their individual parts to succesfully connect our devices.
First, we had to open the motherboard. We took all precautionary steps to avoid any damage to the machine or the motherboard and its components. Once we opened up the case we placed the optical drive, a CD-RW drive, in the appropriate spot. The tower we were using allowed for up to 4 devices. We already had a DVD/CD-RW drive connected to our tower that was set to the Master setting by a jumper. A jumper designates the appropriate settings on the back of the device you are connecting. We connected the device using an IDE cable that allowed for two connections. We used the additional connector on the cable to connect our CD-RW drive. We then used another jumper to set our secondary device to ughhhhh...s-l-a-v-e! Ok, I did. I typed it. I'm moving on now. LOL. On our device, our secondary setting was the 2nd positon, out of three. I'll back it up for a minute. There are three different setting avaiable for connecting additional devices such as a Hard Drive and Optical Drives. The three options are:
1. Master
2. Slave
3. Cable Select
With this option the Cable actually recognizes the position of the devices automatically. It knows when to set which device as master or slave. There are two cable/connection options for optical drives.
1. IDE
2. SATA
We checked our connections by powering on the unit. We orginally had a little difficulty connecting, but our instructor showed us a technique we'll learn learn later in the semester that listens for a certain type of beep combination to test what might be wrong. The instuctor took out our memory card, our RAM, and realized that it wasn't sitting in the DIM correctly. Once he showed us that, it was corrected and we powered back on succesfully. Our instructor also showed us a different way of checking our settings to make sure we configured everything correctly. Once you turn on the tower, connecting it of course to a monitor and a power supply, wait for the Operating System prompt to pop up (or around that time) on your computer will tell you the key to press to get into the internal set up system.
This exercise is benefical both in personal computing as well as business solutions. Being able to enhance and add to existing machines.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Exercises: 3.3 and 5.1
Exercise 3.3: Degaussing a CRT Monitor
**You can only degauss a CRT monitor** If you want to reduce the magnetic field of an object. You cant reduce the magnetic field entirely, so you can only attempt to reduce it some.** There may be times that you need to degauss your monitor. For instance, if you have a glare on the monitor you can degauss the magnetic field.
The steps to degauss the monitor are fairly simple. Once the monitor is powered on, the steps are as followed:
1. Press the menu button in front of the Monitor. There are 4 buttons in a circle and then one by itself, on the far right. Make sure to press that button.
You will notice a screen shot that displays a menu of results. The monitor will automatically detect the type of signal that it being received from the graphics adapter. It detects the refresh rate.
2. Select the Extra Controls sub menu by using the up and down arrow keys.
3. Once you press the menu button, the degauss option is already selected. If your CRT needs degaussing, you will hear a distinctive noise and you will also see the image distorting.
The next exercise deals with Printers. Exercise 5.1 covers: Identifying the Parts of a Bubble-Jet Printer.
This is a very helpful tool but a technician should be able to know the difference between the different types of printers. Not only that, once the type is identified, individual parts can then be pointed out within the different types of printers. In this example, we are identifying parts in an inkjet, also called a Bubble-Jet printer.
**You can only degauss a CRT monitor** If you want to reduce the magnetic field of an object. You cant reduce the magnetic field entirely, so you can only attempt to reduce it some.** There may be times that you need to degauss your monitor. For instance, if you have a glare on the monitor you can degauss the magnetic field.
The steps to degauss the monitor are fairly simple. Once the monitor is powered on, the steps are as followed:
1. Press the menu button in front of the Monitor. There are 4 buttons in a circle and then one by itself, on the far right. Make sure to press that button.
You will notice a screen shot that displays a menu of results. The monitor will automatically detect the type of signal that it being received from the graphics adapter. It detects the refresh rate.
2. Select the Extra Controls sub menu by using the up and down arrow keys.
3. Once you press the menu button, the degauss option is already selected. If your CRT needs degaussing, you will hear a distinctive noise and you will also see the image distorting.
The next exercise deals with Printers. Exercise 5.1 covers: Identifying the Parts of a Bubble-Jet Printer.
This is a very helpful tool but a technician should be able to know the difference between the different types of printers. Not only that, once the type is identified, individual parts can then be pointed out within the different types of printers. In this example, we are identifying parts in an inkjet, also called a Bubble-Jet printer.
Class Discussion: January 14, 2010: Expansion Slots
Recap from Previous Week.
Class Discussion: Expansion Slots and Devices Required for Set-Up
Expansion slots allow devices to be added to enhance the functionality of the computer. This helps every day life for example, if you notice your USB drive doesn't work and your computer only has one of them, you can add an expansion slot that accomodates USB connections to the motherboard.
There are several different kinds of slots available. The main slots are:
1. PCI - non video, 32 bits (found in Pentium class products)
2. AGP - Video only, (Accelerated Graphics Port) - ususally Brown but it comes in different sizes.
3. PCIe - for video and non video slots. It has a faster technology - 64bits. Uses lanes to switch through components. It doesn't share bandwidth so it can push data faster.
4. AMR - (Audio modem riser) common on Intel. 46 pins. Converts audio from the modem to a digital signal.
5. CNR
6. ISA - 16 bits
Another example, if you ripped your intergrated video card from its motherboard, you can buy a Video slot, a AGP or a PCIe expansion slot.
**Know the size and slot of the expansion slot. There are two sizes:
1. 5v
2. 3.3
**Make sure the size and type od your expansion slot is compatible.
The slots come in different bit sizes: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 12x, 16x, 32x.
