Unit 1: The Personal Computer

1.1 Unit Introduction

Computers contain several components and other devices that connect to them. These
components and devices all contain hazards that can cause severe injury.

In this unit, you will learn about 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. You will also learn about Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and how it can
damage computer equipment if it is not discharged properly.

This chapter begins with safety guidelines that you should follow to prevent electrical fires,
injuries, and fatalities while working inside a computer.

1.2 Unit Aims

The aim of this unit is to examine the key components that make up a personal
computer.

1.3 Unit Objectives

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• Identify the external and internal components of a personal computer.

• Identify the ports and cables that connect computer components.
• Describe the safety guidelines that should be followed when working
with computers

1.4 Electrical Safety

While working with computers, follow electrical safety guidelines to prevent electrical
fires, injuries, and fatalities. Some computer parts, such as power supplies (Figure 1),
contain high voltage. As such, always check the computer manual for the location of high-
voltage components. Some components retain a high voltage even after the computer is
turned off.

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 Figure 1: Computer Power Supply

In general, 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.

Another important guideline is grounding. 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 products connect to grounding via the power plug. Large equipment such as
server racks that house network devices must also be grounded.

Electrostatic discharge
Electrostatic 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:

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 • 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.
1.5 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, see Figure 2.

Figure 2: Computer Case Form Factors

• Horizontal case - This computer case is horizontally oriented on the user’s desk with
the monitor often positioned on top. It was popular with early computer systems.

• Full-Size Tower - This vertically-oriented case is typically located on the floor under,
or bedside, 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.

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 This list of form factors above is not exhaustive as many manufacturers have their own
naming conventions. These may include super tower, full tower, mid tower, mini tower,
cube and more.

Cooling Fans
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 designed to protect against static electricity damage. The computer’s internal
components are grounded via attachment to the case. Computer cases are also referred to
as Chassis, cabinet, tower, housing or simply box.

1.6 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 in Figure 1 above, 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.

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Power Connectors

A power supply includes several different connectors. These connectors are used to power
various internal components such as motherboards and disk drives. The connectors are keyed
which means that they are designed to be inserted in only one orientation. The different types
of connectors are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Computer Power Supply Connectors

• 20-pin or 24-pin Slotted Connector – Connects to the motherboard

• SATA Keyed Connector – Connects disk drives
• Molex Keyed Connector – Connects hard drives, optical drives, or other devices
• Berg Keyed Connector – Connects to legacy floppy drives
• 4-pin to 8-pin Auxiliary Power Connector – supplies power to different areas of the
motherboard
• 6/8-pin PCIe Power Connector – supplies power to internal components

1.7 Motherboards

The motherboard, also known as the system board or the main board, is the backbone of
the computer. As shown in the Figure 4 below, 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.
Motherboards have connections where computer components can be added, as shown in
the Figure 4:

• Central Processing Unit (CPU) - This is considered the brain of the computer.

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• 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.

Figure 4: Computer Motherboard

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Some additional important connectors are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Motherboard Connectors

• SATA – 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 ports on the
computer case to the motherboard. USB 1.1 and USB 2 connectors have 9 pins.

Motherboard Chipset
Figure 6 shows 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

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 Figure 6: Motherboard Connectors

1.8 CPU’s and Cooling Systems

The central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for interpreting and executing commands.
It handles instructions from the computer's other hardware, such as a keyboard, and
software. The CPU interprets the instructions and outputs the information to the monitor
or performs the requested tasks.

The CPU is a small microchip that resides within a CPU package. The CPU package is
often referred to as the CPU. CPU packages come in different form factors, each style
requiring a particular socket on the motherboard. Common CPU manufacturers include
Intel and AMD.

The CPU socket is the connection between the motherboard and the processor. Modern
CPU sockets and processor packages are built around the following architectures:

• Pin Grid Array (PGA) - (Figure 7 a) In PGA architecture, the pins are on the
underside of the processor package and is inserted into the motherboard CPU socket

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 using zero insertion force (ZIF). ZIF refers to the amount of force needed to install
a CPU into the motherboard socket or slot.

• Land Grid Array (LGA) - (Figure 7 b) In an LGA architecture, the pins are in the
socket instead of on the processor.

(a)

(b)

Figure 7: CPU Socket Architectures

Cooling Systems
The flow of current between electronic components generates heat. Computer components
perform better when kept cool. If the heat is not removed, the computer may run more
slowly. If too much heat builds up, the computer could crash, or components can be
damaged. Therefore, it is imperative that computers be kept cool.

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 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
CPU chips. A case fan is considered as an active cooling device. Figure 8 shows an example
of passive and an active cooling solution for CPU.

