Personal Computer Components

Topic 1

In this lesson, you will identify the hardware components of a computer. The first step is to identify the hardware that you will
find in virtually all computer systems. In this topic, you will identify computer system components.

If you are not familiar with the various components that a computer is made up of, it can seem like a jigsaw puzzle. Like most
puzzles, each part of a computer connects to other parts in a specific system to another. To help you put the puzzle together,
you need to understand what these pieces look like and what they do.

Common Computer Components

Computing components are the physical devices that are required for a computer to operate properly. There are four main
categories of a component n a typical computer.

Component Description
System Unit The System unit, also commonly referred as
the CPU, or the tower, is the main
component of a computer, which houses
most of the other devices that are necessary
for the computer to function. Traditionally,
it comprises a chassis and internal
components, such as the system board, the
microprocessor, memory modules, disk
drives, adapter cards, the power supply,
fans and other cooling systems, and ports
for connecting external components such as
monitors, keyboards, mouse, and other
devices.
System units are also often referred to as
boxes, main units, or base units.

In some newer computer models, the

system unit is incorporated with the display
screen and referred to as an all-in-one
computer. Similar to laptops, the system
unit is integrated into a smaller
configuration, which may make it harder to
manage or replace the system unit
components.
Display Devices A display device is a personal computer
component that enables users to view the
text and graphical data output from a
computer. Display devices
commonly connect to the system unit via a
cable, and they have controls to adjust the
settings for the device. They vary in size and
shape, as well as the technologies used.
Common terms for various types of display
devices include display, monitor, screen,
liquid crystal display (LCD), and flat-panel
monitors.
 Input devices an input device is a personal
computer component that enables users to
enter data or instructions into a computer.
Common input devices
include keyboards and computer mice. An
input device can connect to the system unit
via a cable or a wireless connection.

Input Device An input device is a personal computer

component that enables users to enter data
or instructions into a computer. Common
input devices include keyboards and
computer mice. An input device can connect
to
the system unit via a cable or a wireless
connection.

Peripheral Devices Peripheral devices You can enhance the

functionality of practically any personal
computer by connecting different types of
peripheral devices to the system unit. Also
called external devices, peripheral devices
can provide alternative input
or output methods or additional data
storage. You connect peripheral devices to
the system unit via cable or a wireless
connection. Some
devices have their own power source, while
others draw power from the system.
Common examples of peripheral devices
include microphones,
cameras, speakers, scanners, printers, and
external drives. Of these devices, speakers
and printers are output devices;
microphones, cameras, and scanners are
input devices; external drives are
input/output devices.
Computer Cases
The computer case is the enclosure that holds all of the components of your computer. Computer
cases come in several sizes and arrangements. Some are designed to hold many internal components
and have a lot of room to work around those components. These are usually tower or desktop cases
and take up a good deal of room. Other cases are designed to use a minimum amount of space. The
trade-off is that the interior of the case is often cramped, with little room for adding additional
components. Because the tower proved to be popular, there are now several versions of the tower
model. These include:
• Full tower, which is usually used for servers or when you will be installing many drives and other components.
• Mid tower, which is a slightly smaller version of the full-size tower.
• Micro, or mini tower, which is the size that replaces the original desktop case in most modern systems.
• Slim line, which is a tower case that can be turned on its side to save room.

The Motherboard
The motherboard is the personal computer component that acts as the backbone for the entire
computer system. Sometimes called the system board, it consists of a large, flat circuit board with chips
and other electrical components on it, with various connectors. Some components are soldered
directly to the board, and some components connect to the board by using slots or sockets.
The CPU
The central processing unit (CPU) is a computer chip where most of the computing calculations take
place. On most computers, the CPU is housed in a single microprocessor module that is installed on
the system board in a slot or a socket.

Memory
Memory is the computer system component that provides a temporary workspace for the processor.
Memory refers to modules of computer chips that store data in a digital electronic format, which is
faster to read from and write to than tape or hard drives. Memory chips each contain millions of
transistors etched on one sliver of a semiconductor. Transistors are nothing more than switches that
can be opened or closed. When a transistor is closed, it conducts electricity, representing the binary
number 1. When it is opened, it does not, representing the binary number 0.
There are two types of memory used in computer systems: Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read-
Only Memory (ROM). RAM is a computer storage method that functions as a computer's main

memory. This type requires a constant power source to access the data stored within the RAM.
However, data stored on ROM is saved and stored without a constant power source. Once data is
written to ROM, it cannot be modified easily.
Volatile and Non-volatile Memory
Memory is either volatile or non-volatile:
• Volatile memory stores data temporarily and requires a constant source of electricity to keep track of the data stored
in it. When the power is no longer available, the data stored in volatile memory is lost. The computer's main RAM is
an example of volatile memory. The computer can both read the data stored in RAM and write different data into the
same RAM. Any byte of data can be accessed without disturbing other data, so the computer has random access to
the data in RAM.
• Non-volatile memory retains the information stored on it whether electrical current is available. ROM is an example
of non-volatile memory.

