Build

From Free Geek Seattle
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Build Program

All build documentation goes here!

How it works

The Build Program is our primary ongoing volunteer program. We take donated computers and see if they work. If they don't work, we replace hardware as necessary to fix them. If we can't fix them, we strip them for useful components and send them to a certified recycler for disposal.

Once our computers have been made functional, we install our standard desktop Linux distro (currently Xubuntu) on them to replace whatever they had before (most likely Windows) and turn it into a fully-functional multipurpose desktop! Also because Linux is both free and resource efficient, it's a great way to give new life to old hardware.

All of this is done by volunteers and is intended to be an excellent way for them to learn about PC hardware and repair. If you've built 4 computers you get to keep one of them!

Steps

Pre-Build - safety and basic hardware ID lecture. Should take ~45 mins

Assessment - pick out some hardware that has already been received/logged, see if it boots. Note, hardware logging/determining whether its suitable for the build program or should just be recycled is something done by Donations beforehand. Wipe the HDD if it hasn't been done already.

Assembly - do whatever is needed to make the hardware bootable, install an OS. If the computer can't be fixed, divert to recycle

QC - make sure everything works and the computer is ready for sale or grant


EVERYTHING BELOW HERE IS A MESS. Take the following sections, and brush them up, add them to one of the subpages above.

What's needed

  • Target machine
  • Safety equipment: Eye protection, gloves, dust mask
  • Tools: Screwdrivers + and -, large and small hex-head drivers
  • Tray for small parts
  • Bins for fasteners, etc

Procedure

Where conditionals are expressed, refer to session leader or label.If you are doing teardown, don't make assumptions / decisions about case parts, components or other bits unless you are also the person who tested the machine! If there are no labels, ask. If there's no one to ask, pick a different machine.

We need to provide guidance for first-time tearers-down. Always make sure a senior volunteer is available for guidance,

  1. Ensure nothing is plugged-in to the machine.
  2. Ensure eye protection and gloves.
  3. Remove all external case screws, sort and bin.
  4. Pop case cover and remove.
  5. Disconnect power supply from motherboard and all peripherals.
  6. Remove internal cables, sort and bin them.
  7. Remove internal peripherals (HDD, optical drives, card readers, anything that lives in a drive bay.) If HDD is Refurb, put in Pending Wipe area. (blue box)
  8. Remove slot screws, slot blanks, and expansion cards.
  9. Remove all internal screws. Sort and bin.
  10. If case is recycle, remove drive bays and any other removable case parts.
  11. Remove mainboard. Pull CPU with heatsink, pull RAM. If mainboard is recycle, pull CMOS battery. If CPU is recycle, remove heatsink.
  12. If case is recycle:
    1. Remove any remaining fasteners.
    2. Pull off front panel.
    3. Use violence to reduce case to small parts.
    4. Chuck parts in recycle box.



What's Needed

  • Setup station (Keyboard, mouse, monitor speakers or headphones, power, network connection)
  • Live media or access to Install Server
  • Slot blanks or tape
  • FGSEA stickers
  • Basic toolkit

Procedure

Source: http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/QC_checklist

  1. Check that the case is closed and secure.
    1. If not, open it and check that:
    2. components are properly connected
    3. the interior is dust-free
    4. cables are tucked out of the way
    5. airflow path is unobstructed
    6. if any of above is not true, send unit back to builder.
    7. close and fasten the case.
  2. Pick up the case and move it around, check for rattling sounds. If there's loose stuff inside, open up and take it out.
  3. Ensure all slots, bays and ports are covered
    1. Cover ports that don't work with electrical tape. We have slot covers for empty slots.
  4. Power on the machine. If it doesn't POST, send it back.
    1. Enter BIOS and ensure settings are correct (ask workshop lead if you don't know what settings are correct)
  5. Boot from HDD. Does gdm greeter screen come up?
  6. Reboot, this time from PXE (if supported) and run the automated test tools we haven't built yet :^/
    1. Harass the relevant Working Groups about that. If there aren't any, form one.



What's Needed

  • Good knowledge of hardware:
  1. Distinguish different types and speeds of RAM modules
  2. Distinguish IDE from SATA from SCSI from SAS
  3. Distinguish AGP from PCIe
  • Basic tools for opening cases
  • Voltmeter
  • Eval station - power, monitor, mouse, keyboard, Install Server access
  • known-good bootable hard drive

Procedure

  1. Open the case and check for dangerous conditions
    1. Is the case filled with dynamite?
    2. Are there animal corpses inside? (Yes, this has happened.)
    3. Is it filled with lint?
  2. Clean inside of case with compressed air or vacuum
    1. Don't be too assiduous, as we'll be cleaning it again later
  3. Remove HDD and send to Data Destruction
  4. Power up machine
    1. If no POST:
    2. Check for beep codes
    3. Ensure RAM properly seated
    4. Check for loose jumpers and for fasteners shorting out mobo
    5. Check for voltage at power-supply connector
    6. Call workshop lead to assist
    7. If the machine can't be made to POST successfully, then remove all components. Recycle motherboard, test other components separately.
  5. Enter BIOS and check settings, set to boot from HDD
  6. Install bootable HDD and boot
    1. If boot fails then i/o bus is probably bad
    2. if integrated, discard mobo
    3. if external, replace card and re-test
  7. Reboot from PXE and run automated tools we haven't built yet. See Inventory tracking database for details.


What's needed

Build Station

  • tools
  • parts

Procedure

  1. Ensure you have the right parts
    1. Case
    2. Motherboard
    3. Power supply
    4. CPU and accessories (heatsink, fan, radiator, etc)
    5. RAM
    6. Expansion cards (graphics cards, NICs, etc)
    7. drives
    8. internal cabling (SATA cables, IDE cables, motherboard connector cables, etc. Will depend on the mobo.)
    9. Case fans and accessories
  2. Install PSU in case
  3. Install drives in case
  4. Install mobo in case
  5. Install CPU and RAM in mobo
    1. Install CPU in slot, then paste it and install heatsink, fan, etc.
  6. Install expansion cards in mobo
  7. Connect power and i/o cables to drives
  8. Connect motherboard connectors to case switches
  9. Install case fans etc.
  10. Connect PSU power connector to mobo
  11. Boot and test
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