ASSIGNMENT FRONT SHEET

Edexcel BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Computing and Systems

Qualification
Development

Unit number and

Unit 2: Computer Systems
title

Assignment due 9/3/2017 Assignment submitted 3/3/2017

Learners name Phm Hong Bo Assessor name Michael Omar

Learner declaration:
I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own and research sources are fully acknowledged.

Learner signature Date

Grading grid

P1. P1. P1. P2. P2. P3. P3. P4. P4. M1 M2 M3 D1 D2 D3

1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2

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Assignment title Computer Systems

In this assignment, you will have opportunities to provide evidence against the following criteria.
Indicate the page numbers where the evidence can be found.
Assessment criteria Expected evidence Task Assessors Feedback
no.

LO1. Understand the function of computer systems

A written document which:

Explain the impact of

1.1 explain the role of computer systems in social 1.1
computer systems in and work, evaluating the role
different environments of computer system in
different environment

1.2 explain the A written document which:

hardware, software and
peripheral Explain the main computer 1.2

components of a hardware components

computer system

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 Compare different types of
1.3 compare different computer systems and the
1.3
types of computer suitability of usage in
systems different environment

LO2. Be able to design computer systems

2.1 produce a system

A Hardware / Software
design specification to 2.1
meet a specification document

clients needs
A written document which

Justify and evaluate your

2.2 evaluate the selection of Hardware/ 2.2
suitability of a system
Software to meet the
design specification
requirement of the
company

LO3. Be able to build and configure computer systems

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 A written document which:

3.1 build and configure Show the process of

a computer system to assembling a typical 3.1
meet a computer.
design specification
Describe in step, how
you would install the

A test report showing the

3.2 test and document process you would take to 3.2
a computer system verify the installation

LO4. Be able to undertake routine maintenance on computer systems

A written document which

Explain different types

of backup and justify your
choice of backup strategy for
4.1 perform routine above company? 4.1
maintenance tasks on
a computer system Explain the
defragmentation tools and
how to schedule the
defragmentation tools to be
executed automatically by

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 A written document discusses
what needed to be
4.2 upgrade the considered before upgrading
hardware and software any hardware or software of
4.2
on a computer an existing computer system.
What critical issues should be
system. addressed before any major
updates and/or upgrades in
an organization

Assessment criteria Expected Evidence Feedback

(note on Merit/Distinction if applicable)
M1 Identify and apply 1. Effective judgements
strategies to find have been made.
appropriate solutions
2. An effective approach
to study and research
has been applied
M2 Select/design and 1. Relevant theories and
apply appropriate techniques have been
methods/techniques applied

2. The design of
methods/techniques
has been justified
M3 Present and 1. An appropriate
communicate structure and method
appropriate findings has been used and
technical language has
been accurately used to
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 present the findings.

2. Communication has
taken place in familiar
and unfamiliar contexts
D1 Use critical 1. Conclusions have been
reflection to evaluate arrived at through
own work and justify synthesis of ideas and
valid conclusions have been justified

2. The validity of results

has been evaluated
using defined criteria
D2 Take responsibility 1. Substantial activities
for managing and have been planned,
organizing activities managed and organized

2. Activities have been

managed
D3 Demonstrate 1. Self-evaluation has
convergent/lateral/ taken place
creative thinking
2. Problems have been
solved

Summative feedback

6
Assessors
Date
Signature

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INTRODUCTION
Before getting into the detail, it is essential to understand the concept of Computer System.
Computer System is a general purpose device which can be programmed to carry out a
finite set of arithmetic or logical operations. Since a sequence of operation can be readily
changed, the computer can solve more than one kind of problems.
In this assignment I will work on the following four different phases. Each phase will cover
the related content in detail. In the first part we will understand the function of computer
system. In this part, I will discuss the role of computer system in different environments.
Hardware, software and peripheral components of a computer system. Comparing different
types of computer system.
The second learning outcome is be able to design computer system in this I will produce a
system design specification to meet the clients need. Then I will evaluate the suitability of a
system design specification.

Third learning outcome is be able to build and configure computer system. I this will build
and configure a computer system to meet a design specification, then it will be test and
document a computer system.

Fourth learning outcome is be able to undertake routine maintenance on computer system.

In this I will discuss performing routine maintenance tasks on a computer system and
upgrade the hardware and software on a computer system.

In this assignment, each issue & process would be discussed in detail to understand the
basic concept.

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LO1. Understand the function of computer
systems
1.1 THE ROLE OF COMPUTER SYSTEM IN DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMETS
In this modern day computer system is used everywhere, example at Home, Business,
Networking, Real-time, Communication. At home the computer is used for normal works like
for searching information on internet, playing games and etc, for that we dont require a
high speed computer.

In business computer plays a big role, all business there is a finance department, the main
activities of the finance department is to record all the business transaction, to control the
finance cash flow and etc , for that the need a computer.

The Networking is all about computers, For Networking computer is important. Without
computer, Networking is impossible and we cannot share resources (i.e. files, videos,
sounds, pictures, etc) and communication between two or more people will not be possible.
For Networking we need at least 2 computers.

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We use computer system in Real-time. Real-time is a process in which people can
communicate without any deadline. We can share our videos and etc. Sometimes people
use computer as a TV. We can access to live information from a television station through a
computer. Real-time can also refer to event simulated by a computer at same speed that
they would occur in real life.

Communication is now done worldwide using computer system. Today most of the
computers are capable of communication, like we can send a message, documents, picture
and etc to our friend on the other side of the planet. An instant messenger program allows
two different computers to converse by typing in text or they can even voice chat with each
other.

1.2 THE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND PERIPHERALS

COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM

1. Computer Hardware

Hardware consists of physical equipment of the computer. The components Hardware are
power supply, motherboard, expansion Cards, hard disk and etc. A power supply unit
converts alternating current electric power to low-voltage DC power for internal components
of the computer.

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Motherboard is the main component inside the CPU. It is a large rectangular board with
integrated circuitry that connects the other parts of the computer including the CPU, the
RAM, the disk drive and etc.

