Tech Support/Networking

With a focus on system support, maintenance and basic network concepts, the 
emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of various computer 
software/hardware applications including installation, troubleshooting, 
diagnostic techniques and repair.  In addition, course content will 
including common safety and preventive maintenance procedures; basic 
networking and effective behaviors that contribute to customer satisfaction.


"I can accept failure.  Everyone fails at something.  But I cannot accept 
not trying." --Michael Jordan (American professional basketball player)

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MAGAZINE ASSIGNMENT - 1 Summary due every FRIDAY

After reading the articles, please write a 1 paragraph summary of the 
article, unless directed otherwise. From the PDF Folder:

#1 - June 2007:  Read "How to Build A Custom XP Install Disc) - Create the 
Disc
#2 - June 2007: 19 Awesome Upgrades (list the upgrades and explain why you 
would or would not do them.)
#3 - Nov 2006: "Ultimate PC Fix-IT Toolkit" - list the ingrediants
#4 - Mar 2007: "Ultimate PC Trauma Kit" - what's the difference between it 
and the Nov 2006 kit?)
#5 - Nov 2006: "Moral Compass"
#6 - May 2007: "How to Boot Faster"
#7 - Nov 2007: "Heal & Innoculate Your PC"
#8 - Aug 2007: "Power Users Guide" (what is the #1 tip?)
#9 - Mar 2007: "Windows Vista Survival Guide" (what are the recommendations)
#10 - Aug 2007:"Fix Vista Problems" (what is the number 1 problem? how do 
you fix it)
#11 - Feb 2006: "Are Bugs Killing Your PC" (list the bugs. what's the best 
defense?)
#12 - Go To: http://www.maximumpc.com/ Click on "From the Mag" and read the 
following:
  3/08 - White Paper: PC Recycling
    How To: Benchmark Your PC without Breaking the Bank
    In the Lab:  Gordon Mah Ung - Mulls Overclocking
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Week of 8/18 - 8/25
Due 8/29
Poe Story Map and Comic
Circuit Board Handout
Basic Electricity
Read Chapter 3 or Chapter 11
Vocab and Questions
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       FRIDAY 9/5 - Chapter Quiz (Units 2, 3 and 16)
Motherboards and CPUs
-Read Chapter 3 in the Enhanced A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC.
-Answer the following  Review Questions (page 165):  1, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 17, 
20, 23, 24, 29 and 32
-Page 176 (Use the Internet for Research) #1 and #4
Vocab:  Backside bus; bus; chip set; data path; expansion bus; frontside 
bus; Level 1 and Level 2 cache; north bridge; parity; south bridge; wait 
state

Due 9/5:  Review Questions, Use the Internet, Vocab

BLOG - MIDNIGHT SUNDAY    
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WEEK OF 9/8

Memory
- Read Unit 5 Handout
- Answer the Review Questions (page 232 in the Book):  2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 
12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 28, 29
- Vocab - Pages 1 and 2 of the Glossary (QUIZ ON THURSDAY)
- Article 2
- Blog 2 - Midnight Sunday
- Laptop Specs

   
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WEEK OF 9/15
- Read Unit 13 Portable Computers
- Answer Review Questions (page 1025) 16-24
- Vocab Pages 3 and 4 of the Glossary (QUIZ MOVED TO MONDAY)
- Page 176 (Use the Internet for Research) #1 and #4
- Articles 3 and 4
- Blog 3 - Midnight Sunday
- Complete Tear Apart

QUIZ MONDAY ON VOCAB AND UNIT 1

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WEEK OF 9/22
- Read Unit 17 Troubleshooting
- Answer Review Questions (page 435-436) 1-30 ODD ONLY
- Blog 4
- It's Not Working Handout
- Troubleshooting Quiz
- What's Wrong Handout

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WEEK OF 9/29

-ARTICLES 
  #5 - Nov 2006: "Moral Compass"
  #6 - May 2007: "How to Boot Faster"
-BLOG 5
-LESSON 2 Discussion in Class
-READ Unit 8: Startup Problems
-Chapter 8 (Book) Review Questions 1-30 Even ONLY

