Component | Company | Picture | Description | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monitor | Acer PC |  | Acer G215H Abd 21.5" LCD Monitor - 1080p, 1920x1080, 16:9, 50000:1, 5ms, VGA, DVI | 1 | $129.99 |
Keyboard | Logitech |  | Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution, Bluetooth, Rechargeable Laser Mouse, Keyboard with Built-in LCD Display and Palm Rest | 1 | $148.49 |
Mouse | Logitech |  | Logitech 910-001105 Performance Mouse MX, Wireless, Laser Tracking, Works On Glass, Rechargeable, Hyper-fast Scrolling, PC and Mac compatible | 1 | $82.99 |
CPU | Thermaltake Casing |  | Thermaltake Spedo Advance Full-Tower Case, Black | 1 | $198.88 |
Webcam | Logitech QuickCam |  | Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF Webcam (960-000111) - 2.0 Megapixel, Motorized Pan, Tilt, AutoFocus | 1 | $96.99 |
Headset | Logitech |  | Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 - 7.1 Channel, 2.4GHz Wireless Connection, 3 Programmable G-Keys, 10 Hour Battery Life, Voice Morphing | 1 | $109.99 |
Printer | HP |  | HP Color LaserJet CP2025dn Color Laser Printer - 600 x 600 dpi, 21 ppm Black, 21 ppm Color, USB, Ethernet, 540 MHz, 128MB, Duplex | 1 | $349.99 |
Scanner | Xerox |  | Xerox DocuMate 150 Sheetfed Scanner - 18ppm,600 dpi, 24-bit Color, 8-Bit Mono, USB | 1 | $269.99 |
Ups | APC |  | APC BX900R 900 VA Back-UPS Battery Backup - 900VA, 120V, 540-Watts, Black | 1 | $89.99 |
Joy Stick | Thrustmaster |  | Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Flight Stick - PlayStation 3/PS3 and PC Compatible, 12 Programmable Buttons, 5 Axles | 1 | $29.99 |
(b) Internal hardware components, cost, image and function
| Component | Company | Picture | Description | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Motherboard | Intel |  | Intel Desktop Board DP55KG Motherboard - LGA1156, Intel P55, DDR3, Intel DMI, SLI, CrossFireX, RAID | 1 | $159.99 |
Sound Card | SB X-FI |  | Creative Labs SB X-FI Titanium PCIe Sound Card | 1 | $69.99 |
Video Card | Radeon |  | XFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 Video Card - 2048MB, GDDR5, PCIe, Dual mini-Display Port, HDMI, Dual DVI | 1 | $349.99 |
Removable Video Disc | Plextor |  | Plextor PX-B320SA Blu Ray Combo Writer - BD-R 6X, DVD+R 16X, DVD+RW 8X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD-RAM 12X, CD-R 48X, SATA, Lightscribe (OEM) | 1 | $74.99 |
RAM | Kingston |  | Kingston KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX HyperX Desktop Memory Kit - 8GB (2 x 4GB), PC3-12800, DDR3-1600MHz, 9-9-9-27 CAS Latency, Intel XPM Ready | 2 | $102.99 |
HDD | Western Digital |  | Western Digital WD10EARS Caviar Green Hard Drive - 1TB, 3.5", SATA 3G, 64MB Cache, GreenPower | 2 | $54.99 |
Power Supply | Thermaltake |  | Thermaltake TRX-750M TR2 Modular Power Supply - 750-Watt, 80 Plus, 4X PCI-E, 6X SATA | 1 | $109.99 |
CPU Cooling Fan | Masscool |  | Masscool 8W553 / Socket 775 / Aluminum / CPU Cooling Fan | 1 | $11.99 |
Windows 7 Operating System | Microsoft |  | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System Software - UPGRADE Version - DVD | 1 | $119.99 |
(c) The Environment Considerations in the Disposal of Computer Hardware and OH+S considerations in the use of computer equipment.
Computer disposal like every other electronic gadget has been a global issue going on around especially more seriously from the last past decade.
Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor, specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when disposed of. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals). Over 314 million computers were thrown away at the end of 2007, containing 1.2 billion pounds of lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 1.2 million pounds of hexavalent chromium, and 400,000 pounds of mercury.
Some of the problems computer recycling has are, after upgrading computer systems; most organizations store their old computers, which serve as backup equipment in case newer computers break down. These old computers often sit in storage well beyond their potential useful life. At some point, a decision must be made about disposal of this equipment. Continuing to store it is often not a viable option, it eventually takes up a considerable amount of space. The least desirable option is to throw old computers into the bin. Computer recycling comes to the fore in every scenario possible, not just the effect it has upon the environment, there is also the possibility of someone removing hard drives and recovering sensitive data.
So, Considering the Environments before the disposal of computer hardware, it is best to go to accredited recycle places, one for your security and two for the safety of the environment and the general well being.
Considering the OH+S of the use of computer equipment, we’ll be looking at the ergonomics of a computer work station. The term “Ergonomics”, defines as the scientific discipline that concerns itself with the general well being of human in relation to their work place. A good ergonomically workstation, will allow a worker to work with a neutral and ideally comfortable computer keyboard, mouse and screen shield to prevent rays from the bright screen of a monitor. Also, put into consideration are Wrist rests and support braces. The Work place environment must be well ventilated, minimal noise, and good lighting. The ergonomically practice that enhances or supports good health especially with the use of a computer are; Eye break every 15minutes, Rest breaks over 30-60miutes and exercise breaks over every 1-2hours.
Reference: Article is being combined from the original works of John Petiffer at http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Pettifer & as posted on the blog of Jimmy Sukhsimran http://jimmy-sukhsimran.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html
(d) The Functions of a Computer Operating System
The main functions of an OS are schematically shown below:
In a multitasking operating system where multiple programs can be running at the same time, the operating system determines which applications should run in what order and how much time should be allowed for each application before giving another application a turn.
1. It manages the sharing of internal memory among multiple applications.
2. It handles and monitors input and output to and from attached hardware devices, such as hard disks,
printers, and dial-up ports.
3. It sends messages to each application or interactive user (or to a system operator) about the status of operation and any errors that may have occurred.
4. It can offload the management of what are called batch jobs (for example, printing) so that the initiating application is freed from this work.
5. On computers that can provide parallel processing, an operating system can manage how to divide the program so that it runs on more than one processor at a time. |
6. Scheduling the activities of the CPU and resources to achieve efficiency and prevention of deadlock. 7. Creating a file system 8. Copying, deleting, moving files 9. Multitasking programs 10. Starting the computer 11. Interfacing with the hardware 12.Programs intercommunication 13. Networking Reference : http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0116844/function.htm |
(e) A Description of the Boot Process
1. The computer is powered up and the BIOS chip takes control. The BIOS checks the memory and other hardware connected as well as any drives connected, based on the settings stored in the CMOS (a chip on the motherboard that contains user changeable settings and has battery backup to retain those setting when power is turned off). The CMOS contains a sequential list of the bootable devices present. The BIOS looks on the first sector of the first device in that sequence for the MBR (Master Boot Record). If not found it proceeds to the other boot devices listed, in sequence. When found, control is passed to the MBR.
2. The MBR contains the partition information (Partition Table) for the disk as well as a small amount of code called the IPL (Initial Program Loader). The MBR reads the Partition Table into memory and passes control to the IPL. The IPL directs the process to search for a partition marked "Active." It then reads the 1st sector of that partition, which is known as the boot sector. Only one partition can be marked active on any drive. Although not required, it is good practice to always mark an active partition on any drive you install. The boot sector code is normally written when an operating system is installed to a drive or by the drive manufacturers installation software when initially installing the drive so as to make the drive “bootable.“ It defines the system type and passes control to the proper file. That file is the NTLDR in a Windows NT system such as XP. (In Win9x the boot sector code loads the IO.SYS file). (see note 3.)
