Technology

in Action
Alan Evans • Kendall Martin
Mary Anne Poatsy

Eleventh Edition

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 Technology in Action

Chapter 6
Understanding and Assessing Hardware:
Evaluating Your System

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 Topics

Your Ideal Computing Device

• Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
• Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
• Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
• Evaluating the Video and Audio
Subsystems
• Evaluating System Reliability and Making
a Final Decision
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 Evaluating Key Subsystems

• Your Ideal Computing Device

• Evaluating the CPU subsystem
• Evaluating the Memory subsystem
• Evaluating the Storage subsystem

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 Your Ideal Computer

New technologies emerge quickly

• Should you upgrade your system?
• Should you buy a new computer?

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 Your Ideal Computer
• Things to consider
o Speed
o Moore’s Law
o System components
o Hard drive storage
capacity

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 Your Ideal Computer
• Huge number of choices
– Tablets
– Ultrabooks
– Netbooks
– Tablet PCs
– Laptops
– Desktops
• Mobility versus processing power

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 Your Ideal Computer
• Desktop
– Best value
– 24-inch or larger monitor
– More reliable
– Easier to expand and upgrade
– More difficult to steal

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

CPU
– Located on motherboard
– Processes instructions
– Performs calculations
– Manages flow of information
– Intel i5 and i7 processors

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
How the CPU Works
Composed of two units
– Control unit
– Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
How the CPU Works
• Machine cycle
– Fetch
– Decode
– Execute
– Store

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
CPU Factors

CPU’s processing power

• Clock speed
– Overclocking
• Cores
• Cache memory

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
CPU Factors
• Hyperthreading
• Multiple cores

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
CPU Factors
• Cache memory
• Cache memory levels
– Level 1
– Level 2
– Level 3

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
CPU Factors
• CPU Benchmarks

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 Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
Measuring the CPU

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem

• Random access memory (RAM)

– Computer’s physical memory
– Measured in gigabytes

• Read only memory (ROM)

– Startup instructions stored here

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
RAM
• Types
– Double data rate 3 (DDR3)
– Double data rate 5 (DDR5)
• Memory modules
• Dual inline memory modules (DIMMs)

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
RAM

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
Adding RAM
• Motherboard
– Specific number of slots for memory cards
• Operating system
– Imposes a RAM limit

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 Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
RAM
Installing RAM in a Laptop

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem

• Temporary storage
– RAM
• Permanent storage
– Hard drives
– Solid state drives (SSDs)
– Optical drives
– External hard drives

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Mechanical Hard Drives
• Largest capacity
• Most economical
• Systems can support more than one

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Mechanical Hard Drives
• Coated platters stacked on a spindle
• Data saved as pattern of magnetized
spots of 1s and 0s
• Patterns of spots are translated into data

Access arms

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Mechanical Hard Drives

• Read/write heads
• Access time has two factors
– Seek time
– Latency

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Solid State Drives

SSDs
• Fast access times
• Run with no noise
• Generate little heat
• Require little power

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Solid State Drives

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Optical Drives

Tiny pits burned

into the disc by
high-speed laser

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Storage Capacity and Needs
• Hard drive capacity
• Need enough to store:
– The Operating System
– Software applications
– Data files

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Storage Capacity and Needs

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Storage Capacity and Needs

Redundant Array of Independent Disks

(RAID)
– RAID 0 :: best for fastest access time
– RAID 1:: best for secure backup of data

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 Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Storage Capacity and Needs

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 Evaluating Other Subsystems

• Evaluating the Audio and Video subsystems

• Evaluating the System Reliability and Making
a Final Decision

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 Evaluating the Video Subsystem
Video Cards
• Video display depends on two
components
• Ports

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 Evaluating the Video Subsystem
Video Cards
• Video memory
• Screen Resolution dialog box
– Advanced Settings

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 Evaluating the Video Subsystem
Video Cards
• GPU
• Specialized to handle:
– 3D graphics
– Image and video processing

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 Evaluating the Video Subsystem
Video Cards

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 Evaluating the Video Subsystem
Video Cards
• Multiple video cards can be used
• Manufacturers
– Nvidia
– ATI

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Evaluating the Audio Subsystem
• Speakers and a sound card
• 3-D sound technology
• Surround sound

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 Evaluating the Audio Subsystem

• Dolby Digital 7.1

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 Evaluating the Audio Subsystem

• Audio MIDI Interface box

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 Evaluating System Reliability
• Performance problems
• Proper upkeep and maintenance

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 Evaluating System Reliability

• Remove unnecessary files

• Reliable antivirus package
• Run spyware and adware removal programs
• Run the Disk Defragmenter utility
– Configure to run automatically

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 Evaluating System Reliability

• System problems
– Troubleshooting
• Check RAM
• Refresh
• System restore
• Microsoft Knowledge Base
• Search Google

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 Evaluating System Reliability

• Latest version of software increases

reliability
• Upgrade or update OS, browser software,
and application software
• Problem Steps Recorder
• Automatic updates

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 Evaluating System Reliability

• Upgrade OS
– Increases in reliability
– Might require hardware upgrades
• Additional RAM
• Updated graphics processor
• Larger hard drive
– Windows 8 upgrade automatically checks
system compatibility

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 Making a Final Decision

• How closely does your system meet your

needs?
• How much would it cost to upgrade your
system?
• How much would it cost to purchase a
new system?
• Price both scenarios to determine better
value
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 Making a Final Decision
Getting Rid of Your Old Computer

• Benefits of maintaining two systems

• Environmental impact
– Mercury
– Cadmium
• Donate

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 Making a Final Decision
Getting Rid of Your Old Computer

• GigaBiter
• Remove all data before donating
– Remove everything and reinstall Windows

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

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