© 1995-2001 Dave Krauss, Michigan State University

Table of Contents:

• Setting Up Your New Computer
• DOS and Windows 3.1
• Windows 95
• Windows NT
• Upgrading Your Computer
  • Looking Under the Hood
  • Parts of the Motherboard
  • Installing Adapter Cards
  • Adding More Memory
  • Installing a Hard Drive
  • Installing a Tape Drive
  • Installing a CD-ROM Drive
  • Replacing the Battery
  • Upgrading the Microprocessor

• Never be in a hurry, take your time and make sure everything is done properly. If you don't have the time to install everything correctly now, when will you have the time to reinstall everything?

• Check to make sure that you have everything that you need to setup the computer. If you are installing internal components, such as disk drives, do you have all of the power and data cables that you need? If you are installing a printer, do you have the correct type of cable to connect the printer to the computer? Printers generally do not come with a cable, you have to purchase that separately.

• Even if you've setup new computers before, read the setup section in the manual for each of the components that you are going to install. Computers are usually shipped with special packing material inside the diskette and CD-ROM drives that needs to be removed before the computer is turned on. Also, printers usually have packing material covering print heads or other important components inside the printer that needs to be removed.

• Keep the boxes and packing material. If you ever have to return the computer, monitor, or printer back to the original manufacturer, you will need them.

• Fill out all of the registration cards for the computer, monitor, printer, software applications, or any other components and mail them in promptly. Keep copies of any important information, such as registration numbers, serial numbers, as well as brand and model numbers of everything in a safe place. If you ever have to call for technical support, you will need this information. Also, if you ever install additional hardware or software to the computer, you may need to know the model numbers of one or more of the various components to check for compatibility.

1. Make a bootable diskette for the computer, hopefully, we'll never need to use it. Once the diskette has been created, other than the hidden system files, the only file you will see is COMMAND.COM. You will need to create an AUTOEXEC.BAT with the following commands:

   path=a:\
   prompt $p$g $a

   Copy the following files from your C:\DOS directory to the boot diskette:

   EDIT.HLP
   EDIT.COM
   FDISK.EXE
   FORMAT.COM
   MEM.EXE
   MSD.EXE
   MSD.COM
   QBASIC.EXE
   QBASIC.HLP
   SCANDISK.INI
   SCANDISK.EXE
   SYS.COM

2. Make a copies of the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files and place them in the C:\DOS directory. If you are ever adding new software or hardware that automatically changes these files and something goes wrong, or when you thought you were in a subdirectory and were really in the C:\ directory and you do a DEL *.*, all you have to do is copy them back from the C:\DOS directory and you are back in business. Also, remember to make new copies if you change these files.

3. Create a backup directory in the Windows directory (C:\WINDOWS\BACKUP) and copy all of the .INI, .GRP, .REG and .DAT files into the backup directory. If the REG.DAT files ever gets toasted when you are installing new Windows software, you will have to do a complete reinstall of Windows. As long as you have a backup of this file, you just need to copy the file back to the C:\WINDOWS directory and you are back in business. Also, remember to make new backup copies of these files after you install new Windows software or make any changes to your Windows environment.

4. If you purchased a tape backup with your PC, make a complete backup of everything. If you make a complete backup of your files to diskette, rather than waste a lot of time backing up software applications that you have the original system disks for, just backup the files that you don't have on diskette. Remember, If you make a backup of your files, you'll never need to use it. However, if you don't make a backup, you will need it!

5. Print a copy of your CMOS setup, but displaying the settings on the screen, then doing a <Shift><PrntScrn>. If the battery in your system ever dies, the CMOS gets erased. Some systems have a special keystroke that allows you to display the CMOS settings, some require a special diskette that you boot the system from, and other allow you to access the CMOS during the system's boot cycle. Check your manual to see how to access the CMOS in your system.