3. The NTLDR reads the BOOT.INI file which is located on the root of the primary active drive. If there is more than one operating system available, the BOOT.INI menu will be displayed for a preset period of time to allow for user selection. If no selection is made by the user, the default selection will be used when the time setting expires. If only one operating system is available, the menu will not appear regardless of the preset time value. The boot.ini file tells NTLDR where the Windows system folder is located. NTLDR then loads the NTDETECT.COM file into memory to later assist in hardware detection and passes all the information it has accumulated along to the NTOSKRNL.EXE file and releases control to it.
4. The NTOSKRNL.EXE file loads the necessary software and hardware drivers to support the system as it is instructed by the registry located in the Windows files.
Note 1. (If there is no BOOT.INI file present, the system can still boot if XP is installed on the primary partition of the first HDD (C :). In that case, the NTLDR will look for the NTDETECT.COM file on the root of the C: drive and assume that Windows is installed on that same drive.)
Note 2. On a dual boot system with XP and any Win9x system, it is best to install the Win9x system first. Then when you install XP, it will rewrite the boot sector and replace the MSDOS code with the proper code for booting an NT type system. It will also create a file that can substitute for the MSDOS code it has removed from the boot sector and name it msdosdetect.com. That file will be placed on the root of the primary drive and an entry made in the boot.ini file so that the boot process can be given back to the MSDOS system when selected. If instead, you install Win9x after you install XP, it will rewrite the boot sector and XP will no longer be bootable unless you make repairs. The Recovery Console of XP can be used to repair the boot sector by running the "BOOTFIX" command.
Note 3. In a dual boot situation, if you delete the primary partition it will render the dual boot inoperative. XP requires a primary active partition that can hold the necessary bootloader files in order to be bootable. That means you will always have to have a C: drive with at least the bootloader files present or else use a different boot media to access the system. A boot floppy or CD will suffice if you construct it properly.
2. The MBR contains the partition information (Partition Table) for the disk as well as a small amount of code called the IPL (Initial Program Loader). The MBR reads the Partition Table into memory and passes control to the IPL. The IPL directs the process to search for a partition marked "Active." It then reads the 1st sector of that partition, which is known as the boot sector. Only one partition can be marked active on any drive. Although not required, it is good practice to always mark an active partition on any drive you install. The boot sector code is normally written when an operating system is installed to a drive or by the drive manufacturers installation software when initially installing the drive so as to make the drive “bootable.“ It defines the system type and passes control to the proper file. That file is the NTLDR in a Windows NT system such as XP. (In Win9x the boot sector code loads the IO.SYS file). (see note 3.)
3. The NTLDR reads the BOOT.INI file which is located on the root of the primary active drive. If there is more than one operating system available, the BOOT.INI menu will be displayed for a preset period of time to allow for user selection. If no selection is made by the user, the default selection will be used when the time setting expires. If only one operating system is available, the menu will not appear regardless of the preset time value. The boot.ini file tells NTLDR where the Windows system folder is located. NTLDR then loads the NTDETECT.COM file into memory to later assist in hardware detection and passes all the information it has accumulated along to the NTOSKRNL.EXE file and releases control to it.
4. The NTOSKRNL.EXE file loads the necessary software and hardware drivers to support the system as it is instructed by the registry located in the Windows files.
Note 1. (If there is no BOOT.INI file present, the system can still boot if XP is installed on the primary partition of the first HDD (C :). In that case, the NTLDR will look for the NTDETECT.COM file on the root of the C: drive and assume that Windows is installed on that same drive.)
Note 2. On a dual boot system with XP and any Win9x system, it is best to install the Win9x system first. Then when you install XP, it will rewrite the boot sector and replace the MSDOS code with the proper code for booting an NT type system. It will also create a file that can substitute for the MSDOS code it has removed from the boot sector and name it msdosdetect.com. That file will be placed on the root of the primary drive and an entry made in the boot.ini file so that the boot process can be given back to the MSDOS system when selected. If instead, you install Win9x after you install XP, it will rewrite the boot sector and XP will no longer be bootable unless you make repairs. The Recovery Console of XP can be used to repair the boot sector by running the "BOOTFIX" command.
