University of Sana’a Computer Basics

Facility of Engineering MT 104

Mechatronics Department

Lab1:
Introduction to Computer Basics Laboratory
Eng Mohammed Daba
Topics in the Course
 Introduction to Computer Basics Lab
 Hardware Components of the Computer
 Operating System
 Networking
 Software
 Introduction to Matlab
 Introduction to MS-Excel
 Introduction to MS-Word
 Introduction to MS-PowerPoint
Assessment & References

 Assessment:
- Projects
- Reports
- Quizzes
- Final Exam (practical)

 References:
- Google IT Support Professional Certificate Courses in Coursera
- CompTIA A+ Essentials
- CompTIA A+ Practical Application
- IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide
Objectives of the Course
 Understand Computer Architecture and Assemble a Computer
 Learn how to install Windows, Linux and other operating systems from
scratch.
 Learn how to Install, Update, and Remove Software on different
operating systems.
Objectives of the Course
 Understand the basics of Networks.
 Understand the basics of Matlab.
 Understand the basics of Ms-Excel, Ms-Word, and MS-Powerpoint.
Hardware
• Hardware Basics
• Choosing the Parts
• Assemble a Computer

Objective: Assemble a computer from scratch

Hardware
 We'll learn about what's inside a computer.
 We'll learn all about the hardware components or different
pieces inside a computer.
 We'll discover what each component does and how they
work together to make a computer function.
 Once you figure out how one computer works, you'll be
able to understand how any type of computer works.
 By the end of this lab, you will also know how to build a
computer from scratch!
Computer System
 A computer system consists of hardware and software
components.
 Hardware is the physical equipment such as the case, storage
drives, keyboards, monitors, cables, speakers, and printers.
 Software includes the operating system and programs.
 The operating system instructs the computer how to operate.
These operations may include identifying, accessing, and
processing information. Programs or applications perform
different functions. Programs vary widely, depending on the type
of information that is accessed or generated. For example,
instructions for balancing a checkbook are very different from
instructions for simulating a virtual-reality world on the Internet.
 Computer System
 There are six components that you’ll absolutely have to use in order to assemble a working PC. They
include:
 Processor (or CPU)—the central processing unit, which acts as the “brain” of your PC. This will broadly
determine the speed of your computer. You’ll have to choose a CPU and a motherboard that are
compatible with each other, both in terms of manufacturer (Intel or AMD) and the CPU socket itself.
 Motherboard—the connective tissue of your PC build. Every other component will be attached to or
plugged into the motherboard in some fashion.
 Memory (or RAM)—RAM stands for random access memory. This is a crucial component of your
computer’s operation. You need to choose RAM that’s compatible with your motherboard’s RAM
slots.
 Case—the PC case is what holds all the internal components together in a structure. Also known as an
enclosure or chassis.
 Storage—your hard drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD), the part of the computer that holds the
operating system and all your digital files. SSDs are much faster than hard drives, and are highly
recommended these days, though HDDs are generally larger and cheaper.
 Power Supply (or PSU)—a heavy little box that regulates the electricity going into your computer and
provides power to the individual components. The power supply will directly connect to the
motherboard, CPU (through the motherboard), storage, and other add-on components as necessary.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 The central processing unit (CPU) is considered the
computer’s brain.
 In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important
element of a computer system.
 Common CPU manufacturers include Intel and AMD.
 Examples: Intel Core i9, AMD Ryzen 9
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 The CPU socket or slot is the connector that is the interface between
the motherboard and the processor.
 “Land grid array” (LGA) consists of a socket with pins that you place
the processor on. PGA (“pin grid array”), on the other hand, places the
pins on the processor.
 In the modern computing era,
commonly Intel CPUs use LGA sockets,
while AMD CPUs use PGA.
 zero insertion force (ZIF), Fr
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 A CPU’s power is measured by its speed and the amount of data it can
process.
 The speed of current CPUs is measured in millions of cycles per second,
called megahertz (MHz), or billions of cycles per second, called
gigahertz (GHz).
 The amount of data that a CPU can process at the one time depends
on the size of the processor data bus, Current processors have a 32-bit
or 64-bit processor data bus.
 Overclocking is a technique used to make a processor work at a faster
speed than its original specification.
 Intel® Core™ i7-7700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.50 GHz) Product
Specifications
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 The thermal design power (TDP), sometimes called thermal design
point, is the maximum amount of heat generated by a computer chip
or component (often a CPU, GPU or system on a chip) that the cooling
system in a computer is designed to dissipate under any workload.
 Simultaneous multithreading (SMT) is a technique for improving the
overall efficiency of superscalar CPUs with hardware multithreading.
 pcpartpicker.com
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 How to Pick the Right CPU for Your PC:
- AMD or Intel: Generally Intel is more popular while AMD offers more
cheaper options with nearly same performance, AMD also offers
designs that have much more powerful integrated graphics than Intel,
referred to as “APU” models.

