NORTHLINK

TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGE
COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC II
UC1: Install and Configure Computer Systems

Learning Outcomes:
1. Assemble computer hardware
2. Install operating system and drivers for peripherals/devices.
3. Install the computer application software
4. Conduct testing and documentation

Information Sheet 1.1: Computer Hardware

Use the Right Tool for the Job

Whenever possible, use the tool designed to do the job at hand. This might seem obvious to most of you, but don’t use a
knife when you need a screwdriver. Don’t use a screwdriver designed for large heads on small-head screws. Using the
wrong tool for a job can cost you both in time and equipment. Bleeding all over a motherboard you just sliced into would just
add insult to injury, so avoid it!
Tools
Devices that can be used to produce or achieve something, but that is not consumed in the process.
e.g. screwdrivers, CD Installers
Equipment
Set of devices assembled for a specific purpose.
e.g. system unit, monitor, printer
Materials
The part or element of which a thing is made or composed. Anything which can be replaced.
e.g. volts, drives, cables

Common Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Protection Devices

ESD protection devices help to ensure a longer and more productive life for your PC components. These devices include
antistatic wrist and ankle straps, antistatic mats, antistatic floor mats, and antistatic bags. Antistatic devices make your
body’s electrical potential the same as the electrical potential of your PC or component.

Everything has a certain electrical potential, or how charged it is relative to the zero ground of the Earth. Note the term
relative. If your body has a +3000-volt charge and you touch a component that also has a +3000-volt charge (working in the
International Space Station, perhaps?), no damage will occur. As far as you and the component are concerned, you’re at
the same electrical potential. Touch a component that has a –3000-volt charge, on the other hand, and watch the sparks fly!

One of the most important steps you can take to prevent the effects of ESD is grounding yourself before you handle PC
components. Do this by touching a metal surface such as the exterior of the PC power supply before touching any of your
system components.

Antistatic Wrist and Ankle Straps

Antistatic wrist and ankle straps, fondly called “nerd bracelets” by many techs, keep you at the same relative electrical
ground level as the computer components on which you’re working. Antistatic straps wrap around your wrist or ankle with an
elastic strap attached to a long grounding wire. On some models, the grounding wire attaches to a metal clip that you attach
to a metal device to ground yourself. The figure here shows an antistatic wrist strap grounded to a computer chassis. Others
have a prong that you plug into the ground wire of an electrical wall outlet. Antistatic wrist and ankle straps use a one-
megohm resistor that is suitable for protection against only very low-level static electricity. They are unsuitable as protection
against high voltage and can even make high-voltage shocks more dangerous! Make sure that you always remove your
antistatic strap before working on or near high-voltage components.
Antistatic Mats

Portable antistatic mats provide a work surface that dissipates ESD. They look much like large place mats or those baby-
changing mats that come with diaper bags. The thing that distinguishes them is that they have a small metal clip that you
can attach to an antistatic strap to ground out ESD. In addition to helping prevent ESD, these mats help keep your work
area organized by giving you a place to put your tools and components while you work.

Antistatic Floor Mats

Antistatic floor mats are basically the same as portable antistatic mats, except much larger. Instead of placing them on top
of your work area, you place your work area on top of the antistatic floor mat.

Antistatic Bags

Antistatic bags have a special coating or contain small filaments that help dissipate any static charge. Always store adapter
cards and drives in antistatic bags when not in use and when transporting—even if you’re just going down the hall or across
the room. Note that regular plastic or paper bags will not protect your components. In fact, plastic baggies conduct static
electricity rather than prevent it, so don’t use them!

Special antistatic sprays dissipate static charges built up in your clothing. Commonly used to prevent unsightly
static “cling,” they are also good to use before you start working on PCs. Some folks also use these sprays to try to protect
their work areas from the effects of ESD, but this is not an effective or recommended procedure. Never use these sprays
directly on your components!

Gloves
A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger including the thumb. Gloves
protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide
a guard for what a bare hand should not touch.
By avoiding direct contact between an operator’s skin and ESD-sensitive components, ESD gloves give an extra layer of
protection. Usually composed of materials that dissipate static electricity, these gloves are tailored to suit the hands
comfortably.

