Computer Hardware an Introduction

Objectives

 Learn that a computer requires both hardware

and software to work
 Learn about the many different hardware
components inside of and connected to a
computer

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Introduction
 End users need not know how a computer works
 To add to your end user knowledge, study is needed
 Studying this text will help you do the following:
• Install new hardware and software
• Diagnose hardware and software problems
• Solve hardware and software problems
• Evaluate new hardware and operating systems

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Hardware Needs Software to Work
 Hardware: physical portion of a computer
• Components: monitor, keyboard, memory, hard drive
 Software: instructions used to manipulate hardware
• Requirements: input, processing, storage, output
 All hardware operations are based on binary values
 Binary number system consists of two digits: 0 and 1
 Fundamental groupings of binary numbers:
• Bit: binary digit that can take on values of 0 or 1
• Nibble: four bits
• Byte: four bits

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Figure 1-2 All communication, storage,
and processing of data inside a
computer are in binary form until
presented as output to the user

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PC Hardware Components
 Most input/output (I/O) devices are external to case
 Most processing and storage devices are internal
 Central processing unit (CPU)
• Also called the processor or microprocessor
• Reads input, processes data, writes data to storage
 Elements required by I/O and storage devices
• A method for CPU to communicate with the device
• Software to instruct and control the device
• Electricity to power the device

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Hardware Used for Input and Output
 Connections to the case can be cabled or wireless
 Port: access point located in back or front of case
 Chief input devices:
• Keyboard: enhanced type holds 104 keys
• Mouse: pointing device used to select screen items
 Chief output devices:
• Monitor: visually displays primary output of computer
• Printer: produces output on paper (hard copy)

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Figure 1-6 The two most popular output devices are
the monitor and the printer

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 Hardware Inside the Computer Case
 Most storage and processing occurs in the case
 Internal devices common to most computers:
• Motherboard containing CPU, memory, other parts
• Floppy drive, hard drive, CD drive for persistent storage
• Power supply with power cords supplying electricity
• Circuit boards for internal and external communication
• Cables to connect devices to all circuit boards
 Expansion cards are installed in expansion slots
 Two types of cables: data (communication) and power

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Figure 1-8 Inside the computer case 10
The Motherboard

 The largest and most important circuit board

• Also known as the main board or system board
• Contains the CPU, expansion slots, other devices
 Categories used to group motherboard components
• Processing, temporary storage, communication, power
 All devices communicate with CPU on motherboard
 A peripheral device links to motherboard via cable
 Some motherboard ports outside of the case:
• Keyboard, mouse, parallel, USB ports, sound ports

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Figure 1-9 All hardware components are either located on
the motherboard or directly or indirectly connected to it
because they must all communicate with the CPU

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Figure 1-10 A motherboard provides ports for common I/O devices

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The Processor and the Chipset
 CPU: chip that performs most data processing
 Chipset: group of microchips controlling data flow
 Personal computer (PC): chief focus of this text
 Major manufacturers of CPUs and chipsets for PCs
• Intel Corporation, AMD, VIA, SiS, and Cyrix

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Figure 1-12 This motherboard uses two chips in its
chipset (notice the bus lines coming from each chip
used for communication)

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Storage Devices

 Primary storage (main memory):

• Temporary storage used by the processor
• Example: RAM (random access memory)
 Secondary storage (permanent storage):
• Enables data to persist after the machine is turned off
• Examples: hard drive, CD, floppy disk
 Analogy to primary-secondary memory relationship
• Book stacks in a library are like permanent storage
• Books can be moved to a desk (temporary storage)

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Figure 1-13 Memory is a temporary place to
hold instructions and data while the CPU
processes both

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Primary Storage
 RAM (random access memory):
• Device providing temporary storage
• Located on motherboard and on other circuit boards
 Three types of RAM boards (memory modules):
• DIMM (dual inline memory module)
• RIMM (Rambus inline memory module)
• SIMM (single inline memory module)
 RAM is volatile (data does not persist)
 ROM (read-only memory) is nonvolatile

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Figure 1-14 A SIMM, DIMM, or RIMM holds RAM
and is mounted directly on a motherboard

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Secondary Storage

 Hard drive
• Case containing disks that rotate at high speeds
• An arm with a read/write head traverses the platter
 Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
• Technology used internally by a hard drive
 ATA (AT Attachment) standard
• Specifies motherboard-hard drive interface
• Types: Serial ATA or parallel ATA (Enhanced IDE)
 Parallel ATA accommodates up to four IDE devices

