The following topics will enable you to be familiar with planning and preparing for installation, install equipment and devices, and conduct test on the installed computer system. All you need to do is to read carefully all the topics and apply the skills you’ve gained through the distinct activities provided in this module.

This lesson is intended to develop your skills in planning and preparing for installation of computer devices and operating system. At the end of this lesson you are expected to:

Observe OHS policies and procedures in planning for installation activity in accordance with requirements.
Familiarize with computer peripheral/ devices/systems in accordance with established procedures correct operation and safety Consult appropriate/ technical personnel to ensure that work is coordinated with others who are involved in the activity.
Obtain materials necessary to complete the work in accordance with established procedures.
Check the materials received against job requirements

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy

An Information and communication technology (ICT) student should know how to behave when working in the computer laboratory, as well as implement a safe way of accomplishing every task. Safety practices should be learned early and always adheres in working with any electrical and electronic device, including personal computers and its peripherals. This is for your protection as well as to the people working with you, and for the devices that you are using. The basis for this process begins with Occupational Health and Safety Policies.

Occupational safety and health (OSH)

Is a planned system of working to prevent illness and injury where you work by recognizing and identifying hazards and risks. Health and safety procedure is the responsibility of all persons in the computer and technology industries. You must identify the hazards where you are working and decide how dangerous they are. Eliminate the hazard or modify the risk that it presents.

Occupational Health and Safety standards

Each student has a responsibility to their colleagues and their organization to report and act upon any potential workplace hazard. Students need to be aware of the type of hazards that are possibly present in their work environment.

Procedure

1. Identify the hazard.

2. Clear the area close to the hazard.

3. Partition the hazard off or clearly identify the area to protect other people from harm.

4. If the hazard is easily and safely cleared, then do so

If not…

5. Report the hazard to the appropriate person (such as teacher in charge, principal etc.) to obtain assistance.

6. Following clearing of the hazard fill out the correct documentation to assist in identifying improved practice to reduce further incidence of hazards.

All hazards must be reported using Accidental Report form. This enables us to track the kinds of hazards we have in our workplace, and take action where necessary to make it safer for all student and clients.

Accident reports

Forms are used to give specific details with regards to the accidents happened in the laboratory during experiments. Accident reports contain the following details:

· Name of the person injured

· Date and time of the accident

· Type of injury

· First aid given

· Action taken to prevent further accidents.

Accident report sample form

Hazardous substances

If the workplace hazard appears to be dangerous to staff and clients and professional assistance is required:

A. Call the supervisor or manager and advise them of the problem and the urgency of the matter.

B. Depending on the risk it may be called as an evacuation.

C. Follow the evacuation procedure.

D. The supervisor or manager will call in the fire brigade or specialized personnel who will deal with the spill.

Fire exits

All fire exits should be kept clear of from obstacles. All students have a responsibility to make sure that chairs, empty boxes or any other type of obstacle are not placed in or near fire exit doorways.

All corridors also need to have equipment stored on one side only to ensure that in the event of an emergency there is a clear exit.

Fire Safety Procedure

Each work area has a designated fire warden, who in the event of a fire will take charge. They are recognized by the wearing of a red hard hat.

If you find the fire

· Assess the danger prior to doing anything.

· If it is safe to move assist anyone in the vicinity of the fire away from danger.

· If it is possible close the door to the fire area.

· Call for assistance. Verbally call FIRE, FIRE, in a loud and clear voice.

· Break the glass section of the fire alert call point.

· Call to the switch; ensure you know where the fire is, any other details that may be of assistance to the fire brigade. Details could be size of the fire, cause or type of fire, any people hurt or trapped, has anyone tried to put it out.

· If safe to do so, attack the fire with the correct extinguisher or fire hose.

If the designated fire officer is not present, someone quickly needs to take responsibility and:

1. Locate the source of the fire.

2. Locate any people.

3. Remove all people from the building.

4. Once outside do a head count?

5. Notify the authorities

Personal Safety While Working with PC’s

Computer equipment can be dangerous, and you or others can be injured or even killed if you don’t follow proper safety guidelines when working along with PC’s. The following are some precautionary measures to take before working with any computer equipment:

· Wear shoes with non-conductive rubber soles to help reduce the chance of being shocked or seriously injured in an electrical accident.

