Learn Computer Pre-Tech Copyright 2008 by C. M. Vining Pre-Tech v1.1 Page 1 of 96 Table of Contents Introduction to Computer Pre-Tech........................4 The BIOS Chip and BIOS Recovery................42 Acronyms................................................................5 The BIOS business...........................................43 Curriculum Outline Computer Pre-Tech.................6 CMOS...............................................................43 Rules for Fighting Fires..........................................9 ROM BIOS......................................................43 How to Operate an Extinguisher......................10 POST (Power On Self Test).............................44 The Fire Triangle..............................................11 Undocumented FDISK:....................................44 Classes of Fires.................................................12 FDISK /MBR...................................................44 Computer Equipment Recycling...........................13 Boot Sequence:.................................................44 A+ Exams..............................................................14 Bus Structure.........................................................46 Exam details.....................................................14 First generation.................................................46 Identifying hardware components....................14 Second generation............................................46 Identifying Operating Systems.........................15 Third generation...............................................46 Registering for the PCTalk Support Forum..........16 Expansion buses or Slots..................................47 Logging in to the forum........................................19 Techniques of interacting............................47 Help with using the forum.....................................21 Interrupts..........................................................50 Numbering Systems:.............................................22 Some INTEL Microprocessor Characteristics:.....51 Identifying Computer Components.......................24 Intro to the Console Internals (Lab)......................53 Typical PC hardware........................................24 Memory Systems...................................................54 Motherboard/Logicboard/Mainboard..........25 Characteristics of storage.................................54 Power supply...............................................25 Volatility......................................................54 Storage controllers.......................................25 Differentation...............................................54 Video display controller..............................25 Mutability....................................................55 Removable media devices...........................26 Accessibility................................................55 Internal storage............................................26 Addressability..............................................55 Sound card...................................................26 Capacity.......................................................55 Input/Output Devices...................................27 Performance.................................................55 Basic Electronics...................................................28 Common DRAM modules................................56 Understanding electricity..................................28 Memory:...........................................................56 Table 1: Water versus Electrical Forces...........29 Non-Volatile................................................56 Counting electrons............................................29 Volatile........................................................56 Table 2: Common Electrical Measurements....29 Parity Checking...........................................57 Measuring the current.......................................29 Error Correct Code (ECC)...........................57 Switching from AC to DC................................29 Types of RAM packages.............................57 Power Supply Unit:..........................................30 Storage Systems....................................................59 Full Wave Bridge Rectifier...................................31 Characteristics of storage.................................59 Basic Operation................................................31 Magnetic storage media....................................59 Output smoothing.............................................33 Optical storage media.......................................60 Motherboard power connector(s):....................35 Hard Drives......................................................60 Tools......................................................................36 Hard Drive Interfaces..................................60 Motherboard..........................................................37 Hard drive error messages................................62 Components and functions...............................38 Changing hard drives........................................63 Motherboard Form Factors...............................39 Working with Disks..............................................64 Integrated peripherals.......................................40 I/O Ports................................................................65 Components of the motherboard......................41 Expansion Boards..................................................67 BIOS......................................................................42 Video Cards......................................................67 Pre-Tech v1.1 Page 2 of 96 Modem Cards...................................................68 Ethernet Function.........................................83 Removable Media and Disk Drives......................69 Token Ring..................................................83 Floppy Disk Drives..........................................69 ARCNet ......................................................83 CD-ROM Drives..............................................69 AppleTalk....................................................84 ATAPI (attachment package interface)............69 Network connectivity.......................................84 Other Removable Drives..................................69 Hubs.............................................................84 Back up Systems..............................................70 Bridges (layers 1-2).....................................84 Types............................................................70 Routers (layers 1-3).....................................84 Backup Policy..............................................70 Brouters (layers 1-3)....................................84 Rotation method...........................................71 Gateways (layers 1-4)..................................84 Backup Types..............................................71 CSU/DSU....................................................85 Storage.........................................................71 Firewall........................................................85 Peripheral Devices................................................72 OSI model.........................................................85 Primary Input Devices......................................72 OSI Example....................................................86 Keyboards (FRU).........................................72 Network Media.................................................87 Mouse (FRU)...............................................72 Twisted pair.................................................87 Primary Output Devices...................................72 Coaxial.........................................................87 CRT-based Monitors (Cathode Ray Tube)..72 Fiber Optic (FDDI)......................................87 Printers.........................................................73 Fixing faulty network cables ......................87 Other I/O devices.........................................75 Wireless Communication.................................87 Portable Computing..............................................76 Network Adapters (NIC) (OSI layer 2)............88 Portable Computers..........................................76 Typical Ethernet NICs.................................88 PDA’s...............................................................77 Half and Full Duplex Communications.......88 PC cards............................................................77 Network Communication Protocols.................88 Power Management..........................................77 TCP/IP.........................................................88 Power Management Systems............................78 Classes of IP addresses:..........................89 Lab Notes..............................................................79 IP addresses for internal use only:..........89 Networking............................................................80 Sub-Nets..................................................89 Types................................................................80 IPX/SPX......................................................90 Specialized network servers.............................80 NetBEUI......................................................90 Network Licensing...........................................80 Common Network Problems.......................90 Network Models...............................................80