Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer

Overview
In this chapter, learners will learn about the definition of a computer, the importance,
fundamental knowledge of computers, and the difference between data and Information. In
addition, generations, types of computer and hardware components. This chapter provides
practical guide on computer introduction.

Objectives

At the end of the chapter, learners will be able to:

• Explain what is a computer

• Describe why computers are important
• Explain fundamental knowledge of computers and their uses
• Differentiate data from Information
• Describe the characteristics of computers
• State main functions of the computer
• Discuss Generations of Computer
• State Types of Computers
• Explain Hardware Components of the computer
• Apply Basic concept of Computer Assembling and Disassembling

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2.1 Definition of a computer

Learning Outcome:
At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• Explain what is a computer

• Describe why computers are important
• Explain fundamental knowledge of computers and their uses
• Differentiate between data and Information.

What is a computer?
A computer is a programmed device for storing, retrieving, and processing data. The word
"computer" was first used to humans who used mechanical calculators such as the abacus and
slide rule to do numerical computations. Later, as mechanical machines began to replace
human computers. Computers of today are electrical devices that receive data (input), process
that data, create information (output), and store the results (storage).

Today, computer is used for communicating, research, managing, designing, drawing, and
entertainment.

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The Importance of Computers
Computers can be found at work, school, and home. Employees use computers in the office to
make communication such as e-mail messages, notes, and letters, to manage calendars, to
calculate payroll, to track inventories, and to generate invoices. Teachers utilize computers in
the classroom to enhance classroom instruction. Computers are used by students to complete
homework and do research. People spend their spare time on computers for playing games,
checking e-mails, buying goods online, interacting in chat rooms, listen to radio broadcasts,
watch or create videos, read books and journals, share tales, study genealogy, edit
photographs, and plan trips. Computers are assisting individuals in doing their job quicker and
more correctly at work, school, and at home, and in some circumstances, in ways that were not
before conceivable.

Information is processed (or organized) data so a human can read, understand, and use it.

Data vs. Information

Data is a collection of values that require processing and

interpretation to be meaningful; data values can be
numbers, characters, or any other data type.

Information is an organized and processed data which has a

meaningful to the user.

The fundamental purpose of the computer is to process data

into information.

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Example of Data
Below example are random unorganized words and numbers separated by comma.
GD, 05, Amina, Zone, GRW, 2528055253, 010, Ciise

Example of Information
Now, a redefined parameters were used to analyze, arrange, and format the original data. The
data now has an obvious meaning: it is the contact information for a person called Ali Abdi.
Name Address Telephone
Amina Ciise 010 Zone, Badhan, BD 05 (252) -090-10005553

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Characteristics of a Computer
The common characteristics or features of computers can be classified into the following, they
are:

Speed
The speed of the computer in processing data is the most important element while considering
computer functionality. it can take less time to perform a task which human being does for long
time. Recently, computers can perform billions of arithmetic tasks per second.

Accuracy
Accuracy is an important feature that computers have, which means the computer is exact in
doing operations and gives results as predicted; this means the computer is not expected to
make a mistake unless the user gives wrong instructions.

Diligence
Computer can perform millions of tasks consistently and accurately, a computer does not feel
any failure, fatigue, or tiredness while doing billions of instructions at a time.

Reliability
Reliability is an important character of a computer as it gives consistent results for a similar set
of data.
The reliability of computer-processed results is very high.

Automation
A computer performs all the tasks automatically i.e. it performs tasks without manual
intervention

Power of storing and remembering

The computer has the power of storing and recalling any amount of information or data at
any time as long as you require it, for any number of years.

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Functions of computer

• Input function – accepts any input data from the user through the input devices used
like Mouse and Keyboard.
• Processing function – is the brain of the computer where all operations are performed.
• Storage function - stores data permanently.
• Output function – is where a user action is shown.

All of them will be explained in computer hardware and components at the next lesson in detail
with examples.

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Exercise:

1. Define computer in your own words.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________
2. Compare computer and human beings in terms of performance
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Prepare sample Data and convert it into Information.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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2.2 Generations of Computers

Learning Outcome:
At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• Summarize key events in the history of computers

• Discuss different types of computers that emerged throughout history
• Classify different generations of computers and usages of each one.
• Describe the capability of each period generation

Introduction
Modern computers history dates back several decades. There are five prominent generations of
computers. Each generation has witnessed several technological advances.

