Computer & Technology Center

PC Instalation

2011-03-11T20:03:00.000+07:00

"Plugged in, connected up, logged on, printing out...from only £69!"

It all seems so easy. Just connect a few wires. Stick in a CD. Play around with a few settings and you're away.

Only it's not. Somehow you don't seem to have the right connection to the printer. The disc runs OK but you're missing the correct ‘drivers'. There's no dial tone on your Internet and you can't access your files from the network.

If this all sounds frustratingly familiar, give me a call and I'll send someone from my team round to get the job done in no time. Let's face it. You haven't got the time and you don't need the stress.

What is included:

Unpacking, checking and installation of your new PC and other hardware purchased
Start-up of PC and boot to the Operating System
Connection of a printer, scanner etc.
Installation of drivers and software for a printer and scanner
Set-up of an Internet account and configuration of email
Connection to a network
Test of PC and peripheral functions
A brief explanation of the computers functions and components
Available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays.

What is excluded:

Apple computer equipment and operating systems
Installation or configuration of software other than the operating system supplied
Network cables or other cabling requirements
Installation of servers
Installation of PCs in multiple sites
Connection of existing peripherals or other equipment other than a sole printer or print server
Transfer of software from the network or legacy PCs
Extensive training on the new PC, supplied software and network functionality
Removal of packaging. Installation of any upgrade
The client must provide their own ISP and telephony infrastructure
The client must ensure that any PCs set up under this service have a Network Card
An on-site engineer visit to repair hardware or resolve complex network issues (available at extra cost)
Hardware failures
Application software support
ISP connectivity problems.

From http://www.equanet.co.uk/services/install/4a_pcinstall.htm

Tutorial Merakit PC

2010-07-11T10:44:00.009+07:00

Pembahasan pada modul materi merakit dan troubleshooting komputer ini dibagi menjadi tiga bagian yaitu :
1. Pengenalan Teknologi Komputer dengan pendekatan hardware (hardware approach) yang menjelaskan bagian dari komputer secara keseluruhan baik secara sistem maupun secara detil perbagian dengan pendekatan hardware untuk mempermudah pengenalan komputer secara komprehensif dan aplikatif.
2. Merakit Komputer, menjelaskan bagaimana merakit komputer dengan tuntunan praktis disertai dengan gambar dan penjelasan.
3. Troubleshooting, menjelaskan deteksi kesalahan dalam merakit komputer dan pemecahannya.

Pengenalan Hardware Komputer
Secara ringkas maka sistem komputer terdiri atas tiga bagian penting yaitu
1. CPU ( Central Processing Unit )/Processor
2. Memory ( RAM dan ROM )
3. Input/Output.
Secara sederhana Blok Diagramnya dapat dilihat pada gambar 1.1

Dimana bagian CPU/Processor, Memori dan Port I/O terletak (terpasang) pada Mother Board, selanjutnya akan diperinci bagian-bagian dari Komputer tersebut :

1. Central Processing Unit / Processor

Merupakan bagian utama dari komputer karena processor berfungsi untuk mengatur semua aktifitas yang ada pada komputer. Satuan kecepatan dari processor adalah MHz (Mega Hertz) atau GHz(1000 MegaHertz), dimana semakin besar nilainya semakin cepat proses eksekusi pada komputer.

2. Memori

Memori berfungsi untuk menyimpan data dan program. Memori beraneka tipe dari yang tercepat aksesnya sampai yang terlambat. Berdasarkan kecepatan aksesnya dapat dibuat hirarki memori sebagai berikut.

Tercepat:
Register
Chace Memory
Main Memory

Terlambat:
Sekunder Memory

Selain menyatakan hubungan kecepatan, hirarki tersebut juga menyatakan hubungan – hubungan lain, yaitu :

Hubungan Harga : Semakin kebawah adalah harganya semakin murah. (Harga dihitung berdasarkan rupiah per bit data disimpan).

Hubungan Kapasitas : Semakin keatas umumnya kapasitasnya semakin terbatas.

Hubungan frekuensi pengaksesan : Semakin keatas semakin tinggi frekuensi pengaksesan.

Setiap kali pemroses melakukan eksekusi, pemroses harus membaca instruksi dari memori utama. Agara intruksi dapat dilakukan secara cepat maka harus diusahakan instruksi tersedia di memori pada hirarki berkecepatan akses lebih tinggi. Kecepatan eksekusi ini akan meningkatkan kinerja system. Untuk itu terdapat konsep memori dua level, yaitu ditampung dulu sementara di memori pada hirarki lebih tinggi.

