COMPUTER ASSEMBLY
WHAT IS Computer assembly? Computer assembly is the compilation of various parts of a computer to form a single computer or computer system
There are personal computers and Desktop computers. They are distinguished with their modal board which shows their assembly techniques.
According to oxford Dictionary: verb (used with object), assembled, assembling.
1. to bring together or gather into one place, company, body, or whole.
2. to put or fit together; put together the parts of:
to assemble information for a report; to assemble a toy from a kit.
Tools and equipment
Basic tools
Before you begin building or refitting a computer, you should have some basic tools:
1. 2 Phillips-head (cross-shaped) screwdriver
2. Needle-nose pliers
3. Anti-static Wrist Strap
4. A large level working space
other tools
Some other tools and equipment can come in handy as well, such as:
1. Spring action parts grabber.
2. Electrical tape
3. Wire or nylon ties
4. Flashlight, preferably hands-free
5. A second, working computer to swap parts, look for tips, ask for help on-line, download drivers and patches, etc. - very useful
6. A can of compressed air - useful when working with older parts that have collected dust. A better alternative but also more costly, is a vacuum cleaner designed for cleaning electronics.
7. Magnetic screwdriver
8. Zip ties or velcro ties for cable management
Preparation
Proper preparation is the key to a successful build. Before you begin, make sure you have all the tools you will need, secure a clear, well-lit workspace, gather all the components you’ll be using and unpack them one at a time, verifying that everything that is supposed to be there is actually present. At this point you should leave the parts themselves in their protective anti-static bags, and assemble all the accompanying manuals. Now I know you want to get started, but trust me, read the manuals, check the diagrams, make sure you understand where each part goes and how it attaches. If there is anything you don’t understand, now is the time to do a little extra Internet research or call the manufacturer with your questions.
Find a dry, well-ventilated place to do your work. You should have plenty of light and if possible, you should choose an area without carpet on the floor, as carpet tends to generate a lot of static. An unfurnished basement is a good work location.
Safety precautions
1. Static electricity is the biggest danger to the expensive parts you are about to assemble, even a tiny shock, much too small for you to feel, can damage or ruin the delicate electronic traces, many times smaller than a human hair, that make up your CPU, RAM and other chips. It’s important to use your anti-static wrist strap to prevent damage to these components. Once you have the power supply installed in the case, clip the end of the wrist strap to the outside of the power supply. (Never plug your computer in while you are connected to it by a wrist strap.) This will ensure that you, the case and the power supply are all connected to a common ground, in other words there will be no inequality of charge that will allow a spark to jump from you to the case. It’s also helpful to have an anti-static mat to set the case and other components on.
2. Nobody but you is at fault if you shock your components with static electricity. Make sure that you take the precautions in the previous paragraph to ground yourself from static electricity. (Note: if you really must work on a computer and have not got proper anti-static equipment, it is usually OK if you make sure that you do not move about much; are not wearing any static-prone clothing; handle components by the edges; and regularly (once a minute or so), touch a grounded object.). The case metal of your PC's power supply will usually be a suitable grounded object. As noted above, touch it every few minutes while you are working on your PC if you haven’t got a wrist strap.
3. Turn off your computer and switch off your Power Supply at the wall before installing or removing any components - if power is flowing to components as they are installed or removed, they can be seriously damaged. In order to have a computer properly grounded, you need it plugged in at the wall but turned off at the power supply and at the wall. The neutral line may be earthed
4. Never cut the grounding pin off your power cord. This "safety ground" stands between you and potentially lethal voltages inside the power supply.
5. Be wary of sharp edges! Many lower-end PC cases have sharp, unfinished edges. This is especially so on interior surfaces, and where the case has been cut or punched-out. Use care and take your time to avoid cutting your hands. If your case has this problem, a little time with some sandpaper before you begin construction can spare you a lot of pain. Be extra careful not to cut yourself when installing the I/O Shield.
6. Dismantling discrete electronic components such as your Power Supply or Monitor is dangerous. They contain high voltage capacitors, which can cause a severe electric shock if you touch them. These hold a charge even when the unit is not plugged in and are capable of delivering a fatal shock.
Troubleshoot
The process of solving a problem or determining a problem to an issue. Troubleshooting often involves the process of elimination, where a technician will follow a set of steps to determine the problem or resolve the problem.
Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem solving that is often used to find and correct issues with complex machines, electronics, computers and software systems.
The first step in troubleshooting is gathering information on the issue, such as an undesired behavior or a lack of expected functionality. Other important information includes related symptoms and special circumstances that may be required to reproduce the issue.
The first step in troubleshooting is gathering information on the issue, such as an undesired behavior or a lack of expected functionality. Other important information includes related symptoms and special circumstances that may be required to reproduce the issue.
Once the issue and how to reproduce it are understood, the next step might be to eliminate unnecessary components in the system and verify that the issue persists, to rule out incompatibility and third-party causes.
Continuing, assuming the issue remains, one might next check common causes. Depending on the particular issue and the troubleshooter’s experience, they may have some ideas. They may also check product documentation and/or conduct research on a support database or through a search engine.
After common causes are ruled out, the troubleshooter may resort to the more systematic and logical process of verifying the expected function of parts of a system. One common method is the split-half troubleshooting approach: With a problem resulting from a number of possible parts in series, one tests half-way down the line of components. If the middle component works, one goes to the middle of the remaining parts, approaching the end. If the test finds a problem at the mid-point, one does a split towards the start of the line until the problem part is found. The split-half process can save time in systems that depend on many components.
Once the problem part is identified, it may be adjusted, repaired or replaced as needed. Evidence of effective troubleshooting is indicated when the issue is no longer reproducible and function is restored one.
Once the problem part is identified, it may be adjusted, repaired or replaced as needed. Evidence of effective troubleshooting is indicated when the issue is no longer reproducible and function is restored one.
The success of troubleshooting often depends on the thoroughness and experience of the troubleshooter. That said, the majority of those who develop tech savvy are likely to have friends, coworkers and family who call on them for help.
People who don’t have the time or patience to solve their own issues might forgive the odd grumble or a tongue-in-cheek LMGTFY (Let Me Google That For You) link now and then.
Computer troubleshooting overview
Below is a brief overview of the basics of troubleshooting a computer problem. Following these steps help identify a problem and helps direct you in finding the resolution to a problem.
Any Error messages?
Reboot the computer
If the computer is acting strange, frozen, or encountering errors and can boot, reboot the computer. Often rebooting the computer can solve many computer issues. We highly recommend not doing any of the steps below until the computer has been rebooted.
Has any new hardware or software been added?
If any new hardware devices have been connected to the computer or any new software has been installed, it may be the cause of your problem.
Has the computer moved?
If the computer has been recently moved, something may have become loose inside the computer or something may have not been reconnected properly.
Has there been any power outages or electrical storms?
A computer that is not running on a UPS will improperly turn off during a power outage or brownout. When a computer is improperly shut down, data corruption and in some cases even hardware failure can occur.
If the computer is not connected to a surge protector and there has been electrical storms, a surge may have come through the power line and caused damage to hardware within the computer.
Reconnect and check power cords
If the computer is not getting enough power or the power is getting interrupted, the computer can encounter problems. Disconnect your power cables from any power strip or UPS and connect the computer directly to a known good wall outlet.
Hardware or software issue
If the problem is a hardware issue and able to determine what hardware device is causing the problem, follow the basic troubleshooting steps for that hardware device. If you believe the problem to be hardware related, but can't determine what hardware device is failing. For example, when a computer does turn on, troubleshoot the problem using the process of elimination.
If the problem is a software or operating system, follow the basic troubleshooting steps for that program.
Update drivers or install latest patches
New hardware device drivers and firmware updates are released to resolve many errors and problems with hardware devices. Make sure if you're encountering a hardware issue that the latest drivers for that device are installed.
Like hardware devices software programs and operating systems also have patches that help resolve problems. Make sure your software program or game has all the latest patches and updates and that your operating system is also running all the latest updates.
Scan for malware and viruses
Computer viruses and other malware can cause an assortment of different problems. If you've gone through all above basic troubleshooting steps, a good last resort is to verify no malware is on the computer.
When was the computer last running with no problems?
If the computer has worked in the past and you're running Microsoft Windows consider running a Windows system restore to restore the computer back to an earlier date. The system restore will not erase any data but will get settings back to how they were on an earlier date.