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First Generation (1940-1956)

Hardware
• Vacuum tubes
• Punch cards.

Features
• They supported machine language.
• They performed slowly.
• They occupied large rooms due to the use of vacuum tubes.
• They had poor storage capacity.
• They generated a lot of heat and consumed more electricity.

Second Generation (1956-1963)

Several advancements in the first-generation
computers led to the development of second-
generation computers.

Hardware
• Transistors
• Magnetic tapes

Features
• Capacity to perform batch operating system
• Faster and smaller in size

Third Generation (1964-1971)

This was the period in which was successfully

invented the first electronic computer called
ENIAC, ENIAC stands for “Electronic Numeric
Integrated And Calculator”.

Hardware
• Integrated Circuits made from semi-
conductor materials
• Large capacity disks and magnetic tapes

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Features
• Smaller, faster, more reliable, and cheaper than the previous generations
• Easy to access
• Supports time-sharing OS

Fourth Generation (1972-2010)

Fourth-generation computers have the following
components and features:

Hardware
• Integrated Circuits (ICs) with Very Large-
Scale Integration (VLSI) technology
• Semiconductor memory
• Magnetic tapes and Floppy Disks

Features
• Multiprocessing and distributed OS
• Support for object-oriented high-level programs
• Small & easy to use
• Hand-held computers have evolved
• No external cooling is required
• Affordable

Fifth Generation (2010-Present)

These are cutting-edge computers. Significant
advancements in component and operation have
made fifth generation computers more convenient
and dependable than prior generations.

Hardware
• Integrated Circuits with VLSI and
Nanotechnology
• Large capacity hard disk with redundant array of independent disks (RAID) support
• Powerful servers, Internet, Cluster computing

Features
• Powerful, cheap, reliable, and easy to use.
• Portable and faster due to the use of parallel processors and Super Large-Scale
Integrated Circuits.
• Rapid software development is possible

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Exercise: Answer the following questions:
1. What is computer generation?
2. What did first-generation computers use for circuitry?
3. What were some disadvantages of first-generation computers?
4. What was the main technology used in fourth-generation computers?
5. Which generation of computers have we started using keyboards and monitors?
6. Nowadays we are in the which generation?

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2.3 Types of computers

Learning Outcome:
At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• State different types of computers

• Explain the features of each type of computer

There are different computer categories in the market today. Different types are designed for
different purposes.

Classification of Computers according to size

Common types currently available are:
1. Microcomputer /Personal Computer (PC)
a. Desktop
b. Laptop
c. Tablet
d. Smartphones
2. Super Computers
3. Mainframe Computers
4. Minicomputers

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Desktop computers
Desktop usually refers to a general-purpose computer that is made
up of a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and processor unit. The term PC
(Personal Computer) usually refers to computer systems that are
IBM-compatible

The advantages of desktop computers over laptop computers are:

• Better performance.
• Desktops tend to be significantly less expensive.
• Desktops can be upgraded easily
• They can be All-in-One (which makes them similar to laptop)
• May have multiple internal storage drives installed.

Laptop computers
A laptop (or notebook) is a form of computer that combines
the display, keyboard, pointing device, and CPU into a single
unit. As a result, they are highly portable.

Main features of a laptop include:

• Lightweight
• Low power consumption.
• Long battery life.
• The processor shouldn’t generate too much heat.

The advantages of laptop computers compared to desktop computers:

• Portablity
• Battery
• All-in-one
• Built in WiFi

Tablets
Tablets are relatively new internet-enabled portable
computers. They are same as smartphone. Tablets use
touch-screen technology and don’t usually have a
conventional keyboard.
Internet access is usually through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G
(mobile network) connectivity. Tablets are equipped with a
series of sensors, including cameras, microphones,
accelerometers, and touch screens.

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Some of the tablet features include:
• High-definition, anti-glare displays.
• Front and back facing cameras.
• Lower weight.
• Longer battery life than laptops.
• Bluetooth connection to printers and other devices.
• Make use of flash (solid-state) memory and cloud storage facilities to backup and
synchronize (often just referred to as ‘sync’) data sources
• They use several sensors like an accelerometer, which detects the movement and
orientation of the device.

Supercomputers
Supercomputers are the largest, fastest, and most
expensive types of computers. Unlike microcomputers and
servers, supercomputers are not designed to optimize
processing for multiple users. Instead, supercomputers use
their significant processing power to solve a few very
difficult problems such as predicting the weather, modeling
nuclear reactions, and oil/space exploration.

A supercomputer can process one quadrillion instructions per second. Researchers and
scientists are the primary users of supercomputers.

Uses of Supercomputers
Today’s supercomputers process enormous amounts of Information. Supercomputers are used
for works such as:
• In research centers.
• Government agencies.
• Companies performing mathematical calculations
• Gathering, collating, categorizing, and assessing Information.
• Weather Forecasting
• Scientific Research
• Data Mining

Mainframe computers
A mainframe computer is a big, extremely powerful
computer system. The name refers to the days when
individual components were contained in enormous
(sometimes room-sized) frames. Their primary function

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is to handle business applications such as banking and insurance, where massive amounts of
data must be processed on a daily basis.

The main features of mainframe computers are:

• They can have several CPUs
• They have very fast processor speeds
• They can support multiple operating systems
• They have huge amounts of storage capacity
• They have huge internal memories (for example, several hundred gigabytes of RAM)
• They often operate using time-sharing or batch processing.

Minicomputer
Minicomputers are digital computers that are
commonly seen in multi-user systems. They have a
faster processing speed and a larger storage capacity
than microcomputers, and users can access them
through their PCs or terminals. They are employed in
real-time applications in companies, research facilities,
and so on.

The main features of minicomputer are:

• Minicomputer is small in size
• Has a CPU, memory and operates on a stored program concept.
• Cheaper than a supercomputer or a mainframe computer.
• Minicomputers were distinguished by their lower cost, applications, and the types of
software packages.
• Minicomputers are more powerful than personal computers,
• Can have one or more processors, support multitasking and multiprocessing to perform
several tasks at once, and are resistant to heavy workloads.

Classification of Computers According to Function

Computer are classified into three types according to function, which is as follows:-
1. Analog Computer
2. Digital Computer
3. Hybrid Computer

Analog Computers
The analog computer provides continuous Information for
us, the word “analog” means continuously varying in
quantity, that is, the analog computers accept data in

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continuous form, and output is displayed in the form of graphs. It means these computers
accept input and give output in the form of analog signals.

Example:
A thermometer measures the length of a mercury column continuously.
A traditional clock is an analog computer because the clock's needle continuously covers the
dial's distance, weight machine, and speedometer, tire pressure.
Analog Machines in petrol station used for calculation quantity of petrol

Digital Computer

The digital Computers are the ones that provide us

discrete information and handle data that have
been converted into numbers, i.e., the digits 0 and
1 represented by low and high voltages. This type
of data is usually in character form.

Examples:
• Calculator, Digital
• Digital fuel station
• Computers, which are used nowadays.
• Digital scoreboard

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Hybrid Computers:
Is a computer system which combines the features of both
digital and analog, firstly it was seen in 1961 released by
Packard Bell.

The input comes from a device like pressure,

thermometers, motors, etc., in the form of analog
methods. These analogy input methods are sent to a digital
computing device which then generates digital.

These computers that have good qualities of both Digital and Analog capabilities are called”
hybrid computers.”

Examples:
• The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) computers.
• Videocassette recorder (VCR) is also an example of a hybrid computer, its pulleys and
wheels are analog features, and its’ data flow is a digital feature.

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CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE

In general, the two main purposes of computer use are for either general purpose or specific
purpose.

Specific Purpose Computers: They are used to meet special

requirements of a particular task or application.

Automatic Teller Machine (ATM Machines) for electronic fund

transfer is an example of specific Purpose computers.

General Purpose Computers: they can be used for a wide range of operations. They are capable
of solving a wide variety of problems because they can be programmed and reprogrammed to
perform various tasks. Desktop and laptop computers are examples of general-purpose
computers, they can be used to access the internet, word processing, communicate via email
and social media.