2.1 Register Memori

Merupakan jenis memori dimana kecepatan akses yang paling cepat, Memori ini terdapat pada CPU/Processor.

Contoh : Register Data, Register Alamat, Stack Pointer Register, Memory Addresss Register, I/O Address register, Instruction Register , dll.

2.2 Cache Memori

Memori berkapasitas terbatas, berkecepatan tinggi yang lebih mahal daripada memori utama. Cache memory ini ada diantara memori utama dan register pemroses, berfungsi agar pemroses tidak langsung mengacu pada memori utama agar kinerja dapat ditingkatkan.

Cache Memory ini ada dua macam yaitu :

1. Cache Memory yang terdapat pada internal Processor , chace memory jenis ini kecepatan aksesnya sangat tinggi, dan harganya sangat mahal. Hal ini bisa terlihat pada Processor yang berharga mahal seperti P4,P3,AMD-Athlon dll, semakin tinggi kapasitas L1,L2 Chace memori maka semakin mahal dan semakin ceppat Processor.

2. Chace Memory yang terdapat diluar Processor, yaitu berada pada MotherBoard, memori jenis ini kecepatan aksesnya sangat tinggi, meskipun tidak secepat chache memori jenis pertama (yang ada pada internal Processor). Semakin besar kapasitasnya maka semakin mahal dan cepat. Hal ini bisa kita lihat pada Motherboard dengan beraneka ragam kapasitas chace memory yaitu 256kb, 512kb, 1Mb, 2Mb dll.

2.3. Memori Utama

Memori yang berfungsi untuk menyimpan data dan program. Jenis Memori Utama :

1. ROM ( Read Only memory) yaitu memory yang hanya bisa dibaca saja datanya atau programnya. Pada PC, ROM terdapat pada BIOS ( Basic Input Output System) yang terdapat pada Mother Board yang berfungsi untuk men-setting peripheral yang ada pada system.

Contoh: AMIBIOS, AWARD BIOS, dll

ROM untuk BIOS terdapat beragamjenis diantaranya jenis Flash EEPROM BIOS yang memiliki kemampuan untuk dapat diganti programnya dengan software yang disediakan oleh perusahhan pembuat Mother Board, yang umumnya penggantian tersebut untuk peningkatan unjuk kerja dari peripheral yang ada di Mother Board.

2. RAM (Random Acces Memory) yang memiliki kemampuan untuk dirubah data atau program yang tersimpan didalamnya.

Ada bebrapa jenis RAM yang ada dipasaran saat ini :
SRAM
EDORAM
SDRAM
DDRAM
RDRAM
VGRAM
Dll.

Pada memori jenis RAM dikenal istilah BUS SPEED, seperti PC66, PC100, PC 133, PC200, PC 400 dll yang artinya adalah kecepatan aliran data atau program pada memori dimana semakin besar nilai BUS SPEED, maka semakin cepat akses terhadap memori tersebut.

2.4 Memori Sekunder

Merupakan memori tambahan yang berfungsi untuk menyimpan data atau program. Contoh: Hardisk, Floppy Disk dll

Hubungan antara Chace Memori, Memori Utama dan Memori Sekunder dapat dijelaskan dengan gambar 1.3 ,berikut :

3. Input/Output Unit

Input/Output Unit merupakan bagian dari komputer untuk menerima data maupun mengeluarkan/menampilkan data setelah diproses oleh Processor. Untuk mempermudah pembahasan tentang Input/Output unit, pada buku ini akan dijelaskan dalam dua bagian, yaitu :

Port I/O
Peripheral I/O
3.1 Port I/O

Port I/O merupakan Port atau Gerbang atau tempat dipasangnya conector dari peralatan I/O. Dimana setiap port I/O dibawah kontrol dari Processor.

1. Port Paralel (LPT1 atau LPT2)

Merupakan port bagi peralatan yang bekerja dengan transmisi data secara parallel. Contoh peralatan yang menggunakan port ini adalah :

Printer, Scanner dll.
2. Port Serial (Com1, Com2 )

Merupakan port bagi peralatan yang bekerja dengan transmisi data secara serial. Contoh peralatan yang menggunakan port ini adalah :

Mouse, Modem , dll.
3. Port AT / PS2
Port ini umumnya digunakan untuk masukan dari Keyboard, Mouse.
4. USB Port

USB Port (Universal Serial Bus ) Port merupakan Port Serial universal bagi peralatan yang bekerja dengan transmisi data secara serial. Contoh Perlatan yang menggunakan USB port :

Camera Digital
5. Port VGA

Merupakan port yang berhubungan langsung dengan monitor. Port VGA didapatkan dari pemasangan VGA Card.

