Introduction to the

Personal Computer
Hardware side
Sections & Objectives
• Safe Lab Procedures
• Explain procedures to protect people
• Explain procedures to protect Equipment and Data
• Explain procedures to protect the environment
• PC Components
• Explain how personal computer systems work together
• Select appropriate computer components
• Explain how hardware is configured for task-specific computers
• Describe input/output devices
• Assemble the computer
• Build a Computer
Safe Lab Procedures
Safe Lab Procedures

Procedures to Protect People

• General Safety
• Make sure a first-aid kit is available.
• Unsecured cables create tripping hazards.
• Food and drinks should not be in the workspace.
• Remove jewelry.
• Electrical Safety
• Computer power supplies are dangerous when disassembled.
• Watch for printer areas that are hot or that use high voltage.
• Check the voltage output of AC adapters and chargers before
connecting them to devices.
• Fire Safety
• Turn off the power and unplug equipment before performing service.
• Different types of fires require different types of fire extinguishers;
make sure to use to correct one.
• Be alert for odors emitting from computers and electronic devices.
Safe Lab Procedures

Procedures to Protect Equipment

and Data
• ESD and EMI
• ESD can cause damage to computer
equipment if not discharged properly.
• ESD can build up on you as you walk on a
carpeted floor.
• EMI distorts the signals, degrading computer
communication.
• EMI can be generated by large motors, power
lines, electrical storms, or any other source of
electromagnetic energy.
• Wireless networks are affected by RFI.
• RFI is caused by radio transmitters transmitting
in the same frequency.
• Environmental temperature and humidity
levels also affect computers
Safe Lab Procedures
Procedures to Protect Equipment and Data
(Cont.)
• Power Fluctuation Types
• Power fluctuations may impact the operation of
computer components.
• Blackouts, brownouts, noise, spike and power
surge are types of power fluctuations that can
cause data loss or hardware failure.
• Power Protection Devices
• Surge suppressors, UPSs, SPSs are devices
designed to protect computer systems from
power fluctuations.
• Laser printers should not be plugged to UPSs
Safe Lab Procedures

Procedures to Protect the

Environment
• Safety Data Sheet
• Use an SDS to obtain information about a material,
including procedures for proper disposal.
• The SDS contains information on the material’s
composition, how it can affect personal health, fire
hazards, and first-aid requirements.
• It also includes protective measures for the safe
handling and storage of materials and spill, leak, and
disposal procedures.
• Equipment Disposal
• Computer equipment contains hazardous materials
and should be properly disposed.
• Follow regulations to protect the environment and
avoid fines.
• Batteries, monitors, toner kits, cartridges,
developers, chemical solvents and aerosol cans are
examples of equipment that must be properly
disposed.
PC Components
PC Components

Cases
• The case houses the internal components such as the
power supply, motherboard, central processing unit (CPU),
memory, disk drives, and assorted adapter cards.
• The term form factor refers to the physical design and look
of a case. Common desktop computers are available in form
factors including:
➢ Horizontal case
➢ Full-Size Tower Many case manufacturers may have their own naming
➢ Compact Tower conventions, including super tower, full tower, mid
➢ All-in-one tower, mini tower, cube case, and more.
PC Components

Power Supplies
• Computers use a power supply to convert AC power into a
lower voltage DC power required by internal components.
• Desktop computer power supply form factors include:

• Advanced Technology (AT) – original power supply for

legacy computer systems

• AT Extended (ATX) – updated version of the AT

• ATX12V – the most common power supply on the

market today

• EPS12V – originally designed for network servers but is

now commonly used in high-end desktop models.
PC Components

Connectors
• A power supply includes several different
connectors. They are used to power various
internal components such as the motherboard
and disk drives.
• Some examples are:
• 20-pin or 24-pin slotted connector
• SATA keyed connector
• Molex keyed connector
• Berg keyed connector
• 4-pin to 8-pin auxiliary power connector
• 6/8-pin PCIe power connector
PC Components

Power Supply Voltage

• The different connectors in a power supply also provide different voltages.
• The most common voltages supplied are 3.3 volts, 5 volts, and 12 volts.
• The 3.3 volt and 5 volt supplies are typically used by digital circuits, while the 12 volt
supply is used to run motors in disk drives and fans.

