UNIT III
THE ROLE of the
SYSTEM UNIT as a
FOUNDATIONAL
PLATFORM
TECHNOLOGY
Without it, individual
components such as the CPU,
memory, or storage devices
cannot operate effectively. The
system unit ensures that power
is distributed, signals are
transmitted, and data is
processed efficiently. It is
designed to handle varying
levels of workload, from
personal computing tasks to
complex enterprise-level
operations.
Why the System Unit is Integral
to Computing Applications and
Business Solutions
The system unit is vital
because it bridges the gap
between raw hardware
capabilities and the
execution of software
applications.
it acts as the intermediary that
transforms the raw computational
power of hardware into actionable
processes that software applications
rely on. This role is fundamental to the
functioning of any computer system,
as it enables seamless interaction
between the physical hardware and
the abstract logic of software.
COMPONENTS
OF A SYSTEM UNIT
ITPE3
Motherboard — the primary device of the system unit. All other
devices are connected to it. The motherboard unites all computer
devices (video card, RAM, sound card, hard drive, etc.) and links
them together, subsequently regulating their close-knit work.
Processor is an incredibly complex chip that performs billions of
mathematical calculations per second. It is also called a central
processing unit (CPU).
RAM (Random Access Memory) — system memory. The RAM is
connected directly to the motherboard and carries out a fast exchange
of information with the processor.
ROM vs RAM
ROM (read-only memory) and a RAM (random-access memory)
chip: ROM can hold data without power and RAM cannot.
Essentially, ROM is meant for permanent storage, and RAM is for temporary
storage
Hard Drive — a mechanical drive that works on the principle of
magnetic recording, is the central storage of data on most computers.
Power Supply — a component that converts electrical energy into direct
current required by the computer.
The power LED provides a visual indication that your computer is
powered on. It stays lit while your computer is running, making it easier
to know if your system is turned on.
Locate the hard disk drive light-emitting diode (HDD LED) label on the
motherboard. Connect the positive lead of the LED to the positive (+) pin and the
negative lead to the negative (-) pin on the connector.
When connected, the HDD LED blinks whenever your hard drive is reading or
writing data. It helps you monitor the disk activity, indicating that your system is
working or accessing data.
To connect the reset button, find the Reset SW label on the
motherboard. Like the power button, attach the positive and negative
leads from the reset button to the appropriate pins on the connector.
Power Switch Pins – A cable connects these pins to the power button
on the CPU case. They have the label “PW” or “PWR-SW” on the
motherboard.
There are four pins that connect to the internal beep code speaker. You
will hear beep sound where there is an error while starting the
computer or pressing the wrong key in the BIOS setup and likewise.
They have the label “SPEAK” on the motherboard.
How to Connect motherboard Front panel Headers
The ATX 24-pin connector is the main power connector that connects
the PSU to the motherboard. It supplies power to the CPU, memory,
chipset, and other onboard devices. It has 24 pins, arranged in two
rows of 12
The ATX 4-pin power supply connector is a standard motherboard
power connector used to provide +12 VDC to the processor voltage
regulator.
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) or Serial ATA cables
are used to connect devices in computer cable assemblies, such as
storage devices, for example.
As the name suggests, the data cable is used to transfer data. You
need to connect one end to the PC’s SATA interface and the other end
to the hard drive. The cable usually adopts a flat line to ensure fast
transferring speed.
SATA power cables are larger than data cables because they are
equipped with a 15-pin interface. It is mainly designed to supply power
for those storage devices and optical drives which need power.
Usually, a SATA power adapter can have 1-4 connectors to provide
power for different devices, which can work simultaneously.
A USB header refers to the connector on a motherboard that allows you
to connect USB devices to your computer. It is a set of pins, usually
located near the edge of the motherboard, that provides a pathway for
data transfer between the computers and USB peripherals.
Audio headers are usually located at the bottom left corner of the
motherboard, near the PCI slots. They consist of one or two 9-pin
connectors that correspond to the HD Audio or AC'97 standard.
RAM slots are often found in pairs and are sometimes color-coded for
identification. We should note that RAM slots in a desktop look
different than RAM slots in a laptop. A RAM module is rectangular and
has a connector on one of the long sides.
Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI, is the most common way to
attach add-on controller cards and other devices to a computer
motherboard. These slots are typically used for adding devices such as
graphics cards, sound cards, network cards, and various other types of
expansion cards.