6. Port Audio

Merupakan port yang berhubungan langsung dengan peralatan audio seperti Tape, Radio, Speaker, Microphone, dll.

Gambar Port-Port pada Mother Board

Peripheral adalah sesuatu yang mengacu ke peralatan external yang dihubungkan dengan komputer.

Peripheral komputer dapat dibagi ke dalam dua kategori berdasarkan fungsi. Kategori pertama terdiri atas peralatan yang melaksanakan operasi input dan output, kategori ini meliputi keyboard, trackball, mouse, printer, dan display video. Kategori kedua terdiri atas peralatan yang diutamakan pada penyimpan data sekunder, yang mana penyimpan utamanya disediakan oleh memori utama komputer.Ada banyak sekali peralatan penyimpan, seperti disk magnetic, optical disk, magnetic tapes, yang mampu untuk menyimpan data yang besar.

Pada buku ini akan dikenalkan peralatan yang umum digunakan pada Personal Computer (PC) :

KeyBoard
Monitor
Mouse
Printer
Scanner
Disk Drive, Zip Drive
CD ROM Drive

4. Perkembangan Hardware Komputer

Perkembangan teknologi elektronik yang paling pesat dan banyak dipakai dibanyak bidang dalam menyelasaikan pekerjaan maupun untuk memperolah informasi tidak lain adalah komputer. Perkembangan komputer ini diakibatkan oleh perkembangan mikroprosesor (processor) sebagai otak dalam menangani keseluruhan dari kerja komputer.

4.1 Perkembangan Mikroprosesor Intel dan Personal Computer(PC)

Sesuai dengan waktu evolusi generasi-generasi prosesor yang baru bermunculan dengan perfomance yang lebih canggih, baik dari segi kualitas maupun kerumitannya.

Perkembangan tipe prosesor :
XT 8086 – 8088
AT 286, AT 386, AT 486
Pentium I : AT 80586 dengan 50 Mhz, 70 Mhz, 90 Mhz, 100 Mhz, 133 Mhz
Pentium II : 266 Mhz., 300 Mhz, 350 Mhz, 400 Mhz, 450 Mhz.
Pentium III : 500 Mhz, 550 Mhz, 600 Mhz, 650 Mhz, 700 Mhz.
Dan generasi terbaru sekarang Pentium IV
4.2 Processor selain Intel dan perkembangannya

Pangsa pasar yang menggiurkan untuk teknologi Komputer di Indonesia menyebabkan processor yang ada di Pasar tidak hanya produk Intel Co. tetapi Perusahaan lain seperti AMD (Advanced Micro Device ) serta Cyrix juga mengeluarkan beberapa jenis Processor yang berusaha mengimbangi produk-produk dari Intel.

Produk-Produk dari AMD antara lain :

AMD K-5, AMD K-6, AMD K6-2, AMD K6-3, AMD K-7, AMD Duron, AMD Athlon. Dimana produk-produk AMD ini ternyata beberapa dan belakangan ini berhasil melampaui kemampuan dari produk-produk Intel.

Berikut merupakan data-data perbandingan arsitektur produk AMD dan Intel serta hasil Benchmark ( Test Kehandalan uProcessor). Processor AMD dikenal dengan harga yang lebih murah dengan kehandalan yang tidak kalah dengan produk Intel.

Selain AMD, Processor merk lain yang beredar dipasaran Indonesia adalah processor merk Cyrix yaitu Cyrix 6x86, M-II, dan M-III, tetapi sayangnya Processor merk Cyrix ini tidak seberhasil AMD untuk membuat processor tandingan bagi Intel.

Berikut ini akan ditampilkan beberapa Gambar Processor :

Gambar 1.9 Processor AMD Athlon

4.3 Mother Board

Mother Board merupakan board/papan induk dimana semua device dipasang mulai dari processor, memory, slot-slot untuk ekspansi, dll.