Windows 95
With Windows 95, the backup procedure is greatly simplified for the user. Once you have the computer up and running and before you start installing additional software, you should make an Emergency Repair diskette. Every time you add new software or change the configuration of your computer, you should update the Emergency Repair diskette and also backup the important files on the computer.

Windows NT
When you install or upgrade to Windows NT, you are prompted to create an Emergency Repair Disk. This disk is a life saver if you are ever faced with the dreaded blue screen (kernal memory dump to the fortunate who have never seen this). The Emergency Repair Disk should be updated every time you change your system configuration or add/remove a software application. Since the program to create the Emergency Repair Disk is not included in the Start menu options, you will need to either launch the program (Rdisk.exe) from either My Computer or Windows NT Explorer from the \Winnt\System32 folder. However, you should be aware that running the Repair Disk program in this fashion will NOT update the Default, Sam, and Security files in your computer. Therefore, if you ever need to use the Emergency Repair Disk to boot your computer, passwords will revert back to the last time that you updated the Sam and Security files. To make sure everything is up-to-date on your Emergency Repair Disk, either launch the program using the Run option in the Start menu, or from a DOS window using the following:

The /s switch forces the Repair Disk program to update all of the files located in the \Winnt\Repair folder.

As is true with all other essential data, make a copy of your Emergency Repair Disk and store it in another location. I have a set of Emergency Repair Disks in my office for all of our Windows NT Workstations and Servers and I also keep a duplicate copy at home. Remember, the information stored on the Emergency Repair Disk contains vital information and should be locked up in a safe place.

To back up data that you don't already have elsewhere, use the Start/Programs/Administrative Tools/Backup utility. As long as you have all of the original program diskettes or CDs, it is not necessary to make back up copies of those programs (such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc.). You should however make back up copies of all of the files that you have created as well as any service packs or update files that you have installed on your computer in case you need them.

Upgrading Your Computer
The current hourly rate that most places charge to install components in your computer is around $65.00/hour. Whether they are installing 32 MB of RAM memory, a 4 GB SCSI hard drive plus a controller, or a new screw to hold your computer together, it's still $65/hour. Even though the installation of most items, such as a hard drive, power supply, or memory modules takes only 10 to 15 minutes to perform, you are almost always charged for a full hour. So, that great deal you got on a modem for $30 isn't so great when you end up paying another $65 to get it installed!

In my opinion, no one should ever have to pay someone else to install a component inside their computer, especially at the rates most places are currently charging. Unless you don't have a shred of common sense or don't know which is the business end of a screwdriver, you are more than capable of installing a SIMM memory module, a hard drive or CD-ROM drive, or an adapter card such as an internal fax/modem or sound card. Of course determining complicated internal hardware problems is another story all together, if you can operate a screwdriver, you can install new components. The only exception to this would be in a situation where you were trying to install a component that just didn't want to coexist with everything else inside your computer and then, in a state of panic, you dropped the computer off at the local computer shop to get it running again. But at least try the installation first, you might just surprise yourself and save a little money.

The basic tools that you will need to work on a computer are a small flat-blade screwdriver, a small and large head Phillips screwdriver, and if you are installing an adapter card or second hard drive where you need to change some jumpers, a small set of needle-nose pliers comes in handy (all of these tools should be non-magnetized). On some systems, such as IBM and Compaq, you may also need a set of hex-head screwdrivers. Also, a grounding strip is a handy device to have if you are going to be doing a lot of work (available at most electronics parts stores), but if you are careful, it's not necessary.

Before you attempt to work on your computer, make sure you have a reliable backup copy of any files on your hard drive that you can't afford to lose. In fact, while the computer is busy backing up your data, that's a good time to open the manual and read the sections relating to removing the cover and installing internal components.

