comptia a+ certification (chapter 04)

8/14/2019 CompTIA A+ Certification (Chapter 04)

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4Installing andUpgrading PCComponents

CERTIFICATION OBJECTIVES

701: 1.8 Install and configure peripherals and input devices

701: 3.4 Explain the basics of boot sequences, methods, and startup utilities

702: 1.1 Given a scenario, install, configure, and maintain personal computer components

Two-Minute Drill

Q&A Self Test


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134 CompTIA A+ Certication Study Guide

This chapter describes and demonstrates how to install and replace common PCcomponents. With a little practice, you will be capable of performing these tasks on

most personal computers, in spite of different layouts or new component designs. Youwill also find tips on how to optimize personal computers, as well as procedures for upgradingcommon components in them.

You can install many PC components, such as the processor, power supply,and RAM, by simply physically attaching them to the computer. However, somecomponents also require changes to system settings or having operating-system-leveldrivers installed to become functional.

Many of the components discussed here conform to some type of standard,which means you can replace them with other components made by a different

manufacturer that conform to that same standard. You can use the skills discussedhere on practically any desktop PC.

CERTIFICATION OBJECTIVES

701: 3.4 Explain the basics of boot sequences, methods, and startup utilities

702: 1.1 Given a scenario, install, configure, and maintain personal computer components

The CompTIA A+ Essentials (2009 Edition) Exam objective 701: 2.1 requiresthat you understand the procedures for adding, removing, and configuring storagedevices, motherboards, power supplies, processors, memory, and adapter cards. Inaddition to installing the hardware components, you should understand how toinstall device drivers. Also be prepared to describe how to adjust hardware settings.All network-specific installation and configuration issues will be presented inChapters 14 and 15. A small portion of the motherboards and onboard componentstopic includes BIOS settings, of which one group of settings allows you to set thedisk boot order, which falls under the 701: 3.4 objective.

Motherboards and Onboard ComponentsInstalling, configuring, and maintaining a motherboard requires that you understandthe CPU models that will work with the motherboard, as well as the appropriatetype of memory compatible with both the CPU and motherboard and the amount of


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Chapter 4: Installing and Upgrading PC Components 135

memory they can handle. Therefore, we address these three topics together inthis section.

Selecting a Motherboard, CPU, and Memory CombinationIn Chapter 1, you learned that there are several motherboard form factors, eachwith different layouts, components, and specifications. Each motherboard isunique in terms of the memory, processor, and type and number of expansion slotsit supports. You cannot tell which components a motherboard supports solely byknowing the form factor of motherboard. Therefore, you must always check themanufacturers documentation before you select a motherboard and the componentyou wish to install on it. Any motherboard manual contains a list of installed andsupported components, such as chipset, CPUs, and memory. The manual will

also be your guide for determining the speedof the motherboards front side bus (FSB).Motherboards can typically use only one or twprocessor models and can usually handle onlytwo or three different processor speeds.

Always consult the motherboard manualto determine the type of memory, speed, datawidth, and maximum amount of memory it wsupport. A motherboard must support both thtechnology and the form factor of a memory

module. The system must also support the datwidth of the memory, its method of error correction, and the speed. Todays typicalmotherboard has some version of the DIMM memory slots, as described in Chapter

Whenever you install or replace a computer component that involves openingthe case, you must turn the computers power off and ensure that you followthe electrostatic discharge (ESD) procedures discussed in Chapter 18. All theexercises described in this book assume that you have taken steps to protectyourself, and the computer, from harm.

Replacing a MotherboardReplacing a motherboard is not a common occurrence. For one thing, if a motherboardfails while a computer is under warranty, it will be replaced as part of that coverage.Therefore, only if you work for a company that does such warranty work will

Recall the descriptionsof the various memory slots in Chapter 1and memory sticks in Chapter 2. Be sureyou remember that although the variousmemory sockets may seem similar, theyare all keyed differently.


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motherboard replacement be a big part of your job. Second, if a motherboard fails afterthe warranty period, you will need to decide if a suitable replacement is available andif you will be able to use all your old components. Because most components attachphysically to the motherboard, replacing it can be one of the most time-consuming tasks.If you are replacing one motherboard with another of exactly the same brand and version,you should make notes about any BIOS settings and jumper and switch settings (more onjumpers and switches later in Configuring and Optimizing a Motherboard) for the oldmotherboard in case you need to change them on the new board. Once you have donethis, you are ready for the real work.

When it comes to replacing a motherboard versus building an entirely newsystem from scratch, doing the latter may be easier, because you can buy allthe pieces at once from one source and request their help and guarantee that

all the components will play nicely together.

Installing a MotherboardWhen installing a motherboard, you should follow the instructions in themotherboard manual. Whether you are installing a new motherboard or replacingone, the motherboard manual is your most important tool. In addition to listing thecomponents supported, the typical motherboard manual includes instructions oninstalling the motherboard in a case and installing components, such as the CPU,memory, and power supply. The manual will explain how to set appropriate switches

on the motherboard and how to attach all the various power and data cables. Theseinclude all the drive interface cables, connections to both front and back panelconnectors for the various interfaces, such as parallel, serial, USB, FireWire, eSATA,and even video, if the video adapter is on board the motherboard.

Before you open a computer case, be sure to unplug any power cords andturn off the power supply. Then, to prevent damage to the system, equalizethe electrical charge between your body and the components inside yourcomputer. If nothing else, touch a grounded portion of your computerschassis. A better option is to place the computer on a grounded mat, whichyou touch before working on the PC. You could also wear an antistatic wriststrap. Warning: Do not use an antistatic wrist strap when working with high-voltage devices, such as CRT monitors and laser printers.


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EXERCISE 4-1

Removing an Old Motherboard

1. If you havent done this already, power down and unplug the PCs power co 2. Remove all expansion cards and cables from the motherboard. 3. If the drives and/or the drive bays interfere with access to the motherboard,

remove them. 4. Remove any screws or fasteners attaching the motherboard to the case, lift

the board out of the case, and put it aside. Be sure to carefully save any screyou remove.

The first three steps of Exercise 4-2 describe a recommended procedure forhandling a motherboard, which applies to any circuit board. The remainder ofExercise 4-2 includes general steps for installing a motherboard. It assumes thatthe BIOS, CMOS, CMOS battery, and chipset have come preinstalled on themotherboard (as is customary). Always check the instructions included with themotherboard or other component.

EXERCISE 4-2

Properly Handling and Installing a Motherboard

1. Before unpacking a new motherboard, ensure that you have grounded yourbody properly. One method is to wear a static safety wrist strap, as describein Chapter 18.

2. Hold the board by its edges and avoid touching any component on it. Alwayavoid touching module contacts and IC chips.

3. Place the board on a grounded antistatic mat (described in Chapter 18)or on the antistatic bag that came with the board (unless the instructionsrecommend against this).

4. Install the CPU and memory on the motherboard, per manufacturersinstructions.

5. Follow the manuals instructions for setting any switches on the motherboarand pay attention to instructions for how to attach stand-off screws, whichkeep the motherboard from touching the metal floor or wall of the case. Nowyou are ready to install the board.


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6. To place the new (or replacement) board in the computer, line it up properlyon the chassis screw holes, and fix it into place.

7. Attach the power and drive connectors, as well as connectors to the correctports on the case (both front panels and back panels).

Upgrading a CPUUpgrading a CPU is a major undertaking but may not be impossible if you believethat your processor is the only thing holding back performance on your computer.It all depends on the motherboard. With a little research, you may find that all youneed to do is change the motherboards speed, because most motherboards support

more than one speed for a particular CPU.If you find that a new CPU is both necessary and possible, be sure to consult themanufacturers documentation for your motherboard to determine which processorand speeds it supports. In most cases, you will need to configure the board for thenew speed or model using a set of jumpers, but many BIOSs allow you to make suchchanges through BIOS system setup.

Removing a CPUHow you remove an installed CPU depends on the type of socket. Once again, readany manuals available for your motherboard or computer. You may need to consult

the manufacturer for more information. If the socket is a zero insertion force (ZIF)socket, follow the instructions in Exercise 4-3. No doubt the processor will havea heat sink and/or fan attached to it. If possible, remove the processor withoutremoving these attachments. However, if they interfere with the mechanism forreleasing the processor, you may need to remove them.

The processor will be very hot when you first turn off a PC. You will lose skin ifyou touch a hot CPU chip, and it will hurt! Always allow at least five minutesfor the chip to cool before you remove it.

