K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum

Technology and Livelihood Education

Content Standard Performance Standard

The learner demonstrates The learner independently provides

understanding of basic concepts, quality and marketable service in
underlying theories and core
computer hardware servicing in terms of
competencies in computer systems
and networks. computer systems and networks
installation and diagnose and trouble
shoot computer systems as prescribed in
the TESDA Training Regulation.

MODULE 3:
INSTALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND
NETWORKS

Number of Sessions (Time Allotment): 60 Hours (2 Quarters)

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 Welcome to the next level of your modular training in Computer Hardware
Servicing (CHS) under the Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Course. In this module you will have a great deal of understanding of Installing
Computer Systems and Networks. At the end of this module you will be able to apply
the knowledge and skills on installing computer hardware, operating system, software
components and networks. Those skills are essential for you to pass the National
Certification II in Computer Hardware Servicing.

In this module, topics will be introduced progressively lesson by lesson for easy
understanding. After carefully answering the diagnostic assessment, reading all the
lessons, answering all the guide questions, masterfully performing all the activities,
showing evidences of learning and finally answering the summative test, then you will
have a considerable knowledge and skills in installing computer systems and networks
essential to be successful in computer hardware servicing as one of the career option
in ICT.

Reminder! Just follow the instructions given in this module. Now let us start
exploring new things in this module.

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 In this module, there will be three (3) major topics that you will encounter: (1)
plan and prepare for installation; (2) install hardware and software components and
operating systems; and (3) conduct test on the installed computer system. The three
major topics contain sub-topics that discuss the details on installing computer
systems and networks. This module contains what to KNOW, what to PROCESS,
what to REFLECT and UNDERSTAND as well as what to TRANSFER. The
competencies for this module are:

LO 1. Plan and prepare for installation

• Observe Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures in planning for
installation activity in accordance with requirements
• Familiarize with computer hardware, software component and other peripherals
in accordance with established procedures on correct operation and safety
policies
• Consult appropriate/ technical personnel to ensure that work is coordinated with
others who are involved in the activity
• Obtain materials necessary to complete the work in accordance with established
procedures
• Check the materials received against job requirements

LO 2. Install equipment/devices (hardware, software components and

peripherals) and operating systems
• Follow OHS procedures in installing devices, systems, networking devices, and
peripherals
• Comply with the requirements in installing devices,/systems, networking
devices, and peripherals
• Install computer systems, networking devices and peripherals in accordance
with job requirements
• Perform installation of devices and variety of operating systems in accordance
with customer/client’s requirements
• Obtain approval from appropriate personnel before implementing contingency
procedures
• Respond to unplanned events or conditions in accordance to established
procedures
• Check the quality of the work undertaken in accordance with the established
procedures

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LO 3. Conduct test on the installed computer system
• Follow OHS policies and procedures in conducting tests
• Check circuits and systems being isolated using specified testing procedures
• Test devices, systems and/or installation to determine its conformity with the
requirements
• Undertake final inspections on the installed devices, systems to ensure
conformity with the requirements
• Accomplish technical reports on the tests conducted
• Follow procedures in forwarding documentation to appropriate personnel and/or
authority on the test conducted

In order to master the above listed competencies, you must be knowledgeable

of the topics under what to KNOW, perform activities required under what to
PROCESS, accomplish additional meaningful tasks under what to REFLECT and
UNDERSTAND and finally show some evidences of your learning by transferring what
you have learned in a different context under what to TRANSFER.

You will be challenged to dig deeper into your prior knowledge and previous
experiences about computer hardware servicing.

SKILLS TEST
Direction: Listed below are some of the most important skills that you must
gain in order to render quality service when you enter the real world of Computer
Hardware Servicing. Read the skills carefully. Write “YES” if you are familiar with the
skill and “NO” if not. Feel free to answer each skill. Write your answers in your
notebook.

