Chapter 1 1822 Charles Babbage, who is known to be the “Father of Computers”,
Introduction to Computer Hardware Servicing invented the Difference Engine.
Objectives:
At the end of the chapter, the learners will be able to:
• Define what is a computer;
• Make a timeline of events that lead to the development of the computer;
• Differentiate the various parts of the personal computer.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Computers
A computer is an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in
binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program. It is designed to
execute applications and provides a variety of solutions by combining integrated hardware
and software components.
History of Computer
Computers evolved from a simple tool of calculation to a complex device used to
perform various functions that makes everyday living easy. Below is the timeline of events
that follow the development of the computer.
Ancient The earliest recorded evidence of calculations dates back to the ancient
times when ancient people used tally sticks as a memory aid device that
records and document numbers, quantities, or even messages.
2400 BC The Abacus was invented in Babylonia and was used to aid an individual
in performing mathematical calculations.
500 BC The Abacus was popularized in China.
1614 John Napier introduced Napier’s Bones which allowed the operator to
multiply, divide, square, and get the cube roots of a number.
1642 Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, a mechanical calculator that can
perform addition and subtraction of numbers.
1820 The Arithmometer was made available by Thomas de Colmar. It is
known to be the first reliable, useful, and commercially successful
calculating machine.
1834 Babbage followed up with the invention of the Analytical Engines. Both
engines were dubbed as the world’s first mechanical computers.
1836 The Turing Machines were introduced by Alan Turing that started the
computer revolution. The Turing Machines are the central object of
study in the Theory of Computation up to this day.
1840 Augusta Ada Byron suggested to her friend, Babbage, the use of Binary
System to manipulate his engines. She is known to be the first computer
programmer.
1943 The Colossus was introduced by Tommy Flowers. It is the world’s first
electronic digital programmable computer.
1943 The ENIAC of Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator was
invented by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. The machine is known
to be the grandfather of digital computers.
1952 The EDVAC or The Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer
was invented by Von Neumann. It was the first machine to use the word
computer and also it is the first stored program computer.
1975 The IBM (International Business Machines) Company introduced the
IBM 5100 with 64Kb RAM and 5’ monitor. It costs 4000 USD upon its
release. It is known to be the first commercial portable computer.
1977 The TRS-80 is produced by the Tandy Corporation and was known to
be the earliest mass produced personal desktop microcomputer.
1981 The IBM produced IBM PC also known as Acorn. The Acorn is the
IBM’s first personal computer.
In the course of development of computers. Experts divided its history to five
generations, each with distinct features that is different with each other. The first generation
computers were made between 1946 to 1958 and characterized as energy hungry
computers that are massive in size. The second generation computers (1959 – 1964) are
computers that are smaller than first generation computers but are still energy hungry and
still considered big. The third generation computers (1965 – 1970) were small and easily
available to the masses. The current generation of the computers, the fourth generation
(1971 – present), features microprocessors which in turn makes the computer even smaller
than its predecessors and it can connect to the internet. The fifth generation computers
are still in development and will feature artificial intelligence and will be available in the
future.
Activity 1 Lesson 2: Computer Hardware
Make Me a Timeline Modern computers are electronic and digital in nature. They are programmable
Make a timeline of events which led to the development of computers. Use the machines that can store, retrieve, and process information. It responds to specific
table below: instructions in a well defined manner and executes them.
Computers are aided with three main components which are hardware, software,
Date What Who and peopleware. Hardware is the part of the computer that you can touch and manipulate;
software are component which are installed in the computer, and peopleware are the ones
who use and develop the computer systems.
Computer hardware or the tangible parts of the computer are often divided into
two kinds according to purpose:
• Input Device – these are hardware devices that gives instructions to the computer;
• Output Devices – these are hardware devices that the computer uses to
communicate information to the user.
It is also important to note that there are some devices that are either input or
output devices.

Main Hardware
Computers are composed of many different hardware types that can be classified
into internal, external, storage, and communication.