CPU (pronounced as separate letters) is the abbreviation for central processing unit.
Sometimes referred to simply as the central processor, but more commonly called

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processor, the CPU is the brains of the computer where most calculations take place. In
terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system.

VGA (video graphics array) is a popular display standard developed by IBM and introduced
in 1987. VGA provides 640 x 480 resolution color display screens with a refresh rate of 60Hz
and 16 colors displayed at a time. If the resolution is lowered to 320 x 200, 256 colors are
shown

Alternatively referred to as an audio output device, sound board, or audio card. A

sound card is an expansion card or IC for producing sound on a computer that can be
heard through speakers or headphones. Although the computer does not need a sound
device to function, they are included on every machine in one form or another, either in an
expansion slot (sound card) or on the motherboard (onboard).Hard disk is a device for

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storing and retrieving digital information, primarily computer data. It consists of one or more
rigid rapidly rotating discs, coated with magnetic material and with magnetic heads
arranged to write data to the surfaces and read it from them.

Short for power supply and sometimes abbreviated as PSU, which is short for Power
Supply Unit. A power supply is an internal hardware component that supplies
components in a computer with power. The power supply converts a 110-115 or 220-230
volt alternating current (AC) into a steady low-voltage direct current (DC) usable by the
computer and rated by the number of watts it generates. For example, the image to the
right is an Antec True 330, a 330 Watt power supply and an example of a computer power
supply.

Short for Network Interface Card, the NIC is also referred to as an Ethernet card and
network adapter. It is an expansion card that enables a computer to connect to a network;
such as a home network, or the Internet using an Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector.

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 A modem is a device that modulates signal to encode
digital information and demodulates signal to decode the
transmitted information

Battery
Power up a device and keep it in the performing way .

Memory is the Integrated circuits that temporarily store program instructions and data that
can be retrieved. Basic unit of memory is a byte.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is a volatile form of memory, RAM generally functions as a
computer "desktop" - the space in which data that is actively under review and/or
manipulation can be processed. As a result and as a general rule, the more RAM with which
a computer is fitted, the more and faster data can be viewed and manipulated. RAM needs
to be cyclically "refreshed" from an outside power source in order to maintain the
information contained therein. When external power is removed, the data contents held in
RAM disappears. For this reason, RAM is sometimes referred to as short term memory.

ROM (Read-Only Memory) is a non-volatile form of memory, ROM stores data that does not
commonly change, like startup instructions and data used when a computer if first turned
on.

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CMOS is used to store information about the computer system, such as the amount of
memory, the type of keyboard and monitors, and the type and capacity of disk drives.

Internal storage is hardware that keeps data inside the computer for later use and
remains persistent even when the computer has no power. There are a few different types of
internal storage. Hard disks are the most popular type of internal storage. Solid-state drives
have grown in popularity slowly. A disk array controller is popular when you need more
storage than a single hard disk can hold.

A hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage device which stores digitally encoded
data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces. Just about every new computer
comes with a hard disk these days unless it comes with a new solid-state drive. Typical
desktop hard disk drives store between 120 and 400GB, rotate at 7,200 rpm, and have a
media transfer rate of 1 Gigabyte/s or higher. Hard disk drives are accessed over one of a
number of bus types, including parallel ATA (also called IDE), Serial ATA (SATA), SCSI, Serial
Attached SCSI, and Fiber Channel.

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store
persistent data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive, thus easily replacing it in any application.
SSDs have begun to appear in laptops because they can be smaller than HDDs. SSDs are

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currently more expensive per unit of capacity than HDDs which is why they have not caught
on so quickly.

A disk array controller is a device that manages the physical disk drives and presents
them to the computer as logical units. It almost always implements hardware RAID. RAID
(Redundant Array of Independent Drives) is a technology that employs the simultaneous use
of two or more hard disk drives to achieve greater levels of performance, reliability, and/or
larger data volume sizes. A disk array controller also provides additional disk cache.

2. Computer Software

Sometimes abbreviated as SW and S/W, software is a collection of instructions that enable

the user to interact with a computer, its hardware, or perform tasks. Without software,
computers would be useless. For example, without your Internet browser, you could not surf
the Internet or read this page and without an operating system, the browser could not run
on your computer. The picture to the right shows a Microsoft Excel box, an example of a
spreadsheet software program

Examples and types of software

It should be noted that although software is thought of as a program, it can be anything that
runs on a computer. The table below also includes a program column to clarify any software
that is not a program.

Software Examples Progra

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 m?

Antivirus AVG, Housecall, McAfee Yes

Audio / Music iTunes, WinAmp Yes

program

Database Access, MySQL, SQL Yes

Device drivers Computer drivers No

E-mail Outlook, Thunderbird Yes

Game Madden NFL Football, Quake, World of Warcraft Yes

Internet browser Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer Yes

Movie player VLC, Windows Media Player Yes

Operating system Mac OS X 10, Windows XP, Windows 7 No

Photo / Graphics Adobe PhotoShop, CorelDRAW Yes

program

Presentation PowerPoint Yes

Programming C++, HTML, Java, Perl, Visual Basic (VB) Yes

language

Simulation Flight simulator, SimCity Yes

Spreadsheet Excel Yes

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Utility Compression, Disk Cleanup, Encryption, Registry No
cleaner, Screensaver

Word processor Word Yes

3. Peripheral

Peripheral is a device connected to a host computer, but not part of it, and is more or less
dependent on the host. These are input/output devices. Peripherals are: Keyboard, Mouse,
Monitor, Speaker and etc.

Input Device

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An input device is any hardware device that sends data to a computer, allowing you to
interact with and control the computer. The picture shows a Logitech trackball mouse, an

example of an input device.

A computer keyboard is one of the primary input devices used with a computer that looks
similar to those found on electric typewriters, but with some additional keys. Keyboards
allow you to input letters, numbers, and other symbols into a computer that can serve as
commands or be used to type text.

A computer mouse is a handheld hardware input device that controls a cursor in a GUI and
can move and select text, icons, files, and folders. For desktop computers, the mouse is
placed on a flat surface such as a mouse pad or a desk and is placed in front of your

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computer. In the picture is an example of a desktop computer mouse with two buttons and a
wheel.

