Module 1 (HARDWARE) Computer Systems Servicing

COMPUTER SYSTEMS SERVICING NCII

What is Computer?
A computer is defined as a device that accepts input, processes data, stores data, and produces output.
It consists of input, storage, and output devices. A typical computer system comprises hardware and software.

Computer Categories
1. Mainframe – is a large and expensive computer that is capable of simultaneously processing data for
hundreds or thousands of users. (1940s)
2. Supercomputer – one of the fastest computers in the world. (1960s)
3. Handheld Computers- is a very small computer — usually weighing less than a pound — that you can
hold comfortably in your hand or carry in a jacket pocket. (1980s)
4. Servers - A server is a powerful computer that acts as a central resource for a number of other
computers that are connected to it.
5. Personal Computers (microcomputer) – are the computers typically used by a single user, for use in the
home or office. (1980s)

Personal Computer
Types of PC
1. Desktop - A desktop is by far the most common type of computer. Most desktop systems come with a
separate computer case, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. On older desktops, the computer case lies flat
on the desk with the monitor sitting on top.
2. Laptop - A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display,
a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, and/or a pointing stick), speakers,
and often including a battery, into a single small and light unit.
3. Notebook - A notebook is a mobile computer with a full sized keyboard and a flip up monitor. It does
not have space for built in optical or floppy disk drives but instead provides communication ports so that
an external drive can be connected. This allows a notebook to be much thinner than a laptop.
4. Netbook - A netbook or mini PC is a mobile computer with a keyboard smaller than full size (some are
less than half the size) and a flip up monitor. It also does not have space for built in storage drives but
does provide ports for connecting an external drive. Netbook can have a screen up to 10 inches from
corner to corner
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5. Tablet PC - A mobile computer without a keyboard. It has a monitor that forms one side of the device.
The monitor is touch sensitive and can present a virtual keyboard when input is required.
6. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) - is a handheld device designed to help people organize their lives while
on the move. While the original PDAs were somewhat limited to storing addresses, phone numbers,
calendar appointments, and task lists, modern PDAs often work as a cell phone and fax, provide Internet
connectivity, and much more.

How a computer works?

input process output

storage

HARDWARE
Input devices
1. Mouse - device used to point to and select items on your computer screen. Although mice come in
many shapes, the typical mouse does look a bit like an actual mouse
2. Keyboard - is used mainly for typing text into your computer. Like the keyboard on a typewriter, it has
keys for letters and numbers, but it also has special keys
3. Webcam - is the loosely used term for any camera that generates images that can be accessed by and
displayed on the world wide web through a server. A webcam is essentially just a camera that is
connected to a computer
4. Scanner - Computer peripheral or a stand-alone device that converts a document, film, graphic, or
photograph to a digital image, manipulable through an appropriate software
5. Microphone - device that converts sound waves into analogous electrical waves
6. Graphic tablet - is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images and graphics,
similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to
capture data or handwritten signatures.

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Output devices
1. Speaker - device connected to a computer's sound card that outputs sounds generated by the computer
2. Printer - is a computer peripheral device that produces a hard copy (permanent human-readable text
and/or graphics, usually on paper) from data stored in a computer connected to it
a. Inkjet printer
b. Dot Matrix Printer
c. Laser Printer
3. Monitor - A monitor displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The portion of the
monitor that displays the information is called the screen.
a. LCD –Liquid Crystal Display
b. CRT – Cathode Ray Tube
c. LED – Light Emitting Diode
4. Plotter - The plotter was the first computer output device that could print graphics as well as
accommodate full-size engineering and architectural drawings.

Processing
1. Random Access Memory (RAM) - is a form of computer data storage. A random-access device allows
stored data to be accessed in very nearly the same amount of time for any storage location, so data can
be accessed quickly in any random order.
2. Central Processing Unit (CPU) - is the hardware within a computer system which carries out the
instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output
operations of the system.

Storage Devices
1. Hard disk drive (HDD) - computer's primary means of storage, holding almost all of your programs and
files. The hard disk drive is normally located inside the system unit.
2. Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) - is a computer disk drive that enables a user to save data to removable
diskettes.
3. Optical Disk Drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light or electromagnetic waves within or near the
visible light spectrum as part of the process of reading or writing data to or from optical discs. Some
drives can only read from discs, but recent drives are commonly both readers and recorders, also called

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burners or writers. Compact discs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs are common types of optical media which can
be read and recorded by such drives.
4. Flash drive - is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus
(USB) interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller
than a floppy disk.

Parts of Personal Computer

Parts of Keyboard

Parts of Mouse

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Parts of System Unit

1. CPU
2. RAM
3. ODD
4. HDD
5. FDD
6. Motherboard (Mobo)
7. Power Supply

The Front Panel

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The Back Panel

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Parts of Motherboard

1. CPU Socket
2. Memory Slot or RAM Slot
3. 24 Pin Power Connector
4. 4 Pin Power Connector
5. North Bridge Chipset
6. South Bridge Chipset
7. IDE Connector
8. FDD Connector
9. SATA Connector
10. Front Panel Headers
11. Audio Headers
12. USB Headers
13. PCIE Slot or AGP Slot
14. PCI Slot
15. CMOS Battery slot
16. Back Panel Ports
17. Jumpers
18. CPU Fan Connector

Acronyms

1. IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics

2. PS2 - Personal System/2
3. SATA – Serial Advance Technology Attachment
4. PATA – Parallel Advance Technology Attachment
5. USB – Universal Serial Bus
6. CMOS – Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
7. PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect
8. PCIE - Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
9. AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port
10. BIOS – Basic Input-Output System
11. VGA – Video Graphics Array
12. HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface
13. DVI – Digital Visual Interface
14. DDR – Double Data Rate
15. DIMM - Dual In-Line Memory Module