INDUSTRIAL TRAINING REPORT

FOR

POST OFFICE BOX 40331 LILONGWE 4, MALAWI

DURATION: FROM 23/10/2016 TO 27/01/2017

WRITTEN BY:

REG.NO: 133001055007

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF CS&IT – 2017

DMI – ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST UNIVERSITY, MANGOCHI, MALAWI.

ACADEMIC YEAR (2016/2017)

Contents
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER 2.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

2.0 History of Niho systems ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6

2.1 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

2.2 VISION ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

2.3 MISSION ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

2.4 MORTAL ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

2.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

CHAPTER 3.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

3.0 PROJET DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

3.1 WORK UNERTAKEN ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10

3.1.0 HARWARE SERVICING.............................................................................................................................................................. 10

BASICS OF COMPUTER HARDWARE AND TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................................................. 11

HARDWARE MAINTENCE ................................................................................................................................................................. 15

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMON COMPUTER PROBLEMS .......................................................................................................... 16

HARD DRIVE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS........................................................................................................................................ 23

3.1.1 COMPUTER NETWORKS ........................................................................................................................................................... 29

NETWORK INSTALLTION .................................................................................................................................................................. 29

NETWORK MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................................................................... 31

COMPUTER NETWORKS APPROACH .............................................................................................................................................. 36

PROBLEM SENDING COMMAND IN PROGRAM ............................................................................................................................ 40

OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................................................ 43

IMAGE PROCESSING .......................................................................................................................................................................... 45

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................................................................. 46

4.1 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................................. 47

APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 48

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ABSTRACT
The industrial training was done based on several sectors which are deployed at Niho systems and
other organizations, this ranges on outlined categories of operation. Their main focus is to give
customers a better approach as entrepreneurs on handling different information technology
activities depending on problems and queries brought fourth, this is worked out depending on the
analysis of incoming client cases to give a solution but increase productivity of the company. The
operations done at the company are mainly: Hardware maintenance linked with electronics
servicing, networking, auxiliary services to the corporate sector in line with support services given
to companies in terms of consultancy. These were done on site at the organizations workshop and
externally depending on job description by client, this is linked with the support operations with
different stakeholders. Operations were done with the guidance of my supervisor Mr. R Ngwira
who allocated work schedule based on progress and client workflow at hand this would also
depend on the queries brought fourth when we visit, other orientation details were done by Mr. W
Ngwira the Managing Director. The supervisor helped in illustrating the overview on how things
are to be done thus having effective workflow.

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the report has been written by me to fulfil the curricular requirement of
BE(CSE) Bachelor of Engineering Computer Science offered by the Computer Science and
Information Technology (CS&IT) department, DMI St. John the Baptist University- Mangochi,
Malawi.

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STUDENT SIGNATURE SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank DMI - St. John the Baptist University for giving me the privilege to have an
industrial practical training, this initiative has helped me to gain more experience and exposure in
various domains available in the ICT sector. This will be useful in my future operations due to the
skills acquired through an intensive training I had at Niho systems thereby relating my academic
work with industrial applications easily. However, this has been possible with the help of my
industrial supervisor Mr. R Ngwira, the entire Niho systems team for their support through various
orientation guidelines on each project worked on during my training. Their cooperation has

brought much impact in gaining experience, via technical support in several works undertaken at
several sites. Above all I would like to thank God for the strength and wisdom not forgetting my
parents for their gesture and support in all aspects during my training.

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CHAPTER 1

1.0 Introduction
The industrial training program is part of the curriculum for the Bachelor of Engineering in
Computer Science program, as it is an initiative that helps enhance the students’ knowledge
through a practical approach via the industrial exposure. When undertaking this program, the
was a need to select an organization related to the field of study, this helped me to have an
overview on how I would acquire a job through self-search. Acquiring a placement to conduct
IPTR was a challenge for me as a student but when the job was found it indicated the student’s
capabilities to apply standard procedures and hints to obtaining a job, which were emphasized
during orientation.
To begin with, my IPTR placement application was accepted by the Niho systems,
Information Communication and Technology Department (ICT) which oversees all forms

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 of ICT related operations on board, under Mr. R Ngwira who was supervising and is a field
engineer headed by Mr. W Ngwira the managing director.
Niho systems is an enterprise ICT operator which seeks to provide the best solutions to various
stakeholders in their operations, this works based on clients’ illustration of several defects or
problems that arise on systems and numerous computer related activities. This will range from
hardware and software services including network installation, electronics servicing is done
on numerous devices such as: computer systems, printers, invertors, television sets, mobiles
etc. software operations are done through request from clients to install applications based the
need for their office use but also troubleshooting of system was done in case of application
failure and internet connectivity problems.
This report will describe some of the processes other departments are engaged in relation to
ICT oriented services this is due to the increase in use of computerized systems thereby
operating with office packages and management software’s in the several sectors. However,
this report will concentrate on the functions of the ICT department for both on site and support
services which were done in different organizations. The ICT department is where I had done
most of my training, with shifts to other departments to rectify problems available

CHAPTER 2

2.0 History of Niho systems

Niho systems is an ICT company founded by Mr. M Ngwira and was registered on 7th January
2011 it is located in area 47 sector 3, Lilongwe. Their operations are based on clients’
orientation of problems encountered and further troubleshooting is done. This has a platform
which works to provide an entrepreneurship arena for various ICT services the work on, it has
several clients ranging from the government and private sector. Some of the notable clients
we worked with apart from individuals are Care Malawi, Heifer international, UNESCO,
COOIDA, Latitude 13° hotels, Wamkulu palace and trust, Promat and Mercy high school
this was based on support services which were rendered to them depending on the queries that
were given to us on related computer system problem.

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2.1 OVERVIEW
The have set measures to find solutions to problems that arise on computer systems based on
hardware, software including networking in various areas throughout Malawi. This is possible
with a quick response to systems brought fourth but also off site jobs, classical approach in
troubleshooting is needed to rectify several defects that may arise, critical analysis is also
required to have an effective progress and implementation of networks this shall range from
planning, setup and maintenance.

2.2 VISION
To be the best in, hardware and electronics as ICT service providers in Malawi and bring the best
ever servicing technologies into the current ICT development in their printing world.

2.3 MISSION
Our mission is ensuring our partners have the possibility of prompt implementation of all technological
achievements in order to remain competitive in their business environments.

2.4 MORTAL
Niho systems, is the power beyond technology.

2.4 OBJECTIVES
• ICT enterprise thus having several ICT related products and operations through services offered such
as electronics, software and network installations.

• Support services to several stakeholders to increase productivity.

• Increased throughput in rectifying system problems thereby troubleshooting several ranges of

system.

• Creating jobs for ICT oriented youth.

2.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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 MANAGING
DIRECTOR

FIELD
ENGINEER

TECHNICAN CLERK ACCOUNTANT

Figure: 1
The organizational chart is based on the hierarchal of operations done at Niho systems were the
managing director is a computer specialist and guides all the operations by giving directives on
what must be done, most off site duties are done by the field engineer and technicians by
responding to clients on a quicker notice to have effective operations which leads to increase in
productivity but also trust due to proper operations. The clerk and accountant help to have a better
accountability and record of incoming and outgoing systems including financial transactions.
CHAPTER 3

3.0 PROJET DESCRIPTION

The Industrial Practical Training (IPTR) is based on university curriculum that aims at
improving student skills through the exposure given at several companies/organizations thus
gaining experience and more practical application to the knowledge acquired from lectures.
The record of every work accomplished, operations and equipment that was used to complete
the stated work in the form E also called the “trainees diary” the whole overview will be
elaborated in this section. Assessment was done by the training supervisor who instructed me
on any kind of work, thus progress to the next level depended on performance this varied also
from client requests in several organizations we worked with in line with agreements rendered

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 for support services. The supervisor assigned work based on my previous knowledge about
several areas thus instructing and clarifying where I had any hiccups, he also inspired,
motivated and increased my technical knowledge through his vast venture in the industry as
a technical expertise.
They were several areas I was oriented on during my training period and exposed to mostly
in ICT enterprises working on: - networking, hardware maintenance (electronics servicing).
This proved effectiveness for it gave me the chance to really understand how maintenance of
different computer systems and electronic machines is done, on top of all this we had the
chance of being exposed to other forms of technology that are widely used in the ICT field
thus also enhancing on how to deal with several platforms and managements systems. The
supervisor actively was monitoring my progress daily and also assisted me where he thought
I had a wrong idea and he also taught me how to do other things with a positive mind to work
on challenging tasks.
Briefly, the department is tasked with the duty to ensure that the company has the proper ICT
technology to allow it to function properly, it also makes sure that it facilitates the use of ICT
in different sectors and it spearheads increased productivity for most companies rely on
outsourcing services from IT companies.

