COURSE SYLLABUS
Introduction to PC Hardware and Operating Systems
|
Instructor |
Dovel
Myers |
Phone |
351-3563 |
|
Office |
Kricker 127 |
E-mail |
dmyers@shawnee.edu |
|
Office
Hours |
|
Dept. |
Business
Administration |
Prerequisites:
None
Texts
/ Materials (Required):
Jean
Andrews, Ph. D.
A+
Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC,
Fifth
Edition, Comprehensive
ISBN:
0-619-21324-8
Course Description:
This
course is intended to prepare the student to support personal computers and to
study distributed computing. Classes will be divided into lecture, example, and
lab time to work through common problems and issues with common PC computer
hardware, and operating systems.
Student Outcomes:
·
Identify basic terms, concepts, and functions of
system modules, including how each module should work during normal operation
and during the boot process
·
Identify basic procedures for adding and removing
field replaceable modules for both desktop and portable systems
·
Identify available IRQs, DMAs, and I/O addresses and procedures for device
installation and configuration
·
Identify common peripheral ports, associated
cabling and their connectors
·
Identify proper procedures for installing and
configuring IDE/EIDE devices
·
Identify proper procedures for installing and
configuring SCSI devices
·
Identify proper procedures for installing and
configuring peripheral devices
·
Identify hardware methods of upgrading system
performance, procedures for replacing basic subsystem components, unique
components and when to use them
·
Identify common symptoms and problems associated
with each module and how to troubleshoot and isolate the problems
·
Identify basic troubleshooting procedures and how
to elicit problem symptoms from customers
·
Identify the purpose of various types
of preventive maintenance products and procedures and when to use them
·
Identify issues, procedures and devices for protection
within the computing environment, including people, hardware and the
surrounding workspace
·
Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms
of their basic characteristics
·
Identify the categories of RAM (Random Access
Memory) terminology, their locations and physical characteristics
·
Identify the most popular type of motherboards,
their components and architecture (bus structures and power supplies)
·
Identify the purpose of CMOS (Complementary
Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), what it contains and how to change its basic
parameters
·
Identify basic concepts, printer operations and
printer components
·
Identify care and service techniques and common
problems with primary printer types
·
Identify basic networking concepts, including how a
network works and the ramifications of repairs on the network
·
Identify the major desktop components and
interfaces, and their functions. Differentiate the characteristics of Windows
9x/ME, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP,
Linux, and the Solaris operating systems
·
Identify the names, locations, purposes, and
contents of major system files
·
Demonstrate the ability to use command-line
functions and utilities to manage the operating system, including the proper
syntax and switches
·
Identify basic concepts and procedures for
creating, viewing, and managing disks,
directories
and files. This includes procedures for changing file attributes and the
ramifications
of those changes (for example, security issues).
·
Identify the major operating system utilities,
their purpose, location, and available switches.
·
Identify the procedures for installing Windows
9x/ME, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows2000 Professional, and Windows XP,
Linux, Solaris and bringing the operating system to a basic operational level
·
Identify steps to perform an operating system
upgrade from Windows 9.x/ME, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows 2000
Professional, and Windows XP, Linux and Solaris Given an upgrade scenario,
choose the appropriate next steps.
·
Identify the basic system boot sequences and boot
methods, including the steps to create an emergency boot disk with utilities
installed for Windows 9x/ME, Windows NT 4.0
Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows
XP
·
Identify procedures for installing/adding a device,
including loading, adding, and configuring device drivers, and required
software
·
Identify procedures necessary to optimize the
operating system and major operating system subsystems
·
Recognize and interpret the meaning of common error
codes and startup messages from the boot sequence, and identify steps to
correct the problems
·
Recognize when to use common diagnostic utilities
and tools. Given a diagnostic scenario involving one of these utilities or
tools, select the appropriate steps needed to resolve the problem
·
Recognize common operational and usability problems
and determine how to resolve them
·
Identify the networking capabilities of Windows.
