ELECTRONICS

( SECTOR )

( QUALIFICATION )

COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NC II

IDENTIFY COMPONENTS AND THEIR USE
( UNIT OF COMPETENCY )

IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS AND THEIR USE

( MODULE TITLE )
 Information Sheet 1.1
IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS AND THEIR USE

1.1.1 WHAT IS COMPUTER?

The term computer is used to describe a device made up of electronic and electro mechanical
components. The computer itself cannot perform any task and is referred to as hardware.
A computer system consists of three elements.

Components of a Computer System

1. Hardware
2. Software
3. People
Hardware : The physical components which you can see, touch and feel in the computer system
are called hardware Eg monitor, keyboard, mouse etc.

Software : Software is used to describe the instructions that tells the computer how to perform a
task. Software is categorized
1) System softwares ( eg . operating systems, compilers, editors etc)
2) Application softwares ( MS-word, excel, accounting packages etc)

People : People who operate the computer and also create computer software instructions.

1.1.2 COMPUTER HARDWARE

Basic components in a computer system are central processing unit (CPU), memory, the input
device and output device.

Computer systems – Micros, Minis and Mainframes.

Micro computer : Micro computer is also called as personal computer or PC. It has a processor
based on a single silicon chip. Personal computers come in three different physical sizes, pocket
pc’s, lap pc’s and desktop pc’s. Pocket pc’s and lap pc’s belong to portable category.
Microcomputer is used in small businesses. Ex : IBM compatible or IBM clone and Apple
Macintosh systems.

Multiuser microcomputers. Until recently microcomputers were personal computers for

individual use only. But now days several microcomputers can be networked together for
simultaneous used by several people.

Mini computers: Mini computer is simply a small mainframe computer. It is a reduced version
of mainframe. Attached printers are not so fast. So it has less storage capacity less processing
speed of that of mainframe computers. They are usually used by small businesses. For example
research groups, engineering firms, colleges etc. use mini computers.

Mainframe computers: A mainframe computer is a large expensive machine whose processing

speed is very high and has large amount of secondary storage and fast printers. A large
mainframe computer may be used to meet the data processing requirements of the entire
organization.
Examples: airline booking systems, Railway booking systems , weather forecast etc.

1.1.2 SYSTEMS TYPES

We can classify systems into the following categories :
8-bit, example : 8085 microprocessor
16-bit, example : 8086, 286, 386 processor
32-bit , example : 486
64-bit, example : Pentium - II
This gives us two basic system types or classes of hardware.
8-bit ( PC/XT) class systems
16/32/64 (AT) class systems

PC stands for personal computers, XT stands for eXTended PC, and AT stands for an advance
technology PC. The XT basically was a PC system that included a hard disk for storage in
addition to the floppy drive found in the basic PC system. These systems has an 8-bit processor
and an 8-bit INDUSTRY STANDARD ARCHITECTURE (ISA) bus for system expansion. Bus
is the name given to expansion slots in which additional plug in circuit board can be installed.
16-bit and greater systems are said to be AT class. 16-bit (and latter 32 and 64bit) processors and
expansion slots are included. The first AT class systems had a 16-bit version of the ISA bus
which is an extension of the original 8-bit ISA bus found in the PC/XT class systems. Afterwards
several expansion slots were developed for AT class systems.

Example
16/32 bit PS/2 microchannel architecture (MCA) bus.
16-bit PC card (PCMCIA) bus
Fig 1.1.2 ATX Format Fig 1.1.3 PS/2 Port
16 bit ISA bus
16/32 bit Extended ISA(EISA) bus
32/64 - bit card Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.
The easiest way to identify a PC/XT system is by the 8-bit ISA expansion slots
regardless of the processor present in the system. AT systems can be similarly
identified by having 16-bit of greater slots of any type (ISA, EISA, PCI) slots.