EXERCISE 4-3

Removing a PGA Processor from a ZIF Socket

1. Lift the socket lever. You might have to move it slightly to the side to clear itfrom a retaining tab.


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2. Pull out the processor. Because this is a ZIF socket, you should encounter nresistance when you remove the CPU.

3. Set the CPU on an antistatic mat or place it in an antistatic bag.

Installing a CPUThe CPU socket on the motherboard will usually have a mechanism to makeit easier to install the CPU without damaging pins. The most common methodinvolves a ZIF socket; raise the lever and position the CPU with all pins inserted inthe matching socket holes. Then close the lever, which lets the socket contact eachof the CPUs pins. In all cases, do not count on these simple instructions alone, butfollow those provided in the manuals that come with the motherboard and CPU.

Optimizing a System with RAMOne function of RAM is to provide the processor with faster access to the informatioit needs. Within limits, the more memory a computer has, the faster it will run. One othe most common and effective computer upgrades is the installation of more systemRAM, usually into DIMM sockets. A rare upgrade is to add cache memory. Dependion the vintage and configuration of the motherboard and CPU, special sockets may bavailable for adding more L2 or L3 cache. Again, check the documentation!

The optimum amount of memory to install is best determined by considering the

requirements of the operating system you are installing and how you will use thecomputer. We will address this in Chapter 9.

Installing and Removing MemoryInstalling or removing memory modules is similar for SIMMs, DIMMs, and RIMMbut you are most likely to work with DIMMs. The following sections describe thspecifics of each type of socket. Before you begin, take steps to protect againststatic electricity damage to the memory modules and motherboard, as described inChapter 18.

SIMM ModulesAs outdated technology, SIMMs are included here mainly because CompTIA stillincludes this term in the objectives for the 2009 A+ Exams. SIMM sockets wereproduced in two sizes to accommodate either 30-pin or 72-pin SIMM memory module


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Thirty-pin SIMMs are 8-bit, meaning that data can be transferred into or out of themodule 8 bits at a time. The 72-pin SIMM sockets, which are 32-bits wide, are slightlyshorter than DIMM sockets and usually colored white with small metal clips.

To install a SIMM module, line up the modules connector edge with the appro-priate-sized slot on the motherboard, keeping the SIMM at a 45-degree angle to theslot. After inserting the SIMM into the slot as far as it will easily go, gently rotatethe SIMM upright until it clicks into place. To remove a SIMM, pull outward on theslots retaining clips. The SIMM should fall to a 45-degree angle. Remove the SIMM.

DIMM and RIMM ModulesDual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets look similar to SIMM sockets butare longer and often dark in color with plastic clips at each end. DIMM sockets forPCs come in two sizes and three configurations: 184-pin for DDR1 SDRAM and240-pin for both DDR2 SDRAM and DDR3 SDRAM sticks. They are all keyeddifferently to fit into slots that support just that type of DDR RAM, and they arenot interchangeable. You do not have to install DIMMs in pairs. If a motherboardhas two types of memory slots, such as four DIMM slots supporting DDR2 and twoDIMM slots supporting DDR3, it is an either/or situation: you can install one or theother type of memory. If you install both, the system will not boot up.

RDRAM RIMM modules have not been manufactured for several years, but ifyou should encounter an old computer that requires an upgrade, first determine ifit is worth the effort. If you decide that it is, you will need to know these basics.RDRAM RIMM sticks for desktops have 184, 232, or 326 pins. The smaller RIMMform factors for laptops are called SORIMMs and have 160 pins. When you installRDRAM, they must be installed in pairs of equal capacity and speed. BecauseRDRAM has a dual-channel architecture, you cannot leave any RIMM socketsunoccupied, but must install a special terminating stick called a CRIMM (continuityRIMM) into the open sockets.

The technique for installing both DIMM and RIMM modules is the same, asshown in Exercise 4-4. Socket keys for DIMM and RIMM modules are different,however, so even if the number of pins is the same, you will not be able to installone in the socket for the other. This is true also of DDR1 DIMM versus DDR2DIMM versus DDR3 DIMM. As you will see, this technique is slightly different fromthat used to install a SIMM. The biggest difference is that you hold the DIMM orRIMM module upright and do not position it at an angle for installation. Chapter 6will detail how to install SODIMM modules.


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EXERCISE 4-4

Installing and Removing a DIMM or RIMM Module

1. Align the DIMM or RIMM with the slot, keeping the module upright so thenotches in the module line up with the tabs in the slot.

2. Gently press down on the DIMM or RIMM. The retention clips on the sideshould rotate into the locked position. You might need to guide them intoplace with your fingers.

3. To remove a DIMM or RIMM, press the retention clips outward, as shown inFigure 4-1, which lifts the module slightly, and then lift the module straight up

FIGURE 4-1

Removinga DIMM

Although both SIMMs andRIMMs are obsolete technology, they arelisted in the CompTIA A+ Essentials (2009Edition) Exam objectives, so be sure you

understand the basic features of SIMMsand RIMMs, as well as the commonly usedDIMM modules.


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Conguring and Optimizing a MotherboardMotherboards commonly have jumpers and switches used to configure components.

These often enable or disable a feature. A jumper is a small connector that slidesdown on a pair of pins jutting up from a circuit board. There are often a numberof pins side by side on the board. A switch or DIP switch is a very tiny slide thatindicates two states. If two or more switches are together, they can both be used torepresent binary values of settings. Each possible jumper or switch configuration isinterpreted by the system as a setting.

DIP stands for dual inline package, referring to a type of now-obsolete packagingfor connecting integrated circuit chips to motherboards. Old timers mayrecall when the early CPUs, such as the Intel 8088 in the IBM PC, used DIP

packaging.

BIOS SettingsThe most common way to optimize a motherboard is to modify the BIOS setupconfiguration, also called the BIOS settings or CMOS settings. Literally, hundreds ofsettings are available in different computers; we discuss the most common basic andadvanced BIOS settings here. The choices available, and the methods for selectingthem, may vary from one BIOS manufacturer to another. The best reference forusing the BIOS setup menus is the user manual that came with your PC or themotherboard manual.

To access the computers BIOS settings, closely watch the computer screen atstartup. Following the POST, a message appears indicating the proper key sequenceyou should use to enter the BIOS settings program. This key combination variesamong computers but is typically F 2 , DELETE , or CTRL - ALT - ESC . In most systems, themessage will appear for only three to five seconds, and you must use the indicatedkey combination within that allotted time.

Note also that BIOS-setting programs differ from each other. Some allow you touse the mouse, and some only the keyboard. Furthermore, the names of the settingsmight also vary slightly. Use the programs Help feature for information about howto navigate through the program and save or discard your changes. Make notes about

the current BIOS settings before you change them, in case you need to change themback. Or, look for a BIOS-settings backup utility in the BIOS menus, sometimeslocated on a Tools menu. If you are working with a computer that does not have aBIOS-settings backup utility, and the computer has a parallel port with a printerattached, follow the instructions in Exercise 4-5 to print the BIOS settings.


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EXERCISE 4-5

Backing Up the BIOS Settings

1. Restart the computer and watch the screen closely for the correct key or keyto press.

2. Enter the BIOS-setting program using the specified key combination. 3. Do not make any changes to the settings. 4. If a printer is connected to the PCs parallel port, ensure it is turned on and

is online. Then simply press the PRINT SCREEN key on the keyboard to printthe current screen. On some printers, you may need to press a button onthe printer to have each page form feed. Although this will not work on allsystems, it can provide you with a handy hard copy of the BIOS settings.

5. Repeat this procedure for all the settings screens. 6. Press the correct key or keys to exit Setup without making any changes. Th

is often the ESC key.

If your BIOS menus do not include a BIOS settings backup program, and theprocedure in Exercise 4-5 does not work on your computer, you can purchase a thirparty BIOS settings backup program or resort to using pen and paper to write downthe settings. You can also use a digital camera to photograph the screens. Figure 4-shows a sample BIOS Setup Utility main menu screen.

FIGURE 4-2

The main menuscreen for a BIOSSetup Utility


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Parallel Port Settings You can use the BIOS settings to configure the systemsparallel port(s). In newer computers, however, most parallel ports support theIEEE-1284 standard, meaning the port is bidirectional and the OS can automaticallyconfigure it. You may need to change the BIOS settings to set the parallel portmode in an older PC. For example, many parallel ports run in unidirectional modebydefault, meaning that peripheral devices attached to the port can receive but cannotsend data. The BIOS settings might refer to this mode as Transfer Only. However,some parallel devices send communication signals back to the computer. Thesedevices require a bidirectional mode(also called Standard mode on some machines).

