Computer Hardware and Software

1. CT 2104 Computer Hardware and Software Thomas Rahal

2. Hardware vs. Software Hardware Software • The physical parts of a computer system. • Ex. Motherboard • A collection of programs that help the computer hardware work properly. • Ex. Windows XP

3. Computer Vocabulary On the Motherboard

4. The Computer Case • Types of Cases • Tower case • Desktop Case • A case needs air flow to keep its contents from overheating. They have openings and fans to circulate air.

5. Power Supply • Controls electricity to the computer. • Reduces 120 volts of power to a form that will not harm the electronics. • Rated at 300 watts.

6. Motherboard • Main circuit in the computer. • Considered the “spine”. • All other parts connect to the motherboard.

7. CPU – Central Processing Unit • Located on the motherboard. • It is a computer chip that processes all data. • It’s the “brain” of the computer system. • When the CPU receives and carries out an instruction, it has completed one cycle. • CPU speed= # of cycles/sec • Cycles are measured in Gigahertz (GHz), billions of cycles per second.

8. RAM (Random Access Memory) • Located on the motherboard. • Used to store information that the computer is currently using. • It’s a temporary memory, when the power is off all memory is lost. • RAM is measured in GB. One “stick” of RAM.

9. CPU Fan/ CPU Heat Sink • Since computer electronics can generate a lot of heat which can damage the hardware, we use fans and heat sinks to cool down the systems.

10. BIOS Chip • BIOS = Basic Input/ Output System. • Located on the motherboard. • A type of ROM [Read Only Memory] used by the computer to instruct the system when starting up.

11. CMOS and the CMOS Battery • CMOS = Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor • Located on the motherboard. • CMOS allows a computer to store info [ex. Time] even when the power is off. CMOS Chip

12. Adapter Cards • Allow other devices to connect to the motherboard. • Includes: –Video Card –Sound Card –Network Card

13. Pimped Video Cards (GPU) • High end video cards are available that have their own processors, called GPU. • GPU = Graphics Processing Unit

14. Integrated “Sound, Video, Network on the Motherboard • Video, sound, network cards are often built into the motherboard. • This is known as a “integrated” motherboard.

15. Hard Disk Drive • The primary (main) storage device for the computer. • The hard drive holds the operating system (Windows XP in this lab) , programs, and data files. It also stores data. • It’s a spinning disk. Data is saved in sectors on the disk. A moving arm reads data from the disk. • Storage capacity measured in GB and TB. Spinning disk Arm that reads data.

16. CD / DVD Drive • Device that reads and writes data to a “Compact Disc” or “Digital Video Disc”. • Uses optics / laser to communicate. • Scratches on disc = Bad. • R = Read only (no burner). • RW = Read and write data many times.

17. Power Cables/Ribbon Cables Power Cable Ribbon Cable • Many wires are joined in parallel (gray or rainbow colors) • Transfers data. • Single wires that are usually colored. • Carries power.

18. Connection Ports • Any opening that allows external devices to connect to the computer. • Includes: USB, firewire, serial, parallel, s-video, HiDef, VGA, Internet, etc.....

19. BIOS Chip Ribbon Cable Video Card Heat Sink Power Cable RAM

20. CD/DVD Drive Power Supply CPU Hard Disk Drive