· Do not work on components that are plugged into their power source.

· Do not remove expansion cards from a computer when it is turned on.

· Remove jewelries when working inside any computer related equipment.

· Be sure not to mix electronic components and water.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTER

A computer is one of the most brilliant inventions of mankind. Thanks to the computer technology, we were able to achieve storage and processing of huge amounts of data; we could rest our brains by employing computer memory capacities for storing information. Due to computers, we have been able to speed up daily work, carry out critical transactions and achieve accuracy and precision in work. Computers of the earlier years were of the size of a large room and were required to consume huge amounts of electric power. However, with the advancing technology, computers have shrunk to the size of a small watch. Depending on the processing power and size of computers, they have been classified under various types. Let us look at the classification of computers.

Different Types of Computers

Based on the operational principle of computers, they are categorized as analog, digital and hybrid computers.

Analog Computers:

These are almost extinct today. These are different from a digital computer because an analog computer can perform several mathematical operations simultaneously. It uses continuous variables for mathematical operations and utilizes mechanical or electrical energy.

Hybrid Computers

These computers are a combination of both digital and analog computers. In this type of computers, the digital segments perform process control by conversion of analog signals to digital ones.

Digital Computers

They use digital circuits and are designed to operate on two states, namely bits 0 and

1. They are analogous to states ON and OFF. Data on these computers is represented as a series of 0s and 1s. Digital computers are suitable for complex computation and have higher processing speeds. They are programmable. Digital computers are either general purpose computers or special purpose ones. Special purpose computers, as their name suggests, are designed for specific types of data processing while general purpose computers are meant for general use.

Classification of Computers

The following are the classification of the different types of computers based on their sizes and functionalities:

Mainframe Computers

Large organizations use mainframes for highly critical applications such as bulk data processing and ERP. Most of the mainframe computers have the capacities to host multiple operating systems and operate as a number of virtual machines and can substitute for several small servers.

Minicomputers:

Servers:

They are computers designed to provide services to client machines in a computer network. They have larger storage capacities and powerful processors. Running on them are programs that serve client requests and allocate resources like memory and time to client machines. Usually they are very large in size, as they have large processors and many hard drives. They are designed to be fail-safe and resistant to crash.

Supercomputers:

The highly calculation-intensive tasks can be effectively performed by means of supercomputers. Quantum physics, mechanics, weather forecasting, molecular theory are best studied by means of supercomputers. Their ability of parallel processing and their well-designed memory hierarchy give the supercomputers, large transaction processing powers.

Microcomputers

A computer with a microprocessor and its central processing unit it is known as a microcomputer. They do not occupy space as much as mainframes do. When supplemented with a keyboard and a mouse, microcomputers can be called personal computers. A monitor, a keyboard and other similar input output devices, computer memory in the form of RAM and a power supply unit come packaged in a microcomputer. These computers can fit on desks or tables and prove to be the best choice for single-user tasks.

Desktops

: A desktop is intended to be used on a single location. The spare parts of a desktop computer are readily available at relatively lower costs. Power consumption is not as critical as that in laptops. Desktops are widely popular for daily use in the workplace and households.

Laptops

Similar in operation to desktops, laptop computers are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use. Laptops run on a single battery or an external adapter that charges the computer batteries.

Netbooks

They fall in the category of laptops, but are inexpensive and relatively smaller in size. They had a smaller feature set and lesser capacities in comparison to regular laptops, at the time they came into the market.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

It is a handheld computer and popularly known as a palmtop. It has a touch screen and a memory card for storage of data. PDAs can also be used as portable audio players, web browsers and smart phones. Most of them can access the Internet by means of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication.

Tablet Computers

Tablets are mobile computers that are very handy to use. They use the touch screen technology. Tablets come with an onscreen keyboard or use a stylus or a digital pen. Apple's iPod redefined the class of tablet computers.

