Comp Sci 11: Hardware Lab

The goal of this lab is to acquaint yourself with computer hardware and taking computers apart.

Part 1: Prepare for the Hardware Lab

1. Protection Against Static Electricity: Read this How to ground yourself.
2. Read How to take a computer apart. Note: In the actual lab, you will only take out the following components: RAM, Hard Drive, CD Drive, Power Supply.
3. During the lab, use masking tape to label cables and your phone to take photos before taking it apart.

Part 2: Get a Working Computer

Complete the following steps:

1. Claim an old computer from the pile in room 203.
2. Hook the computer up to the testing center and see if it works by booting it into the Windows Log in Screen.
3. If it doesn't work, put it in the "dead computer" pile and get another one.
4. Once you have a working computer, label it with your names and put it on the far side of the room.

Part 3: Taking it Apart

After you take the computer apart, you MUST put it back together into its original state. Use the How to take a computer apart article for reference. Use masking tape to label cables and your phone to take photos before taking it apart.

1. Remove the RAM.
2. Remove the harddrive.
3. Remove the any cards in the machine (network, sound, video). If you have a cheap machine, it won't have any cards. :(
4. Remove the CD Drive if there is one.
5. Remove the floppy drive if there is one.
6. Remove the Power Supply.
7. Show Ms. Wear.
8. Put it all back.
9. Boot it up. If it works, show Ms. Wear. If it doesn't work, fix it.
10. Shut it down and put it back where you originally got it from.