1.1.4 System components

Component needed to assemble a basic modern PC system.
􀂙 Motherboard
􀂙 Processor
􀂙 Memory (Primary)
􀂙 Hard disk
􀂙 CD-ROM
􀂙 Floppy Drive
􀂙 Keyboard
􀂙 Mouse
􀂙 Monitor
􀂙 Power Supply
􀂙 Cabinet

Motherboard : motherboard is the important component of the computer as everything else is

connected to it. And it controls everything in the system. Motherboard are available in several
different shapes.
 Fig. 1.1

Motherboard usually contain the following individual components.

1) Processor slot 6.) Bus slots

2) Processor voltage regulators 7.) ROM BIOS
3) Motherboard chipset 8.) Clock /CMOS battery
4) Level 2 cache 9.) Super I/O chips
5) Memory SIMM or DIMM sockets

Processor
Fig. 1.2 Processor Chips

The processor is often thought as the engine of the computer. Then the processor reads the
commands from the memory and then executes them. the processor is one of the most expensive
parts of the computers and is also one of the smallest parts.

Primary Memory

Fig. 1.3. Memory Chips

Memory : Is used to hold programs and data during execution.

Primary memory is often called as RAM(Random Access Memory). It holds all the programs
and data the processor is using at a given time. RAM is volatile because its contents are erased
when power is switched off. The other type of system memory is ROM(Read only
Memory)which is permanent because it contents are not erased even when power is switched off.
It is usually used to load an operating system.

Hard disk drive

 Fig 1.4. Hard Disk Drive

A hard drive consists of spinning platters made up of aluminium or ceramic that is coated with
magnetic media. The platters come in various sizes. The hard drive with many different storage
capacities can be created depending upon the density, size and number of platters. This is also
called as Secondary memory. There can be several programs in the system, which cannot be
stored in RAM, so we need a very huge non-volatile memory, which can be used for storing all
the programs, and data when the system is not in use are called as Hard disks.

CD-ROM drive
Fig 1.5. CDROM Drive

CD-ROM stands for compact disk read only memory. It consists of small disks similar to the
gramophone records to hold digital information. As the name applies they are read only medium.
With the advancement in technology writable CD’s are also available.

Power supply

Fig 1.6. Power Supply(SMPS)

SMPS(Switch Mode Power Supply): The power supply supplies power to every single part in
the PC. The main function of the power supply is to convert the 230 V AC into 3.3 V, 5 V and
12 V DC power that the system requires for the operations.

In addition to supplying power to run the system, the power supply also ensures that the system
does not run unless the power supplied is sufficient to operate the system properly. The power
supply completes internal checks and tests before allowing the system to start. If the tests are
successful, the power supply sends a special signal to the motherboard called Power_Good. If
this signal is not present continuously, the computer does not run. Therefore, when the AC
voltage dips and the power supply becomes stressed or overheated, the Power_Good signal goes
down and forces a system reset or complete shutdown.

ATX MOTHERBOARD CONNECTOR PIN

POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR

TYPE OF CABLE SPLICE

STRAIGHT THROUGH
 White/Orange 1 --------- 1 White/Orange

Orange Orange 2 ---------- 2 Orange Orange

White/Green 3 --------- 3 White/Green
Blue 4 ---------- 4 Blue
White/ Blue 5---------- 5 White / Blue
Green 6 ---------- 6 Green
White / Brown 7 ---------- 7 White / Brown
Brown 8 ---------- 8 Brown

CROSS-OVER

White/Orangee 1 1 White /Green

Orange 2 2 Green
White/Green 3 3 White/Orange ange
Blue 4 4 Blue
White /Blue 5 5 White/Blue
Green 6 6 Orange Orange
White/Brown 7 7 White/Brown
Brown 8 8 Brown

7 OSI Layer Models

Cabinet

The box or outer shell that houses most of the computers. The cabinet actually performs several
important functions for your PC including protection to the system components, directing
cooling airflow, and allowing installation of and access to the system components. The cabinet
often includes a matching power supply and must also be designed with shape of the
motherboard and other system components in mind.

Peripheral Devices

Any external device, which is not necessary to perform the basic operation of computer, is called
as peripherals. They provide additional computing capabilities.
For ex : Printers, Modems, Speakers etc.