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Exercise: Identify and explain the type of the following computers

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[20]
2.4 Computer Hardware and Components

Learning Objective:

At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• Indicate the names and functions of computer hardware component.
• Distinguish different features of input and output devices.
• Classify different types of computer storages
• Describe how the CPU processes data and instructions and controls the operation of all
other devices

What is Hardware?

Hardware is the physical features of the computer (Internal or External) that you can either see
or touch, for example keyboard, mouse, monitor, case, and printer

The main hardware components of the computer are:

1. Input Device
2. Output device
3. Processing Unit
4. Storage Devices

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Input Devices:

Mouse Keyboard Touchpad Joystick

Web Camera Touch screen Fingerprint reader Barcode reader

Scanner Microphone Stylus/Pen Trackball

Devices which we use to enter data into the computer is called input devices, for example

a. Mouse: is a movable, small device that lets you control a range of things on a computer.
Most mouse types have two buttons, and some will have a wheel in between the
buttons. They connect to the computer with a cable and use the computer’s power to
work, and some types are wireless.

b. Touchpad: is a device used to point on a computer screen. It's an alternative to using a

mouse. commonly found in laptop computers. A touch pad detects finger movement
and downward pressure from the user.

c. Joystick: is a type of input device that consists of a stick that pivots on a base and
reports the angle or direction of the stick to the device it is controlling. Joysticks are
commonly used to operate video games and typically feature one or more push-buttons
whose states can be read by the computer as well.
d. Keyboard: A keyboard is an input device that allows a user to enter text into a computer
or other electronic device. his device is based after its predecessor, the typewriter, from

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 which the keyboard got its layout. Alphanumeric, punctuation, and special keys, such as
the Windows key and various multimedia keys, are among the available options.
Keyboard leyouts can be QWERTY, AZERTY, DVORAK

e. Scanner: We can store pictures, photographs, diagrams on the computer with the help
of a scanner. Scanner reads the image and saves it on the computer as a file.

f. Microphone: This is an input device that is used to record sound or voice into the
computer system. You can store voice data in the computer by speaking in front of this
device

g. Web camera: Is a small digital video camera that is connected to a computer. Webcams
come with software that must be installed on the computer in order for users to capture
video or stream it from the Internet. Webcams can take images as well as high-
definition videos, although the video quality is typically lower than that of other camera
models.

h. Touch Screen: A touch screen is a type of computer display screen that also functions as
an input device. When a touch screen is touched with a finger or a pen, the event is
registered and sent to a controller for processing.

Touchscreen also play an important role in the design of digital devices such as personal
digital assistants (PDAs), satellite navigation devices, mobile phones, and video games.

i. Fingerprint readers: A fingerprint scanner is a type of technology that identifies and

authenticates the fingerprints of an individual to deny or grant access to a
It is a sort of biometric security system that uses a combination of hardware and
software algorithms to identify an individual's fingerprint scans.
j. Barcode reader: an input device that scans and digitally converts printed barcodes using
light beams. The data is subsequently decoded and sent to a computer. It is made up of
a lens, a light source, and a light sensor that can convert optical impulses into electrical
signals.

k. Stylus / Pen: is a pen-shaped handheld instrument used with touch screen input devices
or graphics tablets mainly used on mobile phones and tablets, as well as for computers.

Drawing or painting on a computer is still easier by hand and near-impossible when

using a mouse, trackpad, or trackball.

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l. Trackball: Is an input device that comprises an exposed protruding ball held by a socket
having sensors for detecting the ball’s rotation. it is also a stationary device which does
not require much space and can work on most surfaces.

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Output Devices:

Monitor Printer Speaker

Headphone Plotter Projector

Output device means any peripheral that receives data from a computer, usually for display,
projection, or physical reproduction. Monitors and printers are two of the most commonly used
computer output devices.

a. Monitor: Is an electronic output device which display images, text, video, and graphics
information generated by a connected computer via a computer’s video card.
Monitors come with differen sizes and shapes, the most common types are:
• Cathode Ray Tube (CRT): Bulky in size, shaped like television
• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): its very light and flat, shows clear images, mainly found
on laptops and flat-panel monitors.

LCD has overtaken CRT in terms of color and picture quality, not to mention the ability
to support high resolutions. Furthermore, LCD monitors may be produced at a lower
cost than CRT monitors.