Wearable Computers

A record-setting step in the evolution of computers was the creation of wearable computers. These computers can be worn on the body and are often used in the study of behavior modeling and human health. Military and health professionals have incorporated wearable computers into their daily routine, as a part of such studies. When the users' hands and sensory organs are engaged in other activities, wearable computers are of great help in tracking human actions. Wearable computers do not have to be turned on and off and remain in operation without user intervention.

COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEVICES AND PERIPHERALS

The operating system is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.

For large systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a traffic cop -- it makes sure that different program and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.

Operating systems can be classified as follows:

Multi-user: Allows two or more users to run programs at the same time. Some operating systems permit hundreds or even thousands of concurrent users.

Linux

Unix

Windows 2000

Multiprocessing : Supports running a program on more than one CPU.

Linux

Unix

Windows 2000

Multitasking : Allows more than one program to run concurrently.

Unix

Windows 2000 and Windows multi point

Multithreading : Allows different parts of a single program to run concurrently.

Linux

Unix

Windows 2000 and Windows 7

Real time: Responds to input instantly. General-purpose operating systems, such as DOS and UNIX, are not real-time.

Operating systems provide a software platform on which other application programs can run. The application programs must be written to run on top of a particular operating system. Your choice of operating system, therefore, determines to a great extent the applications you can run. For PCs, the most popular operating systems are DOS, OS/2, and Windows, but others are available, such as Linux.

What are the devices of a computer?

The physical, touchable, electronic and mechanical parts of a computer are called the hardware which is composed of different devices attached to the computer.

The following list represents a basic set of devices found in most Personal Computers.

1. System Unit

The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the chassis. It includes the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, Memory Chips, Buses, Ports, Expansion Slots and Cards.

2. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board

The main circuit board of a computer. It contains all the circuits and components that run the computer.

3. CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The processor is the main “brain” or “heart” of a computer system. It performs all of the instructions and calculations that are needed and manages the flow of information through a computer.

4. Primary storage- (internal storage, main memory or memory) is the computer's working storage space that holds data, instructions for processing and processed data (information) waiting to be sent to secondary storage. Physically, primary storage is a collection of RAM chips.

Two (2) Types of Memory

a. ROM – (Read Only Memory) ROM is non-volatile, meaning it holds data even when the power is ON or OFF.

b. RAM – (Random Access Memory) RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are lost.

5. Expansion Bus

A bus is a data pathway between several hardware components inside or outside a computer. It does not only connect the parts of the CPU to each other, but also links the CPU with other important hardware.

6. Adapters- Printed

Circuit boards (also called interface cards) that enable the computer to use a peripheral device for which it does not have the necessary connections or circuit boards. They are often used to permit upgrading to a new different hardware.

7. Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Installed in the back corner of the PC case, next to the motherboard. It converts 120vac (standard house power) into DC voltages that are used by other components in the PC.

8. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Also known as hard drive, is a magnetic storage device that is installed inside the computer. The hard drive is used as permanent storage for data. In a Windows computer, the hard drive is usually configured as the C: drive and contains the operating system and applications.

9. Optical Drive

An optical drive is a storage device that uses lasers to read data on the optical media. There are three types of optical drives: Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu-ray Disc (BD).

10. Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)

Designed to optically access data stored on a DVD. A laser moves back and forth near the disk surface and accesses data at a very fast rate.

What are the input and output devices of a computer?

The devices attached to a personal computer can be classified into two- the input and output devices. Input Device is composed of a device that accepts data and instructions from the user or from another computer system. While, output device is any piece of computer hardware that displays results after the computer has processed the input data that has been entered.

Two (2) Types of Input Devices

1. Keyboard Entry

Data is inputted to the computer through a keyboard.

Keyboard - The first input device developed for the PC. Data is transferred to the PC over a short cable with a circular 6-pin Mini-din connector that plugs into the back of the motherboard.

2. Direct Entry

A form of input that does not require data to be keyed by someone sitting at a keyboard. Direct-entry devices create machine-readable data on paper, or magnetic media, or feed it directly into the computer’s CPU.

Three Categories of Direct Entry Devices

An input device used to move the pointer (cursor) on screen.

