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Unit 2 - Computer Systems

 I have successfully installed DamnSmallLinux On to the HardDiskDrive From A Live CD Using these steps from a Forum (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/f/topic-3-26-18529-0.html)

1. Boot up DSL from the live CD.
2. Back up all files on your hard drive to an external memory device.  You MUST save all of your data, because installing an OS to the hard drive involves wiping out its entire contents.  DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS STEP.
3. When the hard drive erase program is finished, reboot.
4. Boot up DSL again from the live CD.  Go to XShells -> Root Access -> Dark
5. Enter the command "cfdisk".  You are now in the cfdisk application.
6. Delete any and all existing partitions.
7. Create a new partition (hda1) for holding the original DSL image file.  Make it a primary partition with a size of 55 MB.  Place it at the beginning of the drive, and make it bootable.
8. Select hda1 and make it type 83 (Linux).  Select "Write" to write it to the hard drive.
9. Select the Free Space and create a new partition for the swap drive.  Make it a primary partition with a size equal to double the RAM.  Place it at the end of the free space.
10. Select hda2 and make it type 82 (Linux swap).  Select "Write" to write it to the hard drive.
11. Select the Free Space and create a new partition for the main drive.  Make it a primary drive and use the default size (rest of the hard drive space).
12. Select hda3 and make it type 83 (Linux).  Select "Write" to write it to the hard drive.
13. Select Quit to exit cfdisk and format the partitions.  Enter the following commands:
sudo mke2fs /dev/hda1
sudo mke2fs /dev/hda3
sudo mkswap /dev/hda2
14. Reboot the computer.  When the big DSL splash screen appears, do nothing or press Enter if you are booting from the live CD.
15. When you are in DSL, go to DSL menu -> Apps -> Tools -> Frugal Install -> Frugal GRUB Install
16. Use hda1 as the target partition to hold the image.  Install from the live CD.  Select y to format.
17. When the hard drive installation is finished, reboot the computer, and remove the DSL CD when you are instructed to do so.  When you are asked to select one of multiple DSL options, choose the first (default) option.  At the DSL X setup, select cancel for the default configuration.
18. To save your configuration settings to the image file on the hard drive, go to DSL menu -> System -> Backup/Restore and backup to device "hda3".  If you mess up the configuration, restore from device "hda3".  Please save your configuration settings every time you successfully make the change you want, such as setting up the printer.
19. Reboot DSL with the live CD.  When you reach the splash screen, press F2 and enter "dsl home=hda3".  This saves the home directory to /mnt/hda3.

I Will Post Pictures Of Installation Process After My Second Test Of Installation.

Unit -12 Technical Support

What is the role of fault logs?

The Role of fault logs are to keep note of previous faults and their solutions so if the faults appear in the future you have a record of the fault and its solution to refer to so you can repair it again, Also these fault logs can be used to create a FAQ for faults or a easily distributed table of faults for individuals in business to keep hold of for the minor easy to fix fault.

What are Diagnostic and Monitoring tools?

Diagnostic tools are used to scan the computer for faults and find the solution for it like Windows Defender and Virus Scanners these can be different varied to which provider you use (For example: Norton or Kaspersky)

Monitoring Tools are run to watch the process's that are running and keeping them in a smooth flow looking for faults and help detect viruses and try to quarantine them without running virus scans. These default on the computer (except the virus quarantine) but you can get these from providers such Norton, Kaspersky, Mcafee and more. which can offer the quarantine.

How Does POST Send Errors To The Event Viewer?

POST (Power On Self Test) Runs as soon as you switch on your computer (or any electrical device) noting all the devices and scans for any faults with programs or devices on your computer and can be accessed in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and help the computer have smooth start up with out any problems.  POST can give Visual and Auditry statements of problems when the computer starts up and you got a POST BIOS it can give you beeps as warning....