Note 3. In a dual boot situation, if you delete the primary partition it will render the dual boot inoperative. XP requires a primary active partition that can hold the necessary bootloader files in order to be bootable. That means you will always have to have a C: drive with at least the bootloader files present or else use a different boot media to access the system. A boot floppy or CD will suffice if you construct it properly.
Reference : http://www.windowsbbs.com/windows-xp/62474-windows-xp-boot-process.html
(f) The Relationship between an Application program, the operating system and hardware
Computer Hardware consists of the physical components that make up a computer. Some examples are and Microprocessor, a Hard Drive, or a Motherboard.
Computer Software consists of applications or programs that the user runs on a computer, such as a word processor or a video game.
An Operating System is a specific piece of software that allows other software to manipulate computer hardware to achieve a desired effect. Some Operating Systems are Microsoft Windows, Unix/Linux, or Apple OS
Basically the three interact as follows:
Hardware <-> Operating System <-> Software
(<-> specifies an interaction between two components.)
Reference: http://hi-fiblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/relationship-between-application.html
(g) Description of the different PC and Macintosh Operating Systems
PC vs Mac
Another advantage for PCs is the huge choice of hardware configurations that users have. You can have a standard PC, a gaming PC, a multimedia PC, or any other configurations. You can even upgrade or simply change your configuration at a later date if you want to. With Macs, the choices are quite limited and so are the upgrades. Because Apple has control over which hardware can be used with their Macs, it is easy for them to implement a support system to deal with bad units. Users can have them repaired or replaced rather easily. With PC hardware, different manufacturers handle support differently. Resulting in varied results and an overall lower level than with Macs.
http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-pc-and-mac/
PC vs Mac
The dispute between Mac and PCs have been around for quite some time and has led to the quite hilarious Mac vs PC ads from Apple. PC actually stands for personal computer or a computer, typically a desktop, that is for personal use. Although Macs are technically PCs, along with other computers that run different flavors of Linux, the term PC has become exclusively associated with computers that are running the Microsoft Windows OS. Mac has its own OS, developed by Apple, and it is quite different from Windows.
As the PC is still the most popular in the world, it is understandable why most developers want to create programs for that platform rather than for Macs; a wider audience equates to more possible customers and more profit. Because of this, you are more likely to find a specific type of software that you want on a PC than on a Mac as clearly indicated by the almost barren selection of modern games on the Mac. Unfortunately, popularity works both ways as coders of malicious software also want to target the bigger audience, explaining why viruses, trojans, worms, and the like cause major problems on PCs. The lack of the same on the Mac does not mean that it is immune, it simply means that coders do not think it is worthwhile to exploit the Mac’s weaknesses.
Another advantage for PCs is the huge choice of hardware configurations that users have. You can have a standard PC, a gaming PC, a multimedia PC, or any other configurations. You can even upgrade or simply change your configuration at a later date if you want to. With Macs, the choices are quite limited and so are the upgrades. Because Apple has control over which hardware can be used with their Macs, it is easy for them to implement a support system to deal with bad units. Users can have them repaired or replaced rather easily. With PC hardware, different manufacturers handle support differently. Resulting in varied results and an overall lower level than with Macs.
Summary:
1. PC stands for personal computer while the Mac is one kind of PC
2. PCs usually run the Windows OS while Macs use their own OS
3. PCs have a wide selection of software while Macs are pretty limited
4. PCs are more vulnerable to security threats and malware than Macs
5. PCs come in a much wider variety than Macs
6. Macs have a better overall support than PCs
1. PC stands for personal computer while the Mac is one kind of PC
2. PCs usually run the Windows OS while Macs use their own OS
3. PCs have a wide selection of software while Macs are pretty limited
4. PCs are more vulnerable to security threats and malware than Macs
5. PCs come in a much wider variety than Macs
6. Macs have a better overall support than PCs
http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-pc-and-mac/