Skills in Computer Hardware Servicing YES NO

I can open a computer case.
I can connect the mouse.
I can connect the keyboard.
I can connect the monitor.
I can apply occupational health and safety precautions while working.
I can remove the system fan.
I can detach the power supply from the system unit.
I know how to remove the RAM from the motherboard.
I can remove the hard drive from the system unit.
I can install the power supply.
I know how to install the motherboard.
I can install the internal drives in a system unit.
I know how to attach RAM in the memory socket.
I can install CD / DVD drives.

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I know how to install an operating system
I know how to configure a hardware components and its related software
I know the procedures in testing the installed computer components

The following topics will enable you to be familiar with planning and preparing
for installation, install equipment and devices, and conduct test on the installed
computer system. All you need to do is to read carefully all the topics and apply the
skills you’ve gained through the distinct activities provided in this module.

LESSON 1: PLAN AND PREPARE FOR INSTALLATION

This lesson is intended to develop your skills in planning and preparing for
installation of computer devices and operating system. At the end of this lesson you
are expected to:
• Observe OHS policies and procedures in planning for installation activity in
accordance with requirements
• Familiarize with computer peripheral/ devices/systems in accordance with
established procedures correct operation and safety
• Consult appropriate/ technical personnel to ensure that work is coordinated with
others who are involved in the activity
• Obtain materials necessary to complete the work in accordance with
established procedures
• Check the materials received against job requirements

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy – An Information and communication

technology (ICT) student should know how to behave when working in the computer
laboratory, as well as implement a safe way of accomplishing every task. Safety
practices should be learned early and always adheres in working with any electrical
and electronic device, including personal computers and its peripherals. This is for
your protection as well as to the people working with you,

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and for the devices that you are using. The basis for this process begins with
Occupational Health and Safety Policies.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a planned system of working to prevent

illness and injury where you work by recognizing and identifying hazards and risks.
Health and safety procedure is the responsibility of all persons in the computer and
technology industries. You must identify the hazards where you are working and
decide how dangerous they are. Eliminate the hazard or modify the risk that it
presents.

Occupational Health and Safety standards

Each student has a responsibility to their colleagues and their organization to
report and act upon any potential workplace hazard. Students need to be aware of the
type of hazards that are possibly present in their work environment.

Procedure
1. Identify the hazard
2. Clear the area close to the hazard
3. Partition the hazard off or clearly identify the area to protect other people
from harm
4. If the hazard is easily and safely cleared, then do so
If not…
5. Report the hazard to the appropriate person (such as teacher in charge,
principal etc.) to obtain assistance
6. Following clearing of the hazard fill out the correct documentation to assist
in identifying improved practice to reduce further incidence of hazards.

All hazards must be reported using Accidental Report form. This enables us to
track the kinds of hazards we have in our workplace, and take action where necessary
to make it safer for all student and clients.

Accident reports

Forms are used to give specific details with regards to the accidents happened
in the laboratory during experiments.

Accident reports contain the following details:

▪ Name of the person injured

▪ Date and time of the accident
▪ Type of injury
▪ First aid given
▪ Action taken to prevent further accidents

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Accident report sample form

Date:

Form No: Accident Report Form

Rm. No:

Name: Yr/Sec:

Type of Injury Cause of Injury Remedy

Hazardous substances
If the workplace hazard appears to be dangerous to staff and clients and
professional assistance is required:
A. Call the supervisor or manager and advise them of the problem and the
urgency of the matter.
B. Depending on the risk it may be called as an evacuation.
C. Follow the evacuation procedure.
D. The supervisor or manager will call in the fire brigade or specialized
personnel who will deal with the spill.

Fire exits
All fire exits should be kept clear of from obstacles. All students have a
responsibility to make sure that chairs, empty boxes or any other type of obstacle are
not placed in or near fire exit doorways.
All corridors also need to have equipment stored on one side only to ensure
that in the event of an emergency there is a clear exit.

Fire Safety Procedure

Each work area has a designated fire warden, who in the event of a fire will take
charge. They are recognized by the wearing of a red hard hat.

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If you find the fire

• Assess the danger prior to doing anything.