Newer devices take advantage of faster IEEE-1284 bidirectional modes, calledECP or EPP modes. Enhanced capability port (ECP) mode allows access to special PCfeatures called DMA channels and is approximately ten times faster than regularbidirectional mode. ECP mode is for printers and scanners. Enhanced parallel port

(EPP) mode offers the same performance as ECP but is for use with parallel devicesother than printers and scanners.

Another BIOS parallel-port setting is enable/disable. You can use this featureto instruct the computer to use or ignore the parallel port. Disabling the porttemporarily can be useful when troubleshooting or when the port is in conflictwith another component. You might also need to disable the onboard parallelport if it has stopped working. Disabling it will allow you to install an additional(nonintegrated) parallel port.

COM/Serial Port Like the parallel port, you can use the BIOS settings to

configure the COM port(s). However, in newer systems, the OS accomplishes thistask. As with parallel ports, you can also use the BIOS settings to enable or disablethe COM port.

Boot Sequence The boot sequence BIOS setting relates to the order in whichthe BIOS will search devices for an OS. You can normally select from among avariety of possible boot devices, including A: or Floppy, C: or Hard Disk, CD/DVDdrive, and even USB device. Figure 4-3 shows a BIOS Setup menu in which theboot order is selected as First Boot Device, Second Boot Device, and ThirdBoot Device. At one time, having the floppy drive as the first boot device made

sense when we often used a bootable floppy for installing, troubleshooting, andmaintaining the operating system. None of these reasons are significant today. Ifthe First Boot Device is drive CD/DVD, then, if you leave a bootable optical discin the drive, the system will boot to that disc. You can change the boot order sothe computer looks first on the hard drive. This is particularly helpful in keeping


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boot sector viruses from a floppy disk or bootable optical disc from infecting thecomputer. For the past several versions, the Windows operating systems havecome on bootable DVDs, without requiring booting from a floppy disk first. Wheninstalling a new operating system on a brand-new computer, it is important thatthe boot sequence includes the optical drive. If the system already has an OS on it,before you can upgrade to the new OS, you will need to ensure the boot order placthe optical drive before the hard drive.

Floppy Drive In recent years, the floppy drive has disappeared from new com-puters because, compared to current devices, it is too small and too slow. You maystill find it useful to know about the BIOS settings options for configuring and usina floppy drive. You can enable or disable the use of the motherboards integratedfloppy disk controller by selecting the appropriate option. You might want to disabthe controller so you can use an expansion controller card instead.

You can also configure the floppy drive controller so a diskette cannot boot thecomputer. If you dont plan to boot from a floppy, removing the floppy drive fromthe boot order will speed up the overall boot sequence. If you later find you need to

boot from the floppy drive, simply change the BIOS settings accordingly.

Hard Drive Settings You should not have to modify the hard drive settings oa modern PC because hard-drive detection is normally automatic. If your system ishaving a problem identifying a hard drive, double-check the motherboard manual.

FIGURE 4-3

BIOS Setup

Utility AdvancedBIOS Featuresmenu


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Only in very old systems should you have to manually use the BIOS settings to setthe type and capacity (tracks, sectors, and cylinders) of each hard drive installed onthe system. Normally, the type setting should be set to Auto, instructing the BIOSto read the type and capacity from the drive. If you are having problems, you canalso use the Autodetect feature to force the BIOS to search for and identify all harddrives on the system. Use this option when a second drive is added to the system andnot automatically detected.

Memory You do not have to configure RAM capacities. Simply install RAM inthe computer and the BIOS automatically counts it at startup. However, you can

use the BIOS settings to enable or disable thememorys ability to use parity error checking(although you can use this setting only if theRAM supports parity). Warningif you enablethe BIOS parity option but are not usingmemory that supports parity, the computer willnot boot properly.

Date and Time Although changing the time and date settings from withinWindows (or from within other operating systems) is simpler, you can use the BIOSsettings program to set the computers real-time clock (RTC), which is actually a chipthat keeps track of the time and date. The OS will use the date and time that you sethere, as will any applications that are date- or time-aware.

Passwords Although we do not generally recommend using this feature, mostBIOS settings programs allow you to set passwords on the computer. This is separatefrom the password required by your operating system or network. A user passwordcan be set to allow or restrict booting the system. A supervisor password can beset to allow or restrict access to the BIOS-settings program itself or to change userpasswords. Some systems (typically newer ones) include both password options; oldersystems typically include only supervisor-type passwords, required both to boot thesystem and to enter the BIOS-settings program.

You must be especially careful with supervisor passwords. If you forget the BIOSpassword, you cant even get into the BIOS setup program to change or disable thepassword. Fortunately, most systems that have the BIOS password feature includea clear password jumper on the motherboard. The user manual or motherboardmanual will document this. If you forget the BIOS password, you can open the com-puter and set the jumper to remove the password. If there is no jumper for clearing

The BIOS calculates RAMcapacity at startupthe BIOS settings donot congure it.


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the password, you can clear the entire contents of the CMOS by temporarily removing the battery. However, this is a last resort because it will cause you to lose all buthe default settings.

Unless you have very high security requirements, do not set either type of password in BIOS settings because this only creates unnecessary inconve-nience to the user and to the person supporting the PC. One situation inwhich such system-level passwords are commonly set is in a computer lab.

Plug-and-Play BIOS All modern PC BIOSs are plug and play, and the BIOS-settings program includes some options for configuring it. One option is Plug andPlay Operating System. When enabled, this setting informs the BIOS that the OSwill configure plug-and-play devices. Another plug-and-play option allows you to

enable or disable the BIOS configuration of plug-and-play devices.

Installing Motherboard DriversEvery motherboard comes with a driver disc for all the onboard components. Thisdisc contains drivers compatible with the latest operating systems. Once the entiresystem has been assembled and the operating system installed, run this disk to instaall the drivers. Until you take this step, you may not be happy with some aspectsof the system and may not be able to access all features. For instance, the optimummode of video display may not be fully supported without the video driver, if thevideo adapter is on board.

Replacing or Upgrading BIOSThe function of the BIOS is to translate communications among devices in thecomputer. The BIOS is able to do this because it contains the basic instruction setfor those device types. This is required only for certain system devices, such as hardisk drives, floppy disk drives, memory, I/O ports, and so on.

When to Upgrade the BIOS

If you install a device with which the computer seems unable to communicate, youmight need to upgrade or replace the existing BIOS. It is important to understandthat this is not necessary for a new device, but only for an entirely new device typeand that it requires communications with the computer at a low level even before


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operating-system-level drivers are installed. You do not need to upgrade the BIOS touse a new mouse or printer.

We think of hard drives as being a single type, but to the BIOS, there are manytypes of hard drives, and the size of the hard drive makes a difference. For example,you install a new many-gigabyte hard drive that the system will not recognize, and itwont allow you to enter or select that size manually in BIOS Setup. In this case, youmust upgrade the BIOS.

You will also want to upgrade to a BIOS version that is appropriate to the operat-ing system you are installing. The general version (Windows XP, Windows Vista, orWindows 7) of the OS is important, but it is also important to know if the OS is a32-bit or 64-bit version. All the Windows operating systems listed come as one orthe other. The specific differences are defined in Chapter 9, but the short lectureis that a 32-bit version of Windows can address up to 4 MB of addresses, whereas a

64-bit Windows version can handle many more. For instance, 64-bit Windows Vistacan access from 1 GB of RAM to more than 128 GB of RAM.

Upgrading the BIOSMost computer BIOSs today are actually Flash BIOS chips that can be electronicallyupgraded using software from the BIOS manufacturer. The most common way to addsupport for a new device type is by flashing the BIOS. You will need to contact themanufacturer of your computer, or of the BIOS, to obtain the program and instruc-tions for doing this.

In general, you turn off the computer, insert the manufacturers disc, and restartthe computer. The disc contains a program that automatically flashes (updates)the BIOS so it can recognize different hardware types or perform different functionsthan it could before.

