COMPUTER

HARDWARE
SERVICING
Computer’s most essential parts
Inside a Computer
Have you ever looked inside a computer case, or seen
pictures of the inside of one? The small parts may look
complicated, but the inside of a computer case isn't really all
that mysterious. This lesson will help you master some of
the basic terminology and understand a bit more about what
goes on inside a computer.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
CPU (central processing unit) – The central processing unit (CPU) or
processor, is the unit which performs most of the processing inside a
computer. It processes all instructions received by software running on the
PC and by other hardware components, and acts as a powerful calculator.
There are two types of CPU, the PGA and the LGA. To simply differentiate
the two types of CPU. PGA CPU’s has pins while LGA CPU’s has no pins.
Heatsink Fan (HSF)
Stands for "Heat Sink and Fan." Nearly all computers have heat sinks, which help keep the
CPU cool and prevent it from overheating.

CPU has only two manufacturers: INTEL & AMD

RAM (Random Access Memory)
RAM is essentially a super fast, high speed storage that your computer and its
applications utilize to store and access temporary data. It can be thought of
like a computer's short term memory.

It works by storing common data that programs are in constant use of, rather
than storing the data on a much slower medium like a Solid State Hard Drive
(or SSD). RAM doesn’t automatically have data saved on each chip though.
RAM (Random Access Memory)

At the time of this article, the most modern kind of of RAM is DDR4, which proceeded DDR3. DDR3
proceeded DDR2, DDR2 to DDR, and DDR to SDRAM -- each iteration being faster and more capable of a
higher capacity of random access storage. Memory ram speed is measured in hertz.
Memory Ram Form Factors
There’s also different form factors available, respectively called DIMM and
SO-DIMM. The form factor DIMM is usually used for Desktops where
SO-DIMM is usually used for laptops.

If you’re using DIMM or SO-DIMM memory, DDR type rules still

apply. So, there is just as many DDR4, SO-DIMM RAM sticks, than
there are DDR4 DIMM RAM sticks. Also, you can’t fit a SO-
DIMM stick in a slot that is expecting a DIMM stick. It’s just not
physically possible.
Capacity
Nowadays RAM usually comes in either 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or
16GB sticks. Computers with less RAM can’t do many things at once.
For example, if only have 4GB of RAM you only have enough “short
term memory” to do maybe one or two programs at a time. You won’t be
able to use Netflix and Photoshop at the same time, without significant
slow down.

But, If don’t plan on doing anything extreme like watching movies and
photo editing on that computer, 4GB of RAM is plenty for web browsing
and listening to music! In general, more capacity is better for the system.
How to choose the right RAM for you?
- The first step would be to assess if you need DIMM or SO-DIMM.
Are you upgrading a Laptop or a Desktop?
- Then ask yourself what type of RAM does my computer accept?
You can generally look at the manufacturer's product page for retail
computers ( for example, the DELL XPS 8300 uses DDR3 RAM)
- You can mix different brand RAM sticks, and even different speeds -- but
remember that the system will throttle you to its slowest stick, or to the
motherboard’s maximum.
So, potential cost effective upgrades could be..
- Put more DD3 4gb 1333mhz RAM inside the machine Or
- Replace the 1333mhz RAM with 8GB of 1600mhz RAM
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
A hard disk drive (or the primary storage device, or HDD) is a nonvolatile data storage
device. It is usually installed internally in a computer, attached directly to the disk
controller of the computer's motherboard.
Why does a computer need a hard drive?
A computer requires an operating system to allow users to
interact with and use it. The operating system interprets
keyboard and mouse movements and allows for the use of
software, like an Internet browser, word processor, and video
games.

To install a computer operating system, a hard drive (or

another storage device) is required. The storage device
provides the storage medium where the operating system is
installed and stored.
Can a computer run without a hard drive?
Without a hard drive, a computer can turn on and POST. Depending
on how the BIOS is configured, other bootable devices in the boot
sequence are also checked for the necessary boot files.

For example, if the USB device is listed in your BIOS boot

sequence, you can boot from a bootable USB flash drive in a
computer without a hard drive.
Hard drives in modern computers
Modern computers often use an SSD (solid-state drive) as the primary storage
device, instead of an HDD. HDDs are slower than SSDs when reading and
writing data, but offer greater storage capacity for the price.
Capacity
The Capacity of HDD is measure in GB(Gigabytes)
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Power Supply - Abbreviated as PS or P/S, a power supply or
PSU (power supply unit) is a hardware component of a
computer that supplies all other components with power.
Where is the Power supply located in a
computer?
The power supply is located at the back of the
computer, usually at the top. However, many more
recent tower computer cases house the power supply at
the bottom back of the case.

In a desktop computer case (all-in-one), the power

supply is located at the back left or back right.
Casing/Chassis/Computer Case
The computer case serves mainly as a way to physically mount and
contain all of the actual components inside of a computer, like the
motherboard, hard drive, optical drive, floppy disk drive, etc. They
typically come bundled with a power supply.
Why a Computer case is important

There are several reasons why we use computer cases. One is for
protection, which is easy to assume because it's the most obvious.
Dust, animals, toys, liquids, etc. can all damage the internal parts of
a computer if the hard shell of a computer case doesn't enclose them
and keep them away from the outside environment.
Computer Expansion Cards
- In computing, an expansion card is defined as a specific
type of circuit board that is inserted into a computer to
provide extra features, facilities or memory. This can include
a wide variety of things
Sound Card
Also known as an audio card, this type of expansion card deals with everything to do with
sounds and audio. This can include allowing applications on the computer to play music,
programs which edit videos or audio, presentation software, games equipment and any
other type of program which plays audio.
Video/Graphics Card
A video card is more often called a graphics card or display card, and is responsible for
generating images to a visual display such as a computer monitor or laptop screen.
Although all motherboards have some degree of integrated graphics, a dedicated video card
allows for higher quality graphics and better speeds.
NIC/LAN Card
Often called a Network Interface Card or LAN Adapter, a network card is an expansion
card which allows a computer to connect to a computer network such as a Local Area
Network or Wide Area Network
USB Card
A USB expansion card is used to provide additional connection ports to a
computer by connecting the card to the motherboard
Wifi Adapter/Wireless card
- A wireless card is used to provide a computer with the capability of
connecting to a wifi connection
Expansion Card installation
All expansion cards are placed or mounted in the PCI Slot
except the Video card. The Video card is mounted in the
separate slot called the AGP/PCIexpress slot.
Motherboard
A motherboard provides connectivity between the hardware
components of a computer, like the processor (CPU),
memory (RAM), hard drive, and video card. There are
multiple types of motherboards, designed to fit different
types and sizes of computers.
 Activity
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