Walker's Work: Computer Crash-Course
AH Walker , 2011/11/10 16:41

Introduction

I have been employed by “Doolittle and Dally”, a local company of solicitors. They have some computers that are three to four years old and need updating or replacing and the company need to expand their usage of IT in general. My position is that of IT Coordinator and my role is to investigate the possible usage of IT within the company from both a hardware and software point of view, at the instruction of the Directors, and report back to them using language and terms they can understand as non-IT people.

Processors and options

The processor is a small chip on top of the motherboard. It controls anything and everything of the computer. It processes the instructions by construing them into bits of data within the memory. These instructions are usually simple (using memory to read data or sending the data to the display).

There are many of multi core processors. Multi Core Processors is a module for the computer with two or more processors. The most common is the dual core processors. This works in many ways like a single-core processor but it has two processors instead of one. A common make of these processors is the Intel Core Duo Processor made by Intel. In addition to this there is also a quad and hexa core processors which have 4 and 6 processors respectively.

There are many ways to defining the performance of the processor. One of the main ways is the clock speed. The clock speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz) as most Central Processing Units (CPUs) are. Usually if the number of GHz is high, the processor is bound to work fast. Conversely if the number of GHz is low the processor will work at a slower pace (if the processors clock speed is defined by Megahertz it will work at a slower pace).

Another way to define the performance of the processor is to assess the cache size. The cache’s job is to decrease the amount of time it takes to access the memory. It copies the data from the memory locations and then it gives the data to the processor. The higher the cache memory, the better the performance from the processor.

The final way to assess the processor is to check the Front Side Bus Speed (FSB). The FSB specifies how fast the Central Processing Unit can spread data to and from the memory controller. If the FSB is slow then it is highly likely that the Central Processing Unit is awaiting data transfers. The FSB is measured in Mega Transfers Per Second (MT/s).

Motherboard

The motherboard (alternatively known as the mainboard or the system board) stands as the most significant part of the PC system. It is a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in many computers and holds many of the vital components of the system as it delivers connectors for other peripherals.

A main feature of the motherboard is the Processor Socket (sometimes known as Processor Slot). It is a component that offers connections between a microprocessor and a PCB. It is made out of plastic, a metal lever and metal contacts with pins that land on the CPU.

A memory bank is another feature of the motherboard. It is a unit of storage which is reliant on hardware. It can be determined by the memory access controller and the CPU. It is also part of the cache memory. It is designed to handle information transfers independently.

The Front Side Bus Speed (in addition to being part of the processor) is a main part of the motherboard. It is vital consideration when you are looking into purchasing a new computer as it can achieve speeds of 400 MHz and it can deal with such errors as data corruption amongst others.

The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is a socket-to-socket station which allows for the attachment of a video card to the motherboard to support n the quickening of 3D acceleration graphics (for example CD-ROMs). It’s especially useful for 3D video, graphic programming and gaming. AGP offers high-speed data transfer to and from RAM. It runs at a speed much faster than Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), which allows for a greater transfer rate.

Some motherboards come with combined components. One of these components is a sound card. This is an internal device which controls every sound that the computer makes. So if the computer has no sounds then it’s a safe bet that you won’t be able to hear anything on your computer. Sound cards are more than likely come with different specifications. These specifications can allow for better surround sound or a higher frequency. Sound cards that are built into motherboards often lack on quality if the intention is create digital music.

A Graphic card (sometimes known as a video card) is also an internal device capable which controls the display on the screen. They usually come with their own RAM on-board unless they are built into the motherboard. The built in graphic cards use the systems main RAM as their own RAM. The amount of RAM assigned is usually predetermined by the computer’s BIOS setup. Like the sound card if a motherboard has no graphic card then it more than likely won’t work.

In not-so rare cases the motherboard has a built in MODEM. The modem is as communications device that has the sole purpose of connecting to the internet or other networks. Some modems are internal and use a PCI interface that connects to the motherboard. Others are external and comes with its own power supply.

As I have said earlier the motherboard has both internal and external connectors. A type of internal connectors is Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) is a bus that attaches hardware devices in a computer. The devices are either fitted onto the motherboard or on an expansion card. PCI’s are common in most PC’s.

Another internal connector is internal memory (simply known as memory). Memory is the only component that is directed to the CPU without the usage of the computer input-output. It usually involves a number of different types of storage.

A type of external connectors is the keyboard. The keyboard is the most popular device for computer input. There is a selection of keys dedicated to each letter of the alphabet and numbers from 0-9 amongst others. It is used to type text into a word processor type application.

Another type of external connector is the mouse. A mouse is a type of pointing device that is used by motion. The mouse looks like a cursor on the screen. A mouse features other elements such as the wheel.

BIOS

The Basic Input/ Output System is a gathering of software that becomes a part of the operating system. It is, more often than not, on a Read Only Memory (ROM) chip that comes alongside the computer calling it the ROM BIAS. As it is part of the ROM, the BIOS is not damaged by power failure. Its main function is to boot the PC when it is switched on. So in retrospect if a computer has no BIOS then the computer will never work. The BIOS checks the hardware configuration against the configuration data as well as preparing and categorising system devices such as the video display card, keyboard amongst others. The BIOs also has a user interface (UI) which is a menu accepted by pressing a key on the keyboard. This can:

• Set the systems clock
• Enable or disable system components
• Arrange hardware

Power Supply

The Power Supply Unit (PSU) supplies power to various mechanisms of the PC. It is one of the most vital parts of the PC because if there is no power then the computer is useless. There are two very different types of power, Internal and External. The internal power has either 5V or 12V of Direct Current whilst the external power provides between 110-220V of AC.