Replacing the CMOS BatteryMost motherboards come with a small coin-sized battery, such as a 3-Volt Lithiumbattery, to support the nonvolatile RAM, called CMOS RAM, where the BIOSsettings are stored. This was discussed briefly in Chapter 1. Since this batterysupports the date and time tracking, the classic symptom of a failed CMOS battery

is a system that does not keep the correct time after being powered down. If thatoccurs, open the case and remove the battery, much as you would remove a watchbattery. Then find a replacement for it that matches the voltage and amperage of theold battery.


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Power SuppliesWhen building a new computer, a power supply may come with the computer caseor you can purchase one separately. Power supplies in existing computers do fail frtime to time, and you can replace them using the procedure outlined in Exercise 4-6Whether you are purchasing a power supply for a new system or replacing an oldone, you have the same set of concerns when selecting, installing, or removing apower supply.

Selecting a Power SupplyWhen replacing a power supply, be sure to use one that has sufficient wattage, thecorrect form factor, and the appropriate power connectors for the motherboard. Donot just check out the number of pins required for the connectors, but the actual pin-outs required. A pin-out is a diagram showing the purpose of each wire in a connect

The ATX (P1) power supply connector for older ATX motherboards is a 1-piece,20-pin keyed connector. The biggest confusion at this time is among the various24-pin power supply connectors. Many motherboards for recent multi-core processmodels require two connectors, often described as ATX12V 2.0. These connectorsinclude a 24-pin main connector and a 4-pin secondary connector. However, somenewer motherboards require EPS12V connectors, which include a 24-pin mainconnector, an 8-pin secondary connector, and an optional 4-pin tertiary connector.

Removing a Power Supply/Installing a Power SupplyRecall that power supplies can still hold a charge when turned off, especially if youuse only the soft power switch. Before removing even a failed power supply, be suto unplug it from the wall outlet. To avoid the danger of electric shock, do not wearan antistatic wristband while working with power supplies. Exercise 4-6 providesbasic steps for removing an old power supply and installing a new one.

EXERCISE 4-6

Replacing a Power Supply

1. Turn off the power and remove the power connector from the wall socket. 2. Remove the power connector(s) from the motherboard, grasping the plastic

connector, not the wires.


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3. Remove the power connectors from all other components, including hard,floppy, and CD-ROM drives.

4. Using an appropriately sized screwdriver, remove the screws that hold thepower supply to the PC case. Do not remove the screws holding the powersupply case together!

5. Slide or lift the power supply away from the computer. 6. Reverse these steps to install a new power supply.

Cooling Systems

As a rule, the typical PC comes with a cooling system adequate for the standardcomponents delivered with the PC. Once you start adding hard drives, memory,and additional expansion cards, you should give some thought to supplementing theexisting cooling system. How far you go with this depends on just how much youhave added to the PC.

An overheated computer will slow down, thanks to new built-in technology thatsenses the temperature of the motherboard and slows down the processor when thetemperature exceeds a certain limit. This reduces the heat the processor puts out. Inthe extreme, overheating can damage PC components. The other side of this is thatmodern cooling systems also use heat sensors and will adjust their performance to

keep the system cool. New power supply and case fans will change speed to matchthe temperature.

Common Sense FirstBefore you consider spending money on a new cooling system, make sure you arenot impairing the installed cooling systems. Begin by ensuring that the PC case isclosed during operation, that all slot covers are in place, that airflow around the caseis not obstructed, and that the computer system is not installed in an unventilatedspace, such as an enclosed cabinet. Also, check to see if ribbon cables are blockingair flow inside the case. Use plastic ties to secure cables out of the way. Correct theseproblems before spending money supplementing the cooling system.

Additionally, open the case and give the interior of the PC a good vacuumingbefore you spend money on upgrading the cooling system. Excessive dust and dirt oncomponents will act as an insulator, keeping the heat from dissipating and causinga computer to overheat, which in turn can cause it to slow down, stop operating, orbe permanently damaged. Learn more about vacuuming a PC in Chapter 5.


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Selecting an Appropriate Cooling SystemWhen should you consider upgrading the cooling system in your PC? If you are us

the PC only for office applications, and you have added several heat-generatingcomponents, such as hard drives or adapter cards, then you should consider up-grading the cooling system. If your PC at home or at work needs to operate in anextreme environment, such as in an un-air-conditioned garage, you should do allyou can to increase the PCs cooling capabilities. If you are a computer gamer wia highly customized PC, you have no doubt put a great deal of thought into thecooling system. If not, shame on you.

Case Fan New PCs often come with both a power supply fan and a separate case fan. Perhaps

you can simply upgrade the present case fan. Also, check to see if the PC has an empbay or bracket for a case fan. A case fan is a very inexpensive upgrade, cheaper than latte and muffin at your favorite coffee shop. The only requirement is a bracket or bain the case that will accommodate a case fan, and the appropriate power connector.

When shopping for a case fan, you will need the dimensions of the fan bay(usually stated in millimeters), rated voltage, and power input. Features to compareare fan speed in revolutions per minute (RPM), airflow in cubic feet per minute(CFM), and noise level in decibels (dbA). The fan speed and airflow reflect the faneffectiveness for cooling. The noise level is an important consideration because fanand drives are the only moving parts in a PC and generate the most noise. Look

for fans with a noise decibel rating in the 20s or below. Additionally, check out thepower connector on new case fans. Many come with a Molex connector that canconnect directly to the power supply, and some have a special connector that mustconnect directly to the motherboard. Figure 4-4 shows a 100 mmwide case fan wia Molex connector.

FIGURE 4-4

A case fan


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CPU Fan/Heat Sink If you are installing a CPU, then you will also need to install a cooling system forthe CPU. Todays processors often require a fan/heat sink combination. Often, thecooling system and the CPU are packaged together, making the choice for you.Pay attention to the power connector for the fan, and locate the socket for thisconnector on the motherboard ahead of time. It is unlikely that you will replacean existing CPU fan and/or heat sink unless the CPU fan has failed. Even then,considering the complexity of it, and the danger of damaging the CPU, it may beeasier to replace the entire CPU if the same or similar model is available.

Liquid Cooling SystemsLiquid cooling systems are not just for gamers anymore. Like most technologies, as

manufacturers improve liquid cooling systems, more people adopt them, and theprices for the improved systems drop. If you decide to look into this option, do yourhomework because these systems have several issues. For one, they require specialskills to install, and they take up considerable space inside a computer because theyrequire specific tubing, reservoirs, fans, and power supplies to work effectively.

Installing and Conguring a Cooling SystemWhen installing a new cooling system, be sure to read the documentation for the newcomponents as well as for the motherboard, if appropriate. Assemble the componentsrequired and follow good practices to avoid damaging the computer or injuring your-self. Turn the computers power off, disconnect the power cord, and ensure that youfollow the electrostatic discharge (ESD) procedures discussed in Chapter 18.

When installing a new case fan, affix the fan to the case in the appropriate bracketor bay, using the screws that came with either the case or the fan itself. Connect thepower connector and any required motherboard connectors.

When installing a heat sink and/or fan on a CPU, be sure to apply thermal compoundaccording to the instructions, and carefully connect the heat sink or fan using theclip provided. Plug the fan into the appropriate power socket on the motherboard.

Removing a Cooling SystemIf a cooling system fails or is inadequate, you will need to remove it from the PC. Inthat case, turn the computers power off and ensure that you follow the electrostaticdischarge (ESD) procedures. Then reverse the steps for installing the component,unplugging power and motherboard connectors, unscrewing mounting screws, andlifting it out of the case.


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Adapter CardsEven with the large number of features built into PCs, technicians need to knowhow to add new adapter cards to PCs in order to add new functionality. Installingan adapter card is a nontrivial task, requiring that you open up the case and installthe card in an available expansion port. For this reason, give careful thought to youdecision. What function do you need to add? Must you use an adapter card to add

this function, or is this something you can add by purchasing a device with a USBor IEEE-1394 connection? These options are much more desirable than installingan adapter card, if you have a choice. Sometimes, however, an expansion card willprovide better bandwidth, as in a network adapter, or performance, as in a video orsound card.

Do you simply need more USB or IEEE-1394 ports? Then, in the case of USB,simply plug one or more USB hubs into your existing USB ports. IEEE-1394 devicusually come with ports that allow the device to participate in a daisy chain.Therefore, if you have an IEEE-1394 connector on the computer, you may simplydaisy-chain devices to this port. On the other hand, does your computer not have

one of these types of ports, or are the ports it has outdated? Some USB devices refuto work on older USB ports. In that case, you will need to add a new USB adaptercard to upgrade to the new version.