ATA IDE connector, often simply referred to as an IDE connector, is a
type of interface used to connect storage devices like hard disk drives
(HDDs) and optical drives (such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives) to a
computer's motherboard.
A floppy drive connector, also known as a floppy disk drive (FDD) connector, is
a type of interface used to connect a floppy disk drive to a computer's
motherboard. Floppy drives were once a standard component in personal
computers, used for reading and writing data to floppy disks, but they have
become obsolete in modern computing due to advancements in storage
technology.
CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor)is a type of non-
volatile memory used to store the BIOS settings, including system
configuration parameters such as boot order, system date and time,
hardware settings, and passwords.
Northbridge
Traditionally located near or closer to the CPU. Responsible for handling
communication between the CPU, RAM (memory), and high-speed peripheral
components such as the graphics card (when not integrated into the CPU).
Manages the faster communication channels, such as the front side bus
(FSB) or the more modern direct CPU-to-GPU communication pathways.
Southbridge
Located at the southern part of the motherboard and closer to the expansion slots and other
peripheral connectors.
Responsible for managing communication between the slower peripheral devices connected
to the motherboard, such as SATA (Serial ATA) drives, USB ports, audio controllers, Ethernet
ports, and legacy interfaces like PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) and IDE
(Integrated Drive Electronics).
Handles input/output (I/O) tasks and provides support for various types of peripheral
devices
A chipset is a collection of integrated circuits (chips) on a computer's
motherboard that work together to control various components and
subsystems of the computer. The chipset acts as the central nervous system
of the motherboard, facilitating communication between the CPU (Central
Processing Unit), memory, peripherals, and other components.
AGP stands for Accelerated Graphics Port. It's an older type of expansion
slot found on motherboards primarily used for connecting graphics cards.
AGP was developed as a dedicated high-speed interface for graphics cards
to improve graphical performance compared to the slower PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect) slots that were commonly used at the time.
Sony/Philips Digital Interface
High Definition Multimedia Interface
Video Graphics Array
Digital Visual Interface
Line Print Terminal
Kinds of Video Cables
DVI
Digital Visual interface S-video
VGA
Video Graphics Array
Kinds of Cables
Ps/2 HDMI
High Definition Multimedia Interface
USB
Universal Serial Bus RJ-45
cat5e
Parallel
DVD ROM/RW DRIVE
Digital versatile disc-read only memory (DVD-ROM) 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. A DVD-ROM stores around 4.38 GB of data. A CD-ROM usually
stores 650 MB of data.
FLOPPY DISK DRIVE
A floppy disk, also known as a floppy, diskette, or simply disk, is a type
of disk storage composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic
storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic enclosure lined with
fabric that removes dust particles. Floppy disks are read and written
by a floppy disk drive (FDD).
SOUND CARD
A sound card is an expansion component used in computers to receive and
send audio. Sound cards are configured and utilized with the help of a
software application and a device driver. The input device attached to
receive audio data is usually a microphone, while the device used to output
audio data is generally speakers or headphones.
VIDEO CARD
A video card is a PC component that is used to enhance the
quality of images showed on a display. It is attached to the
motherboard and controls and calculates an image's appearance
on the screen. The video card is an intermediate device that
accelerates the video throughput.
VIDEO CARD
A video card is a PC component that is used to enhance the
quality of images showed on a display. It is attached to the
motherboard and controls and calculates an image's appearance
on the screen. The video card is an intermediate device that
accelerates the video throughput.
TRANSISTOR
is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals
and electrical power. It is composed of semiconductor material usually
with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit.
CAPACITOR
are used to store energy and electric charge. They store energy between
the spaces of the plates and this energy is used to generate high form of
electric current.
The heat sink has a thermal conductor that carries heat away from the
CPU into fins that provide a large surface area for the heat to dissipate
throughout the rest of the computer, thus cooling both the heat sink and
processor. Both a heat sink and a radiator require airflow and, therefore,
both have fans built in.
A CPU fan, also known as a heatsink fan or cooler fan, is a vital
component of a computer system responsible for cooling the CPU (Central
Processing Unit). The CPU generates heat as it processes data, and
without proper cooling, it can overheat, leading to performance issues or
even permanent damage.