Please answer this in the comments area, using you first and last names:
Where do you plug in the IDE ribbon cable from the hard drive?
Where do you plug in the IDE ribbon cable from the CD-ROM drive?
Where do you plug in the floppy ribbon cable from the floppy drive?
This week, after we finish sharing our Computer Hardware presentations, we’ll have a chance to go back to hands-on investigations of hardware. This time, though, there’ll be a twist: we’ll be working with actually functioning equipment.
That means that before and after we disassemble a computer, we’ll verify that it’s working. We’ll want to be especially careful not to damage equipment in any way. It’s not as hard as you think to be safe while working on computers.
Sure, you have to be careful not to hurt yourself, but it’s just as important to be careful with the computers so that you don’t damage them either.
Just before we go back to taking these computers apart, I’ll review the safety rules for the class. Here they are in writing:
Turn off and unplug computers before you open them.
Occasionally touch a metal part of the case to discharge static electricity. If you move about the lab, always discharge the static electricity by touching the case before you touch any device with electronic circuits.
Never open power supplies and monitors. They have powerful electrical charges built up in their capacitors.
Never force a hardware component into place. Ask Mr. Ross if you’re not sure how you’re doing it. You’ll get a feel for how to do it eventually.
There’s a right and a wrong way to do anything. Be sure you’re doing it the right way before you proceed.
The insides of computer cases often have jagged edges that can cut like a knife. Always take care to know what you’re doing where. A slip of the hand can cause a cut.
If you follow these simple rules, you can take computers apart to work on them without damaging them – or yourself. Computers don’t break easily if you take ordinary care.
Today we each get a device to take a deeper look at. I’ll spread some devices around our tables and you’ll all get to choose something. All of the parts of a computer are valuable and interesting, but just to be fair, we’ll pull names out of a hat to get started. Once you’ve got your device, you’ll begin to research it on the Internet.
As usual, our goal is a PowerPoint presentation, only this time everybody gets to contribute, building slides about their particular part. We’ll all participate in formatting the final presentation, and together we’ll learn how to improve our PowerPoint skills.
Of course, I appreciate anyone helping others when they can, both with research and with using PowerPoint. I also recommend using Notepad or Microsoft Word to build a research document. Each person can turn in the research document for extra points.
I look forward to this new, more in-depth look at the computer and its hardware components. We’ll be adding in printers, keyboards, mice, monitors, and other peripherals we left out in our first look.
Our final product will be called Computer Hardware.
Here’s a question:
Why would you want to test the voltages of the drive power connectors? If they tested okay, what would that mean? If they tested wrong or zero power, what would that mean?
This is all about troubleshooting isn’t it?
It’s also about 5 bonus points!
To prepare for our multimeter lab, go on the Web and find the following:
A page that explains how to use a multimeter, and
A page that explains the voltages we might find if we test the drive power connectors inside our computers.
Once you find this information, study it in preparation for our lab.
And here’s a bonus challenge to submit as a comment to this post:
Which voltage is used by which function of the floppy/hard/CD-Rom drives?
Winners will get five points added to the Electricity Project. Go for it!
Answer this question with one word for each term:
A (volt, amp, ohm, watt) is a unit of ___________. Your answer should be in the form of:
word, word, word, word
in the order they’re given in the question.
The correct answer is worth 5 points added to your Electricity Project score.
Submit your answers by commenting on this post using this name format:
firstnamelastname
All comments must follow this format perfectly to get the 5 points.
Good luck!
This is a project for individuals, not teams.
Learning the basic terms used in the measurement of electricity can be very helpful for understanding what happens inside a computer. Learning how devices manipulate and transform electricity and data also helps us know how computers work.
Check out the following terms – using Google, Wikipedia, howstuffworks, and other websites – and report back to the class, using PowerPoint, Web pages, or a Word doc:
Again, research and explain each of these terms and devices. Be sure to include their relevance to computers. Appropriate graphics are quite helpful in explaining things. Be thorough but straight to the point.
Please cite your work following MLA citation style (use EasyBib to make it easy). Links to MLA style and EasyBib are over on the right side of this blog’s page.
This can be finished is a single block of worktime.