Are you replacing the onboard video adapter with an enhanced video adapter?Are you adding an adapter that will support two monitors, often called dual-headed

SCENARIO & SOLUTIONI would like to build a PC. Is it best to shop for thebest price on each component (motherboard, CPU,memory, etc.) from several sources?

No. The best strategy, especially if you are new tothis, is to buy all the components from one source anget a guarantee that they will work together.

I read that I might have to upgrade my BIOS beforeinstalling the next Windows operating system? Doesthis mean I have to replace the physical BIOS chip?

You probably will not have to do something thisdrastic. Most BIOSs today are actually flash BIOSchips that can be electronically upgraded usingsoftware from the BIOS manufacturer.

The PC I want to build will be used mostly for run-ning standard office productivity software. Should Iconsider a water-cooled system?

Generally, a water-cooled system would be overkill ia PC running standard office productivity software,but some new motherboards have built-in sealed(passive) liquid cooling systems.


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video adapters? There is no way to avoid installing an adapter to solve theseproblems.

As new or better technology comes available, you will need experience installingadapters in a PC.

Selecting an Appropriate Adapter CardWhen selecting an adapter card, you must first do your homework. First, determinewhat expansion slots are available (there may not be a slot available) in the PCin which you will install the card. Then, shop for the adapter card that both fitsyour needs and physically fits in your PC. Adapter cards are available for everypurpose, from video adapters, NICs, modems, TV tuner cards, sound cards, storageinterfaces, media readers, and all types of I/O interfaces. Many of these functions

come integrated into new motherboards, but when they dont, or when they becomeoutdated or you simply want more of them, you can add the functionality via anadapter card. You will also have the choice of buying an internal adapter that plugsinto your PCs PCIe expansion bus area, or an external adapter that connects toa USB, eSATA, or FireWire connector on the front or back panel. The followingdiscussion concerns installing, configuring, and removing internal adapter cards.

Installing and Conguring an Adapter CardOnce you have selected the adapter card that meets your needs, you will need to

install it in the PC. Exercise 4-7 provides general steps for installing an adapter card.Although installing and configuring many adapter cards is straightforward, you mustunderstand the cards purpose. Before you begin, check the documentation for boththe adapter card and the motherboard and note any variations from this generalprocedure.

EXERCISE 4-7

Installing an Adapter Card

1. Turn off the computer, unplug it, and ensure that you carry out proper ESDprocedures, as described in Chapter 18. 2. Remove the slot cover for the appropriate expansion slot, and position the

adapter card upright over it (see Figure 4-5).


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3. Place your thumbs along the top edge of the card and push straight down.If necessary, rock the card along its length (never side to side).

4. Secure the card to the case using the existing screw holes.

Removing an Adapter Card

Before removing an adapter card, be sure you have an antistatic bag in which to storethe removed adapter card. Then, to remove it, simply reverse the steps in Exercise 4-

Storage DevicesReplacing storage devices is a common task because drives with their moving partare one of the most common areas of computer failure. Adding more storage is alsoa common upgrade. Fortunately, because most drives are standardized, they can berecognized by any PC and dont need special configuration.

Optimizing a PC with Storage DevicesAdding more storage to a PC is often a necessity when the user plans to store largeamounts of data files, especially graphic files. As more and more people acquire digcameras, their space needs for storing photo collections increases. The general choicinclude internal and external storage.

FIGURE 4-5

Installing an

adapter card


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Selecting an Appropriate Internal Storage DeviceInternal drives are less expensive than external drives, but require more skill to

install. The internal hard drives you are most likely to install in a PC are EIDEdrives. These will connect to PATA or SATA drive interfaces on the motherboard.If you are adding an optical drive, it may use the ATAPI standard to connect to thePATA interface, or it may use the SATA connectors on the motherboard.

The computers BIOS will usually recognize these drives. In the simplest cases,all one needs to do to make a hard drive or a CD-ROM drive functional is to installit physically in the computer. However, drives on the PATA interface have a fewconfiguration issues, as opposed to those on the SATA interface, and SATA offershigher speeds, thinner cables, and support for hot swapping. So, when you havea choice, you should choose SATA over PATA drives. The drives physically look

the same until you examine the back of the drives and see the new power and dataconnectors.The following sections describe alternative drive installations, including how to

configure and install multiple drives in a single system.

Installing Drives on PATA ChannelsThe typical PC motherboard has two PATA hard-drive controller channels. Thatis, the motherboard has connectors for two ribbon cables. Each PATA channelsupports two drives, so you can install four drives, in total, on the standard twoPATA channels. One of the motherboard connectors is the primary connector,and the other is the secondary connector. Unfortunately, manufacturers use severalconventions for labeling them on the motherboard, such as primary and secondary(see Figure 4-6), IDE1 and IDE2, or EIDE1 and EIDE2. If only one drive is present,it must connect to the primary channel.

The onboard drive controller of an EIDE hard drive receives commands tothe drive and controls the action of the drive itself. The technology incorporatedin EIDE and ATA devices allows one controller to take over the function of anadditional drive. The controlling drive is the master drive, whereas the second driveit controls is the slave drive. PATA channels support one master and one slave driveon each channel.

If only one drive is present on a channel, it must be a master drive. The masterdrive on the first channel is the primary master. The slave drive on the first channelis the primary slave. Similarly, the master drive on the second channel is the second-ary master, and the slave drive on the second channel is the secondary slave.


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In most cases, a slave drive will work only if a master drive is present. A mastercan function without a slave drive present. Before you install an EIDE drive on aPATA channel, you will need to configure it for its master or slave role. Do this bysetting jumpers on the back of the drive. Most EIDE/PATA drives have a label thatshows the master and slave jumper settings. Figure 4-7 shows a drive with two whijumpers over two pairs of pins. This position, according to the drives label, indicathat it is the master drive. Moving these two jumpers to the two right-most pairs ofpins would configure the drive for the slave role.

In many cases, it doesnt matter which is which. That is, there is no real perfor-

mance difference between master and slave drives. However, as with most computconfigurations, there are some exceptions. When using a mixture of old and new

FIGURE 4-6

The primary

and secondaryPATA controllerconnectors onthe motherboard

FIGURE 4-7

The back of anEIDE/PATA drive,showing twowhite jumpersover two pairs

of pins


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hard drives within the same system, set the newer drive as the master and the olderdrive as the slave because newer drives can recognize and communicate with olderdrives, but the reverse isnt true. An older drives controller will typically be unableto control the newer drive.

It is important to note here that PATA channels can support a mixture of EIDEand ATAPI (optical) drives. How do you determine which drive should be themaster and which should be the slave?

When using a hard drive and CD-ROM optical drive together in a master/slaveconfiguration, always set the hard drive as the master and the CD-ROM as theslave, because the CD-ROMs controller is unable to take control of the harddrive. Additionally, some (but not most) older optical drives work only as slaves,and you simply cannot configure them as master drives. To create a master/slaveconfiguration, follow the steps in Exercise 4-8.

PATA uses flat ribbon cables or (rarely) round cables. There are two importantdifferences between the flat ribbon and the round cablesprice and cooling. Theround cables are currently more expensive, but they are superior to the 2" wide flatcables because they allow better airflow. Both types of PATA cables normally comewith three 40-pin connectorsone on either end and one in the middle. One endconnects to the PATA channel connector on the motherboard, while the other twoconnectors plug into the drives. If the system has only one hard drive, attach it tothe end of the ribbon cable. The red stripe along the length of the cable representspin 1. Make sure this stripe aligns with pin 1 on both the hard drive and on thechannel connector on the motherboard.

Early PATA cables had just 40 wires, but newer cables have 80 wires, althoughthey still have the same 40-pin connectors. The extra wires ensure better signalquality through grounding that shields against interference.

Some drives have a jumper setting called cable select. If this setting is used, theposition of the drive on the cable will automatically determine the drives role. If thedrive is on the end of the cable, it is the master drive, and if it is on the middle ofthe cable, it is the slave drive.

EXERCISE 4-8

Choosing a Master 1. Determine which drive will be the master. 2. Locate the master/slave jumper pins and jumpers using the information on

the drive label to determine which jumper settings to use for a master or slave(or cable select) configuration.


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3. Use the jumper(s) to set this drive as a master (or cable select). 4. Secure the drive to an available drive bay.

