Difference between revisions of "Laptop Build Checklist"
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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, check to see if the drive is a SATA or an ATA, 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. | ||
− | * Install the hard drive in the caddy and attach | + | * Install the hard drive in the caddy and attach an adapter if required. |
* Install in laptop. | * Install in laptop. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Install appropriate optical drive | + | | Install appropriate optical drive (if missing or CD read only).|| Check the whiteboard to see what kind of optical drive to install. |
|- | |- | ||
| 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. | | 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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|While in Bios, Check the RAM || Is there at least 512 MB of RAM? If not, save and exit bios, add RAM sized to fill the available slots (2-256MB). If the laptop is High End, then it should have more than 512 MB of RAM(2-512MB)Check whiteboard. Once the ram is upgraded, run memtest while you continue with build to verify the new amount. | |While in Bios, Check the RAM || Is there at least 512 MB of RAM? If not, save and exit bios, add RAM sized to fill the available slots (2-256MB). If the laptop is High End, then it should have more than 512 MB of RAM(2-512MB)Check whiteboard. Once the ram is upgraded, run memtest while you continue with build to verify the new amount. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Power up to Ubuntu || Boot to the hard drive. Log in as "oem" (password: freegeek). |
|- | |- | ||
|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. | |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. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 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 the PCI slot may be unavailable because its filled by a modem/lan card. PCMCIA is an acceptable second option, so provide PCMCIA wireless. 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 the PCI slot may be unavailable because its filled by a modem / lan card. PCMCIA is an acceptable second option, so provide PCMCIA wireless. For wireless advice, try the [[Wireless Tips]] page. For [[Testing_Wireless_Cards]], use this link for the procedure. |
|- | |- | ||
| 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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'''Step 1.''' Make sure battery is fully charged: | '''Step 1.''' Make sure battery is fully charged: | ||
* Battery icon missing indicates full charge. | * Battery icon missing indicates full charge. | ||
− | * Charge hasn't increased since the | + | * Charge hasn't increased since the Check Battery step. |
** If either condition is met, move to Step 2. | ** If either condition is met, move to Step 2. | ||
** If neither condition is met, move to Step 3 | ** If neither condition is met, move to Step 3 | ||
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* Start playing the CD | * Start playing the CD | ||
* Open a terminal and run ''bat_check''. | * Open a terminal and run ''bat_check''. | ||
− | * | + | * Disconnect the power supply and place the laptop on the waiting rack. If it shuts down when unplugged, the battery is bad. Don't forget to note on the Keeper label that you've started Bat Check and the Charging check has been started and completed. If you want to see for how many minutes bat check has run, open up another terminal and type ''watch wc bat_time''. |
'''Step 3.'''If the charge is not complete: | '''Step 3.'''If the charge is not complete: | ||
* Mark the keeper label Build started and completed | * Mark the keeper label Build started and completed |
Revision as of 10:51, 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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