• If it is safe to move assist anyone in the vicinity of the fire away from danger.
• If it is possible close the door to the fire area.
• Call for assistance. Verbally call FIRE, FIRE, in a loud and clear voice.
• Break the glass section of the fire alert call point.
• Call to the switch; ensure you know where the fire is, any other details that may
be of assistance to the fire brigade. Details could be size of the fire, cause or
type of fire, any people hurt or trapped, has anyone tried to put it out.
• If safe to do so, attack the fire with the correct extinguisher or fire hose.

If the designated fire officer is not present, someone quickly needs to take
responsibility and:

1. Locate the source of the fire.

2. Locate any people.
3. Remove all people from the building.
4. Once outside do a head count?
5. Notify the authorities.

Personal Safety While Working with PC’s

Computer equipment can be dangerous, and you or others can be injured or
even killed if you don’t follow proper safety guidelines when working along with PC’s.
The following are some precautionary measures to take before working with any
computer equipment:
• Wear shoes with non-conductive rubber soles to help reduce the chance of
being shocked or seriously injured in an electrical accident.
• Do not work on components that are plugged into their power source.
• Do not remove expansion cards from a computer when it is turned on.
• Remove jewelries when working inside any computer related equipment.
• Be sure not to mix electronic components and water.

Applying OH&S Policies

1. Group yourselves into six members.

2. Conduct a simulation on: “Applying OHS Policies and Procedures”.

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3. The performance will be rated according to the following:

Performance Criteria:

5 - Have shown five OHS policies in different areas

4 - Have shown four OHS policies in different areas
3 - Have shown three OH&S policies in different areas
2 - Have shown two OH&S policies in different areas
1 - Have not shown any OH&S policies

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTER
A computer is one of the most brilliant inventions of mankind. Thanks to the
computer technology, we were able to achieve storage and processing of huge
amounts of data; we could rest our brains by employing computer memory capacities
for storing information. Due to computers, we have been able to speed up daily work,
carry out critical transactions and achieve accuracy and precision in work. Computers
of the earlier years were of the size of a large room and were required to consume
huge amounts of electric power. However, with the advancing technology, computers
have shrunk to the size of a small watch. Depending on the processing power and size
of computers, they have been classified under various types. Let us look at the
classification of computers.
Different Types of Computers
Based on the operational principle of computers, they are categorized as
analog, digital and hybrid computers.
Analog Computers: These are almost extinct today. These are different from a digital
computer because an analog computer can perform several mathematical operations
simultaneously. It uses continuous variables for mathematical operations and utilizes
mechanical or electrical energy.

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 Figure1. Different Types of Computer

Digital Computers: They use digital circuits and are designed to operate on two
states, namely bits 0 and 1. They are analogous to states ON and OFF. Data on these
computers is represented as a series of 0s and 1s. Digital computers are suitable for
complex computation and have higher processing speeds. They are programmable.
Digital computers are either general purpose computers or special purpose ones.
Special purpose computers, as their name suggests, are designed for specific types
of data processing while general purpose computers are meant for general use.
Hybrid Computers: These computers are a combination of both digital and analog
computers. In this type of computers, the digital segments perform process control by
conversion of analog signals to digital ones.
Classification of Computers
The following are the classification of the different types of computers based
on their sizes and functionalities:
Mainframe Computers: Large organizations use mainframes for highly critical
applications such as bulk data processing and ERP. Most of the mainframe computers
have the capacities to host multiple operating systems and operate as a number of
virtual machines and can substitute for several small servers.
Minicomputers: In terms of size and processing capacity, minicomputers lie in
between mainframes and microcomputers. Minicomputers are also called mid-range

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systems or workstations. The term began to be popularly used in the 1960s to refer to
relatively smaller third generation computers.

Servers: They are computers designed to provide services to client machines in a

computer network. They have larger storage capacities and powerful processors.
Running on them are programs that serve client requests and allocate resources like
memory and time to client machines. Usually they are very large in size, as they have
large processors and many hard drives. They are designed to be fail-safe and resistant
to crash.
Supercomputers: The highly calculation-intensive tasks can be effectively performed
by means of supercomputers. Quantum physics, mechanics, weather forecasting,
molecular theory are best studied by means of supercomputers. Their ability of parallel
processing and their well-designed memory hierarchy give the supercomputers, large
transaction processing powers.