1x, 4x, and 16x are the most common.
8x is the least common.
Remember 8 bits make a byte.
Ex. AGP has 32 bits. It may also say 4B. This is because it passes over 4 characters at 1 time.
32(bits)/8(bits) = 4 (bytes)
Class Discussion: Expansion Slots and Devices Required for Set-Up
Expansion slots allow devices to be added to enhance the functionality of the computer. This helps every day life for example, if you notice your USB drive doesn't work and your computer only has one of them, you can add an expansion slot that accomodates USB connections to the motherboard.
There are several different kinds of slots available. The main slots are:
1. PCI - non video, 32 bits (found in Pentium class products)
2. AGP - Video only, (Accelerated Graphics Port) - ususally Brown but it comes in different sizes.
3. PCIe - for video and non video slots. It has a faster technology - 64bits. Uses lanes to switch through components. It doesn't share bandwidth so it can push data faster.
4. AMR - (Audio modem riser) common on Intel. 46 pins. Converts audio from the modem to a digital signal.
5. CNR
6. ISA - 16 bits
Another example, if you ripped your intergrated video card from its motherboard, you can buy a Video slot, a AGP or a PCIe expansion slot.
**Know the size and slot of the expansion slot. There are two sizes:
1. 5v
2. 3.3
**Make sure the size and type od your expansion slot is compatible.
The slots come in different bit sizes: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 12x, 16x, 32x.
1x, 4x, and 16x are the most common.
8x is the least common.
Remember 8 bits make a byte.
Ex. AGP has 32 bits. It may also say 4B. This is because it passes over 4 characters at 1 time.
32(bits)/8(bits) = 4 (bytes)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Class Date: January 19, 2010
Tuesday's class assignment was based on the different form factors that are used with computers as well as the different motherboards.
Form Factors:
In electronics, the form factor of an alternating current waveform (signal) is the ratio of the RMS (Root Mean Square) value to the average value (mathematical mean of absolute values of all points on the waveform).
There are different values when it comes to an analog wave and a digital wave.
You need to understand the different form factors because they are used daily with computer technicians. When technicians and also end users learn to build desktops, they have to stay mindful of the different types and sizes of the Form Factors available.
Form factor refers to the size and shape of a motherboard. Read more about motherboard form factors.
Motherboard varieties:
1. AT (no longer manufactured)
2. ATX
3. Mini ATX
4. NLX (no longer used. used with riser/daughterboards)
5. ITX
Form factors ensure that parts are interchangeable across competing vendors and generations of technology. Form factors normally determine the size of the case.
Form Factors:
In electronics, the form factor of an alternating current waveform (signal) is the ratio of the RMS (Root Mean Square) value to the average value (mathematical mean of absolute values of all points on the waveform).
There are different values when it comes to an analog wave and a digital wave.
You need to understand the different form factors because they are used daily with computer technicians. When technicians and also end users learn to build desktops, they have to stay mindful of the different types and sizes of the Form Factors available.
Form factor refers to the size and shape of a motherboard. Read more about motherboard form factors.
Motherboard varieties:
1. AT (no longer manufactured)
2. ATX
3. Mini ATX
4. NLX (no longer used. used with riser/daughterboards)
5. ITX
Form factors ensure that parts are interchangeable across competing vendors and generations of technology. Form factors normally determine the size of the case.
Homework Assignment: Changing the Refresh Rate.
During our first day of class, Professor Jackson discussed all the of objectives of the A+ Certification class. We covered a lot of the motherboard components and even went over some different types of motherboards.
Our homework assignment was over Exercises 3.1 and 3.3 from the CompTIA A+ Certification manual.
3.1 Changing the Refresh Rate in Windows Vista. I didn't have Vista on my home computer so I had to wait until I went to work to do the exercise. I immediately noticed a difference as soon as I right clicked on the desktop. I had always been used to seeing Properties as an option instead of Personalize.
Personalize is a new option that allows users to adjust their monitors display settings. You can set several refresh rates. It even allows you the ability to set rates that may or may not be compatible with your monitor, so you want to make sure you know what works best.
The book states that the refresh rate is a scan frequency that scans vertically and it specifies how many times in one second the scanning beam of electrons redraws the screen in CRTs.
The steps were quite simple and it didn't take long to change them using a drop down menu of predetermined rates that are stored in hertz frequency.
Now to the Multimonitor. Whenever the need calls for more than one monitior hooked up to the same computer, the term is called Multimonitor. You may have a need to change the resolution and possibly the built in display.
For both options the process is a simple click process. You can choose to identify 1 or 2 monitors.
Exercise 3.3 Discussed Degaussing a CRT Monitor.
Degaussing is caused by reducing the magnetic field of an object. You can never fully neutralize an object's magnetic field, so all you can count on is reducing it. Electron beams guide through magnetic fields but LCD's do not. You can only degauss a CRT, never a LCD.
Degaussing:
Step 1: Attach a CRT to a working computer system and power on the monitor.
Step 2: Press the menu button on the front panel of the CRT cabinet.
-A menu will pop up that shows the results. The monitor will automatically detect the signal that is being receiving from the graphics adapter.-
Step 3: Use the up and down arrow keys on the front panel of the CRT to select the Extra Controls menu item.
Step 4: Press the menu button on the front panel to select the Extra Controls sub menu, shown here.
The final step, Step 5: Press the menu button on the front panel of the CRT because the Degauss menu item is already selected.
-There's a distinctive degaussing noise that you will hear to confirm the process. You will also notice some image distortion.
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