COMPUTER INSTALLATION
Installation (or setup) of a computer program (including device drivers and plugins), is the act of making the program ready for execution. Because the process varies for each program and each computer, programs (including operating systems) often come with an installer, a specialized program responsible for doing whatever is needed for their installation. Installation may be part of a larger software deployment process.
Installation typically involves code being copied/generated from the installation files to new files on the local computer for easier access by the operating system. Because code is generally copied/generated in multiple locations, uninstallation usually involves more than just erasing the program folder. For example, registry files and other system code may need to be modified or deleted for a complete uninstallation.
Overview
Some computer programs can be executed by simply copying them into a folder stored on a computer and executing them. Other programs are supplied in a form unsuitable for immediate execution and therefore need an installation procedure. Once installed, the program can be executed again and again, without the need to reinstall before each execution.
Common operations performed during software installations include:
· Checking for existing versions of the software
· Adding configuration data such as configuration files, Windows registry entries or environment variables
· Making the software accessible to the user, for instance by creating links, shortcuts or bookmarks
· Updating the software versions
These operations may require some charges or be free of charge. In case of payment, installation costs means the costs connected and relevant to or incurred as a result of installing the drivers or the equipment in the customers' premises, and includes any costs payable by the company in respect of deciding to enter into this agreement with customer.
Some installers may attempt to trick users into installing junkware such as various forms of adware, toolbars, trialware or software of partnering companies.[1] To prevent this extra caution on what exactly is being asked to be installed is needed. The installation of additional software then can simply be skipped or unchecked (this may require the user to use the "custom", "detailed" or "expert" version of the installation procedure).[1]
Such malicious conduct is not necessarily a decision by the software developers or their company but can also be an issue of external installers such as the Download.com installer by CNET.[2]
Such malicious conduct is not necessarily a decision by the software developers or their company but can also be an issue of external installers such as the Download.com installer by CNET.[2]
Necessity
As mentioned earlier, some computer programs need no installation. This was once usual for many programs which run on DOS, Mac OS, Atari TOS and AmigaOS. As computing environments grew more complex and fixed hard drives replaced floppy disks, the need for tangible installation presented itself.
A class of modern applications that do not need installation are known as portable applications, as they may be roamed around onto different computers and run. Similarly, there are live operating systems, which do not need installation and can be run directly from a bootable CD, DVD, USB flash drive or loaded over the network as with thin clients. Examples are AmigaOS 4.0, various Linux distributions, MorphOS or Mac OS versions 1.0 through 9.0. (See live CD and live USB.) Finally, web applications, which run inside a web browser, do not need installation.
Types
Attended installation
On Windows systems, this is the most common form of installation. An installation process usually needs a user who attends it to make choices, such as accepting or declining an end-user license agreement (EULA), specifying preferences such as the installation location, supplying passwords or assisting in product activation. In graphical environments, installers that offer a wizard-based interface are common. Attended installers may ask users to help mitigate the errors. For instance, if the disk in which the computer program is being installed was full, the installer may ask the user to specify another target path or clear enough space in the disk.
Silent installation
Installation that does not display messages or windows during its progress. "Silent installation" is not the same as "unattended installation" (see below): All silent installations are unattended but not all unattended installations are silent. The reason behind a silent installation may be convenience or subterfuge. Malware is almost always installed silently.[citation needed]
Unattended installation
Installation that is performed without user interaction during its progress or with no user present at all. One of the reasons to use this approach is to automate the installation of a large number of systems. An unattended installation either does not require the user to supply anything or has received all necessary input prior to the start of installation. Such input may be in the form of command line switches or an answer file, a file that contains all the necessary parameters. Windows XP and most Linux distributions are examples of operating systems that can be installed with an answer file. In unattended installation, it is assumed that there is no user to help mitigate errors. For instance, if the installation medium was faulty, the installer should fail the installation, as there is no user to fix the fault or replace the medium. Unattended installers may record errors in a computer log for later review.
Headless installation
Installation performed without using a computer monitor connected. In attended forms of headless installation, another machine connects to the target machine (for instance, via a local area network) and takes over the display output. Since a headless installation does not need a user at the location of the target computer, unattended headless installers may be used to install a program on multiple machines at the same time.
Scheduled or automated installation
An installation process that runs on a preset time or when a predefined condition transpires, as opposed to an installation process that starts explicitly on a user's command. For instance, a system administrator willing to install a later version of a computer program that is being used can schedule that installation to occur when that program is not running. An operating system may automatically install a device driver for a device that the user connects. (See plug and play.) Malware may also be installed automatically. For example, the infamous Conficker was installed when the user plugged an infected device to their computer.