A webcam is a hardware camera and input device that connects to a computer and the
Internet and captures either still pictures or motion video of a user or other object. The
picture of the Logitech Webcam C270 is an example of what a webcam may look. Today,
most webcams are either embedded into the display with laptop computers or connected to
the USB or FireWire port on the computer.

Sometimes abbreviated as mic, a microphone is a hardware peripheral originally invented

by Emile Berliner in 1877 that allows computer users to input audio into their computers.
The picture is an example of Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone - Silver Edition and an
example of a high-quality computer microphone.

Output Device

An output device is any peripheral that receives data from a computer, usually for display,
projection, or physical reproduction. For example, the image shows an inkjet printer, an
output device that can make a hard copy of any information shown on your monitor. Another
example of an output device is a computer monitor, which displays an image that is

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received from the computer. Monitors and printers are two of the most common output
devices used with a computer.

Alternatively referred to as a video display terminal (VDT) and video display unit (VDU), a
monitor is a device that display video images to the user. A monitor is made up of circuitry,
a screen, a power supply, button to adjust screen settings, and casing that holds all of these
components.

Sometimes referred to as earphones, headphones are a hardware output device that either
plug into your computer line out or your speakers to privately listen to audio without
disturbing others. The picture is an example of a USB headset from Logitech which also
include a microphone (an input device) and a popular solution for computer gaming.

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A computer speaker is a hardware device that connects to a computer to generate sound.
The signal used to produce the sound that comes from a computer speaker is created by the
computer's sound card. The picture shows the Altec Lansing VS2221 speakers with
subwoofer, an example of external computer speakers.

A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic data stored on a
computer or other devices and generates a hard copy of it. For example, if you created a
report on your computer you could print several copies to hand out at a staff meeting.
Printers are one of the most popular computer peripherals and are commonly used to print
text and photos. The picture to the right is an example of an inkjet computer printer, the
Lexmark Z605.

4. Performance factors

The factors that determine the computer performance is RAM, CPU, PSU. Those 3 factors
determine your computers overall performance. If you want more performance that relating
to graphical and such, the VGA card will solve your problem.

1.3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS

A computer is a general purpose device which can be programmed to carry out a finite set
of arithmetic or logical operations. There are different types of computer system: Personal
computer, Workstation, Minicomputer, Mainframe and Supercomputer.

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Personal computer: A personal computer can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive
computer designed for an individual user.

Workstation: It is a type of computer used for engineering applications, desktop

publishing, software development, and other types of application that require a moderate
amount of computing power and relatively high quality graphic capabilities .

Minicomputer: It is a midsize computer. In general, a minicomputer is a multiprocessing

system capable of supporting from up to 200 users simultaneously.

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Mainframe: Mainframe computers are powerful computers used primarily by corporate and
governmental organizations for critical applications, bulk data processing such as census. In
some ways, mainframes are more power than supercomputers because they support more
simultaneous programs.

Supercomputer: Supercomputer is a board term for one of the fastest computer currently
available. Supercomputers are employed for specialized application that requires immense
amounts of mathematical calculations.

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LO2. Be able to design computer systems
2.1 A SYSTEM DESIGN SPECIFICATION TO MEET A CLIENTS
NEEDS
For professional-grade graphic design and video editing work up to 4K resolution, while still
keeping the budget manageable.

HARDWARE.

CPU: Intel i7-6800K

Graphics Card: GTX 1060 6GB
Motherboard: ASRock X99 Taichi

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RAM: 32 GB DDR4
Storage 1: Samsung 960 EVO 500 GB M.2 SSD
Storage 2: HGST 4 TB hard drive
Power Supply: EVGA G2 750W
Monitors: Dell Ultra HD 4k Monitor P2715Q 27-Inch Screen LED-Lit Monitor
CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro H110i
Case: NZXT Phantom 820
Operating System: Windows 10

SOFTWARE

Window 10 Ultimate 64bit

Avast Antivirus Pro

Adobe Photoshop CC 2014

Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2014)

PaintShop Pro X7 Ultimate

CCLeaner

Peripheral: Mouse and keyboard

2.2 EVALUATE THE SUITABILITY OF A SYSTEM DESIGN

SPECIFICATION

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CPU and Motherboard

The Adobe Apps used by most graphic designers rely less on GPU (even though some
features are enhanced by it) and rely heavily on Processor and Ram. Focus on getting the
fastest CPU you can afford, Intel i5 or i7 processors are usually best for working with the
Adobe Apps. Motherboards are also important because they dictate what you can do overall:
how many RAM slots you have, how many drives you can have, Wifi, audio, etc. I chose a
robust motherboard with expansion options that could grow with my needs.

RAM/Memory

For RAM, 16-32 GB is usually optimal, though Photoshop and After Effects can utilize 32GB
or more depending on how you are using them. In my recent build, knowing I will be working
with Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere Pro in combination, I went with 32GB of RAM .

Drives

The reason that I prefer to have multiple drives, especially SSDs (Solid State Drives) is
because it makes everything faster and more streamlined. If you use Photoshop, you may
be familiar with the term Scratch Disk. This is temporary file storage while you are

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working, if you have a secondary or external drive, then it means that Photoshop and other
Adobe Apps like After Effects can store temporary data here while youre working and
reduce lag, creating a better experience. If you have your applications and operating system
on SSDs, you will see much faster launch times and load times for projects.

Graphics Cards

If you work with tons of layers in Photoshop or do motion graphics or video editing using
Adobe After Effects or Premiere Pro, then go with a NVIDIA graphics cards as they are
optimized to work with Adobe applications. AMD graphics cards are still compatible but
offer significantly less performance advantages .

Monitors

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In terms of monitors, color accuracy is a concern and I prefer Dell, Asus and BenQ for that
reason, as they are competitive with Apple displays for sharpness and color accuracy,
while also offering Matte vs Glossy finish (which Apple no longer offers). This could be
important for print design projects.