Looking Under the Hood
Before you remove the computer's cover, make sure that the computer is plugged into a grounded outlet (three-prong outlet, not a two-prong outlet) and that the computer's power is turned off (including the power strip if you use one). Once you have the cover removed and you begin working inside the computer, keep one hand or your bare arm in constant contact with the metal frame of the computer to keep yourself grounded. If you have access to a grounding strip, connect one end to your bare wrist and the other to the metal frame of the computer.

There is nothing magical or mystical about working on the inside of a computer. You don't have to be a certified electrician or have some special training from IBM or Intel, but you do have to be is careful! The only component inside the computer that has any significant amount of voltage is the power supply. Since the power supply is encased in a metal casing, you can't come in contact with anything that can harm you. The basic circuitry of a computer uses 5V and 12V DC, which is no more potent than the radio or dome light in your car. You, on the other hand, are the one who holds the spark.

If you have ever walked across a carpet and touched a metal object, such as a doorknob, there's a little blue spark that jumps from your finger to the metal object. Or if you wash your clothes and forget to use fabric softener, the clothes will contain a static charge that makes fabrics cling together. The amount of electrical charge in these two examples ranges from hundreds of volts to thousands of volts. So, you shouldn't be afraid of the 5V DC current running through the motherboard of the computer, the computer should be afraid of you! If you allow this static charge to get into the computer, you can cause some serious damage. So remember to keep yourself well grounded at all times while working inside the computer.

Parts of the Motherboard
Once you open the computer's case, you will see a mass of wires, data cables, and circuit boards, in addition to the power supply, internal speaker, floppy, CD-ROM, and hard drives. If you are going to be upgrading your computer's motherboard, it is best to first familiarize yourself with the basic components on the motherboard. There should have been a manual that came with your computer that explains these components, but if you don't have this information, click on this link to see the basic components of a motherboard.

Installing Adapter Cards
The installation of an adapter card, such as a sound card, extra serial or parallel port card, video card, network card, etc. can either be real easy or real difficult. In some cases, you simply plug the card into the computer and you're done, in other cases you have to change the default jumper settings that the card has to allow it to coexist with the other components in your computer. The jumper settings that may or may not be on the adapter card that you are going to install are I/O Base Address (IOBA), Direct Memory Access Channel (DMA), Memory Base Address (MBA), and the Interrupt Request Level (IRQ). The majority of the time, these jumpers are preset at the factory and do not have to be changed, but occasionally you do need to make some minor adjustments to get the card to work properly.

I/O Base Address is an address which is located in the computer's memory and is used as a point of reference to identify an adapter card. The I/O Base Address must be unique and not overlap the address space of any other device in the computer. Since there are so many addresses available this generally does not need to be changed.

Direct Memory Access Channel is usually a number ranging from 0 to 3 or 0 to 7 depending on the type of adapter card. The DMA is used by the computer to speed up input/output operations to and from the computer's memory by avoiding the microprocessor. There aren't many devices that use a DMA channel other than some controller cards and a few other types of devices, so it is unlikely that you would have to adjust this if it is on the adapter card that you are installing.

Memory Base Address marks the start of an adapter card's built-in memory within the memory address space of the computer. Each device in the computer must have a unique MBA and the preset address for the card usually does not need to be changed.

Interrupt Request Level is used by a device to signal the computer that it needs to perform some task and is the most common problem associated with installing adapter cards. Most computers have 16 IRQ settings and just about everything in the computer needs to have its own unique IRQ level (video display, keyboard, modem, parallel ports, serial ports, etc.).

The current style of adapter cards being manufactured today allow you to change the settings for all of these settings via software. In this case, the installation software for the card usually handles any conflicts with other devices for you automatically and makes adjustments to your adapter card's configuration.

Adding More Memory
How much RAM memory your computer needs depends on the software applications that you want to run. Most programs list a minimum amount of memory that they require, which is usually in the range of 4 to 16 MBs or more, but some applications, like Adobe Photoshop, recommend 32 MBs. This minimum amount of memory usually means the minimum amount just to get the program to load.