Here is a example of AMI (American Megatrends Inc.) BIOS beep codes:-

• 1 Beep - DRAM (Dynamice Random Access Memory) Refresh Failure.
• 2 Beeps - Parity Circuit Failure.
• 3 Beeps - Base 64K RAM (Random Access Memory) Failure.
• 4 Beeps - System Timer Failure.
• 5 Beeps - Processeor Failure.
• 6 Beeps - Keyboard controller failure/ gate A20 Failure.
• 7 Beeps - Virtual Mode exception Error.
• 8 beeps - Display memory read/Write failure.
• 9 Beeps - ROM (Read Only Memory) BIOS checksum failure.
• 10 Beeps - CMOS (Complementary-Symmetry Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) Shutdown register read.write error.
• 11 Beeps - Cache Memory Error.

And Here is a example of IBM (Internation Bussiness Machines) BIOS beep codes:-

• No beeps - No Power, Loose Card.
• 1 Short Beep - Normal Post Computer is ok.
• 2 short beeps - POST Error, Review Screen For The Error Code.
• Continous Beep - No Power , Loose Card.
• Repeating Short Beep - No Power , Loose Card.
• 1 Long Beep and 1 Short Beeps - Motherboard Issue.
• 1 Long Beep and 2 Short Beeps - Video (Mono/CGA(Color Graphics Adapter) Diplay Circuitry) Issue.
• 1 Long Beep and 3 Short Beeps - Video (EGA(Enhanced Graphics Adapter) ) Display Circuitry Issue.
• 3 Long Beeps - Keyboard/ Keyboard Card Error.
• One Beep Blank or Incorrect Display - Video Display Circuitry.

 Macintosh Start up tones (Similar to Beep codes) :-

• Error Tone. (two sets of different tones) - Problem With Logic Board or SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) Bus.
• Startup Tone, Drive Spins, No video - Problem with video controller.
• Powers on, No Tone - Logic Board Problem.
• High Tone, Four Higher Tones, Problem with SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module).

AWARD BIOS Beep Codes :-

• 1 Long Beep, 2 Short Beeps - Indicates A Video Error Has Occured And The BIOS Cannot Initialize The Video Screen To Display Any Additional Information.
• Any Other Beep(s) RAM Problem.

Phionex Bios Beep Codes :-

• 1-1-1-3Verify Real Mode.

•  1-1-2-1Get CPU type.

•  1-1-2-3Initialize system hardware.

• 1-1-3-1 Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values.

•  1-1-3-2Set in POST flag.

•  1-1-3-3Initialize CPU registers.

•  1-1-4-1Initialize cache to initial POST values.

•  1-1-4-3 Initialize I/O.

•  1-2-1-1Initialize Power Management.

•  1-2-1-2Load alternate registers with initial POST values.

•  1-2-1-3Jump to UserPatch0.

•  1-2-2-1 Initialize keyboard controller.

•  1-2-2-3BIOS ROM checksum.

•  1-2-3-18254 timer initialization.

•  1-2-3-3 8237 DMA controller initialization.

•  1-2-4-1Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller.

•  1-3-1-1 Test DRAM refresh.

• 1-3-1-3Test 8742 Keyboard Controller.

•  1-3-2-1 Set ES segment to register to 4 GB.

•  1-3-3-1 28 Autosize DRAM.

•  1-3-3-3 Clear 512K base RAM.

•  1-3-4-1 Test 512 base address lines.

•  1-3-4-3 Test 512K base memory.

•  1-4-1-3Test CPU bus-clock frequency.

•  1-4-2-4Reinitialize the chipset.

•  1-4-3-1 Shadow system BIOS ROM.

•  1-4-3-2Reinitialize the cache.

•  1-4-3-3Autosize cache.

•  1-4-4-1Configure advanced chipset registers.

•  1-4-4-2 Load alternate registers with CMOS values.

•  2-1-1-1 Set Initial CPU speed.

•  2-1-1-3 Initialize interrupt vectors.

•  2-1-2-1 Initialize BIOS interrupts.

•  2-1-2-3Check ROM copyright notice.

•  2-1-2-4 Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs.

•  2-1-3-1 Check video configuration against CMOS.

