MACINTOSH OS MAINTENACE & TROUBLESHOOTING

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GRC 225 (2 Credits)

Credits:  2 (1 hour lecture, 2 hours lab, 2 hours outside lab per week)

Prerequisite:

CIT 104 (or equivalent—GRC 108 or working knowledge of Macintosh)

Catalogue Description:

File and font management; hardware installation and configurations, troubleshooting, safety and maintenance
and software configurations as it relates to the computer user.

Course Outcomes:

    1. Install and update the Macintosh Operating System, including device drivers.
    2. Install third party utility software.
    3. Adjust and manage control panels, extensions, and preferences to improve system performance and enhance user production.
    4. Organize hard drive and customize the Apple menu.
    5. Install and manage fonts.
    6. Troubleshoot and remedy basic hardware, software, and system corruption.
    7. Troubleshoot and rectify common problems and system crashes which occur during normal usage (e.g. replace the PRAM battery, zap the PRAM, rebuild the Desktop, trash Preference files, perform a clean install, optimize a disk, format/reformat and partition a hard drive).
    8. Expand the hardware capabilities of a Mac (e.g. add RAM, add and address SCSI peripherals, upgrade hard drive).
    9. Set up an AppleTalk network to share programs and files by assigning user IDs and privileges and which accesses printers.
Course Objectives:
  1. To learn how to perform hardware and software installations and upgrades, to recover from system crashes and resolve system conflicts, and to keep the Macintosh running efficiently.
  2. The focus of the course will be on how to restore your Macintosh to good health enabling you to meet a closing deadline in the face of disaster. Murphy’s Law of (all) personal computers states that your computer will crash hard at the worst possible time. This course is designed to help you get back up and running to meet that deadline.
Course Outline:
    What we will do ...
  1. Install the Operating System software (OS-7.5.3)
  2. Update the Operating System software including device drivers (OS-7.5.5)
  3. Perform a Clean Install of the Operating System software (OS-7.6)
  4. Install 3rd party utility software which will enable us to work more effectively
  5. Explore the ‘inner workings’ of the System Software (Control Panels; Extensions; and Preferences)
  6. Explore the relationships among hardware and software and system corruption
  7. Access the internet and various URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) to gain access to hardware and software "Help" files and software updates
  8. Organize the hard-drive and customize the Apple Menu
  9. Explore some common ‘problems’ and ‘system crashes’ which occur during normal usage and more importantly, how to rectify those problems and bring the Mac back to life (i.e. replace the PRAM battery; zap PRAM; rebuild the desktop; trash Preferences files; perform a Clean Install; optimize, (re)Format and partition a hard-drive)
  10. Expand the hardware capabilities of the Macintosh (i.e. add RAM; add and address SCSI peripherals; and upgrade the hard-drive)
  11. Install and set up an AppleTalk (phone-net) network in which we will share the networked Macintosh computers (both programs and files, and assign user ID's and access privileges)


    12. NOTE(s):

  12. We will be using the Iomega Zip drive/disk as our hard-drive so as not to interfere with the operating system configuration and installed software required for other classes.
  13. The operating systems OS-8.x require a minimum drive size of 120MB (the Zip drive has a maximum formatted capacity of 94MB) to complete an installation (the additional drive space is required for temporary installation files); therefore, the installation/upgrading of OS-8.x will be demonstrated on an Iomega Jaz drive.