If you have a 486 class computer, 20 MBs is the maximum amount of memory that you can add to get a performance boost. Adding more than 20 MBs will not affect your applications or improve your computing power.

Installing additional memory to modern computers is a snap. You simply plug in the memory module into the appropriate slot on the motherboard, turn on the computer, and you're done. This assumes that your computer has a modern BIOS that is capable of determining how much memory you have on the motherboard and then configuring itself, otherwise, you have to access the computer's CMOS and make the changes manually.

The problem with installing memory is getting the correct type. You need to know the correct physical size of the module that you need, the size in terms of memory, the access speed of the memory, whether your computer uses parity, non-parity or it can use either/or, and if you need gold or tin plated connectors.

Since memory modules only come in three flavors, 30-pin, 72-pin, and 168-pin, that's easy to figure out by looking at the computer's motherboard or looking in the manual. Most computers built today have either 72 or 168-pin memory modules, the older 386 and 486 class computers used the 30-pin memory modules.

Some computers are only capable of recognizing certain sizes of memory or requires that the memory modules be installed in pairs. For example, to add 8 MBs of memory, you may not be able to add just a single 8 MB module, you may need to install two 4 MB modules instead. Or if you have 4 slots on your motherboard and you want to install 40 MBs of RAM, your only choice may be two 16 MB modules and two 4 MB modules, not two 16 MB modules and one 8 MB module. Also, be aware that there are some computer motherboards that only support a certain range of sizes in these 4 slots. There should be a table in your computer manual listing the various combinations of memory modules that your computer supports. Odds are, if it isn't listed in this table, it's not going to work.

Whether your computer uses parity memory, non-parity memory, or it can use both will be listed in your manual along with the types of memory modules that the computer supports. Parity memory is generally more expensive than non-parity memory and is just a way that the computer double checks itself. Some computers require parity memory, some require non-parity memory and others can use a combination of both.

Computer memory speed is measured in nanoseconds (ns). The lower the number, the faster the memory. Along with the types of memory modules that your computer supports, it will also tell you the speed that the memory must be. If the speed of the module is too slow, the computer may slow down in order to wait for the memory to be ready. If the speed is too fast, then it's the memory that is waiting. Faster memory is usually better, although it won't make your computer run any faster.

Finally, you have a choice between gold plated or tin plated connectors on the memory modules. The only difference between these types of modules is that gold plated connectors do not corrode as fast as the tin plated ones and tend to be more expensive. I have installed tin plated memory modules in computers that have been in operation for the past 6 or 7 years without a problem and have never noticed a corrosion problem myself. So, whether you purchase gold or tin plated modules, it is up to you. Some computer manufacturers however, like IBM, say they require gold plated modules in the manual.

Installing a Hard Drive
All IDE controllers which are standard in most computers, either embedded in the motherboard or as an adapter card, have the capability of running two hard drives. Some high-end model computers may have two embedded IDE controllers in the motherboard, which gives you the capability of connecting four hard drives. If you have a SCSI adapter in your computer, it has the capability of connecting up to 7 hard drives or other devices.

If you are planning to install a second hard drive in your computer, make sure that there is enough room inside the case. With desktop configurations, there may not be enough room for a second drive, but if you have a tower or mini tower configuration, you should have plenty of room. Another thing to check is to see if your power supply can support an additional drive. If you see a spare Px power connector available inside, then you should be all set. If there isn't a spare Px connector available, you can purchase a Y-splitter from most computer stores or Radio Shack, provided the power supply will support it (check your manual).

If you are installing the hard drive in a 486 or Pentium class computer, you shouldn't have a problem. However, if you are installing the hard drive in a 386 computer or an older model 486, you will need to check to see if the computer will support the drive (check your manual or contact the manufacturer). Some of the older model 386 and 486 computers did not support drives larger than 528 MB, although upgrading the computer's BIOS or using a third party software application to override the computer's BIOS would take care of the problem.