LO3. Be able to build and configure computer

systems
3.1 BUILD AND CONFIGURE A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO MEET A
DESIGN SPECIFICATION

Part 1: Building Your Computer

1. Open the case. You might want to wear anti-static gloves or some sort of hand
protection, as the inside of the case does not have ground down metal and could be very
sharp in some cases.

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2. Install the power supply. Some cases come with the power supply already installed,
while others will require you to purchase the power supply separately and install it yourself.
Make sure that the power supply is installed in the correct orientation, and that nothing is
blocking the power supply's fan.

Make sure that your power supply is powerful enough to handle all of your components. This
is especially important in high-end gaming computers, as dedicated graphics cards can
draw a significant amount of power.

3. Ground yourself. Use an antistatic wrist-strap cable to prevent Electrostatic Discharge

(ESD) which can be deadly to computer electronics. If you can't get an antistatic wrist-strap

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cable, plug your grounded power supply unit to an outlet (but don't turn it on), and keep
your hand on the grounded unit whenever you touch any ESD-sensitive items.

Part 2: Installing the Motherboard

1. Remove the motherboard from its packaging. Place it on top of its box. DO NOT
place it on top of the anti-static bag as the outside is conductive. You will be adding
components to the motherboard before installing it in the case, as it is easier to access the
motherboard before installing it.

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2. Remove the processor from its packaging. Observe the missing pins in the
processor and match these with the socket on the motherboard. On many processors there
will be a little gold arrow in the corner that you can use to orient the processor properly.

3. Insert the processor in the motherboard. Open the CPU socket and carefully insert
the processor (no force needed). If it doesn't slip right in, or it feels like you have to push, it
is probably misaligned. Close the socket and ensure the CPU is secure. Some sockets have
small arms while others have complex assemblies to open and close the socket.

4. Apply good thermal paste to the CPU. Put only a dot of thermal paste on the CPU.
Adding too much thermal paste will create a mess, such as getting paste into the

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motherboard socket, which may short circuit components, and decrease the motherboard's
value if you plan to sell it later.

Some processors that come with heatsinks do not need thermal paste because the heat sink
already has thermal paste applied by the factory. Check the bottom of the heatsink unit
before applying paste to the processor.

5. Attach the heat sink. This varies from heat sink to heat sink, so read the instructions.
Most stock coolers attach directly over the processor and clip into the motherboard.
Aftermarket heatsinks may have brackets that need to be attached underneath the
motherboard. Refer to your heat sinks documentation for exact instructions.

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6. Install the RAM. Place the RAM in the proper slots by opening the latches and pushing
the RAM in until the little handles can lock it into position. Note how the RAM and slots are
keyed--line them up so they will fit in properly. When pushing, press both sides of the RAM
module with equal force. If RAM sockets have two colors, this may indicate the priority slots
in case if you are not using all available slots.

7. Install the I/O Back plate on the back of your case. Many modern cases do not have
a pre-installed backplate, but your motherboard should come with its own backplate. Some
older cases have pre-instlalled I/O back plates, but it is unlikely that the case will have an
appropriate backplate for your motherboard.

Removing the existing backplate may take a bit of force. Sometimes they have screws to
hold them in place, but most are held in only by friction. Pop it out by pressing on the
bracket from the rear side of the case. Make sure that you install the RAM in the
appropriate matching slots. Check your motherboards documentation to ensure that you
are installing the RAM in the correct location.

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8. Knock out any tabs covering I/O components up on the motherboard's
backplate. Push the new backplate into place in the back of the case. Make sure to install it
the correct direction.

9. Install the standoffs in the correct positions. Almost all cases come with a little
baggie that has standoffs in it. Standoffs raise the motherboard off of the case, and allow
screws to be inserted into them. Your case most likely has more holes available than your
motherboard supports. The number of spacers required will be determined by the number of
shielded holes in the motherboard. Position the motherboard to discover where to screw in
the standoffs.

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10. Secure the motherboard. Once the standoffs are installed, place the motherboard in
the case and push it up against the I/O backplate. All of the back ports should fit into the
holes in the I/O backplate. Use the screws provided to secure the motherboard to the
standoffs through the shielded screw holes on the motherboard.

11. Plug in the case connectors. These tend to be located together on the motherboard
near the front of the case. The order in which these are connected will depend on which is
easiest. Make sure that you connect the USB ports, the Power and Reset switches, the LED
power and hard drive lights, and the audio cable (HDAudio or AC97). Your motherboards
documentation will show you where on your motherboard these connectors attach.

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There is typically only one way that these connectors can attach to the motherboard. Dont
try to force anything to fit.

Part 3: Installing a Graphics Card

1. Remove the back panel covers that line up with the PCI-E slot. Almost all modern
graphics cards use PCI-E. Some will require you to remove two of the protective plates as
opposed to just one. You may have to punch the plates out of the case.

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2. Insert the graphics card. You may have to bend a tab on the slot to allow the graphics
card to be inserted. The tab will help lock the graphics card in place (this is more important
for bulkier, high-end cards). Apply light, even force until the card is seated uniformly, and
the back panel lines up.

3. Secure the card. Once you have inserted the card, use a screw to secure it to the back
panel of the case. If you dont secure your card, you could end up damaging it in the long
run.

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4. Install any other PCI cards. If you have any other PCI cards that you are going to add,
such as a dedicated sound card, the installation process is the same as the video card
process.

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Part 4: Adding the drives

1. Remove any front panel covers for the drives you are inserting . Most cases have
panels in the front that protect the drive bays. Remove the panels for the locations that you
want to install you optical drives. You do not need to remove any panels for hard drives.

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2. Insert the optical drives in from the front of the case. Almost all cases have cages
built in that allow the drive to rest and fit snugly. Once the drive is lined up with the front
panel of the computer, secure it with screws on each side of the drive.

3. Install the hard disk. Slide the hard drive into the appropriate 3.5 bay in the inside of
the case. Some cases have removable brackets that you can install on the hard drive first
before sliding it in. Once the drive has been inserted into the cage, secure it on both sides
with screws.

