The aim of this module is to: Give learners practical skills with the installation, configuration, troubleshooting, fault diagnosis and reporting of computer components. Give learners a theoretical understanding of the workings of the modern personal computer and associated peripheral devices. Provide learners with an understanding and an in-depth knowledge of computer hardware.
How Computers Work
- Number systems & conversions- Structure and hierarchies of memory- RAM and cache/COASt memory- Function and operation of CPUs- Bus technologies
Assembling a Computer
- Overview of The Assembly Process and Safety Issues- Preparing The Motherboard for Installation
Preventative Maintenance and Troubleshooting PC Hardware and Software
- Elements of preventative maintenance- Tools and equipment- ESD- Troubleshooting hardware and software basics- Registry problems- Windows backup and recovery
Generic Operating System Fundamentals
- Components and Services- Partitioning of Hard Disk Drives- BIOS, memory management, booting- Real versus Protected mode memory addressing
Linux Operating System
- The K Desktop Environment (KDE) - Operating System Installation- Linux/UNIX Command-Line- File systems used in Linux (Ext3, Ext4)
Windows Operating Systems
- Operating System Installation- Comparison of Windows XP and Windows 7- DOS Command-Line- File systems used in Windows (NTFS, FAT)
Multimedia
- Understanding RAMDAC and video memory- Audio and sound cards- PCIe, CD-RW, DVD, Blu-ray- Overview of Printers and Scanners
Cloud Computing and Advanced Hardware for Servers
- Virtualisation Overview- Virtualisation Technologies (VMware, MS Virtual PC, Xen)- Network server overview- Redundancy and High Availability- Adding hardware to a server
Portable Devices
- Laptops, Tablets, Smartphones and embedded devices- Communications technologies for portable devices
C Programming
- Introduction to the C Programming Language
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |