Lesson 3: Computer System Servicing

LYCEUM OF ALABANG INC.INC.
Unit 2:
Understanding
Basic Computer
Concepts
Objective:
To familiarize, understand
and be knowledgeable with
the basic concept of
computing.
Technology makes our life easier and safer!

TOPIC 1:
The Computer
Computer is a device that accepts

information in the form of digitalized data, and
manipulates it for some result based on a
program or sequence of instructions on how
the data is to be processed.
TOPIC 2:
Types of Computer
1. Supercomputer
Most powerful and most advance in terms of performance and
data processing. These computers are commonly used by large
organizations to conduct specific tasks such as weather
forecasting, research, and exploration.
2. Mainframe Computer
Large and expensive computer capable of handling
thousands of users and programs simultaneously. Mainframe
computers can handle, process, and store large amount of
data. These are commonly stored in large air-conditioned
rooms because of its big size.
3. Minicomputer
Also known as midrange computers. It features all the
functions of a large size computer, but has a smaller
size. Minicomputers can support many users because
of its multi-processing system.
4. Microcomputer
Most widely used and fastest growing type of

computer. Desktop computers, laptops, tablets,
and smartphones are types of microcomputers.
Topic 3
TOPIC 3: Fundamental Elements of a
Computer
LESSON 2: Basic Hardware Components of

Computer Systems
TOPIC 1: Computer Systems

The complete computer made up of the CPU,
memory and related electronics (main
cabinet), all the peripheral devices connected
to it and its operating system.
 Computer systems fall into two broad

divisions: clients and servers.
 Client machines fall into three categories from low to high
end: laptop, desktop and workstation.
 Servers range from small to large: low-end servers,
midrange servers and mainframes.
Processing devices are the computer’s circuitry in the system unit.
 Motherboard – the circuit board housing the

memory and the central processing unit (CPU)
 Central Processing Unit (CPU) –

manipulates input data into the
information needed by the users
 Memory – also known as Random Access Memory or

RAM. It is a series of electronic elements that act as
temporary storage of data and program instructions
while the instructions are being processed by the CPU.
 Chips – these make up the CPU and the memory; these

are electronic devices that contain many microscopic
pathways designed to carry electrical currents.
Storage devices store data and programs. These

hold data, information, and programs permanently.
 Solid State Drive (SSD) – mass storage device that stores data in a
permanent state even without power. Similar to an HDD’s function, only
the internal components are different. SSDs do not have moving parts
but store data on magnetic platters making use of flash memory.
Hard Disk Drive (HHD) – often called hard drive or hard

disk. This is the most common storage device that do not

need power to maintain data; these store data through
spinning platters or magnetic disks, recording individual
bits written into the disk.
 Flash Drive – highly portable small data storage

devices making use of flash memory and a
Universal Serial Bus (USB) port connection
 CD – “compact disc”, this storage device can hold

up to 700 MB; it is read by an optical drive through
a laser
Input devices allow the user to communicate with the

computer by entering data or commands.
 Keyboard – primary input device used to

input alphanumeric data and commands to the
computer
 Mouse – primary input device used to

navigate and interact with the monitor
output
 Scanner – scans documents and

converts them digitally, which can
be edited on a computer.
 Webcam – small cameras attached to a monitor

or desk that record or broadcast video
 Joystick – device used to control video

games, aside from the keyboard
Output devices enable the computer to show the processed data

and information understandably to the user.
 Printer – prints paper documents, photographs, and

other outputs called hard copies which are physical
versions of the documents.
 Monitor – acts as the primary display of the unit where the

user interface and programs are reflected.
 Speakers – sound system device

that produce audio output from the
computer
TOPIC 2: The System

Unit
The System Unit is the

overall structure that
houses the processor,
memory, and electronic
components of the
computer that are used to
process data
Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways: Computer

chassis, Cabinet, Tower, Box and Housing.
Types:
 Tower (Full, Mid, Mini)
 Desktop (Standard,
Slimline)
Power supplies serve as the source for

electricity to the computer. Attached are vital
hardware cables and buses for transferring
power to various components in the computer.
The following are the basic connector you can see in a

power supply:
ATX 24 pin main power connector is the standard

motherboard power connector used in nearly every computer.
SATA 15 pin power supply connector is one of several
standard peripheral power connectors. SATA power connectors
only connect to SATA drives like hard drives and optical drives.
SATA power connectors do not work with older PATA devices.
 Molex 4 pin power supply connector is a standard peripheral

power connector. Molex power connectors connect to many
different kinds of internal peripherals including PATA hard drives
and optical drives, some video cards, and even some other
devices.
 Floppy drive 4 pin power supply connector is the standard
floppy drive power connector. The floppy power connector, also
called a Berg connector or Mini-Molex connector, is included in
even the newest power supplies even though floppy drives are
becoming obsolete.
 ATX 4 pin power supply connector is a standard