- Performance: Due to advancements in processor design, it’s hard to

express exactly how powerful a processor is based on a single factor
like its clock speed. There are other factors, like how many cores it
has, what kind of cache it has, power consumption, and integrated
graphics performance

- If you really want to know which processor is faster in a direct

comparison, you’ll need to go look at some benchmarks.
 Motherboard
 The motherboard is the main printed circuit board found in general
purpose computers and other expandable systems. It holds, and
allows, communication between many of the crucial electronic
components of a system.
 The form factor of motherboards pertains to
the board’s size and shape. It also describes
the physical layout of the different
components and devices on the
motherboard. Motherboards have
various form factors:
■ Advanced Technology Extended (ATX)
■ (Mini-ATX)
■ (Micro-ATX)
 Further Reading
Motherboard
 The chip set of a motherboard allows the CPU to communicate and
interact with the computer’s other components and to exchange data
with system memory (RAM), hard-disk drives, video cards, and other
output devices.
 The chip set establishes how much memory can be added to a
motherboard. The chip set also determines the type of connectors on
the motherboard.
Motherboard
 How to Pick the Right Motherboard for Your PC:
- Socket: You need to choose a CPU and a motherboard that will fit
each other.

- Size: The motherboard you choose needs to be compatible with the

case you’re using.

- Power Supply pins

- Other Features: At least one PCI-Express slot for a graphics card,

enough SATA ports for all your hard drives and DVD drives,
supports the amount of RAM you want,
check the back panel, sound, Ethernet, USB 3.0 ports, and even on-
board Wi-Fi, If you already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, you
want to make sure that the motherboard supports them.
Case
 A computer case contains the framework to support a computer’s
internal components while providing an enclosure for added
protection
 The size and layout of a case is called a form factor.
 You must consider many factors when
choosing a case:
■ The size of the motherboard
■ The number of external or internal
drive locations, called bays
■ Available space
Power Supply
 The power supply, converts alternating-current (AC) power coming
from a wall outlet into direct-current (DC) power, which is a lower
voltage. DC power is required for all the components inside the
computer.
 Form factor
 Wattage
Power Supply
 Efficiency rating, 80 Plus is a certification designed to denote that the
efficiency of the power supply.
 Modular PSU allows the builder to attach (or detach) cables as they're
needed. Traditional power supplies, on the other hand, have the
cables attached permanently to the PSU.
 Power supply connectors.
Files with the Lab

 Textbooks:
IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide

 Further Info:
- CPU socket - Wikipedia _ Further_reading.pdf
- Computer form factor - Wikipedia - Further_reading.pdf
- Intel® Core™ i7-7700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.50 GHz) Product
Specifications.pdf
- Intel model meaning.png

 Videos:
- Google IT Support Professional Certificate
Next lab

 Quiz to test your understanding for this lab

Next lab Subjects:

 Hardware
References

 Google IT Support Professional Certificate Courses in Coursera

https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-it-support

 IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide

 https://pcpartpicker.com

 https://en.wikipedia.org

 https://www.howtogeek.com
Any Questions ?!
By: Mohammed Daba
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