Difference between revisions of "Laptop Build Checklist"
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| Check For Broken or Damaged Parts || Visually inspect laptop for broken screen, missing keys, weak hinges, cosmetic problems, etc. If in doubt, check with your instructor and make repairs as directed. | | Check For Broken or Damaged Parts || Visually inspect laptop for broken screen, missing keys, weak hinges, cosmetic problems, etc. If in doubt, check with your instructor and make repairs as directed. | ||
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− | | Look at the Keeper Label || | + | | Look at the Keeper Label || Compare to the whiteboard to make sure nothing looks out of line: e.g. there's only 256 MB of RAM, the CD is read only, no PCI slot for wireless available(its filled by a modem/lan card) so provide PCMCIA wireless. On the Keeper label, mark the start box on the Build line. If there isn't a Keeper label already on the laptop, Evaluation has not been done. |
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− | | Get a Power Supply || Grab appropriate power supply from the labeled boxes (the box labels are color-coded by brand for easy locating). | + | | Get a Power Supply || Grab appropriate power supply from the labeled boxes (the box labels are color-coded by brand for easy locating). Match the output voltage and amperage on the power supply to the input voltage and amps on the laptop's UL/CSA listing label |
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| Install imaged hard drive || To do this: | | Install imaged hard drive || To do this: | ||
− | * Look at the whiteboard to see what size hard drive is appropriate for the laptop and ask your instructor where you can get one. | + | * Look at the whiteboard to see what size hard drive is appropriate for the laptop, check to see if the drive is a SATA or an ATA, and ask your instructor where you can get one. |
* Attach any necessary adapter and/or caddy. | * Attach any necessary adapter and/or caddy. | ||
* Install in laptop. | * Install in laptop. | ||
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| Install appropriate optical drive (if missing)|| Check the whiteboard to see what kind of optical drive to install. | | Install appropriate optical drive (if missing)|| Check the whiteboard to see what kind of optical drive to install. | ||
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− | | Enter BIOS || If you see an error message which reads something like "checksum error, defaults loaded" then your CMOS battery is dead. | + | | Enter BIOS || If you see an error message which reads something like "checksum error, defaults loaded" then your CMOS battery is dead. Ask your instructor what to do about it. |
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− | | Check the RAM || To check the RAM, check in BIOS or use Memtest if the BIOS doesn't tell you. | + | | Check the RAM || To check the RAM, check in BIOS or use Memtest if the BIOS doesn't tell you. Is there at least 512 MB of RAM? If not, add RAM sized to fill the available slots. If the laptop is High End, then it should have more than 512 MB of RAM (Check whiteboard). |
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| Set boot order in BIOS || Look for the boot order in BIOS. Of the available options, the preferred order is as follows : CD-ROM boots first; Hard drive boots somewhere between CD-ROM and Network; Network boots last. Get as close as possible, depending on the BIOS, but make sure the Network boot isn't before the hard drive. | | Set boot order in BIOS || Look for the boot order in BIOS. Of the available options, the preferred order is as follows : CD-ROM boots first; Hard drive boots somewhere between CD-ROM and Network; Network boots last. Get as close as possible, depending on the BIOS, but make sure the Network boot isn't before the hard drive. | ||
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| Save and exit BIOS || Continue on to boot to the hard drive. Log in as "oem" (password: freegeek). | | Save and exit BIOS || Continue on to boot to the hard drive. Log in as "oem" (password: freegeek). | ||
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− | |Battery Check||On the | + | |Battery Check||On the Ubuntu OS toolbar, a battery icon is visible when the battery is charging. Check the icon to see the percent of charge and make a note of it for use later on. If no icon is visible, the battery is fully charged, not seated correctly, or possibly deceased. |
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| Get wireless working. || If there ''isn't'' already a wireless card installed, then install, configure and test a wifi card (to determine if wireless card is already present and working, try and access a website like Google). Internal (mini-PCI) is best, but PCMCIA is an acceptable second option. For wireless advice, try the [[Wireless Tips]] page. For [[Testing_Wireless_Cards]], use this link for the procedure. | | Get wireless working. || If there ''isn't'' already a wireless card installed, then install, configure and test a wifi card (to determine if wireless card is already present and working, try and access a website like Google). Internal (mini-PCI) is best, but PCMCIA is an acceptable second option. For wireless advice, try the [[Wireless Tips]] page. For [[Testing_Wireless_Cards]], use this link for the procedure. | ||
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| Set freegeek.org as homepage || In Firefox, go to freegeek.org Then set this page as the home page under Edit > Preferences > Main. Alternately, you can drag the Free Geek icon (on the left of the address bar) and drop it on the "Home" icon (immediately to the left of the address bar). | | Set freegeek.org as homepage || In Firefox, go to freegeek.org Then set this page as the home page under Edit > Preferences > Main. Alternately, you can drag the Free Geek icon (on the left of the address bar) and drop it on the "Home" icon (immediately to the left of the address bar). | ||
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− | | Run basiccheck || You will need to be connected to the wired | + | | Run basiccheck || You will need to be connected to the wired network to test the networking step. If you encounter any errors, check with your instructor. |
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|Test optical drive - data, sound, and DVD.|| For each drive: | |Test optical drive - data, sound, and DVD.|| For each drive: |
Revision as of 09:14, 25 February 2010
The evaluation should have been completed to reach Build. Work through each step as well as you can, and ask if you have questions. Try and learn the reason for each of the steps. This knowledge will come in handy later on when, inevitably, things aren't going as smoothly. Your instructor will be able to answer questions and check your work. Never overlook the help that the builder to your right or left might be able to lend. You can also find information on the Free Geek wiki at Laptops. Check with your instructor to find out what type of box to build, then work your way down this checklist.
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