Yang harus diperhatikan dalam memilih ataupun merakit Mother board adalah bahwa setiap Motherboard memiliki spesifikasi yang berbeda untuk setiap merk atau type antara lain :

1. Setiap Motherboard memiliki pasangan dengan processor tertentu, yaitu type socket atau slot yang tersedia untuk prosessor.

2. Kemampuan Motherboard untuk bisa di Up-grade sampai dengan kecepatan Processor berapa. Umumnya motherboard mampu untuk di-upgrade dengan mengganti processor. Informasi tentang hal ini sangat penting untuk pembelian motherboard dengan pertimbangn untuk bisa di upgrade.

3. Kapasitas memory RAM yang bisa dipasang pada Motherboard Semakin besar kapasitas memory yang disediakn semakin menguntungkan.
4. Slot yang tersedia untuk setiap jenis RAM, misalnya berapa slot yang disediakan untuk EDO RAM, SDRAM dll.
5. Setting Motherboard secara BIOS (software) atu secara jumper setting .
6. Jumlah slot untuk PCI dan ISA. Slot slot tersebut sangat bermanfaat untuk penmbahan peripheral seperti audio card.
7. Apakah motherboard Support untuk AGP bagi VGA card, support AGP akan lebih menguntungkan untuk persediaan apabila diinginkan peningkatan kemampuan grafis dari computer dengan memasang AGP card.
8. Speed Bus untuk memory sampai dengan kecepatan berapa ( 66,100,133,200,400 Mhz).
9. Apakah VGA card dan audio Card sudah onboard atau tidak.
10. Power Supply untuk Mother Board AT atau ATX atau Baby AT.
Semua informasi diatas dapat diketahui dari manual book yang ada pada motherboard.

Bebrapa jenis Slot atautu Socket untuk processor antara lain :
1. Slot 1
2. Slot 2
3. Socket7
4. Slot A
5. Socket A
6. Socket 370
7. Socket 8
8. Socket 423
Slot1
Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor P-III dan celeron
Slot2
Motherboard yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor Pentium II Xeon
Socket 7

Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor AMD K6-2, AMD K6-3 dan Cyrix M-II serta Pentium MMX.

Slot A
Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor AMD Athlon, AMD Thunderbird.
Socket A
Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor AMD Athlon dan AMD Duron.
Socket 370

Motherboard yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor Intel® Pentium® III (Tualatin and Coppermine) /CeleronTM

Socket 8
Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor Pentium®II and Pentium® Pro .
Socket 423
Mother Board yang dibuat untuk mendukung Processor Pentium-4.

MotherBoard Socket7

MotherBoard Slot 1

MotherBoard untuk Processor Pentium 4

Merakit Komputer
Materi Merakit Komputer.... segera akan di pasang

Tidak sabar menunggu... Buka Sumber aslinya:
http://ilmukomputer.org/2008/11/25/tutorial-merakit-pc/

Troubleshooting Komputer

Kesalahan atau ketidakberhasilan dalam merakit komputer umumnya disebabkan antara lain :
1. Pemasangan Memori yang tidak benar, Motherboard yang baik akan memberi sinyal suara peringatan bahwa pemasangan memori tidak benar. Check dan pasang dengan benar.
2. Pemasangan Card AGP atau VGA yang kurang kencang atau pas, Motherboard yang baik akan memberikan sinyal suara peringatan. Check dan pasang dengan benar.
3. Pemasangan Kabel data untuk HardDisk yang tidak pas atau terbalik. Atau pengaturan posisi Master atau Slavepada HardDisk yang tidak tepat. Betulkan serta check pada jumper HardDisk untuk posisi Master/Slave dan check dengan autodetect HardDisk pada BIOS.
4. Pemasangan Kabel Data Disk Drive yang tidak pas atau terbalik. Betulkan
5. Pemasangan panel connector yang tidak tepat sehingga lampu ndicator untuk HardDisk dan Power On tidak aktif. Betulkan.

Sumber :

Tutorial Merakit PC

Build Computer from SPARE PARTS

2008-10-31T07:44:00.000+07:00

Got a basement full of old components? Why not use them to build yourself a new PC? We show you how to do it.

By Bill O'Brien
Part-1

July 31, 2008 (Computerworld) Ah, the joy of summer storms. A recent one involving a flooded basement (a torrential downpour traveled down a chipmunk burrow that led to an otherwise enclosed basement window with a broken windowpane) and several staccato blackouts sent one of my neighbor's computers, as well as one of my own, to their eternal rest.