· Mouse - The most common 'pointing device' used in PCs. Every mouse has two buttons and most have one or two scroll wheels.

Touch screen

A display screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or stylus. Used in myriad applications, including ATM machines, retail point of-sale terminals, car navigation and industrial controls. The touch screen became wildly popular for smart phones and tablets.

Light Pen

A light-sensitive stylus wired to a video terminal used to draw pictures or select menu options. The user brings the pen to the desired point on screen and presses the pen button to make contact.

Digitizer Tablet

A graphics drawing tablet used for sketching new images or tracing old ones. Also called a "graphics tablet," the user contacts the surface of the device with a wired or wireless pen or puck. Often mistakenly called a mouse, the puck is officially the "tablet cursor."

2. Scanning Devices

A device that can read text or illustrations printed on paper and translates the information into a form the computer can use.

Voice- Input Devices

Audio input devices also known as speech or voice recognition systems that allow a user to send audio signals to a computer for processing, recording, or carrying out commands. Audio input devices such as microphones allow users to speak to the computer in order to record a voice message or navigate software.

Output Devices

1. Computer Display Monitor- It displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The portion of the monitor that displays the information is called the screen or video display terminal.

Types of Monitor

CRT Monitors

Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) were the only type of displays for use with desktop PCs. They are relatively big (14" to 16" deep) and heavy (over 15 lbs).

LCD Monitors

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology has been used in laptops for some time. It has recently been made commercially available as monitors for desktop PCs.

LED Monitors (Light Emitting Diode)

A display and lighting technology used in almost every electrical and electronic product on the market, from a tiny on/off light to digital readouts, flashlights, traffic lights and perimeter lighting.

2. LCD Projectors

Utilize two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light.

3. Smart Board

A type of display screen that has a touch sensitive transparent panel covering the screen, which is similar to a touch screen.

4.Printer - A device that prints text or illustrations on paper.

Types of printer

a) Ink-Jet or Bubble-Jet Printer

Spays ink at a sheet of paper. Ink-jet printers produce high-quality text and graphics.

b) Laser Printer

Uses the same technology as copy machines. Laser printers produce very high quality text and graphics.

c) LCD and LED Printer

Similar to a laser printer, but uses liquid crystals or light emitting diodes rather than a laser to produce an image on the drum.

d) Line Printer

Contains a chain of characters or pins that print an entire line at one time. Line printers are very fast, but produce low-quality print.

e) Thermal Printer

An inexpensive printer that works by pushing heated pins against heat-sensitive paper. Thermal printers are widely used in calculators and fax machines.

5. Speakers

Used to play sound. They may be built into the system unit or connected with cables. Speakers allow you to listen to music and hear sound effects from your computer.

Types of storage devices

Floppy diskette- is a random access, removable data storage medium that can be used with personal computers. The term usually refers to the magnetic medium housed in a rigid plastic cartridge measuring 3.5 inches square and about 2millimeters thick. Also called a "3.5-inch diskette," it can store up to 1.44 megabytes (MB) of data.

Compact disc (CD) – also called optical disc is a nonmagnetic, polished metal disk used to store digital information. The disc is read by the CD- ROM.

Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)- an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte storage capacity on a single-sided, one-layered disk, which is enough for a 133-minute movie.

Jump drive and USB flash drive- is a plug-and-play portable storage device that uses flash memory and is lightweight enough to attach to a key chain. A USB drive can be used in place of a floppy disk, Zip drive disk, or CD.

Hard drive- is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer. The operating system, software titles and most other files are stored in the hard disk drive.

LS-120- is a drive which supports a special floppy diskette which can store up to 120MB of information as well as being backwards compatible and still supporting the standard 1.44MB floppy diskettes.

Zip drive-is a small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files.

NETWORK

A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic communications. The computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared light beams.

There are three basic types of networks which includes the following:

· Local Area Network (LAN)

· Wide Area Network (WAN)

What is a Storage Device?

Aside from the devices attached on a PC, there are also the so called storage devices that perform a special task in computing system. Storage device is any apparatus for recording computer data in a permanent or semi-permanent form.

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