Clean installation
A clean installation is one that is done in the absence of any interfering elements such as old versions of the computer program being installed or leftovers from a previous installation. In particular, the clean installation of an operating system is an installation in which the target disk partition is erased before installation. Since the interfering elements are absent, a clean installation may succeed where an unclean installation may fail or may take significantly longer.
Network installation
Network installation, shortened netinstall, is an installation of a program from a shared network resource that may be done by installing a minimal system before proceeding to download further packages over the network. This may simply be a copy of the original media but software publishers which offer site licenses for institutional customers may provide a version intended for installation over a network.
Installer
An installation program or installer is a computer program that installs files, such as applications, drivers, or other software, onto a computer. Some installers are specifically made to install the files they contain; other installers are general-purpose and work by reading the contents of the software package to be installed.
Criterion
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Package manager
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Installer
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Shipped with
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Usually, the operating system
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Each computer program
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Location of installation information
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One central installation database
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It is entirely at the discretion of the installer. It could be a file within the app's folder, or among the operating system's files and folders. At best, they may register themselves with an uninstallers list without exposing installation information.
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Scope of maintenance
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Potentially all packages on the system
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Only the product with which it was bundled
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Developed by
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One package manager vendor
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Multiple installer vendors
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Package format
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There could be as many formats as the number of apps
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Package format compatibility
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Can be consumed as long as the package manager supports it. Either newer versions of the package manager keep supporting it or the user does not upgrade the package manager.
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The installer is always compatible with its archive format, if it uses any. However, installers, like all computer programs, may be affected by software rot.
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Bootstrapper
During the installation of computer programs it is sometimes necessary to update the installer or package manager itself. To make this possible, a technique called bootstrapping is used. The common pattern for this is to use small executable files which update the installer and starts the real installation after the update. This small executable is called bootstrapper. Sometimes the bootstrapper installs other prerequisites for the software during the bootstrapping process too.
Common types
Cross-platform installer builders produce installers that run on Windows, OS X and Linux. An example is InstallAnywhere by Flexera Software.
Windows NT family includes an installation API and an associated service called Windows Installer. Microsoft provides a bare minimum of tools required to create installers using Windows Installer in the freely available Windows SDK. Third party tools may supporting create installers using this API to speed the process. Examples include InstallShield (Flexera Software) and WiX (Outercurve Foundation). Installation authoring tools that do not rely on Windows Installer include Wise Installation Studio (Wise Solutions, Inc.), Installer VISE (MindVision Software), Visual Installer (SamLogic), NSIS, Clickteam, InnoSetup and InstallSimple.
OS X includes Installer, a native package manager. OS X also includes a separate software updating application, Software Update but only supports Apple and system software. Included in the dock as of 10.6.6, the Mac App Store shares many attributes with the successful App Store for iOS devices, such as a similar app approval process, the use of Apple ID for purchases, and automatic installation and updating. Although this is Apple's preferred delivery method for OS X,[3] previously purchased licenses can not be transferred to the Mac App Store for downloading or automatic updating. Commercial applications for OS X may also use a third-party installer, such as Mac version of Installer VISE (MindVision Software) or InstallerMaker (StuffIt).
System installer
A system installer is the software that is used to set up and install an operating system onto a device. Examples of system installers on Linux are Ubiquity and Wubi for Ubuntu, Anaconda for CentOS and Fedora, Debian-Installer for Debian-based versions of Linux, and YaST for SUSE-based projects. Another example is found in the Haiku operating system, which uses a utility called Haiku Installer to install itself onto a device after booting from a live CD or live USB.
HARDWARE Upgrade/UPGRADING
With computer hardware, an upgrade is a term that describes adding new hardware in a computer that improves its performance. For example, with a hardware upgrade you could replace your hard drive in a SSD and get a huge boost in performance or upgrade the RAM so the computer run more smoothly.
Computer hardware (or simply hardware in computing contexts) is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a computer system. Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), graphic cards, sound cards, memory (RAM), motherboard, and so on, all of which are tangible physical objects.[1] By contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and run by hardware.
Software is any set of machine-readable instructions that directs a computer's processor to perform specific operations. A combination of hardware and software forms a usable computing system.