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3.1 WORK UNERTAKEN
The information technology department has got a main objective of network installation and
maintaining computer systems throughout it’s working hours but also during auxiliary services
were systems are to be up to date and functioning properly for the employees to get access to the
system, maintenance is done on scheduled days based on support service agreements. The IT
section is involved in back end activities of some companies thereby accessing severs to
synchronize different activities to ensure that services are rolled out successfully and tracking all
transactions in the system for effective workflow. There several projects that were done in relation
to information technology that I was assigned to do, this was done according to the frame work
available.

3.1.0 HARWARE SERVICING

Computer hardware is based on the tangible part of the computer, repairing and maintenance is
needed for the health of your machine. This involves trouble symptom analysis which isolates set
of problem thus leading to several operations such as- disassembly, cleaning, changing chips
<soldering precautions and replacements>, static electricity and diagnostics, assembling.
Computer hardware works hand in hand with the operating system in order to have the machine
working properly to accomplish several tasks, thereby installation of operating system and drivers
was also done.

However, their several sections one needs to know when troubleshooting for a certain problem,
this is done to have a symptom analysis on what problem the computer might have or on how you
would do maintenance. This needs to have regular checking for maintenance and several
preventive measures in order to have the computer working, troubleshooting is required when a
problem occurs on the machine. Their several precautions that are considered when
troubleshooting based on the fault, therefore the technician needs to be optimistic when analysing
the problem.

Having a logical appeal when repairing a computer by using the basic knowledge on the computer,
this will help you on knowing which part is not functioning properly according to normal
circumstances. The motherboard is the backbone of the computer, which is termed as a circuit
board that contains the slots and sockets that everything else plugs into. This helps the technician

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to disassemble with diligence as most cables connected to the motherboard are easily damaged
when handled badly.
BASICS OF COMPUTER HARDWARE AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Knowing several basics of the computer architecture and its operations is required when dealing
with computer hardware; this helped in easier problem identification when given a task. Basic
electronics were applied as the motherboard consists of circuit which help in even distribution of
power supply on all parts with different ranges, the motherboard is essential in terms of
connectivity since all components are connected to it.

Basic Hardware Tips

• Prior to opening your computer's case, check to see if the machine's warranty is still valid.
If so, send it back to the manufacturer for repair, as digging around inside the case can
void the warranty.
• You may also try calling your PC's manufacturer for tech support, especially if you've
already paid for it. Often, tech support can provide quick fixes or will replace faulty
components that are still under warranty. Many manufacturers offer online chat, email
support, and other options in addition to phone support.
• Take the appropriate safety measures, before making any hardware adjustments –First,
purchase an antistatic wrist strap and mat. Static electricity can severely damage your
computer's internal components. Keep the computer plugged into the wall but the power
switch turned off when working with its internal components. Remember to hold on to the
metal part of the computer's case when handling any electrical parts.
• Before you reseat, remove, or replace any internal components, arm yourself with a
working knowledge of computer components, what they do, and how they interact with
one another.
• Location of the computers core internal components (hard disk drive, processor, RAM,
graphics card, etc.) Vary from machine to machine; therefore, knowledge of the same is
necessary.
• Hardware, BIOS (basic input-output system, built-in software that controls the keyboard,
mouse, display, and other hardware and functions), firmware, and other software tools vary

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 by manufacturer and checking if power supply is okay, before dismantling to check
problem
• Keep all of your computer documentation, driver CDs, and warranty information in a safe
place. Be sure to use your computer’s manuals before changing any settings.
ASSEMBLING COMPUTER

The first task after orientation on hardware was to assemble a dismantled computer that needed to
was fixed this involved having all tools required when assembling in order to put all computer
components piece by piece in their required place.
1. Preparation:
Before starting make sure all the tools needed are present and put on a secure and clear
workspace, thus gathering all the components you’ll be using and unpack them one at a
time, verifying that everything that is supposed to be there is actually present. Find a dry,
well-ventilated place to do the work. There should have plenty of light and if possible,
should choose an area without carpet on the floor, as carpet tends to generate a lot of static.
An unfurnished basement is a good work location.

2. Safety Precautions

a. Static electricity is the most dangerous thing when assembling a computer, it is

important to make sure you’re properly grounded to avoid any short-circuiting of the
components. Alternatively, you can use an anti-static wrist band.
b. Turn off the computer and switch off the Power Supply at the wall before installing or
removing any components.
c. Never cut the grounding pin off the power cord. This "safety ground" stands between
a person and potentially lethal voltages inside the power supply
d. Dismantling discrete electronic components such as the Power Supply or Monitor is
dangerous, there is need to handle them with care.
3. Installing the Components
a. Motherboard: The motherboard is the main circuit component that is used to
connect and house different computer components like Memory (RAM), the
processor (CPU), PCI (Peripheral Controller Interface) slots and etc. The common

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 motherboards that were encountered were mostly XT and ATX. The motherboard
needs to be tightly fastened to the computer casing using the screws on hexagonal
heads.

b. CPU: The first component should be the CPU, CPU fan and Heat sink. Make sure
that is inserted with the right amount of thermo-paste.
c. Memory Slots: Memory slots is where RAM (Random Access Memory) chips are
inserted, before inserting there is need to verify if the chips are equivalent to the
slot. If that is done press the chips hard on the slots and the slot levers will move
on the notches on the chips. RAM chips can be categorised by the position of the
gap in the makeup as; DRR, DRR2 and DRR3 these were the most RAM chips we
encountered.
d. Power Supply: The power supply comes next; its purpose is to provide a steady
flow of voltage to the motherboard. Power supplies usually have 12-pin, 20-pin or
24-pin plug. The power supply can be modified to provide 115V or 120V.
e. Video Card: If the motherboard has a built-in adapter, this component should not
be installed. Otherwise the video card is installed on the AGP slot close to the
microprocessor.
f. Installing Drive: There two most common drive connectors; the SATA or IDE. If
you are using IDE connectors there need to modify the jumpers and set them so that
they can be able to allow the use of two drives either primary or secondary. When
it is SATA there is no need to make those jumper modifications. Using SATA for

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 your data transfer is recommended since they have faster rate than IDE/ATA
connectors. These are used to connect CD-Drives, Hard Drive and Floppy Drives.
g. Other Connections: Make sure the panels have been fitted properly and other
miscellaneous connections have been completed.
DISASSEMBLING

Hardware troubleshooting operations involves dismantling which is also termed as disassembling

has: The following are steps you take when disassembling a computer.

a. Turn the computer off, including all power strips: Shut your computer down first
from software, turn off the power strip, and unplug it from the wall. If you have an
uninterruptible power supply, disconnect that too. When you’re done, there should be
no connecting between your hardware and any power source. Most towers have a small
light somewhere that will go off when you have disconnected its power cable. This is
an important step because some ports can be damaged by unplugging them while power
remains.
b. Unplug all the cables: If possible, unplug them at both ends; if a cable is wrenched in
a detachable port during shipping, the port might be ruined. Either loop them in secured
with a zip or twist tie in the middle, or in a circle as if around an invisible spool, secured
by wrapping one end in a spiral around the curve of the loop.
c. Open Case: Most PC cases are just latched on or have panels locked with
thumbscrews, and it is usually easy to pop the case open without any tools. There is
need to use cross-star head screwdriver to remove screws holding the panel in place,
though. Remove the side panel and place the tower on its side. If you have a case with
more than one removable panel, take those off as well, it will make it easier to blow
out all of the dust.
d. Fix the hardware problem: if the computer has experienced a problem. Troubleshoot
and rectify the problem.
e. Re-Assemble the computer.

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HARDWARE MAINTENCE

Hardware maintenance was the main done; repairs of different measures were carried out on
different computers that were labelled to be faulty. As part of precaution we also did preventive
hardware maintenance on the laboratory and other computer laboratories in other departments.