Figure2. Classification of Computer

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Microcomputers: A computer with a microprocessor and its central processing unit it
is known as a microcomputer. They do not occupy space as much as mainframes do.
When supplemented with a keyboard and a mouse, microcomputers can be called
personal computers. A monitor, a keyboard and other similar input output devices,
computer memory in the form of RAM and a power supply unit come packaged in a
microcomputer. These computers can fit on desks or tables and prove to be the best
choice for single-user tasks.
Personal computers come in different forms such as desktops, laptops and
personal digital assistants (refer to Figure 3). Let us look at each of these types of
computers.
Desktops: A desktop is intended to be used on a single location. The spare parts of
a desktop computer are readily available at relatively lower costs. Power consumption
is not as critical as that in laptops. Desktops are widely popular for daily use in the
workplace and households.
Laptops: Similar in operation to desktops, laptop computers are miniaturized and
optimized for mobile use. Laptops run on a single battery or an external adapter that
charges the computer batteries.

Figure3. Types of Personal Computer

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Netbooks: They fall in the category of laptops, but are inexpensive and relatively
smaller in size. They had a smaller feature set and lesser capacities in comparison to
regular laptops, at the time they came into the market.
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs): It is a handheld computer and popularly known
as a palmtop. It has a touch screen and a memory card for storage of data. PDAs can
also be used as portable audio players, web browsers and smart phones. Most of them
can access the Internet by means of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication.
Tablet Computers: Tablets are mobile computers that are very handy to use. They
use the touch screen technology. Tablets come with an onscreen keyboard or use a
stylus or a digital pen. Apple's iPod redefined the class of tablet computers.
Wearable Computers: A record-setting step in the evolution of computers was the
creation of wearable computers. These computers can be worn on the body and are
often used in the study of behavior modeling and human health. Military and health
professionals have incorporated wearable computers into their daily routine, as a part
of such studies. When the users' hands and sensory organs are engaged in other
activities, wearable computers are of great help in tracking human actions. Wearable
computers do not have to be turned on and off and remain in operation without user
intervention.

Direction: Identify the type of computer being described in the following sentences
and write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. These are mobile computers that are very handy to use.

2. They are computers designed to provide services to client machines in a
computer network.
3. They are also called mid-range systems or workstations.
4. A computer with a microprocessor and its central processing unit.
5. They fall in the category of laptops, but are inexpensive and relatively smaller in
size.
6. A type of computer which is intended be used on a single location.
7. They use digital circuits and are designed to operate on two states, namely bits 0
and 1.
8. Computers that have the capacities to host multiple operating systems and
operate as a number of virtual machines and can substitute for several small
servers.
9. It is a handheld computer and popularly known as a palmtop.
10. These computers can be worn on the body and are often used in the study of
behavior modeling and human health.

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COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEVICES AND PERIPHERALS
As an aspiring computer technician, it is very important to know the system that
runs your computer and different devices attached to it. Each device plays an
important role, without each other computer system will not work properly.
What is an Operating System?
The operating system is the most
important program that runs on a computer. Every
general-purpose computer must have an operating
system to run other programs. Operating systems
perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from
the keyboard, sending output to the display screen,
keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and
controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and
printers.
For large systems, the operating system has
even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a
traffic cop -- it makes sure that different program and users running at the same time
do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for
security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.
Operating systems can be classified as follows:
o Multi-user: Allows two or more users to run programs at the same time.
Some operating systems permit hundreds or even thousands of concurrent
users.
Linux
Unix
Windows 2000
o Multiprocessing : Supports running a program on more than one CPU.
Linux
Unix
Windows 2000
o Multitasking : Allows more than one program to run concurrently.
Unix
Windows 2000 and Windows multi point
o Multithreading : Allows different parts of a single program to run
concurrently.

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 Linux
Unix
Windows 2000 and Windows 7
o Real time: Responds to input instantly. General-purpose operating
systems, such as DOS and UNIX, are not real-time.