Fans

The fan of the computer is also a major part of the computer even if it looks like it is trivial part. Often with the extensive use of a computer or a laptop the chips and vital components inside the computer begins to overheat and if it gets to a certain point they can and will fail. That is where the fan comes in. The fan keeps the power supply cool so the computer keeps working.

Heat sink is a component that transfers the generated heat into air or liquid. The same heat syncs found in Computer and Laptops in Fridges and radiators. It is designed to cool the computer when it gets too hot. They must be designed in a way that the air can reach all points of the computer because of it doesn’t there is a high risk of damage to the computer. There are two types of heatsink:

• Passive: Attaching a block of metal to the part that needs cooling. They are usually found in old CPU’s and low-power computers.
• Active: For the most part, it is the same as passive but with the addition of a fan. They are the primary method of cooling modern processors

Hard Drive and its configuration

The Hard Disk Drive (sometimes known simply as Hard Drive) is a digital data storage device. It more than likely located within the processor box although there is an external hard drive which can be used as a backup device or as extra storage. Hard Drives are IDE devices.

IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics. It is an interface between a between the computer motherboard’s data paths. The IDE can support two drives:

• Master Drive- handles all data on the IDE cable
• Slave Drive- sees only data that the master drive passes to it.

SATA stands for the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. This is a bus interface for connecting bus adapters to storage devices.

Ports

A port is the interface between two computers. There are several making the outlet to provide a signal transfer between the two devices.

A Universal Serial Bus (USB) used for connection and communication between computers. It has become common place amongst many electrical devices.

Serial Ports are a communication interface in which data is transferred through computer devices such as terminals. Serial Ports are still used in modern day technology but with the recent rise in USBs, the serial ports are starting to look like they are being replaced.

Parallel Ports are a type of interface for connecting peripherals. It’s still the first choice for connecting to Printers but as with Serial Ports, Parallel Ports are beginning to be replaced by USBs.

Peripherals

• Printers- A printer is a peripheral that produces text and graphics onto paper. Many are attached by cable but newer ones can be attached by USB. They have built in interfaces and are typically wireless

• Plotters- A plotter is a printing device solely for the use of graphics. They are the first choice for printing large drawings.

• Digital Camera- A Digital Camera is a camera that takes still photos or videos either electronically or digitally. It is common place in the 21st century as film cameras cannot show the picture mere seconds after taking it among other things that the digital camera can do.

• Scanners- A scanner converts an object, image or text into a digital image. There are a variety of scanners ranging from hand-held to 3D.

• How to configure a Digital Camera:

1. Install the batteries according to the instruction manual
2. Insert the memory in the camera (wait for the click, don’t force it in)
3. Set the time and date on the menu
4. Adjust compression settings using the menu
5. Take your first photos and videos!

Memory
(Include RAM & ROM)

Internal Memory is used for two purposes.

1. Store the data the program works on
2. Store programs that are being run

Within the PC there are two main types of memory.

1. RAM (Random Access Memory) (Volatile)
2. ROM (Read Only Memory) (Non- Volatile)

Volatile memory loses data when the power is switched off. If you are put into a position where you have to restart your computer, whatever work you have changed since the last time it was saved will be lost. RAM and ROM are measured in Gigabytes (GB).

RAM chips provide a form of memory that offers access time. Programmes that are stored in RAM are called software and can be overwritten. A larger amount of RAM means more space and less time spent swapping pages.

ROM is non-volatile memory meaning if the computer is turned off the data will never be lost. It stores data called firmware that is needed for when you next to the computer on.

NIC

NIC stands for Network Interface Cards are hardware which allows for a computer to connect to a computer network. The NIC implements the electronic circuitry which is needed for the computer to communicate. In the past they used to operate on expansion card but now the vast majority of computers have the NIC connected to the motherboard.

Graphics Cards

A Graphic card (sometimes known as a video card) is also an internal device capable which controls the display on the screen. They usually come with their own RAM on-board unless they are built into the motherboard. The built in graphic cards use the systems main RAM as their own RAM. The amount of RAM assigned is usually predetermined by the computer’s BIOS setup. Like the sound card if a motherboard has no graphic card then it more than likely won’t work.

Optical Media

Optical media refers to storage media disks that are read by a laser. It usually does not have a fast seek time like a hard drive. Types of Optical Media include the compact disks (CDs) and Digital Versatile Discs. The capacity ranges up to 6 gigabytes compared to 1.44 megabytes of magnetic media like the floppy disk.

Memory Media

Compact Flash (CF) is a storage device format for portable electronic devices. It uses flash memory to store data. It is one of the oldest formats and is predominantly used in cameras.

A flash drive is a storage device combining flash memory with a Universal Serial Bus. They are removable and you are able to delete data that is stored on it. It works traditionally in the same ways as a floppy disk but it is much smaller and has a bigger capacity.

References

Wikipedia
Edexcel- Information Technology Level 3 Book 1
Ehow.com
Google Images
HelpwithPCs.com
Answers.com
searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com
dummies.com
techterms.com

-- AH Walker - aj_dangun@hotmail.co.uk