First thing to perform before any kind of maintenance can be implemented is to troubleshoot or
diagnose the problem of the computer. Consequently, hardware maintenance involves a lot of
operations so this report will only describe the common methods that were used during the training
period to solve diagnosed problems and

a. Clean the case: Wipe the case and clear its ventilation ports of any obstructions.
Compressed air is great for this, but don’t blow dust into the PC or its optical and floppy
drives. Keep all cables firmly attached to their connectors on the case. This was used to
address a problem when the computer could not boot.
b. Check your power protection: Reseat the cables plugged into your surge protector or
UPS. Check the unit’s warning indicator, if it has one. Surge protectors may power your
PC even after being compromised by a voltage spike. If your power protector doesn’t have
a warning indicator and your area suffers frequent power outages, replace it with one that
has such an indicator and is UL 1449 certified.
c. Replace Damaged Memory Chips: The computer is designed when some of the
components are not working properly through the BIOS firmware it notifies the user that
there a problem by using sound beeps and blue screens. If the beep is a single short been
then it is a RAM chip problem, to solve this problem is by either replacing or re-inserting
the RAM chip.
d. Blowing: Dust tends to accumulate inside the computer casing, as a preventive measure it
necessary to do schedule time to perform dust blowing. A blower is required to do this.
e. Surge Protectors: A surge protector (or surge suppressor) is an appliance designed to
protect electrical devices from voltage spikes. A surge protector attempts to limit the
voltage supplied to an electric device by either blocking or by shorting to ground any
unwanted voltages above a safe.

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Hardware maintenance is complimented by the tools that help aid the technician to properly
achieve the intended goal with easy. This section will mostly digest some of the tools that were
important in the hardware maintenance process during the IPTR program. In categorical definition,
most of the tools were under the hand tool category with exception on special occasion of using
electrical equipment.
Tools used.

a. Flat Screw Driver: This hand tool was used to tighten and loosen up the screws
with slotted heads.
b. Star Screw Driver: This hand tool was used to tighten and loosen up the screws
with cross-shape heads.
c. Needle-Nose Pliers: It is used to hold small part. It is also used to bend, re-position
and cut wires.
d. Wire Cutter: It is used to strip and cut wires.
e. Flash Light: Used to light up some parts of the system that cannot be seen well
f. Computer Blower: This is an electronic tool that is used to remove dust by
blowing compressed air at high speed.

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMON COMPUTER PROBLEMS

Troubleshooting is the process of figuring out how to solve a computer problem; this was needed
to have all computers working at the company. Even with the most updated software and hardware,
occasionally computers can malfunction thus had to check regularly in order to solve a problem.
Figuring out which part of the system is malfunctioning.
This needed to check each component of the computer, unless it is obvious where the problem is
coming from. Isolating the problem will help you solve the problem quickly. Knowing how to
solve these problems with a shortcut perhaps using only a few keys on the keyboard can save time
and effort. Backing up your important computer files to another source will ensure that if your
problem cannot be corrected, you will still have a safe copy of your information.

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Basic Troubleshooting Steps
1. Close open programs and windows you are not currently using.
2. Make sure all of your cords are connected properly.
3. Try to repeat the sequence of commands you performed before the problem occurred. See if this
causes the same response by your computer.
4. Press the F1 key to access the Help window. You can search for a solution to your problem once
the Help window appears.
5. If there is an error message, record the full message for future reference.
6. Restart your computer to see if it clears the problem. To restart your computer, open the start
window and select the Restart button instead of the Log Off button.
7. If restarting the computer does not clear the problem, shut down the computer and then start it
back up again.
8. If the issue is still not resolved, check the common technology issues below or call your system
administrator.
Common Technology Issues
Below we describe some of the most commonly encountered technology issues. Click on the issue
to get more information on possible solutions to correct the problem.
• The printer is not working.
• The computer is frozen. A program is not responding.
• The keyboard is not working.
• New hardware or software is working incorrectly.
• The mouse is not working.
• The computer is slow.
• The browser’s homepage suddenly changed Common Solutions for Technology Issues
Issue: The printer is not working.
• Check if the printer is turned on. If not, turn it on and try again.
• Check if the printer has paper. If not, put paper in the paper tray and try printing again.

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 Check if the printer has a paper jam. If so, remove the paper, close the printer, and try
printing again.

• Ensure that all printer cables are properly connected.

• Turn off the printer and turn on again.

• Check to see if a new printer driver is needed. Do this by going to the manufacturer’s
website to search for your printer model and checking for any updated driver. Seek
assistance from your system administrator before installing any drivers.
Issue: The computer is frozen. A program is not responding.
• Push the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time. Then, start the Task Manager,
highlight the program’s name, and hit the End Task button.

• Perform a hard reboot by simply pressing the on/off button to turn off the computer
manually. This action should only be done as a last resort if you have an unresponsive
program or critical error. This process could cause data loss or corruption.

• Once the computer is responding again, run a virus check.

Issue: The keyboard is not working
• Make sure the keyboard is connected to the computer. If not, connect it to the computer.
• If you are using a wireless keyboard, try changing the batteries.
• If one of the keys on your keyboard gets stuck, turn the computer off and clean with a
damp cloth.

• Use the mouse to restart the computer.

Issue: New hardware or software is working incorrectly.
• Verify your computer meets the requirements of the program or utility.
• Uninstall and install the program.
• There could be a conflict with another installed program and you should contact your
system administrator.
Issue: The mouse is not working correctly.
• Check if the mouse is securely plugged into the computer. If not, plug it in completely.
• Check to see if the cord has been damaged. If so, the mouse may need replacing.
If you are using a cordless mouse, try pushing the connection button on the underside of
the mouse to reestablish a connection.

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 • Clean the mouse, especially on the bottom.
Issue: The computer is slow.
• Restart your computer.
Verify that there is at least 200-500 MB of free hard drive space. To do so, select Start and click
on My Computer or Computer. Then highlight the local C drive by clicking on it once. Select the
Properties button at the top left-hand corner of the window; this will display a window showing
how much free and used space you have. If you need to recapture space:

- Empty your recycle bin by right-clicking on the Recycle Bin icon (usually on the desktop),
then selecting Empty Recycle Bin.

- Check your mail files. Remove any large attachments and delete unused mail.

- Images and videos take up a lot of space, so consider moving those to an external drive.

- Remove temporary files from the Internet. To do so:

• Click Start button | My Computer or Computer.
• Click Open Control Panel at the top of the window.
• Click Network | Internet |Internet Options.
• Select the General tab and click Delete under Browsing History.
- Perform a disk clean up. To do so:
• Click Start button | My Computer or Computer.
• Highlight the local C drive by clicking on it once.
• Select the properties button at the top left of the window.
• Go to the General tab and select Disk Cleanup.
• Once the Disk Cleanup finishes running, click on Clean up System Files; this will delete
any unnecessary system-related files from your local disk.
- Information in computer files changes often, resulting in gaps or spaces within the file. This
takes up more space on the computer and can cause the computer to slow down. To reclaim
these gaps in space, run disk defrag. To do so:
• Click start | My Computer or Computer.
• Highlight the local C drive by clicking on it once.
Select the properties button at the top left of the window.
• Go to the Tools tab and select Run Defragmentation.

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 • Old or unused programs that aren’t being used may still have components running behind
the scenes when you start your computer, which can slow down the system. You can
prevent these programs from running when you start your computer by removing unused
shortcuts and turning off unused program services.
- Remove unused shortcuts from Windows start-up
• Click Start button | Select All Programs | Click Startup
• Right-click the shortcuts that you do not use and click delete
- Disable unused program services
• Click Start button | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services
• For each program/service that you are certain that you do not need, click on the Service
to highlight it, click the Stop link to stop the service from running, then double-click the
service, choose Start up Type of Disabled, and click OK.
• Run a virus scan to remove potential viruses that can slow down your computer
Issue: The browser’s homepage suddenly changed.
• This is a common symptom that a virus or browser hijacker may have infected the
computer.
• Try re-setting the home page to the default:
Internet Explorer:
• On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
• Click the General tab.
• In the Address box, type the Web address you want for your home page.
• Click OK.
Mozilla Foxfire:
• Open the web site you want to set as your home page.
• Click the icon to the left of the web address and drag it to the Home button.
• Click Yes.
• If the home page still reverts back to the “new” page, do an Internet search using
keywords that include the name of the “new” homepage and the word “virus?” If there is

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 a virus, this search may reveal more information on the virus and how it can be safely
removed.
• Run a virus scan.
TESTING POWER SUPPLY WITH MULTIMETER

Manually testing a power supply involves working closely with high voltage electricity this
requires working based on precaution safety measures, their several steps which shall be outlined
involved when testing. Open your case remove the power cable and unplugging anything else
connecting to the outside of your computer. To make testing your power supply easier, you should
also move your disconnected and open case somewhere easy to work like on a table or other flat,
non-static surface. Unplug the power connectors from each and every internal device. An easy way
to confirm that each power connector is unplugged is to work from the bundle of power cables
coming from the power supply inside the PC. Each group of wires should terminate to one or more
power connectors.
Group all of the power cables and connectors together for easy testing as you're organizing the
power cables, I highly recommend rerouting them and pulling them as far away from the computer
case as possible. This will make it as easy as possible to test the power supply connections. Short
out pins 15 and 16 on the 24-pin motherboard power connector with a small piece of wire. You'll
probably need to take a look at the ATX 24 pin 12V Power Supply Pinout table to determine the
locations of these two pins confirm that the power supply voltage switch located on the power
supply is properly set.