Fortunately, I had two spare computers -- one for me and one for the neighbor. I bought a few uninterruptible power supplies and we were back in business. But now I had no spares left, and that's simply not acceptable for a card-carrying geek.

Problem was, after buying the UPSs (and fixing the basement) my disposable income was pretty much disposed of. But I had parts! After almost 30 years of playing with computers, I've accumulated a lot of stuff: motherboards, monitors, modems, processors, memory, graphics cards, TV tuner cards, drives (CD, DVD and hard -- both internal and external), cases, keyboards and mice. I think there's even a Bernoulli Box sitting on a shelf somewhere.

Step by step
For step-by-step visuals, check out our Image Gallery.

True, some of my collection (which was stored in that basement) met a sad end during that same storm. But I was pretty sure that I still had enough parts left to put together at least one complete computer.

Turns out I was right -- and any self-respecting geek should be able to do the same. What follows is a step-by-step account of how I put together a new computer from old parts at a bare minimum cost.

One disclaimer before we begin: My motherboards tend to be from Asus, my DRAM is from Crucial Technology, and my cases and power supplies are usually from Antec, so you will see those names appear quite a bit among my parts choices. We could launch a debate as to whether or not these companies are actually the best of the best, but they are companies whose products have given me, personally, the least grief. Your experience may vary. Don't be afraid if it does.

Choosing the parts
Even though I was just creating a spare computer, I wanted it to be a good one. It wasn't enough to simply cannibalize the first box of parts I came to. I wanted to end up with a PC that, if not bleeding edge, could be used without embarrassment.

Motherboard
When it comes to real estate, the important thing may be "location, location, location," but for a computer, it's "motherboard, motherboard, motherboard." You can easily build a computer based on a junk motherboard just for the satisfaction of saying you did it (for example, I have an MSI 486 ISA motherboard with an Opti chip set and memory installed, and I'm sure there's a compatible CPU around here somewhere), but intrinsically the result would still be junk.

The P5N-E SLI motherboard.
Click to view larger image

Of the four motherboards I had on hand, two were too old for anything but Internet appliances, and one, a relatively new Asus M3A78-EMH I purchased back in May, is destined for a forthcoming HTPC system build. The fourth, an Asus P5N-E SLI, seemed to be the best choice. The P5N-E SLI is an ATX motherboard I've had for over a year. It was pulled from a system that died; it turned out that the problem really was a three-month-old hard drive that crashed and not the motherboard at all.

Incidentally, if you haven't retained the original installation disc for your chosen motherboard, this would be a good time to visit the manufacturer's Web site and download the appropriate driver for your operating system.

Processor and memory
Having given the P5N-E SLI the nod, I knew that I'd need an Intel processor and memory coordinated for that motherboard. Luckily, that didn't present a problem. Typically, when I pull a suspicious motherboard, I yank it out as a unit with the CPU and memory installed (in the case of the P3N-E SLI, that meant a Core 2 Duo E6700 CPU and 2GB of Crucial DDR PC-4200 memory). That immediately removes those two components as potential problems on the replacement motherboard. With this motherboard cleared of fault, it gave me a complete platform ready to go. The only thing missing was a heatsink/fan for the CPU, which I pulled off one of the two older motherboards.

Graphics card and TV tuner
Your graphics card can limit or enhance the overall performance of your computer. I had several older cards, some going back to a Rage Pro in an NLX (PDF) form factor.

The Radeon X1600 Pro graphics card (left) and the Nvidia DualTV MCE tuner card (right).
Click to view larger image

But the best of the bunch was a Radeon X1600 Pro. In its day, it was a good performer without the top-heavy price tag. Right now, it's a nice low- to midrange graphics card that's a bargain when it's free. (All right, even if you had to buy it, you'd only be spending $70-$100 if you were smart. That's still cheap.)

I happened to find an old Nvidia DualTV MCE tuner card wrapped in a freezer bag right under the X1600. (I managed to get two of them in the six weeks between when I was impressed by the first one I bought and when Nvidia canceled them.) It's analog, but the tuners are good and Cablevision has promised to take care of me (and everyone else) when we change to digital broadcasts in February 2009.

Hard drive
For some reason, the bulk of my spare hard drives are Parallel ATA (PATA). It might have something to do with the increasing acceptance of Serial ATA (SATA) as a valid performance enhancement. As I use up space on my drives, I clone the data onto larger, newer devices and then stash the old ones. As a result, I had a 500GB Maxtor PATA drive sitting in the pile. It was the right drive for the system.

