PARTS OF COMPUTER

ICT 311203
Case
The case is the box that houses the PC. All of the
hardware, except for the peripherals, is housed inside.
There are two common styles of cases: "desktop" and
"tower."
The Power Supply
Converts AC current from the wall outlet to the appropriate
DC voltages for the various components of the computer.
Where the power cord connects at the back of the PC.
 The Motherboard
The largest and most fundamental component of a PC.
Every other hardware component is somehow attached to
the motherboard. The motherboard is the common link for
every component to communicate and work together.

It has a series of slots, sockets

and connectors for connecting
the various components of a PC.
The memory, accessory cards,
and CPU are installed directly
onto the motherboard in most
cases.
The CPU
stands for Central Processing Unit, the brain of the PC.

It is often referred to as the "processor" or "chip". The CPU

directs, coordinates and communicates with the hardware
components and performs all of the "thinking".
The RAM Memory
Stands for Random Access Memory.
 A form of computer data storage which stores frequently
used program instructions to increase the general speed of
a system.
The Hard Disk Drive
A hard disk drive (also called a "hard drive, HDD, disk
drive) is much like a filing cabinet that stores and provides
relatively quick access to large amounts of data.
The Floppy Disk Drive
The floppy disk drive is a device that records data onto a
removable storage disk called a floppy disk. Floppy disks,
also called "floppies", are the most basic storage medium
for data.
CD-ROM
CD-ROM stands for Compact
Disc Read Only Memory.

Designed to store computer data

in the form of text and graphics,
as well as hi-fi stereo sound
DVD-ROM
Digital versatile disc-read
only memory is a read-only
digital versatile disc (DVD)
commonly used for storing
large software applications.
It is similar to a compact
disk-read only memory (CD-
ROM) but has a larger
capacity. 
The Graphics Card or Video Card
The video adapter card or graphics adapter translates
information into graphics and text that appear on the
monitor screen. Most motherboards now include a slot
specifically designed for the graphics adapter called the
AGP slot (Advanced Graphics Port).
The Sound Card
The sound card plugs into a slot on the motherboard or is
incorporated directly into the motherboard. With a basic
sound card a microphone, speakers, joystick and an
auxiliary sound source can be connected to it. More
advanced cards may offer additional input and output
features.
The Modem
A device that enables the PC to use a telephone line to
communicate with other PCs and devices. The name
comes from "MOdulation DEModulation".
The Mouse
A user input device that enables you to communicate with
your PC. By moving the mouse and pressing the two or
three buttons,
The Keyboard
The primary user input device. It enables you to
communicate with your computer.
 Power Cables
The power cables supplies
power from the power supply
to the drives. They are red,
yellow, and black. The yellow
wire furnishes 12 volts of
power. The red wire
furnishes 5 volts of power.
The two black wires are
ground wires for each.
The Front Panel Connectors
Connects the front panel to
the motherboard.

It is where the hard drive

activity lights, case speaker
(normally), reset button,
on/off button, computer
power on light, and key lock
(if applicable), are located
IDE Data Cables
IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics.
A standard electronic interface used between a computer
motherboard's data paths or bus and the computer's disk
storage devices.
Case Fan
Case fans are relatively inexpensive and are extremely
important. Computer components generate quite a bit of
heat and must be kept as cool as possible
 The Monitor
Monitors obviously display
what is going on in your
computer.  They can run at
various resolutions and
refresh rates.  640x480 is
the default resolution for the
Windows operating systems
(this is a low resolution
where objects appear large
and blocky).