When selecting a brand of hard drive to install as a second drive in your system, my advice is that you should try to purchase the same brand of hard drive (Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, etc.) as what you already have, it will make life a lot easier. In other words, if your computer has a Western Digital hard drive, the second hard drive that you plan to install should also be a Western Digital hard drive. If your computer has a Fujitsu hard drive, the second hard drive should also be a Fujitsu hard drive. The access rate, number of heads, sectors, and size of the drive doesn't matter, just the brand name. For example, if I had a Western Digital 1.2 GB hard drive in my computer and I wanted to install a second drive, as long as it's a Western Digital drive, whether it's another 1.2 GB, 2.4 GB, 4.0 GB, or larger, it doesn't matter.

When installing a second drive in your system, you need to set one of the drives (usually the one currently installed) as a master and the second drive (usually the new drive) as a slave. This is where it can be a bit tricky if you are using drives from different manufacturers, particularly in the older drives.

Although most of the current brands of hard drives available today do indeed work well together, some brands and models do not. If for some reason you are not able to get the same brand of hard drive as what you already have in your computer, stick with a well know brand, such as Western Digital, Fujitsu, Maxtor, Seagate, etc. If the installation manual that comes with the new drive doesn't help you to get the two brands of hard drives to coexist in your system, these companies tend to have very good technical support and fax-back services. If all else fails, try switching the settings for the two drives (master and slave). Always remember to have a backup of the drive before you start changing the configuration settings. It may take a while, particularly if you are backing up the drive to diskettes, but that won't seem to matter so much if the drive gets toasted!

The following graphic illustrates the connectors on the back of a hard drive:

The data cable is the thin, wide, flat cable that connects the hard drive to the computer's hard drive controller (or another hard drive in the computer). The power cable is of course used to connect the drive to the computer's power supply. The jumper settings is where you set the drive to either be a master or slave. You will need to look at the manual for the hard drive to change the jumper settings as these settings vary between different manufacturers.

If you plan to install a SCSI hard drive as your second hard drive, be aware that most computers do not come with a SCSI controller to run the drive, so you will need to purchase a good SCSI controller too (Adaptec and Western Digital are very good brands).

Once you have removed the computer's case and made sure there is an available Px connector you will need to make changes on the jumper settings for each of the drives. The hard drive currently in your computer must be set to Master and the new drive must be set to Slave. Check the installation manual that came with your new drive for the correct jumper to set. Insert the new hard drive in one of the computer's open drive bays. Make sure that the spare connector on the data cable running to your other hard drive will reach the location where you plan to install the new drive. Secure the drive and connect the Px connector and the data cable, making sure that pin 1 on the data cable's connector lines up with pin 1 on the drive's connector (pin 1 on the data cable connector is on the side of the cable that has a red stripe). Check to make sure all the connectors are in place and that you don't have any cables touching any other components or blocking the cooling fans, then replace the cover. The next thing you need to do is tell the computer that you have installed a new drive by accessing the computer's BIOS and making the proper settings there. In most systems, the setting that you use in the BIOS is auto-detect, which lets the computer automatically configure the BIOS for the new drive. See your computer manual for details.

Installing a Tape Drive
There are two basic types of tape drives available, IDE drives and SCSI drives. IDE drives are the most common of the two types and are available at most computer stores. The main difference between an IDE and a SCSI tape drive is in the transfer rate, the speed at which the drive copies data from your hard drive. Most IDE drives are capable of transferring data at a rate of 10 MB/minute. So if you are backing up a 1 GB hard drive, it will take approximately 100 minutes. SCSI tape drives on the other hand are capable of transferring data at a much higher rate, usually around, 50 MB/minute. So, the SCSI tape drive would take only 20 minutes to backup the same 1 GB hard drive. Other than the transfer rate, both drives do the same thing, one is just faster than the other.