•  2-1-3-2 Initialize PCI bus and devices.

•  2-1-3-3 Initialize all video adapters in system.

•  2-1-4-1 Shadow video BIOS ROM.

•  2-1-4-3 Display copyright notice.

•  2-2-1-1Display CPU type and speed.

•  2-2-1-3Test keyboard.

•  2-2-2-1 Set key click if enabled.

•  2-2-2-356 Enable keyboard.

•  2-2-3-1Test for unexpected interrupts.

•  2-2-3-3 Display prompt Press F2 to enter SETUP.

•  2-2-4-1 Test RAM between 512 and 640k.

•  2-3-1-1Test expanded memory.

•  2-3-1-3Test extended memory address lines.

•  2-3-2-1 Jump to UserPatch1.

•  2-3-2-3Configure advanced cache registers.

•  2-3-3-1 Enable external and CPU caches.

•  2-3-3-3 Display external cache size.

•  2-3-4-1Display shadow message.

•  2-3-4-3 Display non-disposable segments.

•  2-4-1-1Display error messages.

•  2-4-1-3 Check for configuration errors.

•  2-4-2-1Test real-time clock.

•  2-4-2-3 Check for keyboard errors.

•  2-4-4-1 Set up hardware interrupts vectors.

•  2-4-4-3Test coprocessor if present.

•  3-1-1-1Disable onboard I/O ports.

•  3-1-1-3 Detect and install external RS232 ports.

•  3-1-2-1 Detect and install external parallel ports.

•  3-1-2-3 Re-initialize onboard I/O ports.

•  3-1-3-1 Initialize BIOS Data Area.

•  3-1-3-3 Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area.

•  3-1-4-1 Initialize floppy controller.

•  3-2-1-1Initialize hard-disk controller.

•  3-2-1-2Initialize local-bus hard-disk controller.

•  3-2-1-3 Jump to UserPatch2.

•  3-2-2-1 Disable A20 address line.

•  3-2-2-3 Clear huge ES segment register.

• 3-2-3-1 Search for option ROMs.

•  3-2-3-3 Shadow option ROMs.

•  3-2-4-1 Set up Power Management.

•  3-2-4-3 Enable hardware interrupts.

•  3-3-1-1Set time of day.

•  3-3-1-3 Check key lock.

•  3-3-3-1 Erase F2 prompt.

•  3-3-3-3 Scan for F2 key stroke.

•  3-3-4-1 Enter SETUP.

•  3-3-4-3 Clear in-POST flag.

•  3-4-1-1 Check for errors.

•  3-4-1-3 POST done--prepare to boot operating system.

•  3-4-2-1 One beep.

•  3-4-2-3 Check password (optional).

•  3-4-3-1 Clear global descriptor table.

•  3-4-4-1 Clear parity checkers.

•  3-4-4-3 Clear screen (optional).

•  3-4-4-4 Check virus and backup reminders.

•  4-1-1-1 Try to boot with INT 19.

•  4-2-1-1 Interrupt handler error.

•  4-2-1-3 Unknown interrupt error.

•  4-2-2-1 Pending interrupt error.

•  4-2-2-3 Initialize option ROM error.

•  4-2-3-1 Shutdown error.

•  4-2-3-3 Extended Block Move.

•  4-2-4-1 Shutdown 10 error.

•  4-3-1-3 Initialize the chipset.

•  4-3-1-4 Initialize refresh counter.

•  4-3-2-1 Check for Forced Flash.

•  4-3-2-2 Check HW status of ROM.

•  4-3-2-3 BIOS ROM is OK.

•  4-3-2-4 Do a complete RAM test.

•  4-3-3-1 Do OEM initialization.

•  4-3-3-2 Initialize interrupt controller.

•  4-3-3-3 Read in bootstrap code.

•  4-3-3-4 Initialize all vectors.

•  4-3-4-1 Boot the Flash program.

•  4-3-4-2 Initialize the boot device.

•  4-3-4-3 Boot code was read OK.