ESD apron
An ESD apron is a protective garment worn by workers to reduce the risk of electrostatic discharge. The apron is made of a
conductive fabric that allows for the dissipation of static electricity. It is designed to be worn over regular clothing and is
used in manufacturing and electronic assembly processes. ESD aprons come in various sizes and colors and are available
with adjustable straps for a comfortable fit.

Hand Tools
A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a physical system using only hands. Hand tools can be used
manually or electrically powered, using electrical current. Examples of Hand Tools are as follows:

Table 1. Hand Tools

Tool Description

Flat Head Screwdriver – Used to loosen or tighten slotted screws.

Philips Head Screwdriver – Used to loosen or tighten cross-head screws.

Torx Screwdriver - Used to loosen or tighten screws that have a star-like

depression on the top, a feature that is mainly found on laptop.

Hex Driver – Sometimes called a nut driver, is used to tighten nuts in the same
way that a screwdriver tightens screws.

Needle-Nose Pliers – Used to hold small parts.

Wire Cutter – Used to strip and cut wires.

Tweezers – Used to manipulate small parts.

Part Retriever – Used to retrieve parts from location that is too small for your
hand to fit.
 Flashlight – Used to light up areas that you cannot see well.

Cleaning Tools
Having the appropriate cleaning tools is essential when maintaining or repairing computers. Using these tools ensures that
computer components are not damaged during cleaning. Examples:

Table 2. Cleaning Tools

Tools Description

Lint-free Cloth – Used to clean different computer components without

scratching or leaving debris.

Compressed Air – Used to blow away dust and debris from different computer
parts without touching the components.

Cable Ties – Used to bundle cables neatly inside and outside of a computer.

Parts Organizer – Used to hold screw, jumpers, fasteners and other small parts
and prevents them from getting mixed together.

Diagnostic Tools
Computers are easier to use and more dependable with each new generation of hardware and operating system update,
but that does not mean they are problem-free. Here are the most popular tools for diagnosing your computer problems:

Table 3. Diagnostic tools

Tools Description
 Multimeter – Used to test the integrity of circuits and the quality of electricity in
computer components.

Loopback Adapter – Used to test the functionality of computer ports.

Self-Check 1.1

1. A special coating or contain small filaments that help dissipate any static charge. Always store adapter cards and
drives in antistatic bags when not in use and when transporting—even if you’re just going down the hall or across
the room.
2. Used to clean different computer components without scratching or leaving debris.
3. Used to hold screw, jumpers, fasteners and other small parts and prevents them from getting mixed together.
4. is a device for performing work on a material or a physical system using only hands. Hand tools can be used
manually or electrically powered, using electrical current.
5. Used to test the functionality of computer ports.

Information Sheet 1.2: Assemble and Disassemble Computer Hardware

Computer disassembly
Whether you’re taking apart your computer to scrap it, install new components, clean it, or just to see how it works, our
guide shows you how to take it all apart, then put it back together.
Our guide covers the most common ways computers are put together, but computers and manufacturers can vary. If you
can’t access a particular component when it’s listed in the guide, skip to the instructions to remove the other parts until you
can reach the original component.
Generally, the process is to unplug all the cords and cables connecting a component to other components, then remove the
part from the case or frame. Components can be attached to the case with special clips, screws, or by insertion into a
holder. In each case, no more than a small amount of force is needed to remove the part. If it’s not moving, check for more
attachments that are holding the component in place.
You will need a small Phillips-head screwdriver and depending on the manufacturer of your components, possibly a flathead
screwdriver. The metal inside the computer case can be sharp, so you might want gloves, as well.
If you are rebuilding the computer, be sure to document what area you removed components from, the order you removed
them, and what cables attach to each part. You can take pictures before each removal or write it down. Keep careful track of
the screws, as well. Keep the screws with their relevant component by screwing them back in the holes either on the
component or on the frame or by taping them to the correct location.

1 – Unplug your computer and peripheral items

Turn off the computer, unplug the power cord and unplug any
peripheral items attached to the computer, such as the
keyboard, mouse, monitor, headphones, and any external
drives.
Wear a grounding strap or touch an unpainted metal part of the computer to discharge any static electricity. If you walk
across a carpet at any point, touch an unpainted metal part of the computer again to discharge the built up static electricity.

2 – Remove side covers

Remove at least one of the side covers, usually the right side
as you face the front of the computer. You might find it easier
to access all the parts if you remove both side covers; there are
sometimes thumb screws on the covers to make access easier.