▪ Power supplies can also be single rail, dual

rail, or multi rail.
▪ A rail is the printed circuit board (PCB) inside
the power supply to which the external cables
are connected.

A computer can tolerate slight fluctuations in

power, but a significant deviation can cause the
power supply to fail.
PC Components

Motherboards

• The motherboard is the backbone of the

computer.
• It is a printed circuit board (PCB) that
contains buses, or electrical pathways, that
interconnect electronic components.
• These components may be soldered
directly to the motherboard, or added using
sockets, expansion slots, and ports.
PC Components

Motherboard Components
• Major components on a motherboard
include:
• Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Expansion slots
• Chipset
• Basic input/output system (BIOS) chip
and Unified Extensible Firmware
Interface (UEFI) chip
• SATA connectors
• Internal USB connector
PC Components

Motherboard Chipset
• Chipset consists of the integrated circuits on
the motherboard that control how system
hardware interacts with the CPU and
motherboard.
• Most chipsets consist of the following two
types:
• Northbridge – Controls high speed access to
the RAM and video card.
• Southbridge – Allows the CPU to
communicate with slower speed devices
including hard drives, Universal Serial Bus
(USB) ports, and expansion slots.
PC Components

Motherboard Form Factors

• The form factor of motherboards pertains to the size and shape of
the board.
• There are three common motherboard form factors: Advanced
Technology eXtended (ATX), Micro-ATX, and ITX.

The choice of motherboard form factor determines how individual components

attach to it, the type of power supply required, and the shape of the computer case.
PC Components

What is CPU?
• The central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for interpreting and executing commands.

• The CPU is a small microchip that resides within a CPU package .

▪ The CPU socket is the connection between the
motherboard and the processor.
▪ Modern CPU sockets and processor packages are built
in following architectures:
• Pin Grid Array (PGA) - the pins are on the underside of the
processor package and is inserted into the motherboard CPU
socket.
• Land Grid Array (LGA) - the pins are in the socket instead of
on the processor.
PC Components

Cooling Systems
• Computer components perform better when kept cool.
• Computers are kept cool using active and passive cooling solutions.

▪ Active solutions require power while passive solutions do not.

▪ Passive solutions for cooling usually

involve reducing the speed at which
a component is operating or adding
heat sinks to computer chips.
▪ A case fan is considered as active
cooling.
PC Components

Types of Memory
• A computer might use different types of memory chips.
• All memory chips store data in the form of bytes.
• A byte is a block of eight bits stored as either 0 or 1 in the memory chip.
• Read-Only Memory (ROM) – such as ROM chip.

▪ Random Access Memory (RAM) is the temporary

working storage for data and programs that are being
accessed by the CPU. RAM is volatile memory.
▪ Adding more RAM in a computer enhances the
system performance. However, the maximum amount
of RAM that can be installed is limited by the
motherboard.
PC Components

Types of RAM
• Types of Random Access Memory (RAM) include:
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
• Static RAM (SRAM)
• Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM)
• Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR
SDRAM)
• DDR2 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR2 SDRAM)
• DDR3 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR3 SDRAM)
• DDR4 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR4 SDRAM)
• GDDR Synchronous Dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM)
 PC Components

Adapter Cards
▪ Adapter cards increase the functionality of a computer by adding controllers for
specific devices or by replacing malfunctioning ports.

▪ Common adapter cards include:

• Sound adapter
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Wireless NIC
• Video adapter or display adapter
• Capture card
• TV tuner card
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller card
• eSATA card
PC Components

Adapter Cards (Cont.)

▪ Computers have expansion slots on the motherboard to install adapter cards.

▪ The type of adapter card connector must match the expansion slot.

▪ Common expansion slots include:

• Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
• Mini-PCI
• PCI eXtended (PCI-X)
• PCI Express (PCIe)
• Riser card
• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
PC Components

Types of Storage Devices

▪ Data drives provide non-volatile storage of data.