5. Align the red stripe on the cable with pin 1 on the primary channel connecto

of the motherboard; attach the cable. Then attach the connector on the farend of the cable to the master drive, also ensuring that the red stripe on thecable aligns with pin 1 on the drive.

6. Locate an available Molex connector at the end of a cable coming from thepower supply, and connect it to the drive.

7. To install a second drive on the same channel, follow the instructions inthe previous steps, but set the drives jumpers to the slave setting. Figure 4-8shows the completed installation of two drives on one channel. Notice thatboth drives connect to the same ribbon cable.

Optical DrivesPhysically installing and removing an internal CD or DVD drive is the same asinstalling and removing hard and floppy drives, except that the CD or DVD drivemust be installed into a bay with a front panel that allows access to the drive forinserting and removing discs. The optical drive also requires the connection of asound cable to the sound card.

Additionally, a DVD drive may need to connect to a decoder card using separate

cables. Normally, the BIOS will automatically recognize the CD or DVD drive. Or

FIGURE 4-8

The finishedinstallation of twohard drives onthe same PATAchannel


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may be necessary to enable the device in the BIOS settings. If the computer doesntrecognize, or cant communicate with, the new drive, you need to load a driver for it.Learn about installing device drivers in Chapter 9.

If you are installing two optical drives (of any type) using a PATA interface withthe intention of copying from one to the other, for best performance, make sure therewritable (RW) drive you plan to copy to is primary on the channel to which it isinstalled.

Blu-ray drives are presently an option when customizing a new system and willbecome even more mainstream as time goes on. Therefore, you should be preparedto install and configure Blu-ray drives for the users who need to view or record Blu-ray content. At this writing, read-only Blu-ray drives are available for under $200,but to take advantage of this disc formats massive storage feature, you will needa Blu-ray recorder, which is far more expensive. When selecting a drive, carefully

consider the reason for the upgrade. Will it only be used for storing nonvideo data,or will it be used to run Blu-ray movies? You can add a Blu-ray drive for storingnonvideo data to a system without upgrading the video system, but in order to runBlu-ray movies, the video system will need to support HD resolutions stated as720 pixels, 1080i, or 1080p over a digital connection. Further, it must also supportHigh-Definition Content Protection (HDCP) at the graphics chipset level and displaylevel. Part of this is the requirement that the digital connection between the videoadapter and display support be either DVI or HDMI to support the HDCP signal. Thisextends to an HDCP-compliant graphics driver and disc-playback software.

Finally, before installing an optical drive to support running high-definition video

content, be sure you have a multi-core CPU and at least 2 GB of RAM under eitherVista or Windows 7, or 1 GB of RAM for a Windows XP PC.

You can usually install hard drives and other devices on their sides with noimpact on operation or performance. Never install a hard drive upside down.

Solid-State StorageSolid-state storage is available for nearly every storage need. At the low end of theprice scale, thumb drives provide a solution for someone needing ease-of-use and

portability when transferring data among computers. Similarly, we use a varietyof storage devices in smart phones and cameras, often connecting these devices,or their solid-state cards, to our PCs to transfer data. At the high end, solid-statedrives are available for large server systems at a much higher price than comparablysized hard-drive systems, but they offer better reliability and power savings over


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conventional hard drives. Low-end solid-state storage will plug into a PCs busthrough a media reader, whereas high-end solid-state storage is more likely to comewith the SATA interface.

Installing Drives on SATA ChannelsEach SATA device has its own dedicated channel and does not require settingjumpers as is required for devices on a PATA channel. Simply connect one end ofthe SATA data cable to a SATA channel and connect the other end to the drivesdata connector. Additionally, SATA devices may come with two power connectorson the drive. If so, one accepts a standard 4-pin Molex connector from the powersupply, while the other accepts a special 15-pin SATA power connector. This isan either-or situation. Only connect to one of these power connectorsif bothare used the drive will be damaged. Exercise 4-9 provides general instructions forinstalling an internal SATA drive. Be sure to follow the instructions in the manualfor your motherboard and drive when installing a SATA drive. Figure 4-9 shows aSATA data cable alongside a SATA power cable.

EXERCISE 4-9

Installing a SATA Drive

1. Secure the drive to an available drive bay. 2. Locate an available SATA connector on the motherboard or on a SATA

expansion card. Plug in one end of the SATA cable (it is keyed so it cannotbe installed incorrectly).

FIGURE 4-9

A SATA data

cable connector(left) next toa SATA powerconnector (right)


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3. Locate an available power connector at the end of a cable coming from thepower supply, and connect it to the drive. Figure 4-10 shows an installedSATA drive connected to a SATA channel on the motherboard. Notice thethree open SATA channel connectors at the bottom left.

RAID Arrays Not too many years ago, if you wanted RAID, you had to add a special RAID con-troller adapter card to your computer. Today, many motherboards come with a RAIDcontroller built in. Therefore, if you need to create a RAID array on a recently manu-factured computer, you will probably only need to add the appropriate number of harddrives. If this is not true of the computer you wish to add RAID to, then you will needto purchase an adapter and install it.

The physical installation of a RAID adapter is identical to installation of anyother bus adapter. After installing it, you will need to install and connect eachdrive in the array to the controller, and then start the computer and run the RAIDcontroller setup program.

FIGURE 4-10

Installed SATA

drive (top)connected toSATA channelon motherboard(bottom left)


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The setup program will be similar whether the controller was integrated on themotherboard or on a separate controller card. You access it while starting up themachine. In the case of an integrated controller, the RAID setup program may beon the system BIOS Setup menu, normally on an advanced menu. In the case of aseparate RAID controller, watch during bootup for a prompt to press a key to enterthe RAID setup. From there, you simply follow the menus and select the RAID levyou desire.

Internal Floppy Disk DrivesFloppy drives have gone from being a necessity in the early IBM PC to being consideas useless as rotary-dial phones. For this reason, you will rarely see a floppy drive a new PC, and they vanished from most laptops years ago.

Installing an Internal Floppy Disk DriveMost modern motherboards still have an integrated floppy drive controller. Thereforeif you desire to add an internally installed floppy drive to a new computer, you justneed to obtain a floppy drive and the cabling. Before installing the drive, be sure toturn off the PC and disconnect the power cord.

Internally mounted floppy drives are installed in a fashion similar to hard driveswith one major differencethe floppy drive must be installed into a bay with a fropanel that allows access to the drive for inserting and removing floppy disks. MostPC cases still come with this bay. Locate the bay, slide the drive into the drive bay,and fasten it with the retaining screws.

A floppy drive uses a flat ribbon cable that measures 1-5/8 inches wide with 34-pconnectors on both ends. This cable is keyed to only insert one way, with the rededge lined up with pin 1 of the floppy connector on the motherboard and similarlylined up with pin 1 on the drive connector. Attach the floppy drive to the end of theribbon cable; this drive will be assigned drive letter A.

As it is highly unlikely that you will need to install even one floppy drive in acomputer, it is even less likely that you will install a second one. However, in thatvery unlikely situation, you would need a 34-pin ribbon cable with three connectorand then the floppy drive connected to the middle connector is assigned the driveletter B.

Once the drive is in place and the ribbon cable connected, locate a power cablecoming from the power supply that has a plug that fits the floppy drive. This isusually a 4-pin miniconnector.


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Removing a Floppy Disk DriveTo remove a floppy drive, disconnect the power and ribbon cables, unfasten theretaining screws, and then slide the drive out of the bay.

Installing and ConguringSCSI DevicesSCSI systems allow you to attach more devicesto the computer than the common EIDE/PATA

or SATA systems do, but less than USB or IEEE 1394. By installing a SCSI hostadapter (also called a SCSI controller), you can attach 7, 15, 31 or more additionaldevices in the computer, depending on the type of SCSI host adapter you are using.SCSI adapters that conform to newer standards, such as SCSI SAS, FC-AL, andSSA can support more than 31 devices. SCSI systems have the disadvantage ofbeing more expensive than EIDE systems and more difficult to configure. When costand easy installation are factors, EIDE, USB, IEEE 1394, SATA, or eSATA systemsare generally preferred.

Devices attach to the SCSI controller in a daisy-chain configuration, describedin Chapter 3. Each external SCSI device has two ports: one port receives the cablefrom the device before it in the chain, and one port attaches the next device in thechain. An internal SCSI device may have only one port that requires a special cablefor daisy-chaining other internal devices.

Types of SCSI SystemsLike many other computer standards, SCSI systems have evolved and improved overtime. Newer SCSI standards are backward compatible with older standards, so olderdevices are installable in newer systems.