Tuesday Vocab Quiz
Tuesday 9/29 Unit 17 Quiz Even 1-14 Review Questions
FOR FRIDAY:  Question 6 (page 8-5) and Task Manager List


Sites:
http://kadaitcha.cx/xp/stop_error.html
http://support.microsoft.com/


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WEEK OF 10/6/08 - (Revised 10/9/08)

-Read this ARTICLE: http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/how-to-
guides/924_1.html

-READ ABOUT DISASSEMBLY AND REASSEMBLY AT THIS SITE: 
http://www.pccomputernotes.com/motherboards/motherboard01.htm

-After reading the articles, please write a 1 paragraph summary of each 
article (you can do both in the same document.

-Complete questions on Page 8-10 and 8-11 of the Unit 8 Startup Problems 
Handout
-Review Questions Page 8-52 to 8-55 of the Unit 8 Startup Problems
-Blog 6
-Read Unit 9 - Data storage devices
-Unit 9 Review Questions
-Complete the Tech Quizzes found under "Handouts" on this site with 80% or 
better.
Complete the Mid-Term Review found under "Handouts" on this site.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

What has been the effect of open source software on the quality of software 
products?

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WEEK OF 10/20/08
-MBR Discussion
-Unit 9 Review Questions: 4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,20,21,25,26,27
  DUE ON TUESDAY 10/21
-READ 9-26 to 9-30 (Drive Preparation)
-QUIZ TUESDAY 10/21

-Tuesday Questions
  - Explain how to format, partition and overcome HD size limitations in DOS 
and W98.
  - BONUS:  What is the size limitation in Windows NT

Due Tuesday 10/28:
Unit 9 Review Questions (assigned above)
Tuesdays Questions
Read Chapter 7, page 361 to the end
Read Chapter 14
Chapter 7 (textbook) page 394:  17, 20, 22, 26, 27 and 30

TECH LAB WEDNESDAY:

1. Steps 1 and 3 on page 395
2. Create a boot disk using the following command:
3. Create and ERD and include the registry
4. Using the Recovery Console, copy the registry files to a backup folder on 
the hard drive.

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WEEK OF 10/27

TUESDAY Complete work due

WEDNESDAY LAB DAY
Page 397 - Troubleshooting a HD Problem over the Phone
Page 397 - HD Troubleshooting
Page 776 - Using DiskProbe, Creating a W2K Antivirus Boot Disk, and Using 
Dependency Walker

THURSDAY/FRIDAY LAB DAY
REFERENCE CHAPTER 7 AND CHAPTER 12
  1.  Install new hard drive, format & partition, install W98SE
  2.  Install drivers for hardware as needed
  3.  Complete the following:
      a.  List at least six Control Panel utilities that can be used to 
configure hardware and resolve problems.
      b.  Backing Up Critical W9x Files (p661)
      c.  Using Nuts & Bolts to View the W9x Registry (p662)
      d.  Using Nuts & Bolts Registry Wizard (p663)
      e.  Preparing for a Disaster (p398)
      f.  Using Some Nuts & Bolts Diagnostic Tests (p437)
      g.  Save CMOS Setup Using Freeware (page 444)

FOR NEXT WEEK:  READ CHAPTERS 19 AND 20 IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS
POST AN ARTICLE SUMMARY FOR #7 AND #11 TO THE BLOG BY FRIDAY 11/7

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WEEK OF 11/03

Post response to Blog 7 by end of class
Continue Lab's from Friday
Chapters 19 and 20
Post an article summary under the appropriate heading on the blog site by 
Friday 11/7

HOMEWORK 11/6
Define the following virus scanners:
Conventional
Memory Resident
Behavior
Startup
Inoculate

After a virus is found what are the 3 possible results for removal?

List 4 Safeguards for Virus Protection.