Benefits of a hardware upgrade
1. Performance increase, which make the overall computer run faster and more smoothly.
2. Capacity increase. For example, adding a new hard drive allows the computer to store more information, and more memory increases the computers ability to run more.
When referring to software, a software upgrade generally refers to any major upgrade to the software that adds significant changes to the program. For example, you may be running version 1.0.1 of a program, version 2.0.0 is an upgrade, and version 1.0.2 is an update. Another good example of a software upgrade is upgrading you version of Windows. For example, if you had Microsoft Windows XP and were upgrade to Windows 7, it would be considered a software upgrade.
What is a network?
The generic term "network" refers to a group of entities (objects, people, etc.) which are connected to one another. A network, therefore, allows material or immaterial elements to be circulated among all of these entities, based on well-defined rules.
· network: A group of computers and peripheral devices connected to each other. Note that the smallest possible network is two computers connected together.
· networking: Implementing tools and tasks for linking computers so that they can share resources over the network.
Depending on what kind of entity is involved, the term used will differ:
· transportation network: A combination of infrastructure and vehicles used for transporting people and goods between different geographic areas.
· telephone network: Infrastructure for transporting voice signals from one telephone station to another.
· neural network: A group of brain cells connected to each other
· criminal network: A group of con artists in cahoots (wherever there's one con artist, there's usually another!)
· computer network: A group of computers linked to each other with physical lines, exchanging information as digital data (binary values, i.e. values encoded as a signal which may represent either 0 or 1)
The articles you're now reading, obviously, deal with computer networks.
There isn't just one kind of network, as there have historically been different kinds of computers, which communicate using various different languages. The need for multiple types of networks also arises from the heterogeneity of the physical transmission media that link them together, whether that means the data is transferred the same way (such as by electrical pulses, light beams, or electromagnetic waves) or uses the same kind of physical medium (such as coaxial cable, twisted pairs, or fibre-optic lines).
Each chapter describes the characteristics of physical transmission media, as well as the way data travels over the network.
How the networking chapters are organized
· The chapter Introduction to networking describes what a network is and the different types of networks that exist
· The chapter Network equipment describes the different kinds of equipment that are used to connect computers to one another
· The chapter Protocols explains how information is sent (logically speaking) over networks, and in particular over the Internet
· The chapter Technologies lays out the different physical means that can be used to send information
In the section Practical information, the chapter Getting the most from the Internet gives information for learning to use the Internet!
Why networks are important
A computer is a machine used to manipulate data. Humans, being communicative creatures, quickly understood why it would be useful to link computers to each other in order to exchange information.
A computer network can serve several distinct purposes:
· Sharing resources (files, applications or hardware, an Internet connection, etc.)
· Communication between people (email, live discussions, etc.)
· Communication between processes (such as between industrial computers)
· Guaranteeing full access to information for a specified group of people (networked databases)
· Multiplayer video games
Networks are also used for standardizing applications. The term groupware is generally used to refer to tools that let multiple people work over a network. For example, email and group scheduling can be used to communicate more quickly and efficiently. Here's a glimpse of the advantages that such systems have:
· Lower costs, due to sharing data and peripherals,
· Standardizing applications,
· Providing timely access to data,
· More efficient communication and organization.
Today, with the Internet, networks have become more unified. It is clear, then, that there are several reasons to install a network, whether for a business or an individual.
Similarities between types of networks
The different types of networks generally have the following points in common:
· Servers: computers which provided shared resources to users, by means of a network server.
· Clients: computers which access the shared resources provided by a network server.
· Connection medium: how the computers are linked together.
· Shared data: Files that can be accessed on the network servers
· Printers and other shared peripherals: files, printers, or other elements employed by the network's users
· Miscellaneous resources: other resources provided by the server
References
Hoffman, Chris (27 July 2013). "How to Avoid Installing Junk Programs When Downloading Free Software". HowToGeek. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
Mathews, Lee (22 August 2011). "Download.com wraps downloads in bloatware, lies about motivations". ExtremeTech. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
Markgraf, Joey D. (2007). "The Von Neumann bottleneck". Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
"US B2B Channel sales reach nearly $62 Billion in 2013, According to The NPD Group". NPD Group. February 4, 2014.
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COMPUTER ASSEMBLY