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Figure 1-16 Hard drive with sealed cover removed

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Figure 1-18 Two IDE devices connected to a
motherboard using both IDE connections and two cables

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Secondary Storage (continued)

 Serial ATA standard

• Allows for more than four drives in a system
• Applies only to hard drives and not to other drives
 Some IDE devices: hard drives, Zip drives, CD drive
 Floppy drive
• 3.5-inch disk holding 1.44 MB of data
• Floppy drive connector is distinct from IDE connectors
 CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) drive
• Standard equipment for reading software distributions

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Figure 1-22 A motherboard usually provides a
connection for a floppy drive cable

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Motherboard Components Used For
Communication Among Devices
 Traces: circuits or paths that move data and power
 Bus: system of pathways and transmission protocols
 Data bus
• Lines in a bus that carry the data
• Binary bits correspond to voltage values of on or off
• Data path sizes: 8, 16, 32, 64, or 128 bits wide
 Main bus on motherboard (system bus, memory bus)
• Communicates with CPU, memory, and chipset
 Pulse of system clock carried by line on motherboard

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Figure 1-26 A data bus has traces or lines that
carry voltage interpreted by the CPU and other
devices as bits

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Motherboard Components Used For
Communication Among Devices
(continued)
 Devices work according to beats (or cycles)
 Clock speed is measured in hertz (cycles/second)
• One megahertz (MHz): one million cycles per second
• One gigahertz (GHz): one billion cycles per second
 Common ratings for motherboard buses
• 1066 MHz, 800 MHz, 533 MHz, or 400 MHz
 Range of CPU speeds: 166 MHz to 4 GHz
 Buses for expansion slots: PCI, AGP, ISA

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Figure 1-29 PCI bus expansion slots
are shorter than ISA slots and offset
farther; the one AGP slot is set farther
from the edge of the board

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Interface (Expansion) Cards

 Some names for circuits mounted in expansion slots:

• Circuit cards, adapter boards, expansion cards, cards
 Cards that connect the CPU to an external device:
• Video: provides a port for the monitor
• Sound: provides ports for speakers and microphones
• Network: provides a port for a network cable
• Modem: provides ports for phone lines
 Determine a card’s function by identifying its port

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Figure 1-31 This circuit board is a modem card
and is mounted in a PCI slot on the motherboard

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The Electrical System
 Power supply
• Most important electrical component
• Converts AC voltage external source to DC voltage
• Reduces voltage from 110-120 volts to 12 volts or less
• Runs a fan to cool the inside of the computer case
 Temperatures > 185° F can cause component failure
 Motherboard has 1 or 2 connections to power supply

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Figure 1-35 The motherboard receives its
power from the power supply by way of one or
more connections located near the edge of the
board or near the processor

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Instructions Stored on the
Motherboard and Other Boards
 BIOS (basic input/output system)
• Data and instructions stored on ROM chips
• ROM BIOS chips are a type of firmware
 Three purposes served by motherboard ROM BIOS:
• System BIOS: used to manage simple devices
• Startup BIOS: used to start the computer
• CMOS setup: used to change motherboard settings
 CMOS RAM: includes date, time, port configurations
 Flash ROM: ROM chips the can be overwritten

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Figure 1-36 This firmware chip contains flash
ROM and CMOS RAM; CMOS RAM is powered
by the coin battery located near the chip

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Advanced Configuration and Power
Interface
 Also known as ACPI
 Standards specifying a power saving feature
 Enables a system to power up by a keyboard
 Supported by most systems, such as Windows XP
 Advanced Power Management (APM)
• Older BIOS power management standard

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Plug and Play

 Also known as PnP

 Standard simplifying installation of hardware devices
 PnP BIOS begins process of configuring devices
 PnP-compliant operating system completes configuration
 ESCD (extended system configuration data) Plug and Play BIOS
• Enhanced version of PnP
• Stores manual configuration steps

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Summary

 A computer comprises hardware and software

 Main functions: input, output, processing, storage
 Data is stored in a binary format (1 or 0, on or off)
 Input/output devices: keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor
 Motherboard (system board): contains the CPU, access to other
circuit boards and peripherals

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Summary (continued)

 Primary storage (RAM) is volatile (temporary)

 Secondary storage is nonvolatile (permanent)
 Parallel and serial ATA standards: enable secondary storage
devices to interface with the motherboard
 Computer bus: system of communication pathways and protocols
 ROM BIOS helps start PCs, manage simple devices, and change
some motherboard settings

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