CS10001: Computer Literacy – Homework Assignment #2 (D. Reed) 1

CS10001: Computer Literacy Homework Assignment #2

Name: ______________________________

Due Date: March 3, 2009

Part 1: Evaluating System Components (40 points) Some of the important hardware components of our computer systems are the CPU, hard disk, and RAM. To find out more about these components on your personal computer, perform the following steps to evaluate your system. You will need this information later in Part 2 when you research the cost of replacing these parts. Evaluating the CPU and Hard Disk:

1. Select Start My Computer. 2. At the upper left are System Tasks. Select the “View system information” option. 3. From the General tab, you should see details about the CPU’s manufacturer, part number and speed.

Record that information in the space provided:

CPU manufacturer: _____________________ CPU part number: ______________________ CPU speed: ___________________________

4. From the Hardware tab, select the Device Manager. 5. At the Device Manager box, click on the “+” sign next to the Disk drives icon to expand the view. 6. You should see details about the hard disk’s part number. Record that information in the space provided:

Hard disk part number: _____________________

7. Before closing the Device Manager box, expand the Processors icon by clicking on the plus sign. Do you notice any information that may already be familiar to you? _____________________________________

8. Use Prnt Scrn to copy the screen shot. Paste the screen print in a new Word document and save the file naming it hardware.doc (for Office 2007 users, save the file with the extension of .doc, not .docx). Upload this Word file to your server account and place it in your CS10001 folder.

Evaluating RAM:

1. Visit the Memory-up Web site at http://www.memory-up.com/ and select the second method provided to begin an auto check of your system. 2. At the next window, read about the company’s Privacy and Safety statements by linking on to “Tell Me More”. Close that window when you are finished. 3. Select the “Click to Download” option and follow the steps provided to run the system scan. A file named “Mup_Profiler.exe” will be placed on your Desktop. Double-click this file to run it (make sure you are still connected to the Internet). 4. An analysis of your system should appear in a new browser window. Record the information about your system’s RAM in the space below:

Total slots: __________________________________ Installed: ___________________________________ Memory module used: _________________________

CS10001: Computer Literacy – Homework Assignment #2 (D. Reed) 2

Part 1: Evaluating System Components (40 points) – cont’d.

5. Use the scroll bar and center the analysis information in the browser window. Use Prnt Scrn to copy the screen shot. Paste the screen print in a new Word document and save the file naming it rameval.doc (for Office 2007 users, save the file with the extension of .doc, not .docx). Upload this Word file to your server account and place it in your CS10001 folder. 6. Review the Memory-up Web site and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Based on the icons presented, and your knowledge about secure and reliable Web sites, what might you conclude about this particular site? Defend your answer with one paragraph (be concise with your sentences). 7. Close all software applications and browser windows.

Part 2: Researching the Cost of Replacement Parts (60 points) Open a new browser window and visit http://www.pricewatch.com to search for CPU and hard disk replacements. Use the part numbers obtained from your evaluation to conduct the search. Look at the results of the search. Select the option to Read More under a few listings. Compare the same component among different vendors. Choose a vendor that best fits your needs and answer the following questions. Replacing the CPU:

1. What is the cost of a CPU replacement for your system? _______________________________

2. What is the name of the vendor for this replacement CPU? _____________________________

3. List other pertinent information about this replacement provided by the vendor:

a. Other part numbers

b. Bus speed

c. Process speed

d. Number of cores

e. Cache levels and sizes

CS10001: Computer Literacy – Homework Assignment #2 (D. Reed) 3

Part 2: Researching the Cost of Replacement Parts (60 points) – cont’d.

4. Use the scroll bar and center the information about the vendor of your choice in the browser window. Use Prnt Scrn to copy the screen shot. Paste the screen print in a new Word document and save the file naming it cpu.doc (for Office 2007 users, save the file with the extension of .doc, not .docx). Upload this Word file to your server account and place it in your CS10001 folder.

Replacing the Hard Disk: 1. What is the cost of a hard disk replacement for your system? ____________________________

2. What is the name of the vendor for this replacement hard disk? __________________________

3. List other pertinent information about this replacement provided by the vendor:

a. Manufacturer

b. Capacity

c. Condition

d. Interface

e. Spindle speed

f. Buffer size

g. Seek time

h. Latency

4. Use the scroll bar and center the information about the vendor of your choice in the browser window. Use Prnt Scrn to copy the screen shot. Paste the screen print in a new Word document and save the file naming it harddisk.doc (for Office 2007 users, save the file with the extension of .doc, not .docx). Upload this Word file to your server account and place it in your CS10001 folder.

Replacing RAM: Visit http://www.pricewatch.com and search for RAM. Under the Technology heading, select the RAM hyperlink located under the Memory sub-heading. At the next window, enter the name of your system (Inspiron 6400 for example) in the search box and select the “System Memory” radio button to begin your research. Look at the results of the search. Select the option to Read More under a few listings. Be sure that the name of your computer is displayed under the product you choose. Compare the same component among different vendors. Answer the following questions about your research:

1. What is the cost of a replacement RAM module for your system? ____________________________

2. What is the name of the vendor for this replacement RAM? ________________________________

3. List other pertinent information about this replacement provided by the vendor:

a. Manufacturer

b. Module size

c. Module speed

d. Type

CS10001: Computer Literacy – Homework Assignment #2 (D. Reed) 4

Part 2: Researching the Cost of Replacement Parts (60 points) – cont’d.

4. Use the scroll bar and center the information about the vendor of your choice in the browser window. Use Prnt Scrn to copy the screen shot. Paste the screen print in a new Word document and save the file naming it ram.doc (for Office 2007 users, save the file with the extension of .doc, not .docx). Upload this Word file to your server account and place it in your CS10001 folder.