1.

0 Introduction to Personal
Computers
.0.1 Introduction
Complete 1.0.1.1 Welcome
1.0.1.1 Welcome
People prepare for work in the information technology fields by earning certifications,
seeking formal education, and by experience through internships and jobs. In this
chapter, you will learn about all the components that make up a PC starting with the
case that houses all of the internal components. Computers, computer components,
and computer peripherals all contain hazards that can cause severe injury. Therefore,
this chapter begins with safety guidelines that you should follow to prevent electrical
fires, injuries, and fatalities while working inside a computer. You will also learn about
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and how it can damage computer equipment if it is not
discharged properly.

This chapter will introduce you to all of the components that go inside of a computer
case starting with the motherboard. You will learn about all the internal components that
are connected to the motherboard, including the power supply, the central processing
unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), expansion cards, and storage drives. You
will also learn about the connectors, ports, and cables that physically connect the
devices to the motherboard.

It is important to not only learn about computer components but also build hands-on
skills. In this chapter you will have a in which you will disassemble a computer so that
you can become more familiar with all of the components and how they are connected.

1.1 Personal Computer Safety

Video Explanation –
What is in a Computer? (5.5 min) Hello everyone. Let's take a look at what's inside of a computer. Now
to start it off, computers have changed drastically. What we can see here, is this little computer can do
everything we see on my desk right now. We can connect to speakers and monitor, keyboard and mouse
and even a webcam and a microphone. They used to take a room, just full of mainframes, to do what
this little single-board computer can do. Also our computers are drastically changing, because now we
have integrated computers and smart watches and even health and fitness trackers. It's astounding
where we're at now. So let's talk about what a computer does. A computer's going to take input. And by
taking input, it's then going to store it in memory. It'll be processed and then be provided as output. So
let's chat about it. We've got these input devices here. I've got a keyboard and a mouse. I've got a
microphone. Then I've got output. I've got speakers. Here, I have my monitor. Also there's another input
device sitting right here staring at me. It's my webcam. That's going to take in data as well. So let's
change it up and talk about some of the other components in a computer. So those components on the
outside got to connect somewhere. So we can take a look at this, box. People call it a box. It's a
computer case, it's a computer tower. Or you can just call it, the box. We take a look at the box, you can
take a look at the front of our box. And you'll find that we have USB ports, to plug in our components on
the outside, like keyboard and mice. You got a headphone for speaker out. You got a microphone in
port. You've got this optical drive, for those people who still use CDs. Which you never know. Now
besides the front of the box, you can take a look at the back of the box. And the back of our box here,
we can see a variety of different items. We've got the power supply to plug in the computer case and
power everything going on. We've got these adapter cards here, that gives us extra functionality. One
here is for networking and internet. The other one's for display, to give us multiple monitors. And
besides all that, down below, we've got these connectors here, that hook to the system board. I've got
some for the microphone. I've got something for a speaker. For external line in, to put those high-
powered audio and send it into the computer system. I've got multiple display ports here, regarding
VGA, DVI. Some cool ways to output to, again, monitors. Now these thing aren't as powerful as this
graphics card here. That graphics card there, well, that would be something like this. Something big and
beefy to play your games. To do things such as virtual reality and 3D. You name it, that's where that
goes. Now these graphics card ports here, it's built into the motherboard. Not as powerful. Down below,
I've got four USB ports to connect more external devices and components. And I also got a built in
networking jack. Why two networking jacks? Because one might be built into the system board and
another one might be awesome for gaming and high performance. Let's take a look at the inside of this
case and see what else we have going on here. Let's get inside the box. So we'll take off this side panel
here and we'll get into the internals of our computer system. So we take a look at the inside of this
computer system and one of the first things we see is this fan here. And this fan is sitting on top of these
fins. And these fins have one job. To keep the CPU underneath cool. That CPU is going to be executing
instructions and running programs. And that CPU's going to get really hot, really fast. That heat's going
to go to these fins. And this fan here is going to cool down those fins. Now what's that CPU doing? Well
as our computer system takes an input, it's going to be taking in information. That information is going
to be processed, through that CPU. And it's going to be stored in things like this hard-drive here, or right
here, on these memory sticks. So these memory sticks, they're called RAM. And these RAM sticks here,
are going to temporarily store data so it can be executed faster, by our CPU. When we store data
permanently, it'll be put on this hard-drive over Video Explanation - What is in a Computer?  2019 -
2019 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public Page 2 of 2 www.netacad.com here,
which is a solid-state drive. An example of that, would be my solid-state drive, right here. These
solidstate drives are going to retain data and be able to read and write data very fast. Now besides that,
we have some expansion cards here. And these are going to be our graphics card and that network card
we saw earlier. These are in expansion slots, which gives us more functionality. It adds more to our
system board. Where's the system board? Well that system board is this entire motherboard down
below. Which is attached into our computer case. This motherboard is full of different components and
capacitors and circuitry. It allows our entire computer system to be able to be sending and receiving
data. At the top here, I got an optical drive. That optical drive, uses those old-style CD/DVD discs. Yup,
that can temporarily store data, on a CD or DVD. Up here, this is our power supply. This is providing
power down to all the components within the system. Including the main board itself, that system
board. This power supply will attach to your wall outlet and give you the power needed to run all of your
components inside. Whether you have a small graphics card or you're dropping in the latest and
greatest beefy ones, in order to run anything you want to throw at your system. Including gaming.
Homework assignments as well as business and productivity. So get started identifying what is inside of
your computer and become an IT professional.