▪ Some drives have fixed media, and other drives have removable media.

▪ Data storage devices can be classified

according to the media on which the data
is stored:
• Magnetic – like hard disk drive and tape
drive
• Solid state – like solid state drive
• Optical – like CD and DVD
PC Components

Magnetic Media Storage

▪ This type of storage represents binary values as magnetized or non-magnetized
physical areas of magnetic media.
▪ Common types of magnetic media storage
drives:
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD) – the traditional
magnetic disk devices with storage capacity
ranging from gigabytes (GBs) to terabytes
(TBs).
• Tape Drive – most often used for archiving data.
• Tape drives use a magnetic read/write head and
removable tape cartridge.
• Common tape storage capacities vary between a few
GBs to many TBs.
PC Components

Semiconductor Storage
▪ Solid-state drives (SSD) store data as electrical charges in semiconductor flash
memory. This makes SSDs much faster than magnetic HDDs.
▪ SSDs have no moving parts, make no noise, are more energy efficient, and produce
less heat than HDDs.
▪ SSDs come in three form factors:
• Disc drive form factor – like an HDD
• Expansion cards – plugs directly into the
motherboard and mounts in the computer
case like other expansion cards
• mSata or M.2 modules – these packages
may use a special socket. M.2 is a
standard for computer expansion cards.
PC Components

Types of Optical Storage Devices

▪ Optical drives are removable media storage devices that use lasers to read and
write data on optical media.
▪ They were developed to overcome the storage capacity limitations of removable
magnetic media such as floppy discs.

▪ There are three types of optical drives:

• Compact Disc (CD) - audio and data
• Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) - digital
video and data
• Blu-ray Disc (BD) - HD digital video and
data
PC Components

Video Ports and Cables

▪ A video port connects a monitor to a computer using a cable.

▪ Video ports and monitor cables transfer analog signals, digital signals, or both.

▪ Video ports and cables include:

• Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
• DisplayPort
• High-Definition Multimedia Interface
(HDMI)
• Thunderbolt 1 or 2
• Thunderbolt 3
• Video Graphics Array (VGA)
• Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
PC Components

Other Ports and Cables

▪ Input/output (I/O) ports on a computer connect peripheral devices, such as printers,
scanners, and portable drives.

▪ A computer may have other ports:

• Personal System 2 (PS/2)
• Audio and game port
• Network
• Serial AT Attachment (SATA)
• Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
• The Universal Serial Bus (USB)
PC Components

Adapters and Converters

▪ There are many connection standards in use today. These components are called
adapters and converters:
• Converter – performing the same function as an adapter but also translates the signals from
one technology to the other.
• Adapter – physically connecting one technology to another

▪ Example of adapters include:

• DVI to VGA Adapter
• USB to Ethernet adapter
• USB to PS/2 adapter
• DVI to HDMI adapter
• Molex to SATA adapter
• HDMI to VGA converter
PC Components

The Original Input Devices

▪ Input devices all the user to communicate with a computer.

▪ Some of the first input devices include:

• Keyboard and Mouse – these are the two most used input devices
• ADF / Flatbed Scanner – these devices digitize an image or document
• Joystick and Gamepad – these devices are used for playing games
• KVM Switch – a hardware device that can be used to control more than one computer
while using a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse
PC Components

New Input Devices

▪ Some new input devices include touch screen, stylus, magnetic strip reader, and
barcode scanner:
• Touch screen – input devices with touch or pressure sensitive screens
• Stylus – a type of digitizer that allows a designer or artist to create artwork by using a pen-
like tool
• Magnetic strip reader – a device that reads information magnetically encoded on the back of
plastic cards
• Barcode scanner – a device that reads the information contained in the barcodes affixed to
products
PC Components

More New Input Devices

▪ A few newer input devices:
• Digital camera – devices that capture digital images and videos
• Webcams – video cameras that can be integrated into a computer
• Signature pad– a device that electronically captures a person’s signature
• Smart card reader – a device used on a computer to authenticate the user. A smart card may
be the size of a credit card with an embedded microprocessor that is typically under a gold
contact pad on one side of the card.
• Microphone – a device that allows a user to speak into a computer and have their voice
digitized
PC Components