Plug the PSU into a live outlet and flip the switch on the back of the power supply. Assuming that
the power supply is at least minimally functional and that you've properly shorted the pins in Step
5, you should hear the fan begin to run. Just because the fan is running does not mean that your
power supply is supplying power to your devices properly you'll need to continue testing to
confirm that as some power supplies do not have a switch on the back of the unit. If the PSU you're
testing does not, the fan should begin to run immediately after plugging the unit into the wall. Turn
on your multi meter and turn the dial to the VDC (Volts DC) setting, if the multi meter you're
using does not have an auto-ranging feature, set the range to 10.00V. Firstly we'll test the 24-pin
motherboard power connector: Connect the negative probe on the multi meter (black) to any
ground wired pin and connect the positive probe (red) to the first power line you want to test. The

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24-pin main power connector has +3.3 VDC, +5 VDC, -5 VDC (optional), +12 VDC, and -12
VDC lines across multiple pins. You'll need to reference the ATX 24 pin 12V Power Supply Pinout
for the locations of these pins. I recommend testing every pin on the 24pin connector that carries
a voltage. This will confirm that each line is supplying the proper voltage and that each pin is
properly terminated. Document the number that the multi meter shows for each voltage tested and
confirm that the reported voltage is within approved tolerance. You can reference Power Supply
Voltage Tolerances for a list of proper ranges for each voltage. Are any voltages outside the
approved tolerance? If yes, replace the power supply. If all voltages are within tolerance, your
power supply is not defective.

Turn off the switch on the back of the power supply and unplug it from the wall, reconnect all of
your internal devices to power. Aside from the main power connector to the motherboard, don't
forget to provide power to your hard drive, optical drive. Some motherboards require an additional
4, 6, or 8 pin power connectors and some video cards need dedicated power too. Plug in your
power supply, flip the switch on the back if you have one, and then turn on your computer as you
normally do with the power switch on the front of the PC, once your testing is complete turn off
and unplug the PC and then put the cover back on the case.
DISPLAY DRIVERS

The Display driver stopped responding and has recovered, you’ll see this issue eventually on
systems that have a lot of programs that you've installed and uninstalled. Your Windows system's
graphics drivers are either corrupted, or some program isn't quite compatible with the driver you
are using now. The solution is to update your display driver. Simply go into Windows Update and
look for "Graphics Driver" under optional hardware updates. Go ahead and update your driver or
else go to the website for your graphics card (Intel) and install the correct driver for your graphics
card.
SLOW LOADING AND CRUSHING OF PROGRAM: For the programs that you do use,
check to see if there are updates. These will either be found in the program's help section, or if it's
a program you got from the Windows App store, check there for updates. Updated software is
likely to have bugs fixed, bugs that may slow your PC down with a memory leak, or an inefficiency
that has come to light after the last update. Besides, updated software often comes with new
features that make the program better than when you first downloaded it.

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NOTHING SHOWS UP ON YOUR SCREEN: Check your display cable (both laptops and
desktops) Cables can work themselves loose. Check both the connector on the computer, as well
as the connection on the display. If you have multiple monitors, check connections on each display.
Sometimes if one comes loose, the others only show part of the Windows interface. For Laptops,
check to make sure the display is set to output to the correct display (check the icons on your
keyboard, but hitting Fn-F7 cycles through the settings on some laptops).

SYSTEM NOT TURNING ON: Check the power plug, then check the power button. Checking
to see if the power is plugged in. Check the power supply connectivity, unplug then plug the
connectors again, after you can now switch the system on to see if the power supply is ok. On
laptops, power connectors can fray or become too loose to use. You may have to buy a new power
supply in this case where it is not working as desired or repair if possible.

HARD DRIVE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

We will identify the components of a computer system, how they relate to internal and external
hard drives, and identify potential sources of problems. Although we will be going over the logic
board and its components, our focus will be primarily on the interaction between the logic board
and internal/external hard drives. In some case, software and other problems can cause symptoms
to exist that are similar to hard drive failures. Prior to describing the hardware in any detail, we
will identify how we classify possible failures associated with a system. We divide the failure
types into generic and specific failures.
Generic failures will, however, be an ever-present possibility any time a problem is encountered.
We define a generic failure as a type of failure that is not specific to a particular component. This
type of failure can occur on any components in a system. Generic failures most often are not caused
by actual electrical or, in the case of the hard drive itself, mechanical failure, but are often the
results of some other factor such as heat, age, poor assembly, or impact. We define a specific
failure as a failure that is specific to a component. For example, if a hard drive head crashes on
the platter of a drive, it's a failure that is specific to the hard drive, since other components, such
as the logic boards have neither heads nor platters. Specific failures are always uniquely associated
with a specific component, and some specific failures can be specialized versions of generic
failures.

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GENERIC FALIURE TYPES
Problems associated with generic failures can often be among the most difficult to isolate because
their nature is frequently erratic and sometimes not easily reproduced. Generic failures are
responsible for a considerable number of problems with computer systems. If you've ever had
experience with a system that would erratically lock up for no apparent reason, the chances are it's
being caused by a generic failure, rather than an actual component failure. Generic failures are
classified as follows:
• Intermittent Generic Failure: This is a generic failure that exhibits intermittent electrical
behaviour.
• Complete Generic Failure: This is a generic failure which is a complete failure and does
not exhibit intermittent behaviour. Below we will identify the types of generic failures, their
symptoms, and their causes.
BAD SOLDER JOINTS
Bad solder joints exist when the solder connecting two (or more, in some cases) solder joints fail
to make consistent electrical contact. This can be caused by either insufficient solder between
adjoining electrical connections, or the joint has become damaged and cracked due to impact or
localized extreme thermal variations on the hosting circuit board. Cracks occur on a joint that's
weak, meaning the connection appeared functional when it left the factory, but as the end user
used the system, the weakness in the joint allowed the crack to develop. This problem, like cracked
traces, is one of the most difficult problems to isolate. Problems are often erratic because electrical
contact exists most of the time, but the junction actually separates under certain circumstances,
usually thermally related, causing the signals passing along the electrical connection to become
interrupted. In this case, this is an intermittent generic failure. If a solder joint is actually broken,
which is rare unless the circuit board has experienced impact or undue fixing, the system
component will usually fail to operate. This is a complete generic failure. For example, if there
was an actual break on a solder joint connecting something like the CPU or the I/O controller chip
to the logic board, the system would likely never boot properly. A system with a bad or cracked
joint will likely make electrical contact most of the time and then fail intermittently, typically due
to thermal variations.

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BAD TRACES
A trace (more formally, signal trace), for those unfamiliar with the term, is an etched metallic
(usually copper) line on a circuit board that, for all practical purposes, functions as a wire (path of
conductivity.) A trace is typically very thin in depth and if subjected to forces of some sort, it can
crack, often yielding intermittent electrical contact to exist at the point where the crack exists. This
is an intermittent generic failure. If a crack is severe enough, it can separate enough that once the
crack has occurred, electrical continuity between both sides of the crack will cease to exist
permanently. This will almost always yield a complete failure of some sort in the system, and is
classified as a complete generic failure. In the case of an intermittent generic failure, the electrical
continuity of a cracked trace on both sides of the crack is very often a function of the temperature
of the unit at the point where the crack exists. As a unit heats up, it expands, and as it expands, the
crack widens, eventually forcing a complete electrical separation to exist on both sides of the crack,
hence a failure. As it cools down, electrical contact may once again be restored. If a cracked trace
exists, in most cases it's due to impact or fixing of the circuit board, and it occurs most often in
laptop computers. In rare cases, it can be caused by undue, localized extreme thermal variations
on a circuit board. Cracked traces on logic boards are typically resolved by replacing the board
due to the micro nature of today’s circuitry.
CABLE FAULTS
A cable fault can apply to any cables associated with internal or external devices. The faults can
apply to both data cables and power cables. A cable fault typically indicates that one or more wires
in the cable has essentially broken and is making either intermittent contact (an intermittent generic
failure) or no contact at all (a complete generic failure) with its counterpart on the other side of the
break. If the contact is intermittent, the device in question will behave erratically, but if it's broken,
in most cases the device receiving input from the cables will not function properly at all. Cable
faults most typically occur on external units when the connectors are put under strain, usually
because they're being placed too far away from their hosting unit. Some internal cables are actually
not cables but flexible circuit boards, with printed circuit traces taking the place of wires. This type
of cable can experience cracks in traces due to aging, heat, vibration, and impact. They can be
damaged quite easily if the unit is mishandled during assembly or re-assembly.