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b. Printer:- Is an output device that produces a hard copy of electronic content stored on
physical print medium such as paper. As a result, printers are the most common output
devices used to create permanent documents. A printer's speed is often measured in
either Pages Per Minute (PPM) or Characters Per Second (CPS).

Today, there are several different printers. So let look at different types of printers and
their uses.

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Types of Printers

• Laser Printer: Laser printers transfer text and graphics to paper using light or a
focussed beam. A cylindrical drum inside the laser printer is now known as the
Photoreceptor, on which laser beams are fired. This is done as the paper is being
fed through the printer. The photoreceptor is printed with images and text by
the laser printing equipment.
• Inkjet Printer: they use a special type of ink for printing on paper. Hence, Inkjet
Printers are particularly used to get high-quality printouts.
Inkjet printing machines are available, ranging from inexpensive small consumers
models to expensive professional models.
• Photo printer: Photo printing machines are inkjet printers that are designed for
printing on white photo papers. These photo paper is coated with a coating that
ensures that the ink used for printing the photo is not smeared off. Photo
printing machines can print photos of all sizes. However, some are used
specifically for printing only wallet-sized photos of 3x5 or 4x6.
• Color Printer: Color printers are those printers that can print more than one
color. they work on CMYK color model. In the CMYK color model, 4 basic colors
i.e, Cyan, Black, Yellow, and Magenta.
Color printers are mostly used for printing paper materials, books, and
magazines.

c. Speaker: is an output device that is used to generate sound, the main objective of the
speaker is to offer audio for the listener.
d. Headphone: is a hardware device that you can plug into a computer, laptop,
smartphone, mp3 player, or other devices to listen to audio privately without disturbing
anyone surrounding you.

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e. Projector: Is a device that takes images generated by a computer and projects them
onto a screen, wall, or other surface. In most situations, the projected surface is big, flat,
and bright in color.
For example, use a projector to display a presentation on a huge screen so that
everyone in the room can see it. Projectors can generate either fixed images (slides) or
moving images (videos). Most projectors use HDMI or a VGA cable from a computer.

f. Plotter: Is a computer hardware device like a printer that is used for printing large
banners, graphics, panels, produce a hard copy of schematics and other similar
applications.

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Processing Unit:

The CPU, often known as a processor, central processor, or

microprocessor, is the computer's central processing unit. The CPU of a
computer handles all instructions received from the hardware and
software. For example, CPU processed the instructions to open and
display web page on your computer using a web browser.

CPU is made up of an Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), a control unit, and a number of registers.

The processor is constantly performing very many tiny electronic operations. One such
operation, for example, reads one byte of data from main memory into the CPU. Another
operation determines if one of the bits in a byte is a 1 or a 0.

Types of CPUs

Previously, computer processors used numbers to identify the processor and

help in the identification of faster processors; however, all computer
processors began using names such as Pentium, Celeron, Duron, and Athlon.

CPU comes in different sizes, speeds, architectures (32-bit and 64-bit).

Below list shows common types of CPUs for home or business computers.

AMD processors

K6-2 Sempron Turion 64 Phenom X3 Athlon II

K6-III Athlon 64 Athlon 64 X2 Athlon 6-series E2 series
Athlon Mobile Athlon 64 Turion 64 X2 Athlon 4-series A4 series
Duron Athlon XP-M Phenom FX Athlon X2 A6 series
Athlon XP Athlon 64 FX Phenom X4 Phenom II A8 series
A10 series

Intel processors
4004 Pentium Pentium 4 Pentium Extreme Core i3
8080 Pentium w/ MMX Edition Core i5
8086 Pentium Pro Mobile Pentium Core Duo Core i7
8087 Pentium II 4-M Core 2 Duo Core i9
8088 Celeron

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 80286 (286) Pentium III Pentium D
80386 (386) Pentium M
80486 (486) Celeron M

CPU Speed

Most electrical signals travel at about 75 to 90% of the speed of light.

Clock speed is the rate that the CPU performs each. Each instruction
needs a specified number of clock ticks, or cycles, to be executed by the
CPU.

Clock speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz), 1 MHz represents 1 million cycles per second,
or gigahertz (GHz), 1 GHz represents 1 billion cycles per second.