Internal Hardware
Internal hardware of the computer generally refers to the hardware devices and
units inside the System Unit. The System Unit is the case that contains the CPU, memory,
power supply, disk drives, etc. enclosed in a case or chassis in a tower shape.
Things to Ponder
➢ Motherboard – a rectangular board known as the most important computer
Answer the questions briefly.
component as it connects the rest of the parts of the computer inside the system
1. Why are computers called computers? ___________________________
unit as well as the hardware devices outside it.
_______________________________________________________________
✓ Mouse and Keyboard – a port for keyboard and mouse
_______________________________________________________________
✓ USB port – for general purpose connection to the PC
_______________________________________________________________
✓ Parallel port – used by printers, directly connected to the motherboard
2. What are the differences on the use of computer then and now? Cite at least three
✓ CPU Chip – It is the microprocessor
examples. _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________ ✓ RAM Slots – where RAM is placed
_______________________________________________________________ ✓ Floppy Controller – connects with the computer’s floppy drive
_______________________________________________________________ ✓ IDE Controller – connects to the hard drive
✓ PCI Slot – used to connect peripherals
 ✓ ISA Slot – standard architecture of the expansion bus. External Hardware
✓ CMOS Battery – provides CMOS with the power when the computer is Computers need instructions from hardware and devices to function successfully.
turned off. Some of these hardware devices are externally attached to the computer such as:
✓ AGP Slot – for graphics card ▪ Keyboard – a device for typing letters, numbers, and symbols into the computer.
✓ CPU Slot – where you can find the CPU ▪ Monitor – displays information on a screen. It is the user’s virtual link to the
✓ Power Supply – supplies the computer with power. computer.
➢ Processor – also known as the Central Processing Unit (CPU). It is the brain of ▪ Mouse – a pointing device used to make on – screen selections. It senses the user’s
the computer as it performs most of the calculations that enables the computer to motion and sends them to the computer so that it can respond appropriately.
function. ▪ Peripherals – a computer hardware that is added to a computer to expand its
➢ Heat sink – a heat exchanger component attached to the CPU for its passive abilities. They are usually optional in nature.
cooling. o Image scanner – a device that inputs images, printed text, handwriting, or
➢ Chip Set – it mediates communication between the CPU and the other an object by analyzing them and converting it to a digital format.
components of the computer system. o Webcam – a low resolution video camera used to provide visual input
➢ Random – Access Memory (RAM) – the computer’s temporary memory storage. that can easily be transferred via the internet.
It stores all the running processes including the applications and the operating o Graphics tablet – or drawing tablet, enables an artist to draw or sketch
system. using the computer.
➢ Internal Buses – connect the CPU to the other internal components o Barcode reader – capable of reading a barcode and printing out the details
a. North Bridge Memory Controller – for RAM and PCI Express of the product or log it in to a database.
b. PCI – for expansion cards o Printer – a device that makes a printed copy of the users’ work on a sheet
c. SATA – for disk drives of paper.
➢ External Buses – supports ports for external devices. o Microphone – it provides a way to talk through or to the computer by
➢ Power Supply Unit – it feeds the computer with electrical power. converting sounds into electrical signals.
➢ Video Card – dedicated in handling the output images to display for the monitor. o Speakers – device used to produce audio outputs that can be heard by
➢ Sound Card – enables the computer to output sounds to audio devices and accepts the listener.
input from a microphone.
Parts of Motherboard Storage Devices
1 Mouse / Keyboard The computer cannot function if it does not have an operating system that guides
2 USB Ports
3 Parallel Port and executes its operations. This operating system is stored in the storage devices of the
4 CPU Chip computer. Storage devices are hardware devices that keep the data inside the computer
5 RAM Slots
6 Floppy Controller for later use and remains persistent even when the computer has no power.
7 IDE Controller • Hard Disk – for medium – term storage of data.
8 PCI Slots
9 ISA Slot • Solid – State Drive – stores data in digital format.
10 CMOS Battery
11 AGP Slot • Removable Media – storage that can be removed from a computer system while
12 CPU Slot it is running:
13 Power Supply
❖ Compact Disks (CD) – a removable media suitable for music and data.
 ❖ Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) – most common way of transferring digital Activity 2
video and is 12 times larger than a CD My Motherboard
❖ Blu-ray Disc – high – density optical disc format for data and high – Identify the parts and functions of the following. Write your answer on an answer sheet.
definition videos.
❖ USB Flash Drive – a flash memory data storage device integrated with a
USB interface, typically small, lightweight, and rewritable.