The System Bus

In computer communications, a bus is a group of wires or electronic pathways that connect components. The system bus is the
wires, or traces, on the motherboard that provide the main communication path between the CPU and memory. The system
bus enables data transfer between the CPU, memory, and the other buses in the computer, which connect other system
components such as hard drives and adapter cards. It is sometimes referred to as the frontside bus or local bus.
Storage Devices
A storage device is a computer system component, such as a hard drive, that enables users to save data for reuse at a later
time, even after the personal computer is shut down and restarted. Storage devices can save data magnetically, optically, or
electronically, depending on their design.

Power Supplies
A power supply is a computer system component that converts line-voltage alternating current (AC) power from an electrical
outlet to the low-voltage direct current (DC) power needed by other system components. The power supply is often referred to
as the power supply unit (PSU). The power supply is typically a metal box in the rear of the system that is attached to the
computer chassis and to the system board. While the power supply is not itself a component of the system board, it is required
in order for system components to receive power. The power supply contains the power cord plug and a fan for cooling,
because it generates a lot of heat. Some power supplies have a voltage selector switch that enables you to set them to the
voltage configurations that are used in different countries. AC adapters are generally built in to the power supply for desktop
systems and are external for laptops and other mobile systems.
Cooling Systems
A cooling system is a computer system component that prevents damage to other computer parts by dissipating the heat
generated inside a computer chassis. The cooling system can consist of one or more fans and other components such as heat
sinks or liquid cooling systems that service the entire computer as well as individual components, such as the power supply and
CPU.

Expansion Cards
An expansion card is a printed circuit board that you install into an expansion slot on the computer’s system board to expand
the functionality of the computer. In standard desktop systems, cards have connectors that fit into an expansion slot on a
system board and circuitry to connect a specific device to the computer. Laptops, on the other hand, typically have slots located
on the outside of the case for inserting expansion cards. These cards are often referred to as laptop expansion cards.

Note: An expansion card is also known as an adapter card, I/O card, add-in, add-on, or simply as a board.
Riser Cards
A riser card is a board that plugs into the motherboard and provides additional expansion slots for adapter cards. Because it
rises above the motherboard, it enables you to connect additional adapters to the system in an orientation that is parallel to
the motherboard and thus saves space within the system case. Riser cards are commonly found within rackmount server
implementations to provide additional slots for expanding the features of a server and in low rise smaller cases to fit larger
expansion cards.

Note: A riser card expands motherboard capabilities the way a power strip increases the capabilities of electrical outlets. Also Riser Cards
has many different variations.

Daughter Boards
Daughter board is a general computing and electronics term for any circuit board that plugs into another circuit board. In
personal computing, a daughter board can be used as a more general term for adapter cards. Sometimes, in casual usage, the
term “daughter board” is used interchangeably with the term “riser card,” but technically they are not the same.

Firmware
Firmware is specialized software stored in memory chips that stores OS-specific information whether or not power to the
computer is on. It is most often written on an electronically reprogrammable chip so that it can be updated with a special
program to fix any errors that might be discovered after a computer is purchased, or to support updated hardware
components.

Note: Updating firmware electronically is called flashing.

The System BIOS
A Basic Input/output System (BIOS) is a set of instructions that is stored in ROM and that is used to start the most basic services
of a computer system. Every computer has a system BIOS, which sets the computer's configuration and environment when the
system is powered on. It is located in ROM chips on the system board. Computers may also include other devices that have
their own BIOS to control their functions.

UEFI
The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a standard firmware interface for PCs that was designed to improve
software interoperability and address the limitations in BIOSs. Providing legacy support for BIOS services, UEFI can support
remote diagnostics and repair of computers, even without an operating system being installed.
UEFI firmware provides several technical advantages over a traditional BIOS system:

• Ability to boot from large disks (over 2 TB) with a GUID Partition Table (GPT).
• CPU-independent architecture and drivers.
• Flexible pre-OS environment, including networking capabilities.
• Modular design.

Note: Some systems allow users to select options from BIOS or UEFI in order to support legacy technologies.

The POST
The Power-On Self Test (POST) is a built-in diagnostic program that runs every time a personal computer starts up. The POST
checks your hardware to ensure that everything is present and functioning properly, before the system BIOS begins the
operating system boot process. If there is an error, then an audible beep will alert you that something is wrong. The POST
process contains several steps to ensure that the system meets the necessary requirements to operate properly.

Note: The POST process can vary a great deal from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Hardware Components Post Test Criteria

Power supply Must be turned on, and must supply its power signal.
CPU Must exit Reset status mode, and must be able to execute instructions.
System firmware Must be readable
System firmware memory Must be readable
Memory Must be able to be read by the CPU, and the first 64KB of memory must be able to hold the
POST code.
Input /output (IO) bus or I/O Must be accessible, and must be able to communicate with the video subsystem.
controller