When selecting a tape drive to install in your computer, it is important to consider future hard drive upgrades. If you purchase an 1.0 GB tape drive for your 1.0 GB hard drive, then add a second 1.0 GB hard drive, you will need two tapes to do a complete backup instead of one.

The installation of an IDE tape drive is similar to installing a second diskette drive, in that the controller data cable that you will use to connect the tape drive to is the same one that the diskette drive uses. You need to make sure that you have room in your computer to install the drive, then it is just a matter of inserting the drive into an open drive bay and securing it. There should be an available connector in the middle of the data cable running to your diskette drive, that connects to the data connector of the drive. Finally, connect one of the available Px power connector to the drive and the installation is complete. Note, the data cable must be installed correctly or you could damage the drive. One of the sides of the data cable will have a red stripe indicating that that side of the connector coincides with pin 1 on the drive's connector. If you are not sure which side of the drive's connector is pin 1, look on the circuit board where the connector is attached.

In addition to the above, SCSI tape drives require a special SCSI controller card to be installed in the computer. Most SCSI drives come with a special proprietary SCSI controller cards that works only with that drive. The installation of a SCSI tape drive is essentially the same as an IDE with the exception that the data connector on the tape drive is connected to the SCSI controller and not the IDE controller.

Installing a CD-ROM Drive
Just like installing any other drive in your computer, first make sure your power supply will support another drive and that you have a spare Px cable available. To install the drive, open the computer's cover and insert the drive in a spare drive bay. Secure the drive and connect the Px cable and data cable.

One thing to watch out for if you are installing a CD-ROM drive on a 386 class computer is that you do not install a 4x speed or faster drive, the computer will not be able to keep up with it and you will have problems.

Replacing the Battery
It used to be with the older model computers, when the battery died, you had to either purchase a special battery pack to replace the dead one, or if you were lucky, you just needed to stop by the local hardware store and pick up a couple AA batteries. With the modern computers, this is no longer the case. With the current line of motherboards being manufactured, the battery is soldered directly to the motherboard. So if you had a computer that was still under warrantee and the battery died, they would just replace the motherboard. If you have one of these motherboards with the battery soldered to it, it is possible to replace the battery with the proper set of heat sinks and a very low Watt soldering iron, but I would suggest that you didn't attempt this. This is one of those situations where you suck up your pride and pay the $65/hour charge to have the local computer repair shop do it for you. However, if they are merely going to replace the motherboard as is the common practice, you are more than capable of doing that yourself.

Upgrading the Microprocessor
If you are thinking about upgrading your microprocessor, the first thing you need to find out is what upgrades your motherboard will support. This type of information is generally not contained in your computer manual, so you will have to either contact your dealer or the manufacturer of the motherboard. Some of the older 486 class motherboards will only support only one speed of microprocessor, while others may support only a certain range of speeds. If you are able to upgrade to a faster 486 microprocessor, the cost for this type of upgrade usually ranges from $100 to $200, depending on the manufacturer of the chip and the microprocessor's speed. A few motherboards will allow you to install a Pentium Overdrive chip to speed up the computer's performance. Overdrive chip prices range from around $150 to $400.

Another upgrade option if you have a 386SX or 486SX class computer and you can not upgrade the microprocessor is to install a math coprocessor chip, such as a 387 chip for a 386 class computer or a 487 chip for a 486 class computer. This route will cost you somewhere in the range of $50 to $100, assuming that you can still find a 387 chip on the market. Keep in mind that adding a math coprocessor only improves a small group of software applications that make heavy use of math calculations so you may not notice any substantial increase in speed.

Keep in mind that as far as increasing the speed of your computer is concerned, it is not only the speed of the microprocessor that affects how fast the computer runs, but the speed of the computer's bus. For example, if you double the speed of your microprocessor you can expect a speed increase of somewhere in the 5% to 20% range.

© 1995-2001 Dave Krauss, Michigan State University