Transcript Know Your Computer`s Hardware

Know Your
Computer System
Computer System
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A computer system contains the following components: (1) a system unit
(which holds such things as (a) the CPU, (b) hard drive, (c) RAM, (d) CD-ROM /
DVD-ROM, and (e) motherboard), (2) a monitor, (3) a keyboard, and a (4)
mouse. Some systems also include printers and other peripheral devices such
as scanners and external hard drives.
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Monitor
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A monitor is one output device that
displays the results of the
computer’s processing so the user
can see what he or she is working
on.
A monitor’s size is measured
diagonally and the resolution is
measured in dots per inch.
Newer monitors are labeled
SVGA—super video graphics array.
Most monitors have controls on the
front or side that allow you to
change the sound, size, and
brightness.
Power Supply
1. is a self-contained unit that
converts AC from the
electrical outlet on the wall to
DC used by computer
2. provides power to internal
components such as the
motherboard, hard drive, CDROM / DVD-ROM, floppy,
and other devices using
power
3. uses a fan to cool the system
which dissipates heat
Motherboard
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main circuit board of the computer
additional boards (cards) can be
connected to the motherboard to transfer
data through the “data bus”
it contains
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CPU (central processing unit)
BIOS (basic input output system) chip
memory (RAM)
storage interfaces (hard drive, floppy, and
CD/DVD)
serial, parallel, and USB ports
expansion slots
chips on the motherboard = chipset
newer boards have some functionality
integrated onto it—network adapter, video,
sound, etc., rather than having separate
cards installed
BIOS/CMOS
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BIOS
• is software stored on a ROM chip
that works with the hardware.
• BIOS uses CMOS to modify or
supplement the setup.
• New BIOS chips are flashable,
which means they can be
upgraded to support new
hardware components.
• Some peripherals have their own
BIOS chips including SCSI and
RAID adapter cards.
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CMOS
• battery powered
• stores BIOS information
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CPU
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The central processing unit or
processor is plugged into the
motherboard.
The CPU is the ‘brain’ of the
computer where all processing
takes place.
Cache on the chip (L1 and L2) makes
newer CPUs faster.
Cache is memory that stores
frequently used instructions by the
processor.
The higher the Mhz or Ghz, the faster
the processor.
CPUs must stay cool through the use
of a heat sink or a CPU fan.
RAM
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stores chunks of information for the CPU’s
tasks to be executed
it’s like a waiting room – copied items can be
stored there
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When you turn off the machine, you lose
anything in RAM.
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RAM comes in many different types so you
must know what your motherboard will
support—SIMMS, DIMMS, RIMMS (all are
SDRAM chips)
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Up to a point, usually the more RAM, the
better.
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Some chips use SRAM—cache chips to store
frequently used instructions.
Hard Drive
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allows the user to write
(save) and retrieve (get)
information
it writes and retrieves
information itself
“File Cabinet”--files are
stored until you need them
Most hard drives use a
IDE, ATA, EIDI, or SCSI
interface. New hard drives
use a SATA interface.
Other Storage Media
a. CD-ROM
b. Floppy Drive
c. DVD-ROM
d. ZIP Drive
e. USB drive
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Expansion Cards
a. Sound card
b. Modem
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c. Video card
d. Network card
Ports
1. Keyboard/Mouse
2. USB: (Universal Serial Bus)
• USB ports can be used to connect
peripherals such as printers, keyboards,
mice, and digital cameras.
• plug and play installation (hot swappable)
• data transfer rate is 12 Mbps or higher
3. LPT or Parallel Port:
• uses a 25-pin connector
• used to connect a printer or external CD-RW
4. COM:
• serial communications port that functions in
DOS
• transferring only 1 bit of information at a time
• used for external modems and serial mice
5. Firewire (IEEE):
• transfer rates of 400 to 800 Mbps, which
is ideal for transferring high levels
of data in real time (like video)
Printers
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There are basically two classes of
printers—impact, which includes dotmatrix, and non-impact, which includes
laser and inkjet).
• (a) Dot-matrix printers are rapidly
becoming obsolete; they are mostly
used where multiple copies of
documents must be printed at the
same time.
• (b) Laser printers are fast, quiet and
give high-quality printouts. However,
they are usually more expensive to
purchase, and toner is costly.
• (c) Inkjet printers are less expensive.
However, they are not as durable and
ink can smear when paper first comes
out.
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Operating Systems
a) Desktop operating
systems
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d)
Windows 9x
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
b) Server-based network
operating systems
(NOS)
a) Windows 2000
b) Linux
c) Novell
c) Mac OS
a) OS X (Unix-based)
Operating Systems
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are loaded into RAM
upon boot up
manage the system
devices through an
user-friendly
interface called a GUI
require more RAM
and CPU power as
they become more
powerful and capable
Examples of Software Programs
a)
Word processing—create and edit documents
b)
Spreadsheets—compute numerical data
c)
Graphing—express data in picture form
d)
Presentations—automate your speech
e)
Suite software (includes multiple programs)
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f)
Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft Works
Graphics and Web Publishing—design and manipulate pictures
and web sites
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Corel Draw, Fireworks, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver,
Publisher, Front Page
Examples of Software Programs
g)
Multimedia—add sounds and pictures to
programs
• Flash, Shockwave, QuickTime (web
browser plug-ins)
h)
Utilities
• Norton Anti-virus, McAfee, Norton Disk
Doctor
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Productivity and E-mail—organize and plan
activities
• Outlook, Adobe Acrobat
j)
Browsers—access the Internet
• Internet Explorer, Firefox