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4. Connect the SATA cables. All modern drives use SATA cables to connect the drive to
the motherboard. Connect the cable to the SATA port on the drive, and then connect the
other end to a SATA port on the motherboard. Hard drives use the same cables as optical
drives.

For easier troubleshooting, connect your hard drive to the first SATA port on the
motherboard, and then connect your other drives to subsequent SATA ports. Avoid plugging
your drives into random SATA ports.

SATA cables have the same connector on both sides. You can install the cable in either
direction.

Part 5: Writing the Computer

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1. Connect the power supply to the motherboard. Most modern motherboards have a
24-pin connector and a 6- or 8-pin connector. Both of these need to be connected for your
motherboard to function. Power supply cables only fit into the slots that they are designed
for. Push the connectors all the way in until the latch clicks.
The 24-pin connector is the largest connector on the power supply.

2. Connect the power supply to the video card. If you have a dedicated video card,
chances are it needs to be powered as well. Some require one connector, while others
require two. The port is usually on the top of the video card.

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3. Connect the power supply to the drives. All of your drives need to be connected to
the power supply using SATA power connectors. These power connectors are the same for
optical and hard drives.

4. Adjust your wire placement. One of the keys to good airflow is placing your wires out
of the way. Trying to effectively wire the inside of the case can be a frustrating experience,
especially if you are building a smaller tower. Use zip ties to bundle cables together and
place them in unused drive bays. Make sure that the cables will not get in the way of any
fans.

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Part 6: Installing More Fans

1. Connect your case fans. Almost all cases come installed with one or two fans. These
fans need to be attached to the motherboard in order to function.

2. Install new fans. If you are running lots of high-end components, you will likely need
extra cooling. 120mm fans are typically fairly quiet and significantly increase airflow
through your computer.

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3. Optimize your fan setup. Intake fans that suck air into the computer should be
mounted in the lower front, bottom, and sides (a side fan is typically used to directly cool a
specific component). Exhaust fans that blow air out of the computer should be mounted on
the top and upper back of the computer as the hot air naturally rises through the inside.
This keeps a good flow of fresh, cool air moving over your motherboard. You can see which
direction the fan will blow by inspecting the top of the fan housing. Almost all fans have
small arrows printed which shows which direction they blow.

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Part 7: Booting It Up

1. Put the case back together. It is highly recommended that you dont run your
computer with the case open. Cases are designed to maximize air flow, and when a case is
open the airflow is not as effective. Make sure that everything is screwed close. Most cases
use thumbscrews so that you dont need tools to open and close the case.

2. Plug in your computer. Attach a monitor to the computer, either through the graphics
card or through a port on the back of the motherboard plate. Attach a keyboard and mouse
to the USB ports in either the front or back of the computer.

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Avoid plugging in any other devices until after you have finished setting up the operating
system.

3. Power on your computer. You wont be able to do much since you dont have an
operating system installed, but you can check to see that all of your fans are working and
that the computer completes its POST (Power-On Self-Test) successfully.

4. Run MemTest86+. This program is available to download for free and can be booted
from a CD or USB drive without an operating system installed. This will let you test your
memory sticks before you proceed to install the operating system. Memory sticks have a
higher rate of failure than most computer components, especially if they are budget-priced,
so it is wise to test them first.

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You may have to set your computer to boot from CD or USB first, instead of booting from the
hard drive. Enter your BIOS settings when you first start the computer, and then navigate to
the Boot menu. Select the appropriate drive that you want to boot from.
5. Update BIOS or UEFI firmware
The motherboard may or may not have the latest BIOS or UEFI firmware and IME (Intel
Management Engine) installed. While it's not necessary to have the latest BIOS or UEFI
firmware and IME, it is a good thing to have. Note, some BIOS or UEFI do not do an ME
update.

Enter BIOS or UEFI by tapping the delete key immediately on starting the computer. Update
the BIOS or UEFI firmware and ME from the Internet flash utility in the BIOS or UEFI itself, if it
has this utility.

If there is no Internet flash utility, the BIOS or UEFI probably has a USB flash utility. First on
another PC download the latest BIOS or UEFI firmware (with included ME in some cases)
from the motherboard manufacturer's website, unzip the file, and then copy the unzipped
file(s) to a USB flash drive. Then use the BIOS or UEFI's USB flash utility to update to the
new BIOS or UEFI file on the USB flash drive.

DO NOT POWER OFF THE PC, OR REMOVE THE USB FLASH DRIVE if using that method, till
the update(s) are completes.
6. Change BIOS or UEFI settings to prepare for operating system (OS) installation
Enter BIOS or UEFI by tapping the delete key immediately on starting the computer.

First confirm from the BIOS or UEFI the components you installed in the PC. If you look
around in the BIOS or UEFI, it will list the motherboard, CPU, memory size, hard drive, DVD
drive. It will also tell you which motherboard connectors have been used for the hard drive,
DVD drive and sometimes the memory sticks. This a good first test that it's all good.

Then make the following changes:

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Newer motherboards and some other hardware devices use UEFI boot mode where UEFI is a
software layer between the firmware (BIOS) and the OS. Current versions of Linux and
Windows also support UEFI. It's the current standard for booting an OS and has advantages,
so if your hardware and OS support it you should use it. However if you have dual or multi-
boot operating systems installed or planned to be installed and one of those was/is to be
installed without UEFI then don't use UEFI. To use UEFI boot mode, in the boot menu, under
boot order priority make the First Boot Device your UEFI CD/DVD drive or UEFI USB flash
drive depending on your OS installation media. In some new BIOS's you don't see the UEFI
prefix listed before a storage device as an option in the boot order devices, that means UEFI
boot mode may be automatically tried first anyway for the storage device you select, but
also make sure to see the next step. To not use UEFI boot mode, set the same boot order
priority that is CD/DVD drive or USB flash drive as the First Boot Device but without the UEFI
prefix.

