Fall06Term2Assignments
11-3-06
- Answer these questions on your wiki,
- Hand it in instead of your WeeklyUpdate
- Hand it in on the last day of class this week
- Did your group hand it in?
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
FixingBrokenComputers
- What are all those programs that start themselves? - Make a List
- How do you turn off programs that start themselves? - Figure it out, pass the word
- How long does it take for your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
- How quickly can you get your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
11-2-06
- Answer these questions on your wiki,
- Hand it in instead of your WeeklyUpdate
- Hand it in on the last day of class this week
- Did your group hand it in?
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
FixingBrokenComputers
- What are all those programs that start themselves? - Make a List
- How do you turn off programs that start themselves? - Figure it out, pass the word
- How long does it take for your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
- How quickly can you get your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
10-31-06
- Did your group hand it in?
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
FixingBrokenComputers
- What are all those programs that start themselves? - Make a List
- How do you turn off programs that start themselves? - Figure it out, pass the word
- How long does it take for your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
- How quickly can you get your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
Radio/podcasting
- Intercollegiate Broadcasting System workshop this weekend - http://www.ibsradio.org/ http://www.frontiernet.net/~ibs/2005-Boston-OngoingWorkshop.htm
10-30-06
- Due at the start of the class
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
- What are all those programs that start themselves? - Make a List
- How do you turn off programs that start themselves? - Figure it out, pass the word
- How long does it take for your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
- How quickly can you get your computer to turn on? - Use a timer, document it on your wiki
10-27-06
- WeeklyUpdate
- Due at the start of class.
- Do not write it or print it during class.
- You can hand it in late by the end of the day
- Due at the start of the first class next week (Monday)
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
- Both partners need to be on task all period
- One person with the computer at all times
- make sure you return your workspace in a clean and orderly manner.
- Leave the student work machines in functioning order.
Junker Computers
- There are a bunch of junker computers in the schools.
- they are mostly macs,
- Most of them are the colorful bubble macs
- They were probably built in 99 or 98
- They will go away today or maybe tomorrow
- If you would like to experiment with one or two, let me know asap
10-25-06
- Make the computer be everything the Aida software requests
- Identify the updates
On task with the current project
- Do not wander the room
- If you need to use a different computer to search for information or downloads you can, but do it quickly and efficiently.
- One person should be with your computer at all times.
- make sure your workspace is properly cleaned up at the end of class.
- Due at the start of the first class next week (tuesday)
- Check out the assignment at ReportontheComputer
10-24-06
- Make the computer be everything the Aida software requests
- Identify the updates
- Due date to be determined
- Make a report on the computer
- What was the computer?
- What have you done to improve it?
- What else can you do to the computer?
- If you had money, how would you spend it?
- What is the best you can make this computer be?
- There are a few machines in the room that need to be repaired.
- If you are in good shape with the current project, see Mr. Connors
10-20-06
- WeeklyUpdate due at the start of class.
- late Updates will be accepted after class ends
- don't write it during class
- Make the computer be everything the Aida software requests
- Identify the updates
- Due date to be determined
- Make a report on the computer
- What was the computer?
- What have you done to improve it?
- What else can you do to the computer?
- If you had money, how would you spend it?
- What is the best you can make this computer be?
- There are a few machines in the room that need to be repaired.
- If you are in good shape with the current project, see Mr. Connors
10-19-06
- Due this week
- Use Print Selection to print only the stuff you wrote this week.
- Don't shrink the page if it is just one page
- if it is more than one page, print two pages per sheet
- Run the software on your computer
- Check out all the cool stuff it finds
- Go to the Reports menu and generate a report of all the features of your computer
- Save the report as a plain text file
- Create a page on your wiki called AidaReportOne You might use your computer's name (instead of One)
- Print the report from your wiki, 4 sheets to a page
- Look through the report for the reccomendations
- Follow the reccomendations
10-18-06
- Due this week
- Use Print Selection to print only the stuff you wrote this week.
- Don't shrink the page if it is just one page
- if it is more than one page, print two pages per sheet
- Fixing Broken Computers (FBC)
- If you have an operating system run the AIDA software from major geeks
- Here's the link - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=181
- Check with Robin and Gretchen about their process
- If you are stalled on what to do, ask for help
- document your process and troubles on your wiki
- you should have a page on your wiki dedicated to this computer you are working on.