1.1.2 Electrical and ESD Safety

Complete 1.1.2.1 Electrical Safety
1.1.2.1 Electrical Safety
Follow electrical safety guidelines to prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities.

Some printer parts, such as power supplies, contain high voltage. Check the printer
manual for the location of high-voltage components. Some components retain a high
voltage even after the printer is turned off.

Electrical devices have certain power requirements. For example, AC adapters are
manufactured for specific laptops. Exchanging AC adapters with a different type of
laptop or device may cause damage to both the AC adapter and the laptop.

Electric equipment must be grounded. If a fault causes metal parts of the equipment to
become live with electrical current, the ground will provide a path of least resistance for
the current to flow harmlessly away. Typically computer product connect to ground via
the power plug. Large equipment such as server racks that house network devices must
also be grounded.
1.1.2.2 ESDElectrostatic discharge (ESD) can occur when there is a buildup
of an electric charge (static electricity) that exists on a surface which comes into contact
with another, differently charged surface. ESD can cause damage to computer
equipment if not discharged properly. Follow proper handling guidelines, be aware of
environmental issues, and use equipment that stabilizes power to prevent equipment
damage and data loss.

At least 3,000 volts of static electricity must build up before a person can feel ESD. For
example, static electricity can build up on you as you walk across a carpeted floor.
When you touch another person, you both receive a shock. If the discharge causes pain
or makes a noise, the charge was probably above 10,000 volts. By comparison, less
than 30 volts of static electricity can damage a computer component. Static buildup can
be discharged by touching a grounded object prior to touching any electronic
equipment. This is known as self-grounding

ESD can cause permanent damage to electrical components. Follow these

recommendations to help prevent ESD damage:

 Keep all components in antistatic bags until you are ready to install them.
 Use grounded mats on workbenches.
  Use grounded floor mats in work areas.
 Use antistatic wrist straps when working inside computers.

1.1.2.3 Check Your Understanding - ESD

Characteristics
This question component requires you to select the matching option. When you have
selected your answers select the submit button.

Match the term to the respective characteristic.

1.2 PC Components

1.2.1 Case and power supplies

Incomplete 1.2.1.1 Cases
1.2.1.1 Cases
The case of a desktop computer houses the internal components such as the power
supply, motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), memory, disk drives, and assorted
adapter cards.
Cases are typically made of plastic, steel, or aluminum and provide the framework to
support, protect, and cool the internal components. A device form factor refers to its
physical design and look. Desktop computers are available in a variety of form factors
including:

 Horizontal case
 Full-Size Tower
 Compact Tower
 All-in-one
This list is not exhaustive, as many case manufacturers have their own naming
conventions. These may include super tower, full tower, mid tower, mini tower, cube
case, and more.
Computer components tend to generate a lot of heat; therefore, computer cases contain
fans that move air through the case. As the air passes warm components, it absorbs
heat and then exits the case. This process keeps the computer components from
overheating. Cases are also designed to protect against static electricity damage. The
computer’s internal components are grounded via attachment to the case.

Note: Computer cases are also referred to as the computer chassis, cabinet, tower,
housing, or simply box.

Horizontal case
This computer case is horizontally oriented on the user's desk with the monitor often
positioned on top and was popular with early computer systems. This form factor is
often used for home theater PCs (HTPCs).