3 – Disconnect connectors
Disconnect all the connectors, then remove any card readers and internal DVD players. These are usually screwed into
place.

4 – Remove standalone fans

Remove any standalone fans. This is a good time to remove any dust, lint,
and pet hair from the fans if you’re planning on reusing them.

5 – Remove the storage drive

Disconnect the cables and remove the storage drive.
Generally, storage drives are held in place by multiple screws.
If you have a hard drive, be gentle when moving the drive as
hard bumps can damage the internal parts.

6 – Remove memory (RAM) modules

Remove the memory (RAM) modules by pushing the
clips on both ends of the module down. This will cause
the module to pop up for easy removal. Do not touch
the gold connectors on the chips if you’re reusing the
modules. If you're not reusing the RAM, find out how
it can be used in other applications.

7 – Remove power supply unit

Remove the power supply unit by unplugging the remaining connectors, then unscrewing the unit from the frame.
8 – Remove motherboard adapter or expansion cards
Remove any adapter or expansion cards from the motherboard. Although these cards usually slide into preconfigured slots,
there can be screws. Do not touch the gold connectors on the cards if you’re reinstalling the cards.
9 – Remove the motherboard
Disconnect all the cables from the motherboard, then unscrew it from the frame by loosening each screw a little bit before
going around again to loosen each screw properly. This prevents any potential warping of the motherboard by gradually
releasing the tension on it.
All the components should now be out of the computer case. If you’re reusing the case, this is a good time to get rid of all
the dust and lint that might have collected.
Computer reassembly
If you are rebuilding the computer, insert the components in the opposite order you removed them, starting with the
motherboard. Plug in all the cables as you insert the component; most items will plug into the motherboard and the power
supply unit.
Congratulations, you’ve disassembled, and possibly reassembled your computer!

Self-Check 1.2

Identification: Assemble and Disassemble Computer Hardware

1. __________: A tool commonly used to secure or loosen screws during computer assembly.
2. __________: The component that houses the motherboard, storage drives, and power supply.
3. __________: The action you must take before handling internal computer components to ensure safety.
4. __________: A substance applied between the CPU and heatsink to improve heat transfer.
5. __________: The main circuit board where all components are connected during assembly.
6. __________: The unit responsible for supplying power to all components in the computer.
7. __________: The process of pushing clips outward to safely remove a RAM stick.
8. __________: The part of the case where storage devices like HDDs or SSDs are installed.
9. __________: The cable used to connect storage devices to the motherboard.
10. __________: A safety device used to prevent static electricity from damaging computer components during
assembly.

Information Sheet 1.3: Making a bootable Windows 10 and Windows R2

using rufus installer

Creating and using bootable disks, USB flash drives and disks
Creating a bootable disk is not just copying files from some source to where you want to create the media. This is because
in order for a disk (or other media) to be bootable, it must be physically prepared in some standard form such that
computer's hardware knows how to run the system files on it. In particular, there must be a machine code at a particular
standardized hardware address (in the "boot sector") that is loaded to RAM and executed by the built-in firmware
(traditionally contained in ROM BIOS), and this code further loads runs the operating system.
Typical tasks you will want to do are converting bootable media from one form to another (e.g. create a bootable USB disk,
USB stick or DVD from bootable ISO images, or vice versa) and to add your own files do bootable media (to create custom
self-contained system independent of any pre-existing software or operating system installed on computer). For example,
many operating systems come packed in forms of ISO images (including Windows and Linux). New computers may be sold
without bootable media and it is wise to create a rescue DVD or USB stick to use in case of troubles. Subsequent sections
will provide step by step instructions instruction for performing various combinations of such tasks. Shortly, you may add the
following conversions:

Creating Bootable USB Disk or Flash Drive from an ISO image

 What to know!
 Download and open Rufus. Insert a USB drive and select it from the list. Choose Disk or ISO image.
 Go to Select > choose the ISO image > Standard Windows installation > Start.
 Wait for the status to say "Ready," then close Rufus and remove the USB drive.

How to Burn an ISO to USB With the Rufus Tool

"Burning" an ISO image file to a USB device, like a flash drive, usually takes less than 20 minutes, but the total time
depends a lot on the size of the ISO file. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just copying the file over to the USB device.