- Make sure you return the student use computers to full function at the end of class.
- don't mess with the student computers if you don't have to.
- If you don't have an operating system, try a search for "operating system on a floppy" or "os on a floppy" or "linux on a floppy"
10-16-06
- Keep your group on task with your work
- Check the class wiki for information
- Make sure your wiki is up to date with your work
- Sitting around is not an acceptable activity
10-13-06
- Mr. Connors probably can't speak to the class
- Keep your group on task with your work
- Check the class wiki for information
- Make sure your wiki is up to date with your work
- Sitting around is not an acceptable activity
- If you did not hand in a WeeklyUpdate last week, you should hand it in today.
- make sure your equipment is put away at the end of class, monitors especially need to be tucked away better.
- If you disconnect a network cable from a student workstation, make sure it gets returned at the end of class.
- If you have an operating system
- check out what it is, make some notes
- Run this software on your machine http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=181
- Copy the information about the hardware and software to your wiki
- Find out how to make your machine work better.
- what can you do to increase performance?
- Make a plan to increase the performance one feature at a time.
- Ask for help, but don't get pushy, your classmates have their own work to do.
- If you do not have an operating system
- Get yourself an operating system
- If your machine is older it isn't going to run xp
- What operating system will work?
- What can you make this machine run?
- What hardware or software changes can you make to have the machine run better
- You will probably need a network card to make the machine see other machines.
- Ask for help, but remember, this is your project. Don't pretend its somebody else's responsibility to get you what you want.
10-11-06
- Run this software on your computer to find out what it is.
- http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=181
10-10-06
- Keep your mouse and keyboard in your locker, don't pick from the daily use computers or from the parts bins.
- Have you handed in the information about what your computer is? (see 10-5-06 below for details)
- How do I know I have ordered the correct RAM?
- What operating system can run on your machine?
- Do you need to wipe out the hard drive of personal informaton?
- What hardware is missing from your computer?
10-5-06
- All the information from the outside of the computer
- All the information you gather from today's effort
- Outside of computer information should include:
- All markings left by the manufacturer
- Manufacturer's name, model name, fcc id, microsoft tag
- Any hand written notes by previous technicians or owners
- Observational info about the condition of the computer (what do you see?)
- Inside of computer information should include:
- Operating syststem information what os and version
- Hardware information, hard drive, ram, processor,
- Software, what is on the machine? Make a list of the installed programs.
- If there is personal information on the hard drive, you will need to format the drive. Don't go poking around on it.
- Answer these questions about your computer cadaver and hand a print of the responses before you open the case.
- What is the history of this computer?
- What would it have been good at doing?
- What was the problem with this computer?
- Why did it end up in the pile of broken computers?
Documenting the inside of the computer
Plug in the power supply. Turn the computer on. Attach a monitor, mouse and keyboard. If you can't get the screen to show, you may need to replace the video card, then close the machine up again.
- Make a text document on the computer to write up the following information.
- Installed programs
- Operating System and version
- Hardware information, hard drive, ram, processor
- Call it yournames_ComputerCadaver.txt
- Add the text document to your wiki
- Print it and hand it in
Fixing Broken Computers
The goal in this project is to take a computer that is not working and make it work properly in the most efficient manner possible. In the school and community, there are examples of computers that are broken. Some of them are piles of parts, some work, but may behave unpredictably, most will be someplace between.
You need to know what you are trying to solve pretty early in the process. You should not touch anything carelessly, let alone take it out befoe you understand what it is. If you don't know what it is or if it needs attention, don't take it out.
Make notes on your FixingBrokenComputers page
Label the machine with your names. You will be using the same computer for this project.
What is the computer?
Does it have any known problems?
What is the processor, ram, hard drive, Operating System
Process
- Assess-
- First Do No Harm
- Check the easy stuff first.
- Does the computer power up?
- If it does, check everything you can before you start touching any parts.
- Look at the software side before you get at the hardware.
What is the computer before you start?
What hardware?
What software?
What Operating system?
What can the computer be?
What hardware?
What software?
What Operating system?
Plan-
What does the computer need?
What hardware?
What software?
What Operating system?
What do you need?
What tools?
What supplies?
What information?
Implement-
Make the changes.
Archive any software you find/need
Save links as you look for information and software
Document- in web page form with text, photos and software.
What did you do?
How did you do it?
Where did you find your information?
What did you learn?
How would you do it differently?