Modem

Modem (Modulator and Demodulator) is typically used to send digital data

over a phone line. The sending modem converts digital data into analog data,
which can be transmitted over telephone lines, and the receiving modem
converts the analog data back into digital form. This is used to connect to
Internet.

Fig. 1.7 A typical arrangement is shown above

Modems are available in different capacities.
300 bps - 1960s through 1983 or so
1200 bps - Gained popularity in 1984 and 1985
2400 bps
9600 bps - First appeared in late 1990 and early 1991
19.2 kilobits per second (Kbps)
28.8 Kbps
33.6 Kbps
56 Kbps - Became the standard in 1998
ADSL, with theoretical maximum of up to 8 megabits per second (Mbps)
- Gained popularity in 1999
Printers
The capability to produce a printed version often called a hard copy of a document
is the primary function of a printer.
Different types of printers are 1) Laser 2) Inkjet 3) Dot-Matrix.
Summary:
1) A computer is made up of electromechanical and electronic components.
2) Software is used to make computer usable.
3) Based on the microprocessor systems are classified as PC-XT and PCAT
4) Important components of a system are processor, memory, keyboard,
mouse, monitor etc.
5) SMPS converts AC (Alternate Current) into DC (Direct Current).
Short type Questions: -
1. What is a computer?
2. Name different types of computers?
3. Name the system components?
4. How many types of memories are there?
5. What is SMPS?
6. Which type of input is given to SMPS?
7. What is the difference between ROM and RAM?

Essay type questions: -

1. Name the types of system components and explain them briefly?

2. What is a MODEM? What is its use?
3. Discuss the use of SMPS?

Information Sheet 1.2

1.2 What is a Motherboard?
Motherboard is the most important component in any personal computer. It contains almost
every important elements of the computer. Sometimes instead of the calling it “motherboard”,
IBM refers to is as “system Board” or “ Planner Board” , some other manufacturer refer to this as
the “ Logic Board”. The motherboard is the main circuit board inside the PC which holds the
processor, memory and expansion slots and connects directly or indirectly to every part of the
PC. It’s made up of a chipset(known as the “glue logic”), some code in ROM and the various
interconnections or buses.

Motherboard Form Factors

Early PCs used the AT form factor and 12in wide motherboards. The sheer size of an AT
motherboard caused problems for upgrading PCs and did not allow use of the increasingly
popular slimline desktop cases. These problems were largely addressed by the smaller version of
the full AT form factor, the Baby AT, introduced in 1989. Whilst this remains a common form
factor, there have been several improvements since. All designs are open standards and as such
don’t require certification. A consequence is that there can be some quite wide variation in
design detail between different manufacturers’ motherboards There are several common form
factors used for PC motherboards. The form factors refer to the physical dimensions and size of
the board, and dictates what type case is motherboard will fit into. The PC motherboard form
factors generally available include the following.

Baby – AT NLX; LPX Backplane systems ; ATX Proprietary designs

BAT(Baby –AT)
The Baby AT (BAT) format reduced the dimensions of the motherboard to a typical 9in wide by
10in long, and BAT motherboards are generally characterised by their shape, an AT-style
keyboard connector soldered to the board and serial and parallel port connectors which are
attached using cables between the physical ports mounted on the system case and corresponding
connectors located on the motherboard.
With the BAT design the processor socket is located at the front
of the motherboard, and full length expansion cards are intended
to extend over it. This means that removing the processor
requires the removal of some or all expansion cards first.
Problems were exacerbated by the increasing speeds of Pentium-
class processors.
Some BAT designs allow the use of either AT or ATX power
supplies, and some ATX cases might allow the use of a Baby-AT
motherboard

ATX
The Intel Advanced/ML motherboard, launched in 1996, was designed to
solve these issues and marked the beginning of a new era in motherboard
design. Its size and layout are completely different to the BAT format,
following a new scheme known as ATX. The dimensions of a standard
ATX board are 12in wide by 9.6in long; the mini ATX variant is typically
of the order 11.2in by 8.2in. The ATX design gets round the problem by
moving the CPU socket and the voltage regulator to the right-hand side of
the expansion bus. Room is made for the CPU by making the card slightly
wider, and shrinking or integrating components such as the Flash BIOS,
I/O logic and keyboard controller. This means the board need only be half
as deep as a full size Baby AT, and there’s no obstruction whatsoever to the six expansion slots
(two ISA, one ISA/PCI, three PCI).