Communication Devices
Computers often comes handy in terms of communicating because it can connect
to the internet. Before the dawn of smartphones, computer is the main media for
communications all over the world.
Modems – or Modulator – Demodulator, a communication device which allows
the computer to communicate with other computers over a communication link
such as the internet.
Router – a significant network communication device which is used to send
network traffic to its correct destination.
Switch – a hardware that is in – charge of filtering and forwarding packets through
the network but with limited capacity.
Hub – the most basic networking device that links multiple computers together or
other network devices together.

Ports Things to ponder.

Ports offer connection points between the Answer the following questions briefly.
motherboard and external devices. 1. What is computer hardware? _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
• PS/2 Port – connects the mouse and keyboards to the
2. What are the classifications of computer hardware? _______________________
computer with a wire.
_______________________________________________________________
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port – allows data to be
_______________________________________________________________
transferred between devices.
3. Differentiate the kinds of hardware according to purpose. __________________
• Video Graphics Array (VGA) Port – used to output the _______________________________________________________________
desktop of the user to show videos, presentations, etc. _______________________________________________________________
• Audio Ports – used for speakers, microphones, 4. Why is it important to study about the hardware of the computer? ____________
headsets, and other audio devices. _______________________________________________________________
• Ethernet Port – used for networking and connection to _______________________________________________________________
the internet. _______________________________________________________________
Lesson 3: Computer Hardware Servicing Career Opportunities
The Computer Hardware Servicing NC II program is a vocational program that • Computer technician – install, maintain and repair computer systems and
teaches students how to install, configure and maintain computer systems and networks. It equipment.
develops students’ skills in diagnosis and troubleshooting of computer systems, as well as • IT Technical Support Officer – monitors and maintains the computer systems
in the performance of computer operations. and networks of an organization. They may install and configure computer
Computer hardware servicing jobs are considered professions, because they systems, diagnose hardware and software faults and solve technical and
require a specialized set of skills and is some cases they require a TESDA certificate. A applications problems
specialization in Computer Hardware Servicing, combined with a certificate and/or • Technical support representative – answers questions from computer users and
professional experience, makes one a professional in this field. Common careers include solves problems with the installation or operation of software.
working as a Computer Service Technician, Computer Network Serviceman and • Computer Hardware Specialist – set up equipment for employee use, performing
Peripheral Service Technician. or ensuring proper installation of cable, operating systems, and appropriate
The challenging part of the program is studying the core competencies because software
the topics involved are the technical parts of Computer Hardware Servicing. For students
who have minimal or no background with computers and computer systems, this program Salary Levels
may be a little difficult. An interest and understanding of computers is helpful but repeated The following are some common jobs for Computer Hardware Servicing NC II
practice and studying will really help a trainee learn the ins and outs of Computer graduates, along with their corresponding monthly salaries (source: jobstreet, 2017):
Hardware Servicing.
1-4 Years
Skills needed in Computer Hardware Servicing Experienced Supervisor
✓ Strong Technical Skills – the knowledge and ability to learn, operate and control Fresh Grad Employee / 5 Years & Up
properly and safely an extensive range of equipment, tools and systems used in
the field.
✓ Computer Literacy – basic knowledge of computer use and being able to Computer Technician P 8K–10K P 9K–15K P 12K–20K
understand application software and systems
✓ Logical skills – the ability to determine how a system should work and how Technical Support
changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes P 12K–15K P 15K–19K P 19K–25K
Representative
✓ Problem solving skills – the ability to identify problems and review related
information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
✓ Observation skills – the ability to notice and identify even the most minute The course of Exploratory Computer Hardware Servicing enables the learners to
problems in a system, process or equipment a) use hand tools, b) perform mensuration and calculations, c) prepare and interpret
✓ Basic Mathematical skills – since there are basic programming concepts included technical drawing, and d) practice occupational health and safety procedure.
in the study, you need to have basic math to surpass lessons
✓ Patience – during practicum exercises, you will not always be able to identify and
fix the problem on a computer, system and parts right away so you have to extend •
References:
PC Assembly and Troubleshooting, Second Edition. 2015. iBook Publishing, PH.
• https://www.finduniversity.ph/majors/computer-hardware-servicing-2-philippines/
your patience and continue working. • http://www.simulationexams.com/tutorials/aplus/core/motherboard.htm