The CPU speed determines how many calculations may be performed in a single second. The
higher the speed, the more computations it can execute, and hence the faster the computer.
While there are various computer processor manufacturers available, like Intel and AMD, they
all use the same CPU speed standard to determine how fast each of their processors runs. Even
if the CPU speed remains constant, the computer's performance can improve if the processor
has dual core or quad core. A dual-core 3.0 GHz processor can execute twice as many
calculations as a single-core 3.10 GHz machine.

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Storage Devices:

Hard Disk CD/DVD Flash Disk

SSD Micro SD Card RAM

Storage device is any hardware capable of temporarily or permanently

holding information.
Store device can be divided into:
• Primary storage, such as Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Secondary storage, such as a Flash Disk, hard drive, DVD, it
can be removable, internal, or external.

Examples of storages:
There are three types of storage devices used today: magnetic storage, optical storage,
and solid-state storage.

Magnetic storage
Its one of the most common types of storages used today. It is mainly found
on large Hard Disk Drives or hybrid hard drives.

• Hard drive
• Magnetic strip
• Floppy diskette
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 • Zip diskette
• Super Disk
• Tape cassette

Optical storage
Is a type of storage devices which uses lasers and lights to read and write
data.

• CD and DVD discs.

• Blu-ray disc

Solid-state storage
SSD has replaced most optical media and magnetic because it has
becomes cheaper, more efficient and reliable solution.

• Thumb drive, USB flash drive or jump drive.

• Memory card
• MMC
• SD card
• SDHC Card
• Memory Stick
• SSD
• etc

Online and cloud

Cloud storage made possible for accessing data remotely from more than one device.

• Cloud storage
• Network media

Importance of Storage Devices:

A computer without a storage device cannot save or recall any settings or information and is
considered a dumb terminal. It is possible that a computer may run without a storage device, it
can only display data unless it is connected to another computer with storage capabilities. Even
simple tasks like browsing the Internet need the storage of data.

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As computers advance, so do the technology used to store data, with increased requirements
for storage space. Day after day people need more and more space, they want it faster,
cheaper, and portable. This necessitates the development of new technologies. When new
storage devices are developed, when individuals upgrade to those new devices, the older
devices become outdated and cease to be used.

When punch cards were first used, floppy disks was not available. Floppy diskettes were
replaced by CD-ROM drives, which were replaced by DVD drives, which were replaced by flash
drives after they were available. IBM's initial hard disk drive costed $50,000, which was only 5
MB in size, and was large and bulky.

Nowadays, we have smartphones that have hundreds of times the capacity at a much smaller
price than we can carry in our pocket.

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Storage location

When you store something on a computer, it may prompt you for a storage location, which is
the location information that is saved. Most information is saved to your computer's hard disk
by default. Save the Information to a removable storage device, such as a USB flash drive, if you
want to transfer it to another computer.

Common storage devices

Most computers today primarily store information on HDD or SSD drives, with the flexibility to
use flash drives and access to online storage. Some laptops and most desktop computers come
with a disc drive that can read and write DVDs and CDs.

Mass storage devices

The Hard Drive and SSD are the largest storage component in most computers. Networked PCs
may have also access to more storage via huge tape drives, cloud computing, or NAS devices.
The following is a list of storage devices, sorted by capacity, from the smallest to the largest.

1. Punch card
2. Punch tape
3. Floppy diskette
4. Zip disk
5. CD
6. DVD
7. Blu-ray disc
8. Flash jump drive
9. Hard drive / SSD
10. Tape drive
11. NAS / Cloud Storage

Accessing storage devices

Accessing a storage device on your computer is dependent on the operating system and how it
is used. In Microsoft Windows, you can use Explorer to access files on any storage media, while
in Apple systems the Finder is the default file manager.

Exercise:
1. List and explain external components of the computer.
2. Explain the difference between Printer and Plotter.
3. Identify the following devices:

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 4. Match and type the given words from the list below with the corresponding pictures.