CLASSWORK 11/7
Develop a backup plan; explain how to remove a virus and recommend an anti-
virus software for a friends system.

NEXT WEEK:  CHAPTER 20 THE PC Technician
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WEEK OF 11/10

Define the following: MSDS, infestation, virus, worm, trojan horse, logic 
bomb, file virus, macro, virus signature, polymorphc virus, encrypting 
virus, stealth virus

Answer questions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 15 on page 1064

Respond to the six pivotal questions that were emailed to you.

Read/Review Chapter 20 for Friday
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WEEK of 11/17 (REVISED 11/24/08)
Note:  New Blogs have been posted.  Information can be learned in Chapters 1-
4 of the yellow textbook.

Due 11/25/08
  Post your Facts and Answer your question on the Protocol Study Guide 
GoogleDoc
  11/21 Homework
  Network Components Poster

Due 12/5 (NOTE NEW DATE) - See email regarding your topics
  Research and Presentation Project
    Fairhurst - Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model (Overview 
and first 2 layers)
    House - Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS)/Open Date-Link 
Interface (ODI)
    Nixon - IEEE 802 standards
    Smith - Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model (LAST 5 
layers)
    Wright - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)



FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND:
Review Network Media, Topologies and Types (Reference yellow book Chapters 
2, 3 and 4) 

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HOMEWORK FOR 11/21

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.  You should write a 
short response 3-5 sentences for each question.

1.  With what other protocols did TCP/IP initially compete?  How did TCP/IP 
come to dominate the Internet infrastructure?

2.  What were the benefits of TCP/IP?

3.  What role did the Cold War play in the invention of TCP/IP?
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WEEK OF 12/1/08

Network Media, Topologies and Types (Reference yellow book Chapters 
2, 3 and 4) 

Online Tutorial can be found at: 
http://www.lantronix.com/resources/networking.html

DUE MONDAY 12/8
1.  From Networking Basics - Page 59 - Critical Thinking
Using the Internet and other sources, research the problems associated with 
wireless communication.  What is being done to address these problems?  
Write a one-page paper on your findings.

2.  Research online for sample network diagrams.  Choose a diagram and be 
prepared to explain the diagram to the class in a general fashion (i.e. be 
able to identify the server, workstation(s), main connection types, etc.)

3.  Networking Crossword Puzzle


Week of 12/8:  Network Design (Topology)and Architectures (refer to chapter 
3 and 4 in the yellow textbooks).

Week of 12/15: Data transmissions (pages 33-42) and IP Addressing

Week of 1/5:  Network Security

NOTE:  I HAVE POSTED TWO pdf chapters that cover the basics of this course.  
Check under HANDOUTS for the two items: Network 1 and Network 2
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WEEK OF 12/8

Due 12/10 - Class/Homework:  10.3 Topology Review Notes and 10.4 Defining 
Format

Blog Questions 5-7 are due on 12/12/08
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WEEK of 12/15 and 1/9

Final Project (Final Exam) - Gotcha Network
  Research due 12/19
  Model due 1/9
  Report due 1/14

Scavenger Hunt - Extra Credit 50 points.  See Winter Scavenger Hunt document 
under Handouts.

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WEEK of 1/12

Smith, Wright and Fairhurst - COMPLETE report and model.  Plan Presentation.

House and Nixon - Complete Display Board.  See Ms. Bennett for help.  

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LAB MAKEUP WORK

It is your responsibility to make-up missed lab days by completing one of 
the following:

1.  Write a summary for any of the magazine articles not assigned above.
2.  Print a current tech article and write a summary.  Submit both.
3.  Write a short essay on one of the following:
   a.  Why might some theorists believe that if something has been done a 
certain way for a long period of time that society should prevent technology 
from changing it?  What are examples of technologies that should not have 
been developed because of the changes that they created?

   b.  Telemedicine and its strengths and weaknesses.

   c.  Future warfare and the possibilities of smart equipment in the field 
that changes the soldier's landscape of the battlefield.