Operating systems provide a software platform on which other

application programs can run. The application programs must be written to run on top
of a particular operating system. Your choice of operating system, therefore,
determines to a great extent the applications you can run. For PCs, the most popular
operating systems are DOS, OS/2, and Windows, but others are available, such as
Linux.

What are the devices of a computer?

The physical, touchable, electronic and mechanical parts of a computer are

called the hardware which is composed of different devices attached to the computer.
The following list represents a basic set of devices found in most Personal
Computers.
1. System Unit- The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the chassis. It
includes the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, Memory Chips, Buses,
Ports, Expansion Slots and Cards.

Figure4. Tower Type System Unit

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2. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board- The main circuit board of a
computer. It contains all the circuits and components that run the computer.

Figure5. Modern Motherboard

3. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The processor is the main “brain” or “heart” of a
computer system. It performs all of the instructions and calculations that are needed
and manages the flow of information through a computer.

Figure6. Examples of CPU (Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD Athlon)

4. Primary storage- (internal storage, main memory or memory) is the computer's

working storage space that holds data, instructions for processing and processed data
(information) waiting to be sent to secondary storage. Physically, primary storage is a
collection of RAM chips.

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 Two (2) Types of Memory
a. ROM – (Read Only Memory) ROM is non-volatile, meaning it holds data even
when the power is ON or OFF.
b. RAM – (Random Access Memory) RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only
when the power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are lost.

Figure 7.Examples of RAM

5. Expansion Bus - A bus is a data pathway between

several hardware components inside or outside a
computer. It does not only connect the parts of the CPU to
each other, but also links the CPU with other important
hardware.

Figure 8.Expansion Bus

6. Adapters- Printed-circuit boards (also called interface

cards) that enable the computer to use a peripheral device
for which it does not have the necessary connections or
circuit boards. They are often used to permit upgrading to
a new different hardware.
Figure 9. Adapter (Network Adapter)

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 7. Power Supply Unit (PSU) - Installed in the back corner
of the PC case, next to the motherboard. It converts 120vac
(standard house power) into DC voltages that are used by
other components in the PC.

Figure10. Power supply

8. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - Also known as hard drive,

is a magnetic storage device that is installed inside the
computer. The hard drive is used as permanent storage
for data. In a Windows computer, the hard drive is
usually configured as the C: drive and contains the
operating system and applications.

Figure 11.Hard Disc

9. Optical Drive- An optical drive is a storage device

that uses lasers to read data on the optical media.
There are three types of optical drives: Compact Disc
(CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu-ray Disc
(BD).
Figure12. CD ROM

10. Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) - Designed to

optically access data stored on a DVD. A laser
moves back and forth near the disk surface and
accesses data at a very fast rate.

Figure 13.DVD ROM

What are the input and output devices of a computer?

The devices attached to a personal computer can be classified into two- the
input and output devices. Input Device is composed of a device that accepts data and
instructions from the user or from another computer system. While, output

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device is any piece of computer hardware that displays results after the computer
has processed the input data that has been entered.

Two (2) Types of Input Devices

1. Keyboard Entry – Data is inputted to the computer through a keyboard.
Keyboard - The first input device developed for the PC. Data is transferred to
the PC over a short cable with a circular 6-pin Mini-din connector that plugs into
the back of the motherboard.

Figure14. Keyboard

2. Direct Entry – A form of input that does not require data to be keyed by someone
sitting at a keyboard. Direct-entry devices create machine-readable data on paper,
or magnetic media, or feed it directly into the computer’s CPU.

Three Categories of Direct Entry Devices

1. Pointing Devices - An input device used to move the

pointer (cursor) on screen.
• Mouse - The most common 'pointing device' used
in PCs. Every mouse has two buttons and most
have one or two scroll wheels.

Figure15. Mouse

• Touch screen- A display screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or

stylus. Used in myriad applications, including ATM machines, retail point-
of-sale terminals, car navigation and industrial controls. The touch screen
became wildly popular for smart phones and tablets.