Figure 8: CPU Cooling Solutions

1.9 Computer Memory

A computer uses different types of memory chips as shown in Figure 9. These memory
chips are in two forms: Read Only and Random Access.

Figure 9: Computer Memory Chips

Read-Only Memory
An essential computer chip is the read-only memory (ROM) chip. ROM chips are located
on the motherboard and other circuit boards and contain instructions that can be directly

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accessed by a CPU. The instructions stored in ROM include basic operation instructions
such as booting the computer and loading the operating system.

ROM is nonvolatile which means that the contents are not erased when the computer is
powered off. Below are the types of ROM.

• Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM) - chip is written after it is

manufactured. PROMs are manufactured blank and then can be programmed by a
PROM programmer when needed. Generally, these chips cannot be erased and can
only be programmed once.
• Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) – can be erased by
exposing it to strong ultraviolet light. EPROMs usually have a transparent quartz
window on the top of the chip. Constant erasing and reprogramming could
ultimately render the chip useless.
• Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) –
Information is written after it is manufactured and without removing it from the
device. EEPROM chips are also called Flash ROMs since its contents can be
“flashed” for deletion. EEPROMs are often used to store a computer system’s
BIOS.

PROM EPROM EEPROM

Figure 10: Types of PROM Memory Chips

Random Access Memory

RAM is the temporary working storage for data and programs that are being accessed by
the CPU. Unlike ROM, RAM is volatile memory, which means that the contents are erased
every time the computer is powered off.
Adding more RAM in a computer enhances the system performance. For instance, more
RAM increases the memory capacity of the computer to hold and process programs and
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 files. With less RAM, a computer must swap data between RAM and the much slower hard
drive. The two types of RAM are:

• Dynamic RAM

• Static RAM

1.10 Adapter Cards

Adapter cards increase the functionality of a computer by adding controllers for specific
devices or by replacing malfunctioning ports. There are a variety of adapter cards available
that are used to expand and customize the capability of a computer. Some examples are
shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11: Adapter Cards

These are:

• Sound adapter - Sound adapters provide audio capability.

• Network Interface Card (NIC) - A NIC connects a computer to a network using
a network cable.
• Wireless NIC - A wireless NIC connects a computer to a network using radio
frequencies.
• Video adapter – Video adapters provide video capability.

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 • Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller card – Provides additional USB ports to
connect the computer to peripheral devices.

1.11 Storage Devices

A number of different types of devices are available for data storage on a PC. Data drives
provide non-volatile storage of data, meaning that when the drive loses power, the data
is retained and available the next time the drive is powered on. Some drives have fixed
media, and other drives have removable media. Some offer the ability to read and write
data, while others only allow data to be accessed, but not written.

Data storage devices can be classified according to the media on which the data is stored;
magnetic like HDD and tape drives, solid state, or optical.

Figure 12: Storage Devices

1.11.1 Magnetic Media Storage

Magnetic storage represents binary values as magnetized or non-magnetized physical areas

of magnetic media. Mechanical systems are used to position and read the media. The
following are common types of magnetic media storage drives:

• Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

o HDDs are the traditional magnetic disk devices that have been used for
years.
o Their storage capacity ranges from gigabytes (GBs) to terabytes (TBs).

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 o Their speed is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). This indicates
how fast the spindle turns the platters that hold the data. The faster the
spindle speed, the faster a hard drive can find data on the platters. This can
correspond to faster transfer speeds. Common hard drive spindle speeds
include 5400, 7200, 10,000, and 15,000 RPM.
o HDDs come in 1.8, 2.5 and 3.5 inch form factors. The 3.5 inch form factor
is standard for personal computers. 2.5 inch HDDs are typically used in
mobile devices. 1.8 inch HDDs were used in portable media players and
other mobile applications, but are seldom used in new devices.

• Tape Drive
o Magnetic tapes are most often used for archiving data.
o At one time they were useful for backing up PCs, however as HDDs became
cheaper, external HDD drives are now frequently used for this purpose.
o However, tape backups are still used in enterprise networks.
o Tape drives use a magnetic read/write head and removable tape cartridge.
o Although data retrieval using a tape drive can be fast, locating specific data
is slow because the tape must be wound on a reel until the data is found.
o Common tape storage capacities vary between a few GBs to many TBs.
1.11.2 Solid-state drives (SSD)

Store data as electrical charges in semiconductor flash memory. This makes SSDs much
faster than magnetic HDDs. SSD storage capacity ranges from around 120 GBs to many
TBs. SSDs have no moving parts, make no noise, are more energy efficient, and produce
less heat than HDDs. Because SSDs have no moving parts to fail, they are considered to
be more reliable than HDDs.
1.11.3 Optical drives

These are a type of removable media storage device 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 and magnetic storage cartridges.