Full-Size Tower
This vertically-oriented case is typically located on the floor under, or beside, a desk or
table. It provides room for expansion to accommodate additional components such as
disk drives, adapter cards, and more.
Compact Tower
This is a smaller version of the full-size tower and is commonly found in the corporate
environment. It may also be called a mini-tower or small form factor (SFF) model. It can
be located on the user's desk or on the floor. It provides limited room for expansion.

All-in-one
All of the computer system components are integrated into the display. They often
include touch-screen input and built-in microphone and speakers. Depending on the
model, all-in-one computers offer little to no expansion capabilities. The power supply is
often external to the computer.

1.2.1.2 Power Supplies

Electricity from wall outlets is provided in alternating current (AC). However, all
components inside a computer require direct current (DC) power. To obtain DC power,
computers use a power supply, as shown here, to convert AC power into a lower
voltage DC power.

The following describes the various computer desktop power supply form factors that
have evolved over time:

 Advanced Technology (AT) – This is the original power supply for legacy
computer systems now considered obsolete.
 AT Extended (ATX) – This is the updated version of the AT but still considered
to be obsolete.
  ATX12V – This is the most common power supply on the market today. It
includes a second motherboard connector to provide dedicated power to the
CPU. There are several versions of ATX12V available.
 EPS12V – This was originally designed for network servers but is now commonly
used in high-end desktop models.

1.2.1.3 Connectors
Connectors

A power supply includes several different connectors, as shown here. These connectors
are used to power various internal components such as the motherboard and disk
drives. The connectors are “keyed” which means that they are designed to be inserted
in only one orientation.
A 20-pin or 24-pin slotted connector
• Connects to the motherboard
• The 24-pin connector has two rows of 12 pins each
• The 20-pin connector has two rows of 10 pins each

SATA keyed connector

• Connects disk drives
• Connector is wider and thinner than a Molex connector
Molex keyed connector
• Connects hard drives, optical drives, or other devices

Berg keyed connector

• Connect to legacy floppy drives
• Smaller than a Molex connector

4-pin to 8-pin auxiliary power connector

• Connector has two rows of two to four pins and supplies power to different areas of the
motherboard
• The auxiliary power connector is the same shape as the main power connector but
smaller
1.2.1.4 Power Supply Voltage
The different connectors 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
single rail has all of the connectors connected to the same PCB while a multi rail PCB
has separate PCBs for each connector.

A computer can tolerate slight fluctuations in power, but a significant deviation can
cause the power supply to fail.

1.2.1.5 Check Your Understanding - Cases

and Power Supplies
1.2.2 Motherboards
Complete 1.2.2.1 Motherboards
1.2.2.1 Motherboards
The motherboard, also known as the system board or the main board, is the backbone of the
computer. As shown in the figure, a motherboard 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.
1.2.2.2 Motherboard Components
These are some connections on the motherboard where computer components can be
added, as shown in the figure of a motherboard below.

Motherboard Connections
The connections labeled in the figure are the following:

 Central Processing Unit (CPU) - This is considered the brain of the computer.
 Random Access Memory (RAM) - This is a temporary location to store data
and applications
 Expansion slots - These provide locations to connect additional components.
 Chipset - This consists of the integrated circuits on the motherboard that control
how system hardware interacts with the CPU and motherboard. It also
establishes how much memory can be added to a motherboard and the type of
connectors on the motherboard.
 Basic input/output system (BIOS) chip and Unified Extensible Firmware
Interface (UEFI) chip - BIOS is used to help boot the computer and manage the
flow of data between the hard drive, video card, keyboard, mouse, and more. In
modern computers BIOS has been replaced by UEFI. UEFI specifies a different
firmware for boot and runtime services. Firmware is programming that allows a
computer operating system to control the hardware.
SATA

SATA, or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), is a disk drive interface used
for connecting optical drives, hard drives, and solid-state drives to the motherboard.
SATA supports hot swapping, which is the ability to replace devices without powering
off the computer.

IDE

Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) is an older standard interface for connecting disk
drives to the motherboard. IDE uses a 40-pin connector. Each IDE interface supports a
maximum of two devices.

Internal USB

A 19-pin connector is used to connect the external USB 3 ports on the computer case to
the motherboard. USB 1.1 and USB 2 connectors have 9 pins.
1.2.2.3 Motherboard Chipset
The figure illustrates how a motherboard connects various components.

Most chipsets consist of the following two types:

 Northbridge – Controls high speed access to the RAM and video card. It also
controls the speed at which the CPU communicates with all of the other
components in the computer. Video capability is sometimes integrated into the
Northbridge.
 Southbridge – Allows the CPU to communicate with slower speed devices
including hard drives, Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, and expansion slots