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CONNECTOR FAULTS
A faulty connector can exist when one or more of the electrical contacts on the male side of the
connector fails to make consistent contact with its counterpart on the female side. If a connector
relies on pins plugging into receptacles, such as an IDE drive, problems may exist if the connector
isn't fully pushed in or during assembly/re-assembly, a misalignment error caused one or more of
the pins to bend down or break rather than fitting into the receptacle. Connectors that rely on spring
loaded surfaces to make electrical contact, such as USB and FireWire connectors, will typically
have problems if they're not fully plugged in, the connector has been contaminated by a foreign
substance, or the receptacle has lost its spring loading ability due to overuse. The failures,
regardless of the connector type, will always yield either intermittent electrical contact (an
intermittent generic failure), with results nearly identical to those associated with cracked traces
and solder joints, or a fat out failure when the electrical contact is completely lost, as opposed to
being intermittent (a complete generic failure.)
SHORT CIRCUITS
Short circuits can happen anywhere, and the most likely cause is a small metallic object entering
the computer (such as a metal fling), or more commonly, a screw coming loose and roving around
the inside of the unit. Today’s circuits are low power, and a short on the output of an integrated
circuit can easily be blown without any smoke or accompanying burning smell. As you might
guess, this effects much more than just the hard drive and its associated circuitry. Short circuits
may also exist on damaged cables or be induced by impact damage.
SPECIFIC FAILURE TYPES
Specific failure types, as stated previously, are specific to components within a system. We divide
these into four categories: the logic board, the power subsystem, internal hard drives, and external
hard drives and their supplies. One thing to keep in mind is that all generic failures previously
described are applicable to all of the items capable of having specific failures. For example, the
generic failure type “bad solder joints” could apply to the logic board or the drive controller on a
hard drive.

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LOGIC BOARD FAILURES
Recognizing how data flows on the system primarily between the I/O controller and the drive being
evaluated. Different systems will likely use similar, but not necessarily identical configurations.
In some systems, the single I/O chip may actually two chips, such as a North Bridge and South
Bridge instead of a combined chip. Other systems may also have other items in the path between
the I/O controller and the drive connections. For example, a system will have an auxiliary front
panel board with FireWire and USB ports connected to the logic board via a cable, and 15/17 inch
PowerBook G4's will have some of their I/O ports on auxiliary circuit boards as well. Newer USB
systems may have an on-board USB hub feeding the USB ports rather than connecting directly to
the I/O controller. However, the signal flow is, for all practical purposes the same. People
interested in troubleshooting their systems down to the component level should obtain the
appropriate block diagrams and/or schematics. Failures of the CPU, RAM, or I/O controller will
generally cause the system to fault, usually not being able to complete a boot up. Partial failure of
the I/O controller on specific output stages is a possibility, but due to the level of protection built
into these chips, such damage, which would likely be caused by an electrical event, would likely
be severe enough to render the IC useless. Intermittent generic failures in any traces or solder joints
that exist on the logic boards will likely yield erratic behavior that can't be traced directly to the
hard drive. Complete generic failures in any traces or solder joints will likely cause the system to
fault during boot, if it is even capable of booting. The FireWire PHY chip has been known to have
its output stages blown fairly easily due to electrical transients. In many cases, this won't be
detected by the system because it doesn't monitor or test the FireWire output stages, but the drive
will not be seen or be accessible to the system. If a USB port is segregated from the I/O controller
via a USB hub IC, it's possible that output stages of the hub IC could be blown by an electrical
transient. In this case, the hub may register as being available to the CPU while simultaneously
failing to actually communicate with its attached devices. Software and system settings can also
make USB devices “disappear,” so be cautioned not to assume there's a USB fault until the problem
has been thoroughly evaluated.

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POWER SUBSYSTEM FAILURES
Every unit has at least one power source. If it's a desktop unit, it has a power supply either separated
from or integrated into the logic board. If it's a laptop it has both battery power, plus an AC based
power supply and charging unit, which may or may not be integrated into the logic board. We're
not concerned with the actual power supply, charging system on a laptop, or battery power, just
the types of faults that can affect hard drives specifically. Power supply problems are classified
into the following categories:
• Actual power supply failure. Unless a short in the drive or it's cabling is causing this to occur,
it should be considered a system problem. Supply failure should be pretty obvious – your unit
won't turn on! A supply doesn't necessarily need to fail to stop providing power. Most supplies
have sensors to detect too much current being drawn on the unit and simply shut themselves off
instantaneously rather than attempting to provide power to a short circuit. If the short circuit can
be identified and removed, in many cases the supply will once again start working.
There are various reasons why a computer will shut down among these is component overheating
fan going bad and failing to cool down a component When a power supply unit fan goes bad, it is
not able to cool down the power supply hence the device will heat up. The excess heat generated
by the power supply unit will add to the overall temperature of the system unit. If this failure is
not corrected, the power supply unit will become damage. A damaged power supply unit can,
potentially, damage the components as well as the motherboard, itself. The power supply unit
paper clip test is used to test functionality of fan by identifying the main power connectors that run
from the power supply unit and attached to the motherboard to supply the voltage and current that
your motherboard and its components need, to perform the paper clip test, we’ll need to examine
the power supply connectors closely and find the one that has a lone green wire. Ninety nine
percent of the time, this green wire is located on pin 14 on the bigger connector. In addition to the
green wire, locate the other black wires that are present in the connector Once this is done, make
sure that the power cord is NOT connected to the power supply then connect one end of the paper
clip to the green wire and the other end to one of the black wires present on the connector. If the
PSU does not have a switch, then as soon as you connect the power cord, power should flow
through the PSU and you can then observe the fan on that power supply to see if it turns, then this
means that the PSU is, at least, delivering some voltages out and overheating might not be
occurring. However, a power supply tester would be ideal for an accurate 100% result.

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3.1.1 COMPUTER NETWORKS

NETWORK INSTALLTION
A network consists of two or more computers that are connected together to share information thus
builds off a system which enables communications among the nodes, in order to have a network you
typically have a protocol to set communication among them. The Network Interface Cards (NIC) that
plug into your computer use the buttons to change the text size and background color and lets them
send and receive messages from other computers thru cables, the medium to connect all of the
computers together is a switch which intercommunicates among the nodes and the hardware helps to
perform traffic control to direct messages around the network correctly.
BASIC OVERVIEW BASED ON ILLUSTRATIONS
How does one computer send information to another on a network? If Computer A wants to send a file
to Computer B, the following would take place:
1.Based on a protocol that both computers use, the NIC in Computer A translates the file (which
consists of binary data — 1's and 0's) into pulses of electricity.
2. The pulses of electricity pass through the cable with a minimum resistance.
3. The hub takes in the electric pulses and shoots them out to all of the other cables.
4. Computer B's NIC interprets the pulses and decides if the message is for it or not, computer B's NIC
translates the pulses back into the 1's and 0's that make up the file. However, if anything untoward
happens along the way, you have a problem, not a network. So, if Computer A sends the message to
the network using NetBEUI (a proprietary Microsoft protocol that lets computers in a local area
network talk to each other), but Computer B only understands the TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol – a different, non-Microsoft protocol), it will not understand the message,
no matter how many times Computer A sends it. Computer B also won't get the message if the cable
is getting interference from the fluorescent lights - or if the network card has decided not to turn on.
Protocol is based on the rules of communication in use on it for example TCP/IP, NetBEUI,
AppleTalk (a communications protocol for networks of Apple computers), etc. Security and access
is needed this leads to an access controlled network is essential for planning, to avoid unauthorized
users on a network. A network is done by characterizing it according to the size thus geographic
approach of a network hardware is worked on by having the types of physical links and hardware
that connect the network, it is generally lumped into two categories, local area networks (LANs) and
wide area networks (WANs). A LAN is primarily defined by geographical means, and is typically