Also to use UEFI boot mode, in the Boot menu or sometimes it's in the Advanced menu or
another menu, under a heading like CSM Configuration, for boot mode for the Storage
Device, Video and other PCI/PCI Express devices select UEFI. If you can select UEFI with
CSM/legacy support do that instead, this will give you the most flexibility for using different
devices connected to the PC for example a video card which may not have UEFI boot mode.
The BIOS or UEFI on some motherboards may require you to select the operating system.
Here select Other OS, however in a few cases you may have to select Windows 8/8.1/10 in
order to use UEFI mode even if you're installing Linux. For a Linux installation, or if you want
a dual boot system now or in the future, keep 'Secure Boot' disabled. To not use UEFI, for
boot mode for the Storage Device, Video and for PCI/PCI Express devices select CSM/legacy
support.

You don't need motherboard branding displayed on start-up so disable it in the boot section.
Under Integrated Graphics Configuration or other similar heading make Primary Graphics
Adapter - 'Onboard' or 'Integrated Graphics' or 'IGD' or some similar abbreviation, unless
you are installing a separate video card in which case it should be PCI Express Graphics or
'PEG' or a similar abbreviation.

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Make other changes to BIOS or UEFI as desired. Look through each menu and change as
desired.
Before exiting the BIOS or UEFI, insert OS installation DVD in DVD drive or USB flash drive
into your USB port, then save BIOS or UEFI settings and exit. You may have to use a USB 2.0
port, instead of a USB 3.0 port, depending on your chipset to ensure a UEFI boot. On
restarting the PC, the OS installation will automatically boot up.

7. Install your operating system.

When I first boot the computer I will see a screen like this one:

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Click Next and I will be taken to the Install now button screen

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At this point I can choose whether I want to do an upgrade or install a new custom install. If
you selected an Upgrade edition, youll need to have a previous version of Windows. My
install disc only allows for a clean install, so theres not really a choice for me anyway.

At this point I will pick where to install Windows 10.

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And now it will install.

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Once the PC reboots again, I will select the settings like whether Windows Updates are
enabled (they arent allowed to be disabled in the preview).

And now I will sign into my Microsoft account

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Now I will be asked how to setup the PC. I want test everything as a new computer, I will
chose to set it up as a new PC.

Want to use OneDrive? Its nicely integrated into Windows, so I just left it alone.

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And now a colorful screen that tells me things are happening.

And finally, Im at the desktop! Note that the desktop on the full release of Windows 10
looks different, and this screenshot came from a pre-release version.

8. Reset boot order in BIOS or UEFI after installing OS

After installation of the operating system is complete, remove the OS installation DVD from
the DVD drive or remove the USB flash drive, restart PC, enter BIOS or UEFI and change the
boot order back to your UEFI hard drive first and your UEFI CD/DVD drive second. Or without
UEFI in the same order mentioned here if you did not use UEFI boot mode during
installation. Some OS's will automatically make this boot order change if UEFI boot mode
was used during installation as you might see.

Save and exit BIOS or UEFI and check out your new OS now installed on your hard drive!

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9. Install your drivers.

In Windows, insert the motherboard CD/DVD that came with the motherboard into the DVD
drive to install the drivers below. Compare these drivers on the DVD with the ones on the
motherboard manufacturer's website support page for that motherboard and only install the
most recent driver in each case. If you're using the motherboard's website, download the
driver installation zip file to a new folder you create on the hard drive called 'driver-install-
files' or a similar name. Double click on each installation zip file to extract files and then
click the application file called setup or install or something similar. If during installation you
get a message that a newer version of any driver is already installed don't install the older
version.

Chipset driver

VGA driver

HD Audio driver

LAN driver

Any other Intel drivers for Intel platform motherboards

Any other AMD drivers for AMD platform motherboards

10. Install utilities and update antivirus software

Again from the motherboard CD or website install any utilities you might like. This is
optional and some useless utilities should be avoided.

In Windows 10, make sure Windows Defender is on from the Settings menu, it comes
included with the OS as your anti-virus and and spyware protection, or install a third party
one.

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11. Updates

In Windows, use Windows Update to download and install all security fixes and software
patches for the OS.

Install monitor driver for your monitor if Windows update does not install it for you, and also
keyboard and mouse drivers if needed for certain keyboards and mice.

12. Overclocking!

The Dream PC CPU has an unlocked multiplier which means overclocking is a breeze.
Overclocking can turn a fast CPU into an extreme CPU for no additional cost! Go into the
BIOS or UEFI, go to the OC or Overclock menu, change CPU Ratio to 40, save and exit the
BIOS or UEFI. Guess what you've just got a 4.0 GHz CPU! Overclocking this way without
changing CPU voltages is an easy way to go, how easy was that. You miss out on some
additional overclocking potential by not increasing the CPU voltage but it keeps the CPU
running less hot when you keep the CPU at stock voltage.

If you find the system is unstable at an overclocked frequency, that is the PC crashes, keep
reducing the CPU Ratio by one or more till the PC is stable again. On the other hand if the PC
is stable for a while and you want to push it, you could increase the CPU Ratio by one and
see if it's stable and then try again. Don't go beyond 42 or at an extreme 44. If your
computer ever gets to the point it doesn't boot reset CMOS when the PC is off to return it to
the BIOS or UEFI default values.

If you're using a different CPU and want to overclock, if it has an unlocked multiplier and a
motherboard BIOS or UEFI which gives you the ability to overclock, you'll have to figure out
how much you can overclock by trial and error as above. It's safer to always start low, just
one above the default CPU Ratio and work up from there till you hit the overclocking
maximum and then back off from there a bit for stability. If the CPU doesn't have an
unlocked multiplier but you have a motherboard BIOS or UEFI with overclocking ability it can
still be potentially overclocked, by changing the external clock speed, in a similar trial and
error method. Again remember to change the external clock in small increments.

Overclocking is worth it but should be done carefully to minimize any risk of damage to the
CPU. Overclocking removes warranties on the CPU and potentially the motherboard.