motherboard power connector used to provide +12 VDC to
the processor voltage regulator. This small connector usually
attaches to the motherboard near the CPU.
 ATX 6 pin power supply connector is a motherboard
power connector used to provide +12 VDC to the processor
voltage regulator but the 4-pin variety is the more commonly
used connector. This small connector usually attaches to the
motherboard near the CPU.
There are several components that are attached to the

motherboard. These include:
1. Chip – small piece of semiconducting material, where more

integrated circuits are embedded. They have standard-sized
pin connectors that allows them to be attached to the
motherboard.
2. Bus - an electrical path that enables data flow between
various system components.
There are several components that are attached to the

motherboard. These include:
3. Integrated Circuit (IC) – contains microscopic pathways

that carry electric current. The IC contains millions of elements
such as resistors, capacitators, and transistors. Many different
kinds of chips are located in the motherboard
4. Microprocessor – this is the central processing unit on a

chip.
Different variety of chip packages:
1. Dual Inline Package (DIP) – this has two parallel rows

of pints that attach the chip package to the circuit board
2. Pin Grid Array (PGA) – holds a larger number of pins
because the pins are mounted on the surface of the
package.
3. Flip Chip-PGA (CF-PGA) Package – higher
performance PGA packaging that places the chip on the
opposite sides of the pins.
4. Single Edge Contact (SEC) Cartridge – does not use
pins but connects to one of the edges in the motherboard.
The form factor of motherboards pertains to the size and shape of the board. It also describes the
physical layout of the different components and devices on the motherboard. Various form factors
exist for motherboards:
 AT – Advanced Technology
 ATX – Advanced Technology Extended
 Mini-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX
 Micro-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX
 LPX – Low-profile Extended
 NLX – New Low-profile Extended
 BTX – Balanced Technology Extended
The function of the northbridge is primarily a fast

path between the CPU and the video bus and
system RAM. While the southbridge connects with
the slow hardware/components of the system.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Commonly known as the CPU or processor, this is the brain of the computer. It
interprets and carries out the basic instructions to operate a computer.
It impacts overall computing power and manages most of the computer
operations. The motherboard contains a socket to hold the processor or CPU. The
central processing unit (CPU), also called the processor or microprocessor, does
most of the processing of data and instructions for the entire system. Because the
CPU generates heat, a fan and heat sink might be installed on top to keep it cool.
Nowadays, processors have multiple cores called multi-core processors. This
means that the processor is a single chips that has two or more separate processors.
In multi-core processors, each of the processors run at a slower clock speed as
compared to a single-core processor, but this efficient process typically increases
performance. There are two kinds of common multi-core processors today:
1. Dual Core Processor – chip that contains two separate processors
2. Quad Core Processor – chip with four separate processors
AMD and Intel are the two most popular brands of

processors in the market nowadays.
Bundled with the processors are the heat sinks. A heat sink consists
of metal fins that draw heat away from a component. The fan and heat
sink together are called the processor cooler. The photo below shows
a CPU with a heat sink mounted on the motherboard.
The Random Access Memory or RAM acts as temporary storage

as long as the computer is running. The contents of the RAM
change as programs are executed. These are chips that are placed
directly on the motherboard. These RAM consists of switches which
are triggered by changes in electric current.
Three basic types of RAM:

1. Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – This kind of RAM needs to be recharged
by the CPU. If not, it loses its contents. There are many variations of
DRAM such as:
○ Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) – faster than DRAM because it is
synchronized to the system clock
○ Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM – faster than SDRAM because they
transfer data twice for each clock cycle
○ DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM – faster than DDR SDRAM
○ ambus DRAM (RDRAM) – type of DRAM faster than SDRAM that uses
pipelining techniques
2. Static RAM (SRAM) – This kind is faster and more reliable than any
form of DRAM. Unlike the DRAM, this does not need to be re-energized.
However, it is much more expensive and it used for special purposes.
3. Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) – This kind stores data using
magnetic charges instead of electrical charges. It has greater storage
capacity, consume less power, and faster access times.
The RAM chips are housed in a small circuit

board called the memory module, which is
inserted into the motherboard.
Three types of memory modules:

1. Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM) – this has pins on
opposite sides of the circuit board which connect together to form
a single set of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with
DIMMs.
2. Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) – the pins on the
opposite sides of the circuit board do not connect and form two
sets of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with SIMMs.
3. Rambus Inline Memory Module (RIMM) – this houses
RDRAM chip
The computer will need a certain amount of memory to be able to

handle programs, data, and information, depending on the types of
applications used.
The more RAM a computer has, the faster the computer will be.
 To be able to use basic application software such as Office Suite,
one needs at least 1GB of RAM.
 Using programs and multimedia should have at least 4GB.
 Playing modern games or using editing software will require at
least 8GB.
Today the RAM ranges up to 64GB depending on the programs that
will be used for the computer.
Cooling technologies are essential in avoiding the

computer from overheating and maintaining a good,
well-ventilated system.
Several cooling technologies are

present throughout the system unit:
○ Fans are also present in several
components such as the power supply,
ports, processor, hard disk etc.
○ Heat sink, on another hand, is a
small metal or ceramic component with
fins on the surface which absorbs and
distributes heat produced by electrical
components.
○ Heat pipe is used on smaller
devices like notebook computers since
this is smaller in size.
Expansion Cards
A motherboard has expansion slots to be used by expansion cards. An expansion card, also
called an adapter card, is a circuit board that provides more ports than those provided by the
motherboard.
The photo below shows a Video Card, where it provides three video ports. Notice the cooling
fan and heat sink on the card, which help to keep the card from overheating. The trend today is
for most ports in a system to be provided by the motherboard (called onboard ports) and less
use of expansion cards.
There are also other variants of expansion cards such as

network cards, sound cards, video capture cards, interface
cards, and other expansion cards that cater to whatever the
computer user for his/her needs and improvements for the
system.
A hard drive, also called a hard disk drive (HDD), is permanent storage
used to hold data and programs.
For example, the Windows operating system and applications are installed
on the hard drive. All drives in a system are installed in a stack of drive bays
at either the front or on the lower portion of the case. Nowadays, users
use Solid State Drive or SSDs because of its use of flash memory, which
does not use physical disks to write memory/data.

Each drive has two connections for cables: the power cable connects to the
power supply and another cable, used for data and instructions, connects to the
motherboard.
TOPIC 3: Ports, Sockets, Slots, &

Connectors
The motherboard has several ports, sockets, slots, and connectors that link the
computers' components, input, and output devices among each other. First we'll look
at the port which are usually found at the side of the motherboard or the back of the
system case.
The port basically serves as an interface between the computer and other computers
or peripheral devices.
A port generally refers to the female part of connection. Computer ports have many
uses, to connect a monitor, webcam, speakers, or other peripheral devices.
On the physical layer, a computer port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment
to which a plug or cable connects. Electronically, the several conductors where the
port and cable contacts connect, provide a method to transfer signals between
devices.
Familiarize yourself with the following ports usually found with computer systems
below:
Ports
Ports, Sockets, Slots, & Connectors Slots

Sockets
The following are the most common sockets found in the motherboard. The
CPU socket where the CPU itself is inserted and the CMOS slot where the
CMOS battery (which lets the motherboard remember the date and time of
the computer) that is replaced after it has worn out.
Connectors

Lesson 3: Computer System Servicing

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LYCEUM OF ALABANG INC.INC.

Technology makes our life easier and safer!

Computer is a device that accepts

Most widely used and fastest growing type of

LESSON 2: Basic Hardware Components of

TOPIC 1: Computer Systems

 Computer systems fall into two broad

Processing devices are the computer’s circuitry in the system unit.

 Motherboard – the circuit board housing the

 Central Processing Unit (CPU) –

 Memory – also known as Random Access Memory or

 Chips – these make up the CPU and the memory; these

Storage devices store data and programs. These

Hard Disk Drive (HHD) – often called hard drive or hard

disk. This is the most common storage device that do not

 Flash Drive – highly portable small data storage

 CD – “compact disc”, this storage device can hold

Input devices allow the user to communicate with the

 Keyboard – primary input device used to

 Mouse – primary input device used to

 Scanner – scans documents and

 Webcam – small cameras attached to a monitor

 Joystick – device used to control video

Output devices enable the computer to show the processed data

 Printer – prints paper documents, photographs, and

 Monitor – acts as the primary display of the unit where the

 Speakers – sound system device

TOPIC 2: The System

The System Unit is the

Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways: Computer

Power supplies serve as the source for

The following are the basic connector you can see in a

ATX 24 pin main power connector is the standard

 Molex 4 pin power supply connector is a standard peripheral

 ATX 4 pin power supply connector is a standard

There are several components that are attached to the

1. Chip – small piece of semiconducting material, where more

There are several components that are attached to the

3. Integrated Circuit (IC) – contains microscopic pathways

4. Microprocessor – this is the central processing unit on a

Different variety of chip packages:

1. Dual Inline Package (DIP) – this has two parallel rows

The function of the northbridge is primarily a fast

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

AMD and Intel are the two most popular brands of

The Random Access Memory or RAM acts as temporary storage

Three basic types of RAM:

The RAM chips are housed in a small circuit

Three types of memory modules:

The computer will need a certain amount of memory to be able to

Cooling technologies are essential in avoiding the

Several cooling technologies are

There are also other variants of expansion cards such as

TOPIC 3: Ports, Sockets, Slots, &

Ports, Sockets, Slots, & Connectors Slots

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