The 500GB Maxtor PATA drive (right) and the Asus DRW-1814BL optical drive (left).
Click to view larger image

Optical drive
I only had one spare optical drive: an Asus DRW-1814BL. It's not bad, even if it is a LightScribe drive. (Using special DVD discs, you can print a label on the disc itself if you have some -- OK, a lot -- of spare time to kill.) The Asus, however, was a PATA drive and so it would need to share the interface with the hard drive. That could be a problem -- as I found out later, few, if any, cases are built to pair 3.5-in. and 5.25-in. devices effectively.

------------------------------------------------------------
<< Part-1 , Part-2 , Part-3 , Part-4 >>

from: Computerworld

How to build a free computer from spare parts

2008-07-31T21:57:00.000+07:00

Got a basement full of old components? Why not use them to build yourself a new PC? We show you how to do it.

The P5N-E SLI motherboard.
Click to view larger image

The Radeon X1600 Pro graphics card (left) and the Nvidia DualTV MCE tuner card (right).
Click to view larger image

The 500GB Maxtor PATA drive (right) and the Asus DRW-1814BL optical drive (left).
Click to view larger image

PC WORLD - Top 5 Desktops Under $750

2008-03-09T15:35:00.000+07:00

Looking for a really inexpensive--but really good--desktop computer? Our chart of five such models reveals some real finds, but you'll still have to make compromises with them.
Danny Allen
Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 10:01 PM PST

1. Dell Inspiron 530
CPU: 1.8-GHz Pentium Dual-Core E2160
Graphics Adapter: Nvidia GeForce 8300GS
Monitor Model: Dell SE198WFP
Total HD Size (GB): 250
WorldBench 6 Word Score: Superior
Price When Reviewed: $689
Bottom Line:
Impressive application and graphics performance aided by dedicated graphics make this the best value in our test group.
(Last Rated: February 07, 2008)

2. Polywell Poly i7050
CPU: 2-GHz Pentium Dual-Core E2180
Graphics Adapter: Nvidia 7150
Monitor Model: KDS 92BW
Total HD Size (GB): 250
WorldBench 6 Word Score: Superior
Price When Reviewed: $729
Bottom Line:
Delivers solid performance for basic tasks but not for fast-action games, and a compact case limits expansion.
(Last Rated: February 07, 2008)

3. eMachines T5246
CPU: 2.2-GHz Athlon 64 X2 4200+
Graphics Adapter: Nvidia GeForce 6100
Monitor Model: eMachines E17T4W
Total HD Size (GB): 400
WorldBench 6 Word Score: Superior
Price When Reviewed: $620
Bottom Line: Low-priced PC has capacious storage and good expansion options, but its graphics performance and small monitor dissapoint.
(Last Rated: February 07, 2008)

4. Compaq Presario SR5350F
CPU: 1.8-GHz Pentium Dual-Core E2160
Graphics Adapter: Integrated Intel 945G
Monitor Model: Compaq wf1907
Total HD Size (GB): 360
WorldBench 6 Word Score: Superior
Price When Reviewed: $680
Bottom Line: Inexpensive PC with big hard drive succeeds at standard multimedia tasks, but its graphics are too weak for serious gamers.
(Last Rated: February 07, 2008)

5. Sys Technology Sys SlimLine Si200
CPU: 2-GHz Pentium Dual-Core E2180
Graphics Adapter: Intel 945
Monitor Model: ViewSonic VA1903WB
Total HD Size (GB): 160
WorldBench 6 Word Score: Superior
Price When Reviewed: $708
Bottom Line: A fine general performer that's hampered by traits common to mini-sized PCs: lackluster graphics and limited expansion.
(Last Rated: February 07, 2008)

PC WORLD - Top 5 Desktops Under $750
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142808-page,1/article.html

Windows Hacked in Seconds via Firewire

2008-03-09T15:32:00.000+07:00

Security researcher describes how an intruder on site can break into a Windows system using a Firewire port.
Matthew Broersma, Techworld.com
Saturday, March 08, 2008 12:00 PM PST

A New Zealand security researcher has published a software tool allowing attackers to quickly gain access to Windows systems via a Firewire port.

The tool, which can only be used by attackers with physical access to a system, comes shortly after the publication of research on gaining access to encrypted hard drives via physical access to memory.