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 housed in one building or campus. A WAN, on the other hand, is a network that joins many LANs
together using super special, highly secret, LANs are usually further divided into two major types:

PEER-TO-PEER
A peer-to-peer network doesn't have any dedicated servers (central computers controlling the
network) or hierarchy among the computers. All of the computers on the network handle security
and administration for themselves. The users must make the decisions about who gets access to
what.
CLIENT-SERVER
A client-server network works the same way as a peer-to-peer network except that there is at least
one computer that is dedicated as a server. The server is a central computer that stores files for
sharing, controls access to the printer, and generally acts as the dictator of the network.
PROTOCAL AND HARDWARE
Protocol of a network is the set of guidelines for inter-computer communication. Two computers
with different protocols won't be able to communicate with one another. While many computers
have the ability to interpret multiple protocols, it is important to understand the different protocols
available before deciding on one that is appropriate for your network. Hardware is important thus
getting the right thing is required this will determine what cables to use for the network thus the
first key point to have a hub send and receive signals perfectly, this also leads to choosing a server
as it needs a suitable work frame area based on your needs. The is need to work on a professional
approach for the installation and maintenance thus planning effectively is required to get the right
resources to be used for the whole network setup, this will vary from the start of the project till the
support services along the period of use.
PLANNING INSTALLATION
Network planning is the process where we define business requirements and growth plans to build
a framework for connecting computers and other equipment at an organization. Thinking about
these needs before jumping into the actual implementation eases the process, and increases the
likelihood that the chosen network solution will match your requirements based on your ideal
network approach at the present and in the future. This helps to address the needs of organizations
that needs to have a network installed but also if they are in the process of upgrading it.

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USAGE REQUIREMENTS AND INPUT
Determine the number of people that will be using the network to get a rough idea of the computers
and peripherals it must support. Consider how users will interact with the system to define the
features you will need. For example, what sort of access is required to the network (e.g. will each
user have their own computer? or will several users be sharing the same computer?) Will any users
need to access the network remotely (e.g. from home or other office sites)?
Factor the needs of the various teams and departments within your organization into your network
plan. Start by defining the requirements of each group and determine the relative costs of
incorporating the different requirements into the network plan, this can be in terms of money or
time saved.
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Detail and factor out the direction your organization is likely to take in the near future this helps
you when thinking about expansion, identify any plans that might affect your network needs (e.g.
new staff or volunteers, office expansion, remote working, or the installation of new software
packages). Doing this now will be less expensive and time consuming than replacing an
inadequate network later.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
When a network solution becomes defined, you will need to decide whether you have the resources
in stock to install and maintain it yourself or whether you require a consultant or external company
to handle it. Networking products have become easier to use and administer over the years in
Malawi, so small organizations are finding that internal day- to-day management of the network
is becoming increasingly cost effective. External support will also likely be required, and it is
worth considering using remote network administration tools to reduce the number of onsite visits
necessary to keep the running smoothly. Security Issues are relevant thus ensure you build security
features into your network plan to protect your organizations most important asset -information.
Common network security precautions include passwords, virus protection, an external firewall and
data encryption.

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
You may enhance the foundation of your network plan by addressing other issues that may affect the
integration, use and maintenance of your network. These include:

1. Information Management
Consider how to manage information on your server so that users can easily find what they
need. Create standardized naming conventions for files on the server and establish rules for
the creation of new files and folders.
2. Remote Access
If some staff members travel frequently or work from locations outside your office, you may
want to build remote access capabilities into your network. This can be done through remote
dial-in, or securely over the Internet using a VPN.
3. Staff Training
While working with a network is relatively simple, it may demand that employees adopt new
habits. A training program will enable workers to take full advantage of your network's
timesaving and productivity enhancing features. Ensure training time is built into your network
rollout timetable and offer follow up sessions to address ongoing staff challenges and concerns.

NETWORK PRE-INSTALLATION
CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED PARTICULARS
This checklist of questions helped to cover the main areas when it came to planning and installing a
new or upgraded network.
Planning
1. How many people will use the network?
2. How many users are local or onsite?

3. How many users are remote or off-site and will require access to the network?

4. How many on-site computers will be connected to the network?

5. How many on-site devices (computers, servers, scanners, printers, etc.) will require a network
card?
6. How do you intend remote users to access the network?
7. Which server based applications (e.g. databases, email) do you plan to run on the network?
8. What are the minimum hardware requirements of these server based applications?

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 9. What are the specifications of the servers you intend to install on the network (e.g. amount of
memory, processor speed etc.)?

10. Have you purchased sufficient licenses to run all the software on servers and client machines?

NETWORK HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

• What other devices will your network support (e.g. back-up devices, Uninterruptible Power
Supplies, Network printers, etc.)?
• Do you have enough network points for these network devices?
• Do the hubs or switches have enough ports for the number of connections you will require?
And is there room for growth? Network
design
• What network topology will you use
• Do all workstations have the correct Network interface cards (NICs) to support this
technology?
• Which network operating system will you use (e.g. Windows 2000 Server, Linux, Novell etc.)?
• Which type of cabling will you use (e.g. CAT 5, fiber optic) or will a wireless network be
suitable?
• Where will the network cables be located?
• Are there any building or leasing regulations that may affect cable placement?
• Where will you locate the following devices, servers, hubs or switches, printers, firewalls and
routers, modems etc.?
• What security measures will you be putting in place?
-Virus protection, user passwords, firewalls, data encryption etc.
• How will you back up data on your network?
• What is the capacity of your backup solution?
• Where do you store backed up tapes?
• Is there sufficient ventilation around the servers?
Support services
• Do you have resources allocated for the following areas (e.g. consultants, IT staff etc.)?
• Network installation
• Cable installation
• Network technical support
• Network management and security

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 • Network maintenance
• Training
MAKING A NETWORK CABLE
The steps below are for Cat 5 cable construction guidelines used the Category 5e patch cable, but
the same general method will work for making any category of network cables. Materials
Required:
a. RJ-45 connector and boots
b. Crimping tool
c. Clone tool
d. Data box
e. Cable tester
1. Unroll the required length of network cable and add a little extra wire, just in case. If
a boot is to be fitted, do so before stripping away the sleeve and ensure the boot faces the correct
way.
2. Carefully remove the outer jacket of the cable. Be careful when stripping the jacket as
to not nick or cut the internal wiring. One good way to do this is to cut lengthwise with snips or a
knife along the side of the cable, away from yourself, about an inch toward the open end. This
reduces the risk of nicking the wires' insulation. Locate the string inside with the wires, or if no
string is found, use the wires themselves to unzip the sheath of the cable by holding the sheath in
one hand and pulling sideways with the string or wire. Cut away the unzipped sheath and cut the
twisted pairs about 1 1/4" (30 mm). You will notice 8 wires twisted in 4 pairs. Each pair will have
one wire of a certain color and another wire that is white with a colored stripe matching its partner
(this wire is called a tracer).
3. Inspect the newly revealed wires for any cuts or scrapes that expose the copper wire
inside. If you have breached the protective sheath of any wire, you will need to cut the entire
segment of wires off and start over at step one. Exposed copper wire will lead to cross-talk, poor
performance or no connectivity at all. It is important that the jacket for all network cables remains
intact.
4. Untwist the pairs so they will lay flat between your fingers. The white piece of thread
can be cut off even with the jacket and disposed. For easier handling, cut the wires so that they are
3/4" (19 mm) long from the base of the jacket and even in length.

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5. Arrange the wires based on the wiring specifications you are following. There are two
methods set by the TIA, 568A and 568B. Which one you use will depend on what is being
connected. A straight-through cable is used to connect two different layer devices (e.g. a hub and
a PC). Two like devices normally require a cross-over cable. The difference between the two is
that a straight-through cable has both ends wired identically with 568B, while a cross-over cable
has one end wired 568A and the other end wired 568B. [1] For our demonstration in the following
steps, we will use 568B, but the instructions can easily be adapted to 568A in the table below from
left to right.
CLASS A CLASS B

Green White Orange White

Green Orange

Orange White Green White

Blue Blue

Blue White Blue White

Orange Green

Brown White Brown White

Brown Brown

PICTORAL REPRESENTATION

CAT 5e RJ 45 Connector

switch

Network interface card

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COMPUTER NETWORKS APPROACH
The used a client server network which had one computer act as a server while the other computers
on the network request services from the server. The server is the one which controls all the
operations based on access to the hardware, software, and other resources on the network and
provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and information. Clients rely on server for
resources, the server stored database for the customers and employees who are in the user group.
A printer server manages printers and documents being printed on the whole organization as the
use a controlled approach in managing printing services, in this system all nodes or computers on
the network used one printer.

