Plan Installation and Maintenance of Hardware in

Technology System

BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Extended Certificate in Information

and Creative Technology

Unit 14: Installing and Maintaining Computer Hardware

Due:

Submitted by: Chris Daniels Lecturer: George

wakeman
Introduction

We are being asked by North Wiltshire Environmental to make their hardware last, they
are currently using different types of hardware that have been used for a while and are
looking to upgrade this hardware. So, we will be upgrading and adding extra things to
the computers such as a DVD disk burner, one or two SSDs and connecting more
external devices.

The purpose of installing and maintaining hardware

 Compatibility: some things will just not be compatible or able to be done on a

certain type of system or they may just lack one thing to be able to do what you
want it to do so we will be adding a DVD burner as the CEO would like the
administrators to be able to burn and read the data stored on a disk, this will help
the admins keep the business data private or others data safe and away from
scams or hackers.
 Change in system functionality: there is a simple way of upgrading a computer as
you are most likely not removing anything you are just adding it on so in this
situation, I will be adding a web cam to the computers as they could not voice or
video call with each other and adding the web cam will give them the ability to do
this.
 Upgrade: sometimes the system will just simply be out of date so you will need to
upgrade, and it is also a good way of maintaining a system and I will be adding an
SSD as their computer is slow.
 Improve productivity: improving productivity is a very important way of
maintaining the computer system as there may just be minor issues such as dust
but it is just looking for faults. In this situation I will be checking the systems for
dust and grime but will also check the cooling fans and the wire connections as
one of the computer systems is overheating and spontaneously shutdowns.

1
User requirement description

The client requires us to find a fault inside of the currently used optical drive to see why
it is not working how it should be but before we will back up any data stored on the
optical drive as there may be important or sensitive data on it in case the optical drive
must be replaced or repaired. We will also be fault finding on the admin's computer to
see why the system is overheating to do this we will need to have non static bands on
our wrists as we may be going inside the computer as there may be a hardware fault of
an issue to do with the cooling fan / fans. We will most likely be putting an SSD inside
the CEOs computer as he is not happy with the speed of the computer so we will need
to enter the computer again so static resistant PPE is a must. The CEO would like the
admins to be able to have a disk burner so we will add a disk burner to the computer
system which should be easy to do yet some edges inside the computer can be sharp
so we will be cautious of this while wearing the static band as we are going in the
computer. The CEO wants to have all the computers have a webcam so we will need to
check if the computer can take the third-party connector / USB port and if so, it would
be an easy job to add a webcam to the computer system. All this must be done with a
time frame of 3 weeks (what will be long enough), and a budget of £150. (This may be
difficult), and all data will be backed up before any work.

Installation and maintenance plan

Installation activities list Install new SSD

Install a webcam
Install a DVD / disk burner
Maintenance activities list Fault find optical drive issue
Fault find why the admin computers are
overheating
Required hardware resources and Webcam

2
 justification (i.e., internal and external
hardware/devices) New SSD
Disk burner
New optical drive
Cooling fan (just in case)
Required software resources and Windows 10 or later USB
justification (i.e., operating system, Antivirus
application software, security/antivirus
software)
Required fault-finding tools and Static resistant bands
techniques and justification Screwdriver
Snipps
Screws
Pen & paper
Screw box

Installation test plan

No. Test How test Result Co Possible future

description was carried yes/no mments changes
out
1. Is the cost less Add the If it is over budget, then
than £150 prices of the find something else or
hardware change it
together

3
2. Fault find Look in the Could further damage it
computer computer to if not careful so be
see if needs gentle when cleaning or
to be dusted repairing
or repaired
3. Did we do it in Make a note There may be issues
the time frame of the days such as delivery delays
and what was what could make it go
done on them over the time
4. Webcam does Try and use ///
it work the webcam
to test if it
works
5. Is DVD burner Try and put ///
working back up on
the disk
6. Are the Time it is ///
computers loading up
faster before and
after the SSD
is installed

4
Possible alternative solutions and reasons for rejection

Alternative Solution 1
Alternative hardware name New ram at a higher GB count
Hardware features Will increase the speed of the computer by
adding storage
Benefits over selected hardware The ram will increase the speed the
computer, will increase the storage on the
computer
Reasons for rejection It is very difficult to find a new ddr2 ram stick
Alternative Solution 2
Alternative hardware name New CPU core i7
Hardware features more up to date
Benefits over selected hardware It is faster and will make the computer move
more efficiently and run into less issues
Reasons for rejection It will be too expensive and will take up over
¾ of the budget.

Justification of final decisions

 Rationale behind chosen hardware and software

The DVD drive is one that does into a laptop as it is the one that’s compatable to the
computers used by the computers and it is cheap and does not much damage to the
budget. The webcam does not have a difficult connection and is connected by USB and
It is cheap and has a good quality camera. The SSD I will be using to speed up the
computer will be a Kingston state drive as it is maybe £25 what does not take up a big
amount of the budget and it is 150 GB so is a good amount of storage.

The reason I am adding in an SSD is to

5
  How final decisions meet stated purpose and client’s requirements

The hardware getting used will be used correctly such as the SSD will be put in to
make the computer faster like the computer needed in the admin's computers and
the webcam will be of useful quality so the company can do the meeting online as
they wanted to and the DVD drive will be put in to be able to both read and burn
disks, that is was wanted by the CEO on the administrative computers.

 Possible constraints and impact on the plan

The parts that are needed or/ ordered may be late or delayed therefore going over the
time frame the user has given us this could be stopped if you are able to find or buy
another one for the same or lower price. May find a piece of hardware what is of good
quality but is very expensive you may go over the budget that was given this will not
meet the user requirements. The CEO wants his computer to be faster so I will be
adding a solid-state drive into their computer and removing the HDD that was currently
in there, this is very unlikely, but it may not speed up the computer a considerable
amount to where the CEO will be happy with it so we may have to do something else
like the ram Aswell as the SSD. They want a web cam mainly a usb connected one but if
the usb type does not fit such as if the usb on the web cam is a usb-b connection and
the computer only takes usb-3 this will be an issue as you will have to find a new
webcam with what is left over in the budget of which won't be much.

6
7