Note: Properly burning an ISO to USB is different than copying the file or burning it to a disc. With ISO burning, you're not
technically "burning" anything to a USB drive. Adding to the complexity is that you plan to boot from the USB drive once the
ISO image is on it.

Step 1 Download Rufus, a free tool that will correctly prepare the USB drive, automatically extract the contents of the ISO
file you have, and properly copy the files contained within it to your USB device, including any files in the ISO
needed to make it bootable.

Rufus is a portable program (it doesn't install

to your computer), works on Windows 11, 10, and 8, and will "burn" an ISO image file to any type of USB storage device
you happen to have.

Note: If you'd prefer to use a different ISO-to-USB tool, some other good ones include balenaEtcher, UNetbootin, Universal
USB Installer, and Ventoy. Of course, if you do choose another program, you won't be able to follow the instructions we've
written here because they pertain specifically to Rufus.

Step 2 Open Rufus. As we mentioned earlier, this is a portable program, meaning that it just runs as is. This is a big reason
why we prefer this ISO-to-USB program over some of the other options out there.

Note: When it first opens, you're asked whether the

program should occasionally check for updates. It's up to you whether you want to enable this, but it's best to do so if you
plan to ever use it again.
Step 3 Insert the flash drive or other USB device into your computer that you want to "burn" the ISO file to, assuming it's
not already plugged in.
Step 4 From the Device drop-down at the top of the program, choose the USB storage device you want to burn the ISO file
to.

Rufus tells you the size of the USB device, as well as the
drive letter and current free space on the drive. Use this information to double-check that you're choosing the correct device,
assuming you have more than one plugged in. Don't worry about the free space that's indicated, since you'll be erasing the
entire drive as part of this process.

Step 5 From the Boot selection drop-down, make sure Disk or ISO image (Please select) is chosen.
Step 6 Choose SELECT.

Step 7 Locate and select the ISO image you want to burn to the flash drive, and then press Open to load it into Rufus.
 Step 8 Wait while the software inspects the ISO file you chose. This might take several seconds or may go by so quickly
that you don't even notice.
Step 9 Under the Image option area, pick Standard Windows installation if you see this and if that's the case.
For example, if you're putting a Windows installation ISO image onto the flash drive, and you get this option, you'd want to
enable it for sure.

Step 10 Leave the Partition scheme, Target system, File system, and Cluster size options alone unless you know what
you're doing or you've been advised to set any of those parameters to something else.
For example, maybe a bootable tool you downloaded in ISO format advised on its website to make sure the file
system is FAT32 instead of NTFS if you're burning to USB. In that case, make that change before continuing.

Step 11 You're welcome to enter a custom volume label in the Volume label field, but leaving it at whatever the default
happens to be, or even blank, shouldn't have any impact on anything.
Step 12 Inside the Show advanced format options menu, you'll see a number of...yes, format options! You can leave all of
them in their default state, but you're welcome to select Check device for bad blocks if you're concerned the
device you're using may have an issue.
Step 13 Select START to start the "burning" of the ISO file to the USB device you chose.

Step 14 Read any warning messages and address them appropriately.

For example, select OK to the WARNING: ALL DATA ON DEVICE 'XYZ' WILL BE DESTROYED message that appears
next.

Step 15 Wait while Rufus properly formats the USB drive

so it's bootable, and then copies all the files to the drive that are contained in the ISO image you selected earlier.
Step 16 Once the status at the bottom of the Rufus
program window says READY, you can close the program and remove the USB drive.

Self-Check 1.3

Identification Quiz: Making a Bootable Windows 10 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Using Rufus
1. __________: The software used to create a bootable USB for Windows installations.
2. __________: The type of drive required to create a bootable media for Windows using Rufus.
3. __________: The file format of the Windows installation image used in Rufus.
4. __________: The partition scheme selected in Rufus for computers using UEFI firmware.
5. __________: The partition scheme selected in Rufus for computers using legacy BIOS.
6. __________: The setting in Rufus that specifies the type of file system for the USB drive.
7. __________: The storage capacity of the USB flash drive required for a bootable Windows 10 or Server 2012 R2.
8. __________: The step required after selecting the Windows ISO file in Rufus.
9. __________: The process of preparing the USB drive for bootable media creation, which erases all existing data.
10. __________: The action performed after the bootable USB is created to ensure it works on a computer.