Motherboard components
A conventional motherboard comprises of various components such as
Expansion slots
CPU(Main Processor)
Coprocessor
Memory
BIOS and
Support circuits of chipset for interrupt, DMA etc.

Expansion Slots
What is expansion slot?
The expansion slots are long thin connectors on the motherboard, near the backside of the
computer. Various expansion cards are connected to the motherboards through data, address and
control lines/buses on these slots.

What is a Bus?

A bus is an electronic path on which signals are sent from one part of the computer to another.
These buses are categorizes according to the number of BINARY DIGITS (bits) that they can
transfer at a time.
If the data bus is 8 bit wide then it can transfer 8 bits of information at a time and called an 8
bit bus.
On a 8 bit data bus transferring 16 bit data requires two data transfers Another very common
term while talking about bus is , its “ bandwidth”.
The bandwidth of a bus is the measure of data that can fit in the bus at
a given time.
You can increase the data movement through a bus either by increasing the bus width( from 8 bit
to 16 bit) of by increasing the bus bandwidth (8 Mhz to 20 Mhz).

Data Bus : Is a set of wires or tracks on the motherboard. Data bus is used to transfer data from
one part of the computer to another part.
Address Bus : is a set of wires or tracks on the motherboard Printed Circuit Board(PCB) which is
used to specify address of a memory location Depending on the width and the technology, the
expansion slot bus can be divided into the following categories.

8 bit ISA EISA

16 bit ISA VESA local bus or VL bus
MCA PCI local bus

CPU (Main Processor)

The main component of any motherboard is the main processor chip which controls all the inner
functions of the system. The CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT(CPU) functions as the brain of
every PC. It is usually inserted into the socket and is not soldered onto the motherboard as many
other chips are normally done, this makes its replacement, in case of any problem, very easy.
Some of the common CPU chips are inter 8088,8086,80286,80386,80486, Pentium, Pentium
MMX, Pentium –II, Pentium III, Pentium – IV etc.

Coprocessor
What is a coprocessor?
Coprocessor is a special purpose microprocessor, which is used to speed up main processor job
by taking over some of the main processors work. Most common type of coprocessor is a math
coprocessor. Coprocessor chips are used to help the main processor in carrying out its various
functions. A math coprocessor helps main processor in performing mathematical calculations
Older system (XT, AT, AT-386) required a coprocessor chips to be inserted into special socket
on the motherboard, but the current generation of CPU’s have math coprocessor built inside the
main processor itself.
Memory
What is a memory?
Memory is the place where computer stores the program(set of instructions telling the computer
what to do), and data that help the program in carrying out its operations. For example, a marks
sheet printing program will require students roll number, name and marks obtained in various
subjects etc. as data. There is basically two type of memory used in a computer which are
discussed in the previous chapter.
RAM memory
ROM memory
RAM memory
RAM or random access memory is a read/write type of memory which is used by the processor
to keep program, data and intermediate results during program executions. It is VOLATILE type
of memory, which lose ists content when the power supply to it is switched off. The physical
installation of RAM memory on the motherboard can take place in various ways.

DIP(dual In-line Pin) memory chips were used on initial motherboards.

Later SIMM ( single inline memory modules) became common.
Currently DIMM(dual inline memory modules) are most common memory module.

Bit is a binary digit that is either 0 or 1.