Most Recent Input Devices

▪ The newest input devices include NFC devices and terminals, facial recognition
scanners, fingerprint scanners, voice recognition scanners, and virtual reality
headsets:
• NFC devices and terminals – Near Field Communication (NFC) tap to pay devices
• Facial recognition scanners – devices identifying a user based on unique facial features
• Fingerprint scanners – devices identifying a user based on unique fingerprint
• Voice recognition scanners – devices identifying a user based on unique voice
• Virtual reality headset – used with computer games, simulators, and training applications
with virtual reality functionalities.
PC Components

What are Output Devices?

▪ An output device takes binary information from the computer and converts it into a
form that is easily understood by the user.
▪ Examples of output devices include monitors, projectors, VR headsets, printers,
speakers, and headphones.
PC Components

Monitors and Projectors

▪ Most monitors use one of three types of technology:
• Liquid crystal display (LCD)
• Light-emitting diode (LED)
• Organic LED (OLED)

▪ Most video projectors use LCD or DLP technology.

• DLP stands for Digital Light Processing
• Different projectors have different numbers of lumens, which affects the
level of brightness of the projected image.
PC Components

VR and AR Headsets
▪ Virtual Reality (VR) uses computer technology to create a
simulated, three-dimensional environment.
▪ A VR headset completely encases the upper portion of users’
faces, not allowing in any ambient light from their
surroundings.

▪ Augmented Reality (AR) uses similar technology but

superimposes images and audio over the real world in real
time.
▪ AR can provide users with immediate access to information
about their real surroundings.
▪ An AR headset usually does not close off ambient light to
users, allowing them to see their real life surroundings.
PC Components

Printers
▪ Printers are output devices that create hard
copies of files.
▪ A hard copy might be a on a sheet of paper. It
could also be a plastic form created from a 3D
printer.

▪ Different types of printers:

• Inkjet, impact, thermal, laser, and 3D printers
• Printers use wired or wireless connections
• All printers require printing material (such as ink,
toner, liquid plastic, etc.)
• Printers use a driver to communicate with OS
PC Components

Speakers and Headphones

▪ Speakers are a type of auditory output device.

▪ Most computers and mobile devices have audio support either integrated
into the motherboard or on an adapter card.
▪ Headphones, earbuds, and the earphones found in headsets are all
auditory output devices.
▪ These may be wired or wireless. Some are Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled.
 Configurations for
Specialized Computer
Systems
Configurations for Specialized Computer Systems

Specialized Computer Systems

• Thick and Thin Clients
• Thin clients have little processing power and are
designed to act as a terminal to a server (thick
client).
• Thick clients have more powerful CPUs, more
memory and their own storage. They serve as
processing stations for thin clients.
• CAx Workstations
• Designed to support CAD and CAM applications.
• Plenty of RAM, fast disks, powerful CPU and special
input devices are common resources.
• Audio and Video Editing Workstations
• Common editing workstation resources include much
RAM, fast disks, powerful CPU and special adapter
cards such as audio and video capture.
Configurations for Specialized Computer Systems

Specialized Computer Systems (Cont.)