Computers and devices on network connect to a central device; the hub and switch which provide
a common central point for nodes on the network. All data transfers that occur from one computer
to another pass-through hub, nodes can be added to and removed from the network with little or
no disruption. The star topology was used at the cooperative thus communication between the
sever and clients is centralized or controlled by hub which was the link for all transfers available
on the network. The clients can share information on the transactions done, and related cooperative
works thru the local-area network (LAN) which connects computers within the building.

Computers were set to have a distributed system were the computers which are termed as nodes
communicate in order to share information among working computers. This system has a local
area network which is used to access various resources that the system maintains, thus help to
share resources which increases computation speed, functionality, data availability, and reliability.

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The systems need to share information on transaction accounts details for loans and schemes which
are available for cooperative members, when having system audit and sanctions.

Generally, systems contain a file transfer protocols that create a distributed system that controls
the systems utility, this depends on the information load. The utilities control the log off of users
on the system and configuring of several particulars. Communication path between the systems
depends on networking for their functionality thus a proper design of the system is required. Across
which all applications must flow, then it makes sense to exploit the network as a resource in
monitoring application traffic and diagnosing application problems and not only when the network
is at fault. At minimum, good network management today can accurately isolate where a problem
is occurring in large distributed environments, often pinpointing specific servers or exposing
chatty application design. The real-time rise of real-time: Application flow management across the
network is increasingly being done in real-time, or near real-time. This is because unlike
traditional, component-centric network performance management, it doesn't require polling. Some
capabilities, such as route analytics, expose the actual path of application traffic in a fully realtime
context.

This type of visibility will become yet more important with the advent of service-oriented
architectures (SOA) that exploit distributed networked access beyond single data centre
implementations. The rise of configuration management: In part because of the IT Infrastructure
Library (ITIL) and its emphasis on configuration management (meaning visibility into
configuration and topological change) as an enabler for all management disciplines, network
communication scheme that allows different processes on different computers to exchange
messages. This is applicable when the whole system is to be alerted on current developments on
the company network this runs on a network operating system acts autonomously from all other
computers on the network, although it is aware of the network and is able to communicate with
other networked computers. The different operating systems communicate closely enough to
provide the interaction that only a single operating system controls the network.

ASSIGNING STATIC IP ADDRESS

Using Static IPs prevents address conflicts between devices and allows you to manage them more
easily as you enter the IP addresses manually. Assigning IPs to Windows is an essential in order
to have the same process, but getting to where you need to be varies between each version. Most

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internet service provider hands you a single Internet Protocol address and your router shares. A
network with several computes and devices needs the IT personal to have an idea to assign each
of them a specific address. If you use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), each
computer will request and be assigned an address every time it’s booted up. When you have to do
troubleshooting on your network, it annoying going to each machine to figure out what IP they
have to change the computer IP address in Windows XP, type network and sharing into the Search
box in the Start Menu and select Network and Sharing Centre when it comes up.

Their several steps that are involved when configuring IP addresses on a network, firstly you get
to network and sharing then change the adapter settings. This will help you in working on how to
configure the operations of IP address, by using the local area network which was already set up
this will led us to properties were you need to choose a facility that shall be used to start
configuration options -> Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPV4). This will let you to a property
where the server will automatically choose or generate or entering them manually, now change the
IP, Subnet mask, Default Gateway, and DNS Server Addresses. When you’re finished click to
change the computer’s IP address in Windows, type network and sharing into the Search box in
the Start Menu and select Network and Sharing Centre when it comes up.

Right-click on your local adapter and select Properties.

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Now select the radio button Use the following IP address and enter in the correct IP, Subnet mask,
and Default gateway that corresponds with your network setup. Then enter your Preferred and
Alternate DNS server addresses. Here we’re on a home network and using a simple Class C
network configuration and Google DNS. Check Validate settings upon exit so Windows can find
any problems with the addresses you entered. When you’re finished click OK.

Windows will run network diagnostics and verify the

connection is good. Now you can open the command
prompt and do an IP configuration to see the network
adapter settings have been successfully changed.
When there is a better communication flow between
nodes and requirement to view several
corresponding parameters, in order to have a system
with effective communication between nodes the
network. The computer system must work properly
in the interconnection; this enables various works to
be completed thus an information linkage on the
internet.

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PROBLEM SENDING COMMAND IN PROGRAM
There was a problem sending the command to the program I was trying to open a Microsoft Excel
2013 file (.xlsx) in Windows 8.1 at Latitude hotels but whenever I tried to open it, I received
following error message but there was no problem in the file. When you try to open a Microsoft
Office file such as a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, Access database file, you receive
following error messages: There was a problem sending the command to the program or windows
cannot find the file, make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again or cannot find the
file (or one of its components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required
libraries are available. After getting the error message, following things might happen:

• The error message is shown only once and you'll be able to open the file in second attempt.
• The error message is shown each time you try to open the file.
According to Microsoft KB article, this problem occurs due to Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)
feature. DDE is a type of communication protocols which is used by Windows to open certain
filetypes which require this protocol for communication between source and target programs. DDE
mechanism is used to prevent unnecessary opening of multiple instances of a program if one
instance of that program is already running in background. So basically, DDE helps Windows in
saving computer resources so that you get better performance from your computer.

Now let’s talk about our problem! The above-mentioned error message appears when Windows
sends DDE command to MS Office application but Windows fails to connect with the application,
thus it shows the error message in return. We talked about 2 cases above! If CASE 1 is applicable
to you i.e. you receive the error message only once and then you are able to open the file, you can
ignore this problem. Nothing bad is going to happen with your computer. But if CASE 2 is
applicable to you and you are not able to open the file, then you can try following solutions:
SOLUTION 1:

1. Open the Microsoft Office program and open its Options window. Click on Office ORB or
FILE menu present in the ribbon and then click on Options.

2. Now go to Advanced tab and scroll down to bottom. You'll find "Ignore other applications
that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)" option present in General section.

3. Make sure its unchecked. If its enabled in your system, disable it by unchecking the checkbox.

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4. Apply changes and restart Office program. It should fix the problem.

PS: If the option is not enabled, first enable the option and then restart the Office program. Now
again disable the option and then again restart the Office program. It should fix the problem.

SOLUTION 2:

If the above-mentioned solution doesn't work for you, try following method. Basically, we are
going to re-associate Office program as default application to open the filetype:

1. Right-click on the Office file and select "Open with" option.

2. If you are using Windows 7 or earlier Windows versions, click on Browse button.

If you are using Windows 8 or later, click on More Options link and then click on "Look for
another app on this PC" option.

3. Now go to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office..." folder in Browse dialog box and

select the correct EXE file. For example, if you are trying to open .xlsx file, select EXCEL.EXE
file. If you are trying to open .docx file, select WINWORD.EXE file.

Make sure "Always use this application for this file type" or similar option is enabled in Open with
window.

4. That's it. It should fix the problem.

SOLUTION 3:

Sometimes this error message occurs when "Run as administrator" option is enabled for the
program. You can fix it using following steps:

1. Open Start Menu or Start Screen and look for the Office program shortcut which is causing
this problem such as Word, Excel, etc.

2. Once you find the shortcut, right-click on it and select Properties option.

PS: If you can't find the Properties option, first select "Open file location" option from the context
menu. It'll open a new window. Now again right-click on the Office program shortcut present in
the new window and now you'll get Properties option.

3. Now go to Compatibility tab and uncheck/disable all given options specially "Run this
program as administrator".

4. Apply changes and it should solve the problem.

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SOLUTION 4:

You can also try to delete "Data" key from Registry to fix this issue. This key stores basic settings
related to window size, position and toolbars. If you delete the key, it'll reappear as soon as you
launch Office program. So there is no harm in deleting this key from Registry.

To delete the key, follow these simple steps:

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN and press
Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office

3. Under this key, you'll find sub-keys with the name 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, etc depending upon which
Office suite version is installed in your computer.

Expand the 10.0 or other number key and you'll see keys with the name Word, Excel, Access, etc.

4. Expand the key associated to the program which is causing problems. For example, if Microsoft
Word is causing problems, expand Word key and you'll see Data key under it.

5. Select Data key and press Delete key to delete it.

That's it. Re-launch Office program and now it should work without any problem.