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3.2 TEST AND DOCUMENT A COMPUTER SYSTEM
In order to confirm the installation, I have run 2 tests. In the first boot, the computer runs
smoothly, no error occurred for the operating system. I continue to run the computer
continuously for 12 hours, ending the process despite the heat but hard drives CPU and RAM
are not even an error, finish my Test 1 shutdown. In the 2nd test I turned on the video
editing software, it run quite fast, took only 3 minutes, pretty good in my opinion because
the demo was a big one. Photoshop boot up very fast, I also opened some design programs,
as well as the other programs the class mainly use, I only took up an acceptable amount of
RAM and CPU, but still doesnt show any sign of shuttering or crashing. I think this should be
suitable to your expectation. I end up the report here.

LO4. Be able to undertake routine

maintenance on computer systems

4.1 PERFORM ROUTINE MANITENANCE TASKS ON A COMPUTER SYSTEM

1. Maintain the hardware and the software

There are two types of Maintenance:

Software Maintenance

Hardware Maintenance

Software Maintenance: We will upgrade the software if any update is available. We will
update scheduling maintenance tasks, we will also do clean-up, back-up and we will do
maintain other third party utility software e.g.: compression utilities, spyware removal. If
there is any software error we will fix it with in 1 day and we will do a monthly maintenance
for all the computers.

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Hardware Maintenance: Upgrade the hardware like installing and configure new peripherals
e.g.: printers, scanners and etc. Installing additional or replacement devices e.g.: hard drive,
memory, graphic, sound, optical media. We will monthly do the cleaning of the hardware.

2. Different types of backup

For quite some time, there have been three basic types of backups: full, incremental and
differential. More recently though, data backup software vendors have introduced some
newer types of backups that you might not be familiar with. Before I do though, I am going
to give you a quick crash course in full, incremental and differential backups.

Full backups

A full backup is exactly what the name implies. It is a full copy of your entire data set.
Although full backups arguably provide the best protection, most organizations only use
them on a periodic basis because they are time consuming, and often require a large
number of tapes or disk.

Incremental backup

Because full backups are so time consuming, incremental backups were introduced as a way
of decreasing the amount of time that it takes to do a backup. Incremental backups only
backup the data that has changed since the previous backup.

For example, suppose that you created a full backups on Monday, and used incremental
backups for the rest of the week. Tuesday's backup would only contain the data that has
changed since Monday. Wednesday's backup would only contain the data that has changed
since Tuesday.

The primary disadvantage to incremental backups is that they can be time-consuming to

restore. Going back to my previous example, suppose that you wanted to restore the backup
from Wednesday. To do so, you would have to first restore Monday's full backup. After that,
you would have to restore Tuesday's tape, followed by Wednesday's. If any of the tapes
happen to be missing or damaged, then you will not be able to perform the full restoration.

Differential backups

A differential backup is similar to an incremental backup in that it starts with a full backup,
and subsequent backups only contain data that has changed. The difference is that while an
incremental backup only includes the data that has changed since the previous backup, a
differential backup contains all of the data that has changed since the last full backup.

Suppose for example that you wanted to create a full backups on Monday and differential
backups for the rest of the week. Tuesday's backup would contain all of the data that has

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changed since Monday. It would therefore be identical to an incremental backup at this
point. On Wednesday, however, the differential backup would backup any data that had
changed since Monday.

The advantage that differential backups have over incremental is shorter restore times.
Restoring a differential backup never requires more than two tape sets. Incremental backups
on the other hand, may require a great number of tape sets. Of course the tradeoff is that
as time progresses, a differential backup tape can grow to contain much more data than an
incremental backup tape.

Synthetic full backup

A synthetic full backup is a variation of an incremental backup. Like any other incremental
backup, the actual backup process involves taking a full backup, followed by a series of
incremental backups. But synthetic backups take things one step further.

What makes a synthetic backup different from an incremental backup is that the backup
server actually produces full backups. It does this by combining the existing full backups
with the data from the incremental backups. The end result is a full backup that is
indistinguishable from a full backup that has been created in the traditional way.

As you can imagine, the primary advantage to synthetic full backups is greatly reduced
restore times. Restoring a synthetic full backup doesn't require the backup operator to
restore multiple tape sets as an incremental backup does. Synthetic full backups provide all
of the advantages of a true full backup, but offer the decreased backup times and decrease
bandwidth usage of an incremental backup.

Incremental-forever backup

Incremental-forever backups are often used by disk-to-disk-to-tape backup systems. The

basic idea is that like an incremental backup, and incremental-forever backup begins by
taking a full backup of the data set. After that point, only incremental backups are taken.

What makes an incremental-forever backup different from a normal incremental backup is

the availability of data. As you will recall, restoring an incremental backup requires the tape
containing the full backup, and every subsequent backup up to the backup that you want to
restore. While this is also true for an incremental-forever backup, the backup server typically
stores all of the backup sets on either a large disk array or in a tape library. It automates the
restoration process so that you don't have to figure out which tape sets need to be restored.
In essence, the process of restoring the incremental data becomes completely transparent
and mimics the process of restoring a full backup.

3. The Best Backup

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 Your company's need for risk management, total volume of data assets, and other factors
can all have an impact on the approach to backups that's right for you. Your company is
best served with a weekly full backup and daily differential backups.

4. Disk Defragmenter
Disk gets fragmented as users create and delete files and folders, download files from
internet, or install/uninstall programs. When a file or a folder is deleted from the hard disk,
the space that was occupied by it will be used to store any new files. When a file gets saved,
it uses the first contiguous free space that is large enough for the file and the remaining
part of the file is saved in the next available free space.

The fragmented disk brings down the performance of the system as it takes a long time to
retrieve the fragmented data from the disk even if the CPU or the memory is more than
sufficient. Hence, periodic disk defragmentation is necessary to keep up the performance of
the system. Desktop Central provides option to run the disk defragmenter tool on multiple
machines simultaneously. It supports the following options:

Verbose: Displays the complete analysis and disk defragmentation reports

Analyze: Analyzes the volume and displays a summary of the analysis report.
Force Defragmentation: Forces disk defragmentation regardless of whether it needs
to be defragmented.

