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Micro 2000 Basic PC Assembly, Diagnostic & Repair Kit
by by George Lewis and Dave Otterstrom September 1999 Blue Chips, Utah Computer Society www.ucs.org - November 23, 1999 at 20:54:14:
This is a self-study course on understanding PCs. This package consists of videos, a workbook, and a diagnostic piece of software that allows you to analyze and check any piece of equipment associated with a personal computer (PC).Requirements: A computer (or the wish to have one); A VCR (yours or a borrowed one); The thirst for knowledge about PCs.
Troubleshooting Volume 3 video “PC Assembly & Configuration,” introduces the different parts (CPU, motherboard, RAM, CD ROM player, hard drives, etc.) of the computer and their relationships to each and how they go together. The video shows in some depth how to assemble the parts and why. Someone who considers himself rather knowledgeable in computers might find the video rather simple; however, individuals who consider themselves to have a beginning to intermediate knowledge in computers would find it refreshing to have the missing gaps of computer information supplied via the video and workbook. This video provides you with a step by step procedure to assemble a working PC. Now the video configures in some detail the CMOS so all parts work efficiently and effectively. Once the PC is assembled, the last portion of the video deals with the diagnostic software and loading software. After the system diagnostic has been completed comes the hard drive partition, formatting, and installation of an operating system. At this point the operation of the PC is left up to the operator.
The Micro 2000 work book has sixteen lessons with a two-part appendix on trouble-shooting hard drive problems and an alphabetical glossary. After each lesson is a short self test to help students determine how much they have learned and what they need to work on. Not only does the work book reinforce the teaching of the video but it also gives you some of the more important fundamentals and theory of the computer. In short, the work book is good and I would recommend it. It would have been nice if somewhere in the course Micro 2000 could have mentioned more advance computer literature and where to obtain it for anyone who wants to go the extra mile.
One of the really good things about the book is it explains the terminology of computer parts and operations. For me the hardest thing about computers to understand is the different names used for everything.
The book has tests at the end of each chapter, so as you read through the book you can see just how much you picked up. I guess that’s why it’s called a self-study course.
After running the diagnostic software on a couple of computers, I noticed the software had a 25 use license. I think that means you can only use it so many times and then the floppy it came on is to be added to your drawer of backup disks. The leather case contained both serial and parallel loopback adapters along with the self-booting floppy disk.
All in all. this will make a valuable addition to the users group library and I feel if after the disk is used up we probably can call the MICRO 2000 people and they will make it work again. Even if they don’t, we still have a great book for reference plus two videos to watch. And even if I found the videos pretty simplistic, I would have killed for them when I was first trying to learn about my computer
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