SOLUTION 5:

You can also try to repair Microsoft Office suite with the help of following steps:

1. Open Control Panel and click on Programs and Features icon.

2. Now click on Microsoft Office entry present in the list and click on "Change" button.

3. Now select "Repair" option and click on "Continue" button.

It'll repair Microsoft Office files and settings and it should fix the problem.

SOLUTION 6:

A few readers have reported that a 3rd party software "AVG PC Tune Up" can also cause this
issue. So, if you are also facing this problem and you have "AVG PC Tune Up" software installed

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in your computer, try to uninstall it. It may also fix the issue. According to our reader "David 963",
AVG PC Tune-up disabled Microsoft Office from starting until the program started and therefore
would not open an individual worksheet or document until the actual program was opened. He
didn't uninstall AVG PC Tune Up but he opened the program and went to the "Optimize" tab and
clicked "Disable Programs" option. Then he enabled Microsoft Office suite.

OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION

During the industrial training the supervisor gave us several operating system installation disks
that we used to install on different computers. An operating system is software that manages
computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs.
The operating system is an essential component of the system software in a computer system.
Application programs usually require an operating system to function.

In context to our training this report will discuss the different steps that are taken in operating
system installation. There were three main operating systems were used for installation; Microsoft
Windows XP and Windows 7. Since Windows XP and Windows 7 used similar steps, the steps
for Windows 7 will be summarized.

WINDOWS XP INSTALLATION
a. Insert Windows XP Disk: For this step, you will need to open your CD -Rom drive and
insert your Windows XP disk. You can now close the CD - Rom Drive.
b. Boot the computer form CD: On most home computers, you will want to shut down your
station. After the station is off, you can restart it. While the station is restarting, begin
pressing the F12 key over and over again. This will take you to the boot options menu.
Now that you are in the boot options menu, you will need to use the arrow keys on your
keyboard to move over the choice for an On board or USB CD-ROM Drive. Press Enter.
c. After you have pressed Enter, most Windows XP disks will prompt you to press any key
to boot from the CD (As seen in picture 2). When this appears, you will have only a few
seconds to press any key on the keyboard. I usually choose the Space-bar because it is the
easiest to find and press.
d. Start Installation Setup: After you have chosen to boot from the CD, you will have to
wait a few minutes. The disk will check your hard drive to see if a window XP is installed

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 on it. After the disk, has made its check you should see a screen like the one in the first
picture on this page. You will want to press Enter because you are planning on installing
Windows XP on your system. If you realize that you have data on your hard drive and
need to back it up, now would be the time to press F3 and exit the installation program to
back it up.
e. Partitioning Process: The next step in installing Windows XP is to delete the old partition
on your hard drive. You will see a screen similar to the one in the first picture of this page.
You will want to scroll over the C: partition that is current on your hard drive. The next
thing you will need to do is click the D key. This will tell the program that you want to
delete the current partition.
After you click the D key, you will see a screen like the one in the second picture. On
this screen, you will want to press the L key to confirm the deletion of the partition of the
hard drive

f. Begin installation: Now that you have deleted the old partition, you will need to be sure
that partition is selected and press the Enter key. This will tell the program that you want
to install Windows XP on that partition.
g. Select File System and Format: In this step, you will want to choose whether you want
to have system do a quick installation or a standard installation. For the purposes of this
set of instructions, I have chosen to do a standard installation. After this Press Enter.
h. Choose the keyboard layout, name, and organisation: Here is where the keyboard
layout is selected, name is given to the computer, and various types of organisation can be
done.

WINDOWS 7 INSTALLATION

Windows 7 follows a similar order of steps as Windows XP so this procedure will only discuss the

main steps in order. The following are the procedures to follow when installing Window 7;

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 a. Turn your computer on then press Del or F2 (depend on your computer’s motherboard) to
enter the system BIOS
b. Go to Boot menu and choose Boot from CD/DVD.
c. Press F10 to save the configuration and exit BIOS then reset your computer.
d. Insert Windows 7 DVD into your DVD drive then start up your computer, Windows 7 will
be loading files.
e. Select these parts: Language to Install, Time and currency format, Keyboard or input
method. Then click next.
f. Choose Install now if you want to install Windows 7. Choose the Windows 7 version
that you want to install in 'Select the operating system you want to install’. Here we choose
Windows 7 Ultimate then click next (depending on your Windows DVD, this step is an
option)
g. Click 'I accept the license terms' in 'Please read the license' then click next.
h. Choose 'Upgrade' in 'Which type of installation do you want' if you want to upgrade from
an older Windows version to Windows 7, 'Custom (advance)' if you want to install a new
version of Windows.
i. Choose Partition for installation, if your computer has only one hard disk, it will be easy
for selection, but if it has some Partition, you will have to consider which Partition to
choose.
j. Wait for Installing Windows to progress. Your computer might be restarted during the
process.
k. Type you’re a user account and computer name. After click Next.
l. Type a password for your account, you can also Type a password hint to help in case of
forgetting the password in the future, and then click next.
m. Type in activation code or key for your license in Product key box if you have any. Click
Next.

IMAGE PROCESSING
COMPUTERIZED MALARIA DIAGONSIS BASED ON IMAGE PROCESSING

Malaria is a disease that affects many people in Africa thus there is need required thru diagnosis
at an early stage in order to control it, microscopes are used to detect the disease and pathologists

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use the manual method due to which there is a lot of possibility of false detection being made about
the disease thus computerized diagnosis is done to have an accurate check-up, which will help in
immediate detection of the disease to that the proper treatment provided for the patient. Image
processing algorithm is used which will reliably detect the presence of malaria parasite from
Plasmodium falciparum species in blood sample.

Image processing algorithms to automate the diagnosis of malaria on thin blood are developed,
their two methods for detecting malaria, based on segmentation and the other uses feature
extraction using minimum distance classifiers thus being able to have positive prediction and
negative prediction values. There is need to remove unwanted effects from the image and to adjust
the image as necessary for further processing input image is converted from RGB to gray scale to
reduce the processing time, smoothing methods are used to have a low pass filters.

There is a need to find and check the texture feature of each cell in order to determine the
composition of various operations to check the negative or positive fact, this has a concept which
checks the parasite by working with gray scales in mat lab thus seeing thru a wider inner range to
determine the patients state, checking the graphic is to be done keenly to avoid misconception thus
working on dilation and thresholding is required.

My research was done at Chifundo Clinic where I learnt how malaria diagnosis is done based on
hospital systems this gave me an insight on working on blood samples, blood is to be collected
from a high magnified slide thereby having images which will be worked on in MATLAB or other
image processing software’s such as ImageJ plugin in android. This research will still be carried
on as I had minimal time to work on it, this system study helped me to gradually think on how ICT
would be a solution to the health sector.

CHAPTER IV

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Overall the Industrial program is a positive remark because of its capability to set students on an
industrial level to obtain needed experience for the near future as its it exposes them to the real

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industrial approach thus the industrial program should be exercised as per required. However, the
is need for the university to help in the placement as per requested by several industries.

4.1 CONCLUSION
This is the brief illustration on how my industrial training was done basically assigned to various
ICT activities which I did at Niho Systems, the main operations were guided through my
supervisor. This had lead me to have a vast knowledge on how to operate on various hardware and
software operations based on network installation, electronics and support services , this had been
a great adventure thereby exploring more in several sectors in relation to information
communication technology.

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APPENDIX
1. www.askvg.com
2. ” Hard Drive Troubleshooting pdf”, Software and Computer Systems Company, LLC
August 2012.
3. “Introduction to Computer Networking”, Varna Free University Chernorizec Hrabar
Institute of Technology, Prof. Teodora Bakardjieva.
4. “Computer Networking: Principles, Protocols and Practice”, Release 0.25 Olivier
Bonaventure, October 30, 2011.
5. “Troubleshooting and repairing personal computers”, by Art Margolis.
6. “Malaria Disease Identification and Analysis Using Image Processing”, Sneha Chavan, Dr.
Manoj Nagmode, Dept. of Electronics &Telecommunication, University of Pune, MIT
College of engineering, Kotharud Pune, Maharashtra, India.
7. “Automatic detection of malaria parasite from blood images”, A. Ms. Deepali Ghate
(Information Technology, DCOER, Pune, India), B. Mrs. Chaya Jadhav (Information
Technology, DYPIET, Pune, India), C. Dr. N Usha Rani (HOD-ECE Department,
Vignan’s University, AP, India).

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