The T10 SCSI committee of the InterNational Committee on Information TechnologyStandards (INCITS) frequently upgrades the SCSI standard. INCITS (pronouncedinsights) is, in turn, accredited by the American National Standards Institute(ANSI). Information on the current standards and revisions of SCSI are availableat www.t10.org.

Configuring SCSIConfiguring the SCSI host adapter, and each device on a SCSI chain, requires payingattention to a special address for each called a SCSI ID. In addition, each SCSIchain must physically terminate, or the entire chain will not function. The following

The red stripe on a ribboncable indicates pin 1.


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describes the proper procedures for addressing and terminating SCSI devices soconflicts do not occur. The normal order of steps is to first attach the device tothe chain, terminate the SCSI chain, set the SCSI ID, and load the device driver(if applicable).

Addressing SCSI Devices You must allocate a SCSI ID to each SCSI devicein a chain so it can communicate with the controller but not interfere with otherSCSI devices in the system. If two devices share an ID, an address conflict willoccur. The controller will not be able to distinguish the conflicting devices, and it ilikely that neither device will work.

Some SCSI devices are hard-wired to use one of only two or three IDs; others miguse any available ID. If the device supports plug and play, the system will automaticaassign it an available ID address, whereas other devices require configuring the addremanually. On some devices, this configuration is via jumpers on the device, and othedepend on a setup program residing on the devices ROM chip. Some SCSI devicesthat require address assignment through jumpers will indicate, by a label on the devicwhich setting to use.

The priority of ID addresses is important. The SCSI controller itself usually has ID assigned to it; addresses increase in priority within each octet, and each successive octhas a lower overall priority than the one before it (see Figure 4-11). That is, IDs 815have a lower priority than 07. In a 32-bit system, 7 has the highest priority, and 24 hathe lowest.

If two SCSI devices try to send data at the same time, permission to transmit wi

go to the device with the highest-priority ID, and the other device will have to waitIncidentally, at the same time means within 0.24 microseconds!

FIGURE 4-11

SCSI ID priorities


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SCSI System Termination Equally important is terminating the SCSI systemproperly. Improper termination can result in the total or intermittent failure of alldevices in the SCSI chain. Special terminators, or terminating resistors, must be presentto ensure that signals at the end of the chain are absorbed rather than bounced backalong the chain. In some cases, the resistor fits into the unused second port on the lastSCSI device in the chain. In other cases, the SCSI device will include an onboardterminator, made active by using the appropriate jumper setting.

Whether the SCSI chain is strictly internal or strictly external, the last deviceand the controller must have terminators. Finally, if the SCSI chain is a mixtureof both internal and external devices (which is not recommended), both the lastexternal and last internal devices on the chain are terminated.

SCSI CablingSCSI systems employ a variety of cable types. The specific cable type depends onthe SCSI type, the device type, and whether the device is internal or external.Furthermore, each cable type might have a different connector. Until recently, SCSIsystems all used a parallel interface to the computer.

Although new SCSI specifications no longer support 32-bit systems, you mightbe required to work on an older one. All 32-bit systems use a 68-pin P-cable and a68-pin Q-cable or one 110-pin L-cable.

Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) targets the server market, not the desktop PC market.However, like many such technologies, it will probably filter down to the desktop, butit will take time before this happens. Currently, although most new PCs have SATAconnectors built in, before a SAS device can be added to a PC, a special SAS hostadapter card must be installed.

Connecting an External SCSI DeviceRead the documentation for each external device carefully before connecting it,because procedures differ from one manufacturer to another. Most follow the basicsteps described previously.

Removing an Internal Storage DeviceTo remove an internal storage device of any type, check the documentation for thedevice. Exercise 4-10 provides general steps that will work for all types of internalstorage devices.


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EXERCISE 4-10

Removing a Drive

1. Remove the power supply and ribbon cables from the back of the drive.Ensure that you grasp the plastic connector, not the wires themselves. If theconnector doesnt come out easily, try gently rocking it lengthwise from sidto side (never up and down) while you pull it out.

2. Remove the screws that attach the drive to the drive bay. These are usuallylocated on the sides of the drive. Be sure to carefully save any screws youremove.

3. Slide the drive out of the computer.

Installing and Removing an External Storage DeviceExternal storage devices come in many types and sizes. This was not true ten yearsago, when external storage was limited to optical drives or conventional hard driveusing SCSI or parallel interfaces. These drives were expensive and cumbersome.

Today, the market is practically flooded with inexpensive external storage deviceof all types and sizes. In addition, back then external optical drives were popularbecause they did not come standard in PCs and especially not in laptops. Today,with one or two optical drives standard in new PCs, the demand for external optica

drives is down, but the need for external hard drives and solid-state drives hasgrown, and so have the choices.

Most flash memory drives come with a USB interface, and external hard driveshave USB, IEEE-1394, or eSATA interfaces. Newer computers come with eSATAports for attaching external eSATA devices. An eSATA port connects to themotherboards SATA bus. If you wish to connect an eSATA device to a computerwithout SATA support, you will need to add an adapter card.

Traditional external hard disk drives also come in a full range of sizes from thelow gigabytes to hundreds of gigabytes and even terabytes. The tiny 2" format drivlike the thumb drives, do not need power supplies; they will draw their power from

the USB interface. The more conventionally sized drives require their own powersupplies will need to be plugged into the wall outlet. Besides that one issue, all ofthese drives are so simple to use that they hardly need instructions. Plug one in andyour Windows OS (unless it is very old) will recognize the drive, assign it a drive


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letter, and include it in the drive list in My Computer. You can browse the contentsof the drive and manage data on the drive using the Windows interface.

You do need to take care when removing a USB- or IEEE-1394-connected harddrive. Many people simply unplug their thumb drive when they finish with it, butthey risk losing their data or damaging the thumb drive. Windows requires an impor-tant step before the drive is disconnected: click the Safely Remove Hardware iconin the tray area of the taskbar, and select the external storage device from the listthat pops up. This will notify the operating system that the device is about to beremoved so the operating system stops the device. If files are open, Windows mayissue a message that the device cannot be stopped. Wait until the status messagedeclares that it is safe to remove the device (Windows will turn off the LED on athumb drive) before unplugging it from the USB or IEEE-1394 port.

Preparing a Hard Disk for UseFresh from the factory, a hard disk comes with its disk space divided into concentrictracks, each of which is divided into equal-sized 512-byte sectors. This is the physicalformat of the disk. The first physical sector on a hard disk is the master boot record(MBR). Within this sector lies a 64-byte partition table, which defines specialboundaries on the hard disk, called partitions.

The first step in preparing a hard disk for use is to create one or more partitions,the areas of a disk that contain logical drives. The second step is to format thedrive. Many hard drives, especially external hard drives, come prepartitioned and

preformatted.

Partitioning a Hard Disk DriveMost operating systems include the partitioning step in a menu-driven process ofthe installation program, so anyone who can answer a few simple questions canat least succeed in creating a partition on which to install the OS. In addition,each operating system, such as Windows XP and Windows Vista, comes with apartitioning program you can use after installing the operating system on a PC.This program allows you to partition any additional drives you add to the computer.Figure 4-12 shows the Windows Vista Disk Management program, a part of theComputer Management console. A newly installed hard drive shows as Disk 1.The OS has recognized it but has not yet partitioned it; therefore, the space is shownas unallocated. Right-clicking the rectangle representing the hard drive spacebrings up a menu with the option to create a new partition.


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Formatting a Hard Disk DriveYou can format each partition with the logical structure required by a file system.File systems are described in Chapter 10. This logical format is often simply called

format. Once you have created the partition, use the appropriate utility to format thdrive, which, in most operating systems today, requires selecting the file system. Th

is because Windows and other operating systems support more than one file systemThe Partition Wizard in Windows XP creates and formats the new partition, basedon the users answers to questions the Wizard poses.

A file system is the logical structure on a disk that allows the operating systemto save and retrieve files. Chapter 10 will go into detail on the types of file systemsavailable in Windows and how to organize files in this logical structure.

CERTIFICATION OBJECTIVE

701: 1.8 Install and configure peripherals and input devices

What is a peripheral but an input or output device? According to the language in theCompTIA 2009 A+ Essentials (2009 Edition) Exam objectives, peripherals and inpudevices are separate categories, but are grouped together under this one objective.