Nibble is collection of 4 bits.
Byte is collection of 8 bits.
Kilobyte is 1024 bytes
Megabyte is 1024 Kilobytes
Gigabyte is 1024 Megabytes

Read Only Memory(ROM)

ROM or Read Only Memory, as its name suggest is a read only type of memory it cannot be
written. Data is written into it by the manufacturer.
On major advantage with the ROM is, ROM is Non-Volatile type of memory i.e it does not
lose its content when the power supply to it is switched off.
A motherboard normally contains one or more of these ROM chips.
The memory capacity of a ROM varies from one type of system to another.64 KiloByte (KB)
was normally sufficient for a XT system, whereas as AT system requires 256KB of ROM.

BIOS
What is BIOS?
BIOS is an abbreviation if Basic Input Output System. It is one of the most important program
stored in the ROM. BIOS program lets your application program and the hardware such as
floppy disk, hard disk, video adapter etc. communicate with each other.
It is pronounced “bye-os”.
The BIOS also contains a program called Power-On-Self-Test or POST. This post program
checks the motherboard and other devices connected to the computer during the system power-
on time. IBM made the original BIOS for their copyright product, but many compatible
BIOS program BIOS program are available from Award, Phoenix, American Megatrends Inc.
(AMI) etc. various manufacturers.

CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) Memory

In old IBM XT or compatible system, BIOS, with the help of jumpers, detected what all
components are connected to the computer system.
IBM AT and higher systems do not contain these jumper switches and instead use a CMOS
memory to store the system configuration, date, and time etc. information.

Motherboard Configuration
A typical motherboard has several options and proper configuration is required to select the
required hardware setup.
Most of the PC and XT class motherboards are set/configured using jumpers or switches on the
motherboard.
In the AT and later machines, the configuration options are stored in CMOS RAM and are set
using the SETUP utility in the BIOS ROM. The motherboard configuration should always be
perfect, as an incorrectly setup motherboard can cause the system to malfunction or even crash.

Short questions :-

1. What is a motherboard?
2. Name the components of a motherboard?
3. What is Cache Memory?
4. What is an integrated motherboard?
5. How can I identify the model and manufacturer name for my motherboard?

Essay Type questions: -

1. Explain briefly about the Motherboard Form Factors?

2. Briefly explain the components of Motherboard?

Information Sheet 1.3

1.3.1 OHS Procedures and Policies

1. Do not work alone so that there’s someone who can take care of you in case of
accident or emergency.
2. Contingency measures during workplace accidents, fire and other emergencies are
recognized.
3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is correctly used in accordance with organization’s
OHS procedures and policies.
4. Hazards / risks in the workplace and their corresponding indications are identified to
minimize or eliminate risk to co-workers, workplace and environment.
5. Always discharge your static electricity before touching any part of electronics components.
6. Be careful with tools that may cause short circuit. Wear rubber sole shoes when
standing on the ground or in a concrete floor.
7. Always power off and unplug the electronics appliances before working on it.
8. When making circuit changes switch off and unplug the power cord from the
equipment.
9. Replace only fuses with those proper rating.
10. Hold the components by the edges and do not touch the IC’s.
11. Read and follow the instructions on the manual carefully.
12. Do not use excessive force if things don’t quite slip into place.

SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Supplies and Materials

● Computer casing (Full tower, Mini tower)

● Motherboard (Pentium or AMD series )
● Microprocessor unit ( Pentium series or its equivalent)
● Memory modules ( SIMM, SDRAM, DDRAM- use memory suited for motherboard )
● Video card ( AGP or PCI card )
● Modem ( internal or external )
● Drives ( hard disk, CD-ROM, Floppy )
● Cable ( SATA cable, IDE cable, Printer cable and Data cable )
● Auto Voltage Regulator ( AVR )
● RJ-45 8 pins
● UTP cable ( CAT 5 )

WORK AREA

● Table w/ chair ● 24 SQM Room

● Blackboard / ● ACU
● Rubber mat ● Electric fan
● Extension wire with outlet

TOOLS

● Anti-Static protection ( wrist strap ) ● Set of pliers

● Set of Screwdrivers ● Multi-tester
● Cable/ LAN tester ● Crimping tool
● Gloves ● Wire stripper

EQUIPMENT

● Printer ( Dot matrix, Laser printer )

● Personal Computer (with LAN, NOS 2003 server, and Win XP)

FAMILIARIZATION OF COMPUTER HARDWARE , PERIPHERAL AND DEVICES

What’s Inside?
• System board
• Storage Devices
 Floppy drive
 Hard drive
 CD / DVD ROM drive
 RAM
• Power supply
• Circuit boards
 CMOS (most CPUs)
 TTL
• Peripheral / Power Cables

System Board
• Largest component of the computer
• Accommodates the CPU
• Better known as Motherboard

Motherboard: it is a major
Circuit board that contains
the central processing
unit for the computer,
memory, ports, or other
devices.