Given configuration parameters,
configure
the operating system to connect to a network
·
Identify the basic Internet protocols and
terminologies. Identify procedures for establishing Internet connectivity. In a
given scenario, configure the operating system to connect to and use Internet
resources
Sample
Course Schedule:
|
Timeline |
Topics |
|
Lecture & Discussion |
|
Week 1 |
Introducing Hardware How Hardware & Software Work Together |
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 |
Course intro, review of text, syllabus, &
safety issues POST, Boot Process, BIOS & CMOS Settings |
|
Week 2 |
Understanding the Boot Process & Command Line Electricity & Power Supplies |
Chapter 3 |
PC Boot process, rescue disks, command line
utilities Basics of electricity, power supplies, UPS, power
topics |
|
Week 3 |
The Motherboard Managing Memory |
Chapter 5 Chapter 6 |
Evolution of boards & CPUs, bus
architectures, board configuration & features Types & features of RAM Topics Due |
|
Week 4 |
Understanding & Installing Hard Drives Optimizing & Protecting Hard Drives |
Chapter 8 Chapter 9 |
Types & features of RAM Hard drive characteristics & installation Backups, viruses, & troubleshooting |
|
Week 5 |
All About SCSI Supporting I/O Devices Multimedia Devices & Mass Storage |
Chapter 22 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 |
SCSI bus types, internal & external SCSI
devices Serial, parallel, USB, 1394, keyboards/pointing
devices Audio, optical, & tape drives |
|
Week 6 |
Supporting Windows 9x Understanding & Installing Windows 2000 / NT |
Windows 9x installation, features & troubleshooting
Windows NT/2000 architecture & installation, applications installation |
Chapter 12 Chapter 17 Chapter 21 |
|
Week 7 |
Installing & Using Windows XP Supporting Modems Supporting Printers |
Chapter 15 Chapter 17 Chapter 21 |
Windows 9x installation, features &
troubleshooting Modems, alternatives to analog Printer technologies, installation &
troubleshooting |
|
Week 8 |
PCs on a Network PCs on the Internet |
Chapter 19 Chapter 19 |
LAN basics, NICs,
drivers, client software |
|
Week 9 |
Notebooks & PDAs Purchasing a PC or Building Your Own Troubleshooting & |
Chapter 20 Chapter 23 |
Notebook & PDA features Shopping for PCs, etc |
|
Week 10 |
Installing and Working With Linux |
Class handouts |
|
|
Week 11 |
Linux |
Class handouts |
|
|
Week 12 |
Linux |
Class handouts |
|
|
Week 13 |
Installing and Working With Solaris |
Class handouts |
|
|
Week 14 |
Solaris |
Class handouts |
|
|
Week 15 |
Windows servers |
Class handouts |
|
Grading:
Homework
and Projects:
Assignments
will be due at the beginning of the class period on the due
date. Assignments turned
in during the class period or later will be
accepted but will be subject
to a penalty (reducing the total score). A 10%
penalty will be applied for
each assignment that is turned in during the
class period on the due
date. A 20% penalty will be assessed for each
week (or part week) that
an assignment is late if it is not turned in on the
due date. Unless specifically
agreed (in advance) homework IS DUE on the due
date. If you are unable to
attend class the assignment is to be emailed,
faxed or postmarked on or
before the due date to avoid the penalty.
If
you receive an unsatisfactory (less than 80%) mark on an assignment,
that was turned in on
time, you have the option of resubmitting it by the
next class period. An
automatic reduction of 20% will be applied to the
resubmitted work's score.
If you earned a 60% on an assignment and
resubmitted it for a 95%, your
net score of 75% would be a significant
improvement.
Attendance
and Participation:
Attendance
and participation is an important part of your class grade
(10%). Your success outside
of school requires your daily attendance and
so does this class.
Regular roll will not be taken but your participation in
this class is needed and
required.
Extra
Credit:
Extra
credit may be awarded to students that go well beyond the required
assignments assist during
lab time with their fellow students, or other
factors as deemed by the
instructor.
Make-Up
Examinations:
Scheduling
and availability of make-up examinations is at the discretion of
the instructor.
Scale:
90.0%
- 100% A
80.0%
- 89.9% B
70.0%
- 79.9% C
60.0%
- 69.9% D
0.0%
- 59.9% F
Evaluation
Criteria:
Attendance
and Participation 10.00%
Weekly
Assignments 50.00%
Quiz
1 10.00%
Quiz
2 10.00%
Final
Examination 20.00%
Total
100.00%
Record
Retention:
I will retain all student work submitted for
grading for two weeks after the end of the quarter, at which time I put the
material through the paper shredder.
Payne
Protocol:
The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus without advance
notice