Name: The Foundation of Iron — Week 6 — PC and Server Hardware
Author: Amine RAITI

RATIO

THE FOUNDATION OF IRON · COURSE MATERIAL · WEEK 6

◆◆◆

PC AND SERVER
HARDWARE
Week 6 of 26 · Block 3 — Microcomputing
10h theory · 25h practice

◆

◆ WEEKLY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Identify and name the components of a workstation and a server (CPU, RAM, motherboard, power supply, cooling)
2. Understand the BIOS/UEFI's role in booting a machine
3. Safely disassemble and reassemble a workstation
4. Diagnose a simple hardware fault
5. Assemble a small server from separate components

◆◆◆

NOTE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR

Make sure enough decommissioned workstations/servers are available to allow genuine disassembly — this is the condition for this week's success. The link with Week 1 (power supply rating) should be made explicit.

◆

Amine RAITI · Infrastructure Architect & SRE
Public document · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · AI Powered by Amine
Opération Dindon

RATIO

COURSE OUTLINE · 10H

THEORY GUIDING THREAD

◆

6.1 · The main components3h

— CPU (role, clock speed, core count), RAM (role, volatility, link with Week 2 — every byte is addressable), motherboard (role as support and communication bus)
— Power supply: direct recap of the power concepts from Week 1 (a power supply has a rated power in Watts)
— Cooling: air (heatsink/fan) vs liquid, why thermal dissipation is critical

6.2 · Bus standards and connectors2h

— PCIe (expansion cards), SATA/NVMe (storage), DIMM (RAM) — role of each standard
— Concept of hardware compatibility (a component only plugs into the connector designed for it)

6.3 · BIOS and UEFI3h

— BIOS/UEFI's role: the first code executed at boot, before any operating system
— Boot sequence (POST — Power-On Self-Test, hardware detection, boot device selection)
— Accessing the BIOS/UEFI menu and common settings to know

6.4 · Server hardware specifics2h

— Server vs workstation differences: redundancy (dual power supplies), ECC (memory error correction), rack vs tower form factor
— Concept of remote management (administration card such as iLO/iDRAC) — conceptual introduction

EXAMPLE TO DEVELOP ON THE BOARD

A 650W power supply (seen in Week 1 as available power) must be able to simultaneously power the CPU (often 65-150W), the motherboard, several RAM modules, storage, and a possible graphics card — the sum of consumptions must never exceed the rated power available, with a safety margin.

RATIO

EXERCISE 1 · DISASSEMBLY, IDENTIFICATION AND REASSEMBLY · 12H

Equipment: decommissioned workstations (1 per pair), suitable screwdrivers, antistatic wristband, bags and labels for sorting screws, clear table surface.

(1h) Recap of electrostatic safety rules (antistatic wristband) and electrical safety (machine unplugged and discharged before working on it).

(3h) Methodical disassembly of the workstation: opening the case, removing in order the expansion card, storage, RAM, heatsink/fan, then the motherboard and power supply — each step photographed or noted.

(2h) Identifying each removed component: reading the markings, finding the exact part reference, recording characteristics (RAM capacity, power supply rating, CPU model).

(1h) Writing a complete inventory sheet for the disassembled workstation (component, reference, main characteristic).

(3h) Full reassembly of the workstation in reverse order, checking every connection before powering back on.

(2h) Boot test and verification of correct operation (BIOS/UEFI access, detection of all components).

SOLUTION — EXERCISE 1

Reassembly check grid: the workstation must boot without an error beep (or with the normal sequence beep depending on the motherboard), the BIOS/UEFI must display the correct amount of RAM and the expected CPU model, storage must be detected.

Common faults to anticipate and their diagnosis: no boot = check the main power connector and the CPU connector on the motherboard; RAM not detected = check that the modules are properly seated in the DIMM slots; repeated boot beep = usually a poorly seated RAM module (check the manufacturer's beep code in the motherboard's documentation).

RATIO

EXERCISE 2 · BUILDING A SMALL SERVER · 13H

Equipment: separate components provided (motherboard, CPU, RAM, power supply, storage, case or rack chassis), thermal paste, full toolkit.

(2h) Reading the provided components' documentation, checking compatibility (CPU socket, supported RAM type, required power connectors).

(2h) Installing the CPU on the motherboard, applying thermal paste, fitting the cooling system.

(1h30) Installing the RAM in the appropriate slots, checking the manufacturer's recommended fill order.

(2h) Installing the motherboard in the chassis, connecting the power supply (main and CPU connectors).

(1h30) Installing and connecting storage (SATA or NVMe depending on the supplied hardware).

(2h) Final wiring (front panel, additional fans), full visual check before powering up.

(2h) First boot, accessing the BIOS/UEFI, verifying detection of all components, estimating total power consumption and comparing it against the power supply's rating (direct link with Week 1).

SOLUTION — EXERCISE 2

Expected compatibility checks: the CPU socket must exactly match the motherboard's, the RAM type and frequency must be supported by the motherboard (verifiable in its documentation), the CPU power connector (often 4 or 8 pins) must be present on the supplied power supply.

Expected estimated power calculation: sum the typical consumptions (CPU ~65-95W, motherboard and peripherals ~30-50W, storage ~5-10W per drive) and check the total stays below 70-80% of the power supply's rated capacity, in line with the safety margin covered in Week 1.

◆ SUMMARY SHEET — WEEK 6 SELF-ASSESSMENT

1. I can identify and name the main components of a workstation/server.

2. I can explain the role of each common bus standard (PCIe, SATA/NVMe, DIMM).

3. I can explain the BIOS/UEFI's role in the boot sequence.

4. I can safely disassemble a workstation (electrostatic and electrical safety).

5. I can identify a component's characteristics from its markings.

6. I can assemble a server from separate components.

7. I can diagnose a simple hardware fault at boot.

8. I can calculate an estimated power consumption for a hardware build.