FIGURE 4-12

The Windows

Vista DiskManagementprogram, showinga newly installedunpartitionedhard drive


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I/O DevicesIn this section, you will examine input and output devices and how to add, configure,and remove them.

Selecting an I/O DeviceSelect the input or output device to suit your needs, whether you need a basic inputdevice, such as a keyboard and mouse, or a specialty input device, such as a barcodereader. Sometimes a device is both an input and output device, as is the case withtouch screen displays, which we will describe later in this chapter.

Installing and Removing an I/O DeviceThe installation and configuration required for an I/O device depends largely on theinterface. Most input devices use standard interfaces and connectors.

USBToday, most input devices come with a USB interface and are plug and play. Evensome devices that traditionally had a dedicated interface, such as keyboards andmice, now often come with a USB interface. In spite of the variety of devices usingUSB, installation and removal is simple because of the plug-and-play interface.As always, we remind you to read the manual before installing any device, but thegeneral rule for a USB device is to install the driver before connecting the device.

Keyboards and MiceOlder keyboards and mice come with mini-DIN (also known as PS/2) connectors,whereas newer ones usually come with USB connectors. Most keyboards and micewill work without the need for add-on device drivers. The standard mouse andkeyboard drivers installed with the operating system will be sufficient. To accessnonstandard keyboard and mouse features, however, you will need to install andconfigure a device driver and sometimes a special application.

Some input keyboards and mice come with the Bluetooth wireless interface,described in Chapter 6. This short-range radio frequency (RF) interface allows devicesto communicate over very short distances. Some input devices come with an infraredinterface. Bluetooth and infrared require a transceiver device to be attached to thecomputer. Sometimes they are built into portable computers, but one must be added to


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desktop PCs and other computers that do not have the built-in Bluetooth or infra-red interface. An important difference between using a Bluetooth device versus aninfrared device is that, with Bluetooth, you are primarily concerned about keeping thdevice and receiver within the appropriate distance for the signal. With infrared, line-of-sight is as important as proximity because the infrared signal must not be blocked anything in its way.

When you buy a Bluetooth keyboard and/or mouse, it will come with a transceivedevice to attach to the computer, which, in most cases, connects through a USBport. After installing the Bluetooth transceiver, a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse willfunction like a more conventional keyboard or mouse.

Biometric devicesAs described in Chapter 3, biometric devices are security devices. Therefore, wewill save the detailed discussion of these devices for Chapters 16 and 17, and onlyconcern ourselves at this point with the local installation of a fingerprint scanner as arepresentative biometric device. Read the instructions, and install the scanner as youwould any device. Install drivers at the appropriate time, and physically connect thedevice to the computer. The software that comes with fingerprint scanner requires afingerprint to compare with the scanned print. This may be stored locally, or it maybe stored in a central database. The latter scenario will be discussed in Chapter 17. Ithe case of a locally stored fingerprint, typically done when using a portable device,you will run a special program after installing the device. This program will take abaseline scan of your fingerprint and store it locally.

Bar Code ReadersThere are various types of barcode readers, and you will select the reader that best meeyour needs. The most common readers that you will encounter connected to PCs arehandheld scanners and stationary scanners, such as those you see in retail stores.

Once you select an appropriate bar code reader, your next concern is the interfaceTraditionally, bar code readers used an RS-232 serial interface but expect newer barcode readers to use either a keyboard interface or a USB. Those that use a keyboardinterface use a special Y connector so a keyboard can also be connected. Read the

instructions that come with the device before installing it, but expect to install thedrivers before connecting the device, especially in the case of a USB bar code reade

KVM SwitchesBefore you install a keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switch, you must be sure yhave the correct type of switch for your purposes. Then you must read the installatio


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instructions and assemble the cabling, devices, and computers you wish to connect.Memorize the keystrokes required to switch control from one computer to another.Check for the needed drivers. In our experience, these are not necessary because theKVM switch itself captures the keystrokes and changes the focus from computer tocomputer based on your keyboard commands.

These instructions are for installing an active KVM switch used to control two ormore computers. Installing this type of KVM switch is just a bit more complicatedthan connecting a keyboard, video display, and mouse to a computer. In fact, the firstthing you do is connect your keyboard, video display, and mouse to the appropriateconnectors on the KVM switch. You will find them grouped together, and theremay even be more than one type of connector for the mouse or keyboard or perhapsspeaker ports. This grouping of connectors may be labeled Inputeven thoughwe all know a display is an output device. Once the devices are connected, you can

connect the KVM switch to the computers you wish to control. This requires specialcables that are usually bundled together with the connectors split out on each end.This bundling ensures that you wont mistakenly connect a cable from one set to twodifferent computers. If you do not have bundled cables, bundle them yourself.

Once all the computers are connected to the KVM switch, power up the switchand then power up each PC. During bootup, the PC should recognize the KVMswitch as the keyboard, video, and mouse devices.

MultimediaMany multimedia devices, such as Webcams, digital camera, and MIDI, often usea USB interface, which usually requires that you install the device driver beforeattaching the device to a USB port. Microphones only need to be connected to thecorrect port and do not usually require a special device driver.

Most multimedia devices are fairly simple to connect and use. One exception isa video capture card. These cards are available as bus cards (PCI or PCIe) and asUSB devices. However, the bus cards are generally less expensive and have morefeatures than the USB devices. If you decide on a bus card, you will install it likemost other adapter cards. Either interface will require a special driver and software.As usual, you will install the drivers for a USB device first and for a bus card afterthe physical installation. The software that comes with the device may install aspart of the driver installation, or you may need to initiate that install. Commonsoftware includes Nero for capturing video and burning DVDs, and Beyond TV,which includes digital video recorder(DVR) capabilities for recording video to disk. Next, shut down the computer and connect the device to the appropriate TV


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input, whether cable TV, satellite TV, or broadcast TV. The types of cables you willneed depend on the input. Coaxial cable for cable TV, or S-Video, composite, orcomponent cables for other inputs.

DisplaysAn easy and satisfying PC upgrade is a new video display. In most cases, this willnot require replacing the video adapter, since even the most standard video adapterin recently manufactured PCs provide excellent output. Perhaps you have used thesame bulky CRT display for several years, keeping it even after upgrading the systeunit, because of the high price you paid for it ten years ago. Now may be the time treclaim lost desk space by upgrading to a new flat panel display. Additionally, manyPC tasks are so much easier with two displays. Therefore, you might not be replaci

a display, but augmenting it with a second display, so that you can spread yourdesktop windows across two monitors real estate.

Selecting an Appropriate Display DeviceWhere many of us have skimped in the past is on the display, and at the current lowprices, purchasing a high-quality flat panel display seems like a no-brainer to upgrayour PC and your user experience. A large FPD display will take up very little deskspace. Use the information provided on displays in Chapter 3 to select a new displaPay attention to the video connector(s) available on your PC.

Installing and Configuring a Display DeviceIn order to install a CRT monitor or a flat panel display, simply connect the displaycable to the proper connector on the computer and plug in the power cord. Thenpower up both the display and the computer.

Multi-monitor As for a multi-monitor configuration, most laptops come with tability to support both the built-in screen and an external display, but a PC normallyhas a video adapter for just a single display. Therefore, to add a second display (ormore) to a PC, you will need to install a video adapter. For better performance, we

recommend replacing the PCs single-output video adapter with a multiheaded videoadapter. Consult the computers documentation. If the computer has an inboard videadapter, you may choose simply to add a single-headed bus video adapter, but youmust be certain that the computer will support this configuration. We have foundinstalling a dual-headed adapter to be the best solution. Once the adapter and driver


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are installed, connect to each of the two displays exactly as you would connect to one,with only one power-up after everything has been connected. After powering up, youwill need to go into the Windows Display Settings utility and configure one of themonitors to be the main monitor and the other one (or more) to have the desktopextend onto it. If you dont select this second setting, the two monitors will simplydisplay the exact same thing. The main monitor will contain the Taskbar and desktopicons, while the other will contain any windows you wish to place there. Figure 4-13shows a dual display configuration in the Display Settings dialog box in Windows Vista.

We have used dual displays for years, even using displays of two different sizeswhen we added an external monitor to a laptop. This was very workable, but we findit much more pleasant to use monitors of identical size and resolution.

Touch Screen A touch screen will take just a few more steps to connect andinstall on a PC. First, we are assuming you have a free-standing PC and wish t

comptia a+ certification (chapter 04)

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