5. Schedule the defragmentation tools to be executed

automatically by the Operating System

1. Open Control Panel

2. Double-click Scheduled Tasks
3. Double-click Add Scheduled Task
4. On the Scheduled Task Wizard dialog, click Next
5. Click Browse
6. In the Select Program to Schedule dialog, navigate to the windows\system32 folder
7. Select defrag.exe
8. Click Open
9. In the Scheduled Task Wizard dialog, type a name for the scheduled task (Disk
Defragmenter, for instance)
10. Under Perform this task, select how often you wish Disk Defragmenter to run
11. Click Next
12. Set the time at which you wish the Disk Defragmenter scheduled task to run. This
should be a time when your computer is on, but not in heavy use.
13. Select the frequency at which you want the Disk Defragmenter scheduled task to run
(Every Day, Weekdays, or Every <N> days, where <N> is the number of days between
scheduled runs)
14. Click Next

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15. Enter a user name under which the Disk Defragmenter scheduled task will run. Note:
This user must be an administrator on the local machine.
16. Enter the password for the user you entered in the previous step
17. Confirm the password for the user
18. Click Next
19. Check Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish
20. Click Finish
21. In the Run text box, you should see the full path and command for defrag.exe. By
default, this path is C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\defrag.exe
22. Append the drive letter for the drive you wish to defragment to the command in the Run
text box. In a default installation, your Run command will look like this:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\defrag.exe C:
23. Click OK
24. In the Set Account Information dialog, enter and confirm the password for the user listed
in Run as
25. Click OK

Disk Defragmenter will now run as the specified user on the schedule you specified when
you created the scheduled task.

4.2 Upgrade the hardware and software on a computer

system
1. Hardware Upgrades
Upgrading your desktop computer is an excellent idea. You can extend the lifespan of a PC
indefinitely by changing out components over time. Absolutely everything can be replaced.

Computers are complex, however, and this can lead to headaches when trying to upgrade.
Nothing is more frustrating than finding out that you have a compatibility issue while youre
in the process of installing new hardware. Lets review 4 potential trouble spots you should
check before digging into your desktops internals.

The Power Supply

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A desktop computer consists of various components, each of which needs power. The power
supply is responsible for managing and distributing power. It needs to have the right plugs
and it needs to be able to handle the overall power demand of your desktop at load.

Some of the power connections in desktops have remained the same over time, but some
havent. The most recent examples of new connections are SATA and PCI Express. If you
own a computer that is more than five years old it may not support them, and that means
you wont be able to use a SATA hard drive or a PCI Express video card without an
adapter. Always makes sure that your power supply has the connectors required to accept
any new hardware you might purchase. 5 Things to Consider When You Install a SATA Hard
Drive 5 Things to Consider When You Install a SATA Hard Drive Before you install a SATA
hard drive, here are a few things to consider so you don't mess anything up.

Overall power draw can sometimes be an issue, as well. Video cards are the primary
troublemaker. Be sure to check the power requirements specified by the manufacturer
before buying a new video card. If your current supply is below the requirements you should
upgrade it before installing new hardware.

The Motherboard

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Everything inside a computer must connect to the motherboard for it to function. Most
motherboards have a significant number of connectors for installing new hardware, but the
number is finite, and can be filled to capacity more quickly than youd think.

Always check how a new piece of hardware will connect to your motherboard. The most
common connections are SATA (for hard drives and optical drives) and PCI Express (for video
cards, sound cards and network adapters), but there are others.

Once youve discovered what is required, verify that your motherboard can accommodate
the upgrade by opening up your desktop and inspecting it. This is an important step. Your
motherboard may technically have eight SATA ports, but what if a large video card or
cooling fan is blocking two of them? This is not something youll discover just by cracking
open your desktops manual.

The Enclosure

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Once youve verified that your power supply and motherboard can handle new hardware
youre done, right? Not quite.

Even if these components can handle your upgrade you may still run in to trouble if it wont
fit in your enclosure. This has always been a common problem, but its even more common
today. Computers are becoming smaller, which means a lack of physical space is more of a
concern.

Find the physical measurements of any hardware that you plan on installing and use a tape
measure to make sure that you have room. Be sure to account for not only the width of new
hardware but also its depth. Some cases have thin profiles that will only fit half-height PCI
Express cards. Processor coolers are another common troublemaker, as the most effective
air-cooled models tend to have extremely large heatsinks that are as tall as the typical mid-
tower PC case is wide.

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2. Software Upgrades

The Operating System

Operating systems generally are not a limitation when you are upgrading hardware, which is
why the topic shows up last in this article. This doesnt mean they are never an issue. Its
possible that you may find yourself with a hardware upgrade that is physically compatible
with your system in every way but still doesnt work.

This most commonly occurs because youre using an older operating system or an
unpopular one. Windows XP will work with most of todays hardware despite its age, but
youre often going to be left with reduced functionality. Mac OS X is very finicky about the
hardware it will work with. Linux is a little better, but only if you stick with popular, well-
supported distributions.

You should check the specifications of the hardware youre buying to see what operating
systems it is officially compatible with. If you are using a Linux distro, you should check its
help forums. Youll often find lists of fully and partially compatible hardware

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Conclusion
Until now, we have come to end of this report. To summarize, we have understood the
function of computer systems and how to design, build and configure computer system.
Moreover we are able to undertake routine maintenance on the computer system. In more
detail:

In task 1, we have seen computers in different environment. Also we had saw computer
systems, computer hardware, computer software, computer peripherals and performance
factor. In peripherals we have seen input and output devices and usage. After that we had
saw different types of computers and usage. In that part we could see Personal computer,
Minicomputer, Main frame computer and Super computer

In task 2, we have seen about a system design specification to meet a clients need and
how to evaluate the suitability of the system design specification

In task 3, we have seen how to build and configure a computer system to meet a design
specification, test and document the computer system

In task 4, we have seen how to perform routine maintenance tasks on a computer system
and upgrade the hardware and software on the computer system.

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References
http://www.computerhope.com/

http://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page

https://www.amazon.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://searchdatabackup.techtarget.com/tip/Data-backup-types-explained-Full-incremental-
differential-and-incremental-forever-backup

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/555098

http://www.makeuseof.com/

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