• Virtualization Workstations
• These workstations are designed to run virtual computers
• Virtual computers use and share the workstation’s physical
resources such as CPU, memory and disks.
• The selection of physical resources will depend on the number
and purpose of the virtual machines.
• Gaming PCs
• Due to high resource requirements of modern games, gaming
PCs are very resource demanding.
• A few requirements of gaming PCs are: top end CPU, lots of fast
RAM, fast disks, high performance input devices and audio
systems.
• Home Theatre PCs
• These computers must be able to play various media formats
and, in some cases, receive TV signals.
• Common HTPC requirements include powerful CPU, fast RAM,
large disks, fast NIC and video card with TV input.
Assemble the Computer
Assemble the Computer
Open the Case and Connect the Power
Supply
• Open the Case
• Prepare the workspace before opening the computer case.
• There are also different methods for opening cases.
• Consult the case’s documentation to learn how to open a computer
case.
• Install the Power Supply
• Modern cases include a specific area for the power supply.
• Consult the case and power supply’s manuals for more information.
• Secure the power supply to the case using the proper screws.
• Make sure that all the screws are in place and tightened correctly.
• Use a cable tie to secure all the cables out of the way.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Motherboard
• Install the CPU, Heatsink and Fan Assembly
• Install the CPU and the heat sink and fan
assembly on the motherboard before the
motherboard is placed in the computer case.
• CPU and motherboard are highly sensitive to ESD.
• Use the markings on the CPU and motherboard to
properly align and install the CPU.
• Thermal compounds help dissipating CPU heat
and are strongly recommended.
• Heat sinks and fans should also be properly
aligned for correct installation.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Motherboard (Cont.)
• Install RAM
• RAM may be installed on the motherboard before the
motherboard is installed in the computer case.
• RAM is highly sensitive to ESD.
• Use the documentation provided with the motherboard
and RAM for more information on RAM installation.
• RAM is designed to install in one specific direction.
Make sure to check the markings before applying
pressure.
• Install the Motherboard
• When the CPU, heat sink, fan and RAM are installed
on the motherboard, the motherboard can install in the
case.
• Use proper plastic standoffs to securely install the
motherboard in the case and avoid short circuits.
• The I/O connectors on the back of the motherboard
should be aligned with the openings in the I/O plate.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Drives
• Install the Internal Drive
• Internal drives are installed in empty hard drive
bays found in the case.
• The empty bay must match the drive’s size.
• Leave some space between the drives when
installing multiple drives.
• The drive’s metal plate should face up to allow
better heat dissipation.
• Install the Optical Drive
• Commonly installed in 5.25 inch (13.34 cm.) drive
bays
• Optical drives are accessed from the front of the
case.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Adapter Cards
• Types of Adapter Cards
• Examples of adapter cards include: video, Ethernet and wireless
network, sound, TV tuner, video capture, external ports such as
USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt.
• PCI and PCIe are two common slots for adapter cards.
• Install a Wireless NIC
• Commonly use PCI or PCIe expansion slots or USB connectors.
• Locate an empty expansion slot and follow the manufacturer
instructions for proper installation.
• Install a Video Adapter Card
• Commonly uses PCI, AGP or PCIe expansion slots.
• Many video cards require an external power supply.
• Due to their cooling systems, modern video cards take more
space inside the case. Be sure to plan for the extra space
needed.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Cables
• Connect Power to Motherboard
• Motherboards require power to operate.
• Motherboards also relay power to components and adapter cards.
• Refer to the motherboard and power supply documentation to ensure
compatibility of power supply and motherboard connectors.
• Modern motherboards require two power connectors for operation.
• Align the proper connectors and press it down against the motherboard.
• Remember: If it is difficult to plug in a cable or other part, something is
wrong. Do not use more force.
▪ Connect Power to the Internal Drive and Case Fans
• Some drives accept different power connectors for
compatibility.
• 4-pin Molex and 15-pin SATA are common hard drive
connectors.
• Align the proper connectors and gently press it against the
other end.
• Fans also need power and use 3-pin or 4-pin connectors.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Cables (Cont.)
▪ Connect the Internal Data Cables
• The internal and optical drives typically connect
to the motherboard through SATA cables.
• SATA are keyed to fit in only one direction. They
also have locking tabs.
• Locate the SATA socket on the motherboard,
align the connector and press it gently to
connect.

▪ Install the Front Panel Cables

• Most of the case’s front panel controls, ports and
connectors also connect to the motherboard.
• Front panel cables and connected are usually
not keyed.
• The front panel cables that must be connected
to the motherboard include: power button, reset
button, status LEDs and the speakers.
Assemble the Computer
Install the Cables (Cont.)
▪ Reassemble the Case
• Double-check cables and components to
ensure that all are correctly installed.
• Secure case cover screws.
• Watch for small wires hanging off the case
to avoid pinching them.

▪ Install the External Cables

• The power cable should be the last cable to
be connected.
• External cables include: video cable, USB
cables, network cable, speakers and
microphones.
Chapter Summary