IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

10

20

0

History of personal computers

Explain the history of personal computing from three distinct perceptions:

Chronological, model types, and processor types.

Personal computer components

Identify system components from the earliest models to the latest models.

System disassembly

Disassemble and identify components from both earlier PC models and current microcomputers.

Types of memory

Describe the various types of memory used in microcomputer systems including RAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, DRAM, and SPRAM.

Describe the three categories of memory under DOS including conventional, expanded, and extended.

Describe the various types of chip connections including DIP, PGA, and SIMM.

Bus types

Identify and describe the various bus types including ISA, EISA, MCA, and VESA.

Power supply

Describe the three main functions of the power supply.

Remove and replace a power supply.

Processor types

Describe function of the Intel family of processors beginning with the 8088.

Describe how the processor works with the coprocessor and define the various registers used by the processor.

SAFETY

5

5

0

General safety precautions

Identify safety hazards and demonstrate safety precautions used while working with the microcomputer and power supply.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

5

5

0

Set-up

Demonstrate microcomputer set-up and perform check-out procedures including system configuration, formatting and partitioning the fixed disk, and loading the operating system.

Expansion cards

Demonstrate expansion card, floppy disk drive, disk controller, and fixed disk installation.

External peripherals

Demonstrate the ability to connect (and perform check-outs for) various external peripherals such as printers and t-switches.

TROUBLESHOOTING TECHNIQUES

10

5

0

General

Troubleshooting rules

List the rules and steps to good troubleshooting techniques.

System diagnostics

Identify the possible error codes for POST routine and isolate problems.

Run general diagnostic tests to pin-point system failures.

Hardware/software

Diagnostics

Demonstrate the proper sequence of checks to perform for distinguishing between computer hardware and software problems.

Read/Write disk error

Problems

Demonstrate disk compatibility problem resolution.

Identify drive and disk capacities and determine which are interchangeable.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

10

15

0

System

Identify factors which can adversely affect the normal operation of the microcomputer.

Demonstrate the proper methods to clean internal and external system components.

Tools

Identify the tools necessary to perform preventive maintenance on the microcomputer.

Backup

Describe the methods used to insure proper system and application software backup.

Protection

Identify the main types of power protection devices being used.

Fixed disks

Explain the addressing scheme of fixed disks including cylinder number, head, and sector number.

Define the terms track, sector, and cluster.

Date encoding

Describe the different data encoding technologies including MFM, RLL, and ARLL.

Interfaces

Identify disk interfaces/controllers used with fixed disks including ST506/412, EDSI, SCSI, and IDE/

Access motors

Describe the differences between the stepper motor and voice coil motor.

Describe read/write head positioning.

Interleave

Explain interleave factor and its impact on data transfer rate.

Utilities

Perform disk maintenance using current utility software including Spinrite and Norton Utilities.