Improve your knowledge of computers
- Learn more about Microsoft applications.
- Improve your job prospects
- Study in your own time and at your own pace.
- Highly experienced and helpful tutors.
Duration: 100 hours
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 13 Lessons in this course as follows:
1 Hardware Components
2 Peripherals
3 Operating Systems (Windows, DOS etc)
4 Files and Folders
5 Office Applications
6 Windows Accessories Programs
7 Disk Management
8 Installation of Software
9 Trouble Shooting
10 Microsoft Word
11 Microsoft Excel
12 Microsoft Access
13 Microsoft Powerpoint
WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE
Below are some activities you will do in this course:
- Explain the role of the motherboard and the CPU in a computer system.
- Briefly, describe the evolution computer systems, starting from the first IBM PC through to the most currently generally available systems available today. Make special reference to changes that you deem to be 'significant' leaps in this evolutionary process.
- Name five things that the motherboard is responsible for supporting.
- Explain how modems measured in terms of performance.
- Compare three different types of printers (i.e. inkjet, laser and dot matrix) and explain how they differ in the ways that they produce a printed page.
- Define the following computer terms: screensaver, wallpaper, device driver, sound card
- Discuss ‘Brief case’, when might you use this feature, and how a brief case can be added to your desktop.
- List the advantages and disadvantages of having several windows open at the same time and describe two situations that either illustrates advantages and/or difficulties than might be encountered when you work with more than one window open.
- In order to install or set up a new printer, write down what you would click on or type for each step and what would happen when that was done on the computer.
- Choose a software program (different to your set task) of your choice, and write about the steps involved with its installation onto a hard drive.
- You are trying to run a DOS program and you get an Insufficient Expanded
- Memory error message in a DOS window. If expanded memory on your computer is set to Auto, how can you correct this problem?
- A computer stopped working after a violent electrical storm so the customer stopped using it for a year, he has finally brought it to you to look at because the keyboard isn't working and it will not boot. List the steps you would take to determine what is wrong with it and write what your opinion of what is damaged.
Do You Understand Why Computer Data Can Disappear or Become Corrupted?
Possibly the biggest threat to computer software is a virus. Viruses are small computer programs that are run accidentally, usually without the user being aware. They sometimes copy themselves to any disk that is put in the computer and after a certain period of time they may activate and cause unexpected results. They can have effects from the annoying caterpillar that crawls across the screen to extremely dangerous viruses that can cause damage to the data on your hard disk or the memory in your printer.
Software viruses are mini programs that duplicate themselves and attach their replicas to other programs and documents, much in the way a biological virus multiplies. Some viruses are harmless and others can destroy years of work in seconds. Effectively viruses can be classified within two categories: Worms and Trojan Horses.
There is only one way available to avoid getting a virus on the computer, it consists of isolating the computer from the rest of the world; that is disconnect it from any networks and modems, mainly the internet. You should also never connect any CD ROMS, flash drives, DVDs or portable Hard Disk drives.
If this is not possible then you should buy a virus scanner and scan each disk when you first get it. A scanner should be updated regularly as new viruses are constantly being released.
As well using virus scanners you should check you system for the presence of Malware.
Malware is a multitude of programs that sneak themselves on to a user’s PC when certain websites are visited, or are hidden in seemingly legitimate programs.
These include Spyware, which sends details back to the maker; Adware, which opens advertising pop-up windows in the user’s browser and Hijackers, which takes over the user’s browser and redirects all searches to a specific site. These programs, apart from being annoying, can have a seriously adverse effect on the performance and reliability of the PC. To prevent downloading of these programs without your knowledge don’t install freeware and shareware programs from the internet. However if such programs are already loaded then there are suitable software programs that can be bought to remove these programs. Ironically, you can also download free from the internet, Sybot Search and Destroy which is a good anti-Malware application. This can be downloaded from www.safer-networking.org.
Corruption of Data
Data can be corrupted by many different means.
If there is a power surge during the writing of data, the process of writing can be disrupted and data lost. Such a surge of power may happen in any of the following situations:
- An electrical storm
- Someone accidentally disconnecting or switching off the power
- An electrical device elsewhere in the same building switching on or off (Devices which use high voltage such as an electric urn are notorious for such problems).
Data can be corrupted by temperature extremes. In very cold climates, some computers need to be kept warm overnight. In hot climates, air conditioning should be used to keep room temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius.
Physical damage can also cause data corruption. A scratch, grease, or other foreign matter on a CD or DVD may result in permanent damage. If a sudden power outage occurs when a flash drive is inserted in the computer, it highly likely that the data stored on that drive is lost or that the drive itself becomes corrupt.
Data may also be lost as a result of an honest mistake.
People who use computers are often working faster than their conscious mind can think -hence many actions can become sub conscious. There is however a problem in that an error in the operators action may not be seen and corrected fast enough (eg. The operator means delete a particular file, but deletes the one above it instead).
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