Monitor DVD Case Keyboard Mouse Webcam

Microphone Speakers Headphones Printer Power Supply Flash
Drive Scanner Hard Disk Cables

[35]
2.5 Computer Assembling and Disassembling

Learning Outcome:
At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:
• Disassemble a desktop computer
• Assemble a desktop computer
• Protect themselves from electric shock and/or sharp-edged components of the computer
• Protect the computer and its components from damage
• Appreciate how elegant and seamlessly work computer hardware produce results

Disassembling a computer
Step 1: Detach the power cable and disconnect external devices like keyboard, mouse, monitor,
printer, or scanner from the back of the CPU cabinet.

Step 2: Remove the case

The standard way of removing cases is to undo the screws on the back of the system, slide the
cover back about an inch and lift it up.

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Step 3 Remove the Adapter Cards
Remove the screw which holds the card. Then grab the card by its edges (front and back) and
gently rock it until it is released.

Step 4: Remove drives

Removing drives is easier. There can be possibly two types of drives present in your computer
system, Hard disk drive, and CD/DVD/ drives

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Generally HD and CD/DVD have power connector from power supply and data cables
connected to the motherboard

Step 5: Remove memory Modules

The Memory modules are mounted on the motherboard, to remove them 1) release the two
holders on the edges. 2) pull up slightly and make sure you don’t apply foce when removing,
also make sure to handle the chip only by the edges.

Step 6: Remove the Power Supply

The power supply is attached to the system cabinet at the top back. 1) unscrew the 4 screws at
the back of the power supply. 2) push down the relase metal 3) slide the power supply forward
a bit. 4) pull it up

Before pulling the power supply out, start removing the power connector connected to the
motherboard including:-
• Cabinet fan,

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 • The front panel of cabinet power buttons
• CPU fan power connector
• Motherboard power connectors
• And others if not detached yet.

Step 7:Remove the Motherboard

It is very important that before removing all the connectors from the motherboard, make sure
you memorize the positions of the connectors into the motherboard for assembling; this may
be required later on for connecting the connectors at their right places.

• First, remove the CPU fan.

• Pull the CPU upward.
• Remove screws from motherboard, and then detach it from the case

Reassemble a desktop computer

Assembling the PC.

To assemble a computer system, you are required to have the following components.
• Case
• Motherboard
• CPU
• RAM
• Power Supply
• Hard Drive
• DVD or CD drive
• Wall cord

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 • SATA cords
• And Connectors

Tools which are important to have:

• Screwdriver
• Small wrench
• Bowl to hold screws
• Access to a wall outlet

Step 1: Open Case

1. Remove the back screws
2. Take side cover off

Step 2: Mount the Motherboard

1. Fasten the motherboard on top of the mounting standoffs.
2. Screw motherboard to the case.

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Step 3: Mount Processor (CPU)
1. Locate the socket that holds the CPU
2. Lift up the latch lever and release the hinge to open CPU socket cover.
3. Hold CPU by the sides, line up the triangle mark on the corner of the CPU to the
triangle marked on the motherboard, then place it down into the motherboard.
4. Close the latch level to secure the CPU.

Step 4: Install CPU Cooler

1. Put some thermal paste to the back of the CPU.
2. Seat CPU cooler and fix it in position.
3. Plug cooler fan power cable into the motherboard connector.

Step 5: Install Power Supply (PSU)

1. Screw the power supply to the mounting points of the case.
2. Connect the largest cabling connector into the motherboard power connector.
3. Connect the 8-pin cabling connector into the CPU power connector.
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[42]
Step 6: Mount Memory (RAM)
1. Push the ejector tab at both ends of the RAM to open.
2. Line up the RAM with the mounting slot.
3. Press it firmly down into the slot. The tabs should automatically latch closed.
4. Follow the same process if you are installingal more RAM sticks.

Step 7: Mount Storage Drives

1. Mount storage drives to the case drive bays. Fix the drive in place with screws .
2. Connect the SATA data cable.
3. Plug the power connect to the storage drive.
4. Use the same above steps to mount any other storage drives.

Step 8: Close Case and Connect Peripherals

1. Place the cover back on.
2. Secure the side panel with screws.
3. Connect peripheral devices like mouse, monitor, keyboard, speakers etc.

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Exercise:

1. List main components inside the computer.

2. Explain the procedure of assembling a computer.
3. What are the differences between LaserJet and Inkjet printers?

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