BASEMETALS CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

STUDENT NAME: PHAROAH CHIMPARIRA

REG NUMBER: C19137185C

PROGRAMME: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

LEVEL: 3

INSTITUTION: CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

YEAR: 2021

COMPANY NAME: RIOZIM (ENR)

SUPERVISOR NAME: MR MARTIN

MENTOR: MR T MACHAYA

SECTION: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ATTACHMENT DURATION: JANUARY 2021 - DECEMBER 2021

TITLE: REPORT ON MONTH OF AUGUST

INTRODUCTION
The month of August marked my fifth month at RIOZIM. I believe that I gained much
experience in the month of August, as I had an appreciation of the importance of computer
hardware and online video conferencing applications as staff members were able to do their
meetings virtually though there was the outbreak of Covid-19 which discouraged face to face
meetings. I was now familiar with the company, the ICT department, my duties and
responsibilities and the activities I performed were starting to be routine.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the month of August, I learnt a lot in terms of helping other users in connecting to virtual
meetings on zoom meeting, skype for business and Microsoft teams as the company had
discouraged face to face meetings and interviews from being held. This helped me to improve
on technical and social skills as I carried out tasks with minimum supervision and interacted
with other members and colleagues.

I also managed to participate in carrying out many routine and daily IT practical and
technical operations that includes: WAN and LAN Management that is applying the
knowledge of computer networking in managing CAM & ENR local area network and also
troubleshooting network related problems, Microsoft Windows family Administration which
involved the installation and configuration of Microsoft Windows Operating Systems
(windows 7, 8, 10), providing End user support that is assisting end users in Microsoft Office
suite (MS Access, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook), Hardware repairs
and upgrades and helping ensure Systems security.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES CARRIED OUT

As the month of August progressed, I managed to carry out the following activities:

Software services
➢ Helping users in connecting to virtual meetings on zoom meeting, skype for business
and Microsoft teams for example connecting HODs for the ENR zoom meeting for
HODs.

➢ Troubleshooting and solving camera and microphone issues

➢ Mapping network drives to be able to access company data stored 192.168.3.26 which
is a server which contains all company data.

➢ Installing and configuring Microsoft Windows Operating Systems (windows 7, 8, 10).

 ➢ Installing and configuring Port Go application on computers and assigning them their
extension numbers.

➢ Installing and configuring Microsoft Office (13 & 16).

➢ Configuring outlook and setting backup of emails for outlook files

➢ Installing and updating windows applications like ESET endpoint antivirus, adobe
reader, WinRAR etc.

➢ Creating, amending and migrating stock codes on a system called SysPro which is on
a remote network on server 192.168.1.35 which is an application used to store resources
or inputs that enter into the company.
➢ Installing printer and scanner drivers and making sure that all printers are working
perfectly and are well connected.

Hardware services
⮚ Changing a hard drive and upgrading RAMs on company laptops.

⮚ Fixing computers which were turning on but not displaying anything on the screen by
either removing and cleaning RAM slots or discharging power and press power button for
about 10 seconds.

⮚ Printer troubleshooting: Removing paper jam, refilling black cartridge, replacing printer
rollers, replacing printer cables and cleaning.

⮚ Replacing not working VGA cables, mouses and keyboards for various computers.

End user support services

➢ Assisting end users in Microsoft Office suite (MS Access, MS Word, MS Excel, MS
PowerPoint, MS Outlook)

➢ Helping users launch or attend and sign in on zoom meetings.

➢ Resetting passwords and unlocking users on the Active directory on server
192.168.3.25 the domain controller which is accessed remotely. Thus, if a user enters
wrong password 3 times in trying to login to the domain or when they want to change
their passwords

➢ ICT support and help desk: setting up the projector in the boardroom for meetings
using a HDMI or VGA cable.

➢ Giving rights to new user accounts on domain to be able to access the RioZim login
portal, access Remote desktop Connections, enjoy internet access
 ➢ Resetting passwords and unlocking SysPro users on server 192.168.1.35 the SysPro
Server which is accessed remotely. Thus, if SysPro users enter a wrong password 3
times and their accounts end up being locked. Also, if their passwords have expired.

Network services
➢ Networking: this month I was now familiar to the network infrastructure, so solving
most of the network problems was not a challenge to me.

➢ Fixing VOIP and PBX phones that were not receiving calls from other extensions: to
fix this problem I was taught that I enter the IP address of the PBX phone extension
server which is 192.168.3.20 on a computer browser which has internet access, then
view all phones and all hanging phones will be having a different icon and I go double
click on the displayed icon then it changes back and starts receiving call from others.

➢ Terminating Ethernet cable: Terminated and installed 4 RJ45 straight through

ethernet cables at the ENR Lab. Also replaced other worn-out ones in other
workplaces.

➢ Clearing the DHCP on the Remote network 192.168.3.25 which is the domain
controller by deleting bad addresses of devices and removing connected smart phones

➢ Troubleshooting network problems, using the command prompt to write command

lines like ping 192.168.3.25 and other ipconfig lines.

➢ Fixing an unidentified network problem to several computers. A computer picked an

IP address which may be duplicate or the computer settings will not be set to
automatically be assigned an IP address which will be causing the device not to be
connected to the network.

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS OR CHALLENGES THAT I WAS ASKED

TO SOLVE
As I was familiar with the company and ICT department, my problem solving techniques had
improved and this resulted in a few problems being faced in trying to complete the assigned tasks.
The following are some of the few problems the I faced during the month of August:

a) Newly terminated and installed RJ45 ethernet cable causing a desktop at the Chemukute
clinic to have unsolvable “Unidentified Network Problem”.

b) Windows 10 HP Desktop that had suddenly crashed and was stuck in an Automatic
Repair loop.

ANALYSIS OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AND HOW I SOLVED

THEM
Problem and Solutions

a) Newly terminated and installed RJ45 ethernet cable causing a desktop at the
Chemukute clinic to have unsolvable “Unidentified Network Problem”.

➢ To solve this problem, I first cleared bad addresses on the DHCP on the remote
network 192.168.3.25 but it did not solve the unidentified network problem. Also
tried writing ipconfig release and renew commands using CMD but also did not
work. Finally, I discovered that one end of the cable had been terminated a Straight
Through Connector A and the other end Connector B which was causing the cable
to cause unidentified network problem. So, I removed the end that had a Connector
A terminated to its end and terminated Connector B to both ends and it worked.

b) Fixing a Windows 10 HP Laptop that had suddenly crashed and was stuck in an
Automatic Repair loop.
➢ I tried restarting it but did not get into the system, also tried to start the computer on Safe
Mode but still did not work and showed a failed to load into system. Then I chose the
restore back into the system when the computer was working well but also failed.
Luckily, a restore point had been created while the system was working perfectly so I
finally restored the computer back into system and started to worked perfectly

Due to some experience and being used to the environment, it now took me less time to solve
some problems as my knowledge in IT things has increased and I now had many ways to solve
the tasks I would have been assigned.

CONCLUSION
In a nutshell, the month of August was extremely beneficial to me, as I managed to
participate in many activities and interact with other staff members from almost all
departments which helped me improve my communication skills, interpersonal relationship
and other social skills which also helped me to gain confidence when working around others.

Lastly, I managed to gain a lot of technical skills as more tasks were assigned during the
month of August than ever before and with minimum and sometimes no supervision.
Working as a team was also key in improving my technical skills and completing some tasks
assigned to the me for the first time.