 BACKSIDE PARTS OF MOBO

Northbridge & Southbridge Interface
.m,

Northbridge & Southbridge Interface

Info Information Sheet 1.4eet

1.4.1 CONFIGURATION OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS

Configure and Print

● Click on the Start menu and click Control Panel

● When the control panel window opens you will see items in either Category

View ( continue with step # 3) or Classic View ( skip to item # 4 )

● Find and double click on the Network and Internet Connection icon.

● Next, a window will open with all network connections available on the computer ( wired and
wireless )
● Find the network connection you want to manually configure, right click on it and select
Properties from the pop-up menu

● In the connection properties window, under the section labelled “ This connection used the
following items:” find the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item and double click it.

● A new window will open; select the second radio button selected which is labelled “ Use the
following IP Address”

● Enter the appropriate IP Address ( 192.168.0.1 ); subnet mask usually 255.255.255.0 and the
gateway( the router or the proxy server address)

● The next part of the windows will now have a radio button selected which is labelled “ Use
the following DNS server addresses”

● If you need to access the internet, enter the address provided by your ISP;
If you do not have that information you can use the Open DNS server IP
( 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 )

● After entering the required information, click OK button twice and close the
control panel window.

CHANGING WORKGROUP AND COMPUTER NAME:

● Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Computer Name tab > Change
tab > Type new Computer Name and Workgroup > OK, OK, OK, Start

INSTALLING NETWORK PRINTER

● Start > Settings > Control Panel > Printer and Faxes > Add Printer
( Printer tasks ) Add Printer Wizard > Next > Select “ A network printer,
or ….” > Next > Browse Printer > Next > Select Installed Network Printer >
Next > Yes > Finish !

FILE / FOLDER SHARING

● Right click folder to share > Properties > Sharing Tab > Network Sharing and
Security ( Click “ If you understand the Security Risk…” ) > Just Enable Sharing >
OK > Select share this folder on the network > OK
SHARING PRINTER

● Start > Settings > Control Panel > Printer and Faxes > Right Click Installed
Printer > Sharing > Share this Printer > OK

DEFINITION OF TERMS:

1. OSI = Open System Interconnect

2. LAN = Local Area Network
3. CAN = Campus Area Network
4. HAN = Home Area Network
5. WAN = Wide Area Network
6. GAN = Global Area Network
7. PAN = Personal Area Network
8. TCP/IP = Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol
9. PPE = Personal Protective Equipment
10. MAN = Metropolitan Area Network
11. SIMM = Single In-Line Memory Module
12. DIMM = Dual In-Line Memory Module
13. AVR = Automatic Voltage Regulator
14. SDRAM = Synchronous Data Random Access Memory
15. DDRAM = Double Data Random Access Memory
16. AGP = Advanced/Accelerated Graphics Port
17. VGA = Video Graphics Adapter
18. CMOS = Complementary MetalOxide Semiconductor
19. PS/2 = Personal System /2
20. USB = Universal Serial Bus
21. PCI = Peripheral Component Interconnect
22. IDE = Integrated Drive Electronics
23. SATA = Serial Advancement Technology Attachment
24. PATA = Parallel Advancement Technology Attachment
25. POST = Power On Self-Test
26. MOBO = Motherboard
27. IPO = Input Process Output
28. UPS = Uninterruptible Power Supply
29. UTP = Unshielded Twisted Pair
30. HDD = Hard Disk Drive

Alvin C. Geronimo
Trainer