Researcher Adam Boileau, a consultant with Immunity, originally demonstrated the access tool at a security conference in 2006, but decided not to release the code any further at the time. Two years later, however, nothing has been done toward fixing the problem, so he decided to go public.

"Yes, this means you can completely own any box whose Firewire port you can plug into in seconds," said Boileau in a recent blog entry.

An attacker must connect to the machine with a Linux system and a Firewire cable to run the tool.

The tool, called Winlockpwn, allows users to bypass Windows authorization, was originally demonstrated at Ruxcon in 2006 at a talk called "Hit By A Bus: Physical Access Attacks With Firewire".

At the time, Boileau also demonstrated some of the malicious uses of the tool, but said he wouldn't be releasing the code for those attacks.

The attack takes advantage of the fact that Firewire can directly read and write to a system's memory, adding extra speed to data transfer. According to Boileau, because this capability is built into Firewire, Microsoft doesn't consider the problem a standard bug.

On the other hand, Boileau said he feels PC users need to be more aware of the fact that their systems can be unlocked via Firewire.

"Yes, it's a feature, not a bug," Boileau stated. "Microsoft knows this. The OHCI-1394 spec knows this. People with Firewire ports generally don't."

Microsoft was not immediately available for comment. In the past the company has downplayed security problems that require physical access.

Firewire has become common on Windows systems in the past few years, and is especially prevalent on laptops.

Researcher Maximillian Dornseif demonstrated a similar exploit on Linux and Mac OS X systems at the CanSec conference in 2005, connecting to those systems via a malicious iPod and Firewire.

According to security researchers, the problem can be remedied by disabling Firewire when not in use.

From: PC WORLD Article (click here !)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,143236-c,hackers/article.html

IBM Brings 'Microsoft-free' PCs to Europe

2008-03-09T15:24:00.000+07:00

IBM teams with Austrian and Polish system integrators to supply Linux-based systems in Europe.
Matthew Broersma, Techworld.com
Friday, March 07, 2008 3:00 PM PST

In a move to challenge Microsoft on the desktop, IBM has teamed up with Austrian and Polish system integrators to supply the emerging Eastern European and Russian business PC markets with "Microsoft-free" systems based on Red Hat Linux and open standards-based productivity software.

Under the deal, announced this week, IBM will work with Vienna-based VDEL and LX Polska, based in Poland, to sell systems based on what the companies call "Open Referent". The systems will be based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Lotus Notes, Lotus Sametime and Lotus Symphony.

IBM sold off its own PC arm to Lenovo in 2005, and the company insisted it isn't getting back into the PC business.

Nevertheless, Open Referent taps into a growing demand for low-cost desktop systems that aren't tied to Microsoft standards, and poses a direct challenge to Microsoft.

IBM said it is responding to demand from large businesses and government agencies in Eastern Europe and Russia, including Aeroflot, the Russian Ministry of Defence and the RusHotel hotel chain, and said Open Referent could cut their costs in half.

IBM emphasized that government agencies in particular are interested in open standards, with many governments beginning to require formats such as ODF or PDF for official documents.

"This is important because it's a secure and cost-effective Microsoft desktop alternative," said Kevin Cavanaugh, IBM vice president for Lotus Software, in a statement.

Lotus Notes will be provided for groupware, with Lotus Sametime for unified communications. Lotus Symphony is based on OpenOffice.org and uses the ISO-approved ODF family of open document formats.

The integrators are likely to use white-box PCs, with manufacturers varying from country to country, according to IBM.

Large organizations in the U.K. have been slow to adopt open source on the desktop, even more so than other Western European countries, according to open formats advocacy group OpenForum Europe. Its chief technology officer, Mike Banahan, once remarked that the U.K. is a "third world country" compared with the rest of Europe where it comes to public- and private-sector interest in open source.

OpenForum's research found that open source is blocked by many factors, including the fact that companies are often highly uncomfortable with the available technical support options.

Q Associates, a U.K. IBM reseller, told Techworld it does significant business in Linux servers but has seen minimal interest in open source desktops.

Desktop Linux integration isn't necessarily a straightforward process for a large organization, despite any cost benefits. The City of Munich, for instance, has spent several years tweaking a 14,000-desktop installation of Linux on the desktop. The effort has involved developing new software such as the GOsa network administration tool to assist in the management of the desktops.

From : PC WORLD Article (click here!)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,143233-c,systems/article.html

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2008-03-07T16:21:00.000+07:00

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