Figure16. Touch Screen Devices

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 • Light Pen - A light-sensitive stylus wired to a video terminal used to draw
pictures or select menu options. The user brings the pen to the desired point
on screen and presses the pen button to make contact.

Figure17. Light Pen

• Digitizer Tablet - A graphics drawing tablet used for sketching new images
or tracing old ones. Also called a "graphics tablet," the user contacts the
surface of the device with a wired or wireless pen or puck. Often mistakenly
called a mouse, the puck is officially the "tablet cursor."

Figure18. Digitizer Tablet

2. Scanning Devices- A device that can read text or

illustrations printed on paper and translates the
information into a form the computer can use.

Figure19. Image scanner

Figure20. Bar Code Reader

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3. Voice- Input Devices - Audio input devices also known as speech or voice
recognition systems that allow a user to send audio signals to a computer for
processing, recording, or carrying out commands. Audio input devices such as
microphones allow users to speak to the computer in order to record a voice message
or navigate software.

Figure 21. Microphones

Output Devices

1. Computer Display Monitor- It displays information in visual form, using text and
graphics. The portion of the monitor that displays the information is called the
screen or video display terminal.

Types of Monitor
a. CRT Monitors - Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) were the only type of displays for use
with desktop PCs. They are relatively big (14" to 16" deep) and heavy (over 15 lbs).

Figure22. Types of Monitor

b. LCD Monitors – Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology has been used in laptops
for some time. It has recently been made commercially available as monitors for
desktop PCs.

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c. LED Monitors (Light Emitting Diode) - A display and lighting technology used in
almost every electrical and electronic product on the market, from a tiny on/off light
to digital readouts, flashlights, traffic lights and perimeter lighting.

2. LCD Projectors- utilize two sheets of polarizing

material with a liquid crystal solution between them. An
electric current passed through the liquid causes the
crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them.
Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing
light to pass through or blocking the light.

FFigure23. LCD Projector

3. Smart Board - A type of display screen that has a touch sensitive transparent
panel covering the screen, which is similar to a touch screen.

Figure24. Smart Board

4. Printer - A device that prints text or illustrations on paper.

Types of printer

a) Ink-Jet or Bubble-Jet Printer - spays ink at a sheet of paper. Ink-jet printers

produce high-quality text and graphics.
b) Laser Printer - Uses the same technology as copy machines. Laser printers
produce very high quality text and graphics.
c) LCD and LED Printer- Similar to a laser printer, but uses liquid crystals or light-
emitting diodes rather than a laser to produce an image on the drum.
d) Line Printer - Contains a chain of characters or pins that print an entire line at
one time. Line printers are very fast, but produce low-quality print.

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 Figure 28.Types of Printer

(e) Thermal Printer- An inexpensive printer that works by pushing heated pins against
heat-sensitive paper. Thermal printers are widely used in calculators and fax
machines.

5. Speakers - Used to play sound. They may be built into

the system unit or connected with cables. Speakers allow
you to listen to music and hear sound effects from your
computer.

Figure 29.Speaker

What is a Storage Device?

Aside from the devices attached on a PC, there are also the so called storage
devices that perform a special task in computing system. Storage device is any
apparatus for recording computer data in a permanent or semi-permanent form.

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 Figure 30.Storage Devices

Types of storage devices

Floppy diskette- is a random access, removable data storage medium that can
be used with personal computers. The term usually refers to the magnetic
medium housed in a rigid plastic cartridge measuring 3.5 inches square and
about 2millimeters thick. Also called a "3.5-inch diskette," it can store up to 1.44
megabytes (MB) of data.

Compact disc (CD) – also called optical disc is a nonmagnetic, polished

metal disk used to store digital information. The disc is read by the CD- ROM.
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)- an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte
storage capacity on a single-sided, one-layered disk, which is enough for a 133-
minute movie.
Jump drive and USB flash drive- is a plug-and-play portable storage device
that uses flash memory and is lightweight enough to attach to a key chain. A USB
drive can be used in place of a floppy disk, Zip drive disk, or CD.
Hard drive- is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer.
The operating system, software titles and most other files are stored in the hard
disk drive.