There are three types of optical drives:

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

CD, DVD, and BD media can be pre-recorded (read only), recordable (write once), or re-
recordable (read and write multiple times). DVD and BD media can also be single layer (SL) or
dual layer (DL). Dual layer media roughly doubles the capacity of a single disc.

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1.12 Input Devices
Input devices allow the user to communicate with the computer. An input device takes
information from the computer’s environment and converts it into binary information (ones
and zeroes) that the computer can understand. Examples include:

• Keyboard and mouse – These are the two most commonly used input devices.
Keyboards are typically used for creating text documents and emails. The mouse is
used to navigate the graphical user interface (GUI).
• Flatbed Scanner – These devices digitize an image or document. A photograph or
document is placed on the flat glass surface and the scan head then moves under
the glass. The digitization of the image is stored as a file that can be displayed,
printed, emailed or altered.
• Touch Screen – has a touch or pressure sensitive screen. The computer receives
instructions specific to the place on the screen that the user touches.
• Stylus – a type of digitizer that allows a designer or artist to create blueprints,
images or other artwork by using a pen-like tool called a stylus on a surface that
senses where the tip is touching it.
• Magnetic Stripe Reader – reads information magnetically encoded on the back of
plastic cards, such as identification badges and credit cards. For cards with chips,
the card is inserted into the device and the device reads the chip. Chip reading
provides much more security of the user’s data because each transaction is a unique
code that cannot be used again.
• Barcode Scanner – reads the information contained in the barcodes affixed to
most products. They can be hand-held, wireless devices, or a stationary device. The
light source on the reader captures the barcodeimage andtranslates the image into
computer readable content. The device is ypically used at checkout counters in
stores or for determinnig inventory levels.
• Digital Camera – capture images and videos that can be stored, displayed, printed
or altered.
• Webcam – video cameras that can be integrated into a computer or they can be
external. They are typically used for video conferencing or to stream live video onto
the internet.
• Signature Pad – device that electronically captures a person’s signature. A person
uses a stylus to sign on the screen. Since the electronic signature is legal, it is
typically used to establish receipt of delivered or to sign agreements or contracts.

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• Smart Card Reader – typically used on a computer to authenticate the user. A
smart card may be the size of a credit card with an embedded integrated circuit that
is typically under a gold contact pad on one side of the card.
• Microphone – a type of digitizer that allows a user to speak into a computer and
have their voice digitized. Voice, music, or sounds can be stored on the computer
to be played back, uploaded or emailed.
• NFC Devices and Terminals – Near Field Communication tap to pay devices,
such as credit cards or smart phones, are able to read and write to an NFC chip.
This allows the NFC-powered terminal to subtract money from the balance on the
card. Two NFC capable devices can also transfer data such as photographs, links,
or contracts between them.
• Facial Recognition Scanners – These biometric input devices identify a user based
on their unique facial features. Many laptops and most smartphones have facial
recognition scanners to automate logging into the device. These devices are
typically used to provide secure access to devices or locations.
• Fingerprint Scanners – These biometric input devices identify a user on a unique
physical feature such as their fingerprints. Many laptops and smart devices have
fingerprint readers to automate logging in to the device. These devices are typically
used to provide secure access to devices or location.
• Voice Recognition Scanners – These biometric input devices identify a user based
on their unique voice. These devices are often used to provide secure access to
locations. Voice recognition is also being used as input into personal assistant
applications such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa.
• Virtual Reality Headset – these devices are typically used with computer games,
simulators and training applications. They are head-mounted devices that provide
separate images for each eye. Most headsets include head-motion and eye-motion
tracking sensors. These devices are also output devices delivering video and audio
to the wearer.

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 Figure 13: Storage Devices

1.13 Output Devices

Output devices make it possible for users to interact with computers. An output device
takes binary information (ones and zeroes) from the computer and converts it into a form
that is easily understood by the user.

• Monitors and projectors are output devices that create visual and audio signals for
the user.
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 • Virtual Reality (VR) uses computer technology to create a simulated, three-
dimensional environment.
• Printers are visual output devices that create hard copies of computer files.
• Speakers and headphones are output devices that produce only audio signals.

1.14 Ports and Cables

• Video Graphics Array (VGA) – This is a connector for analog video. It has 3 rows
and 15 pins.
• High-Definition Media (HDMI) – was developed specifically for high-definition
televisions. However, its digital features also make it a good candidate for computers.
• A PS/2 port - connects a keyboard or a mousse to a computer. The connectors for the
keyboard and mouse are often colored differently. If the ports are not color-coded, look
for a small figure of a mouse or keyboard next to each port.
• Network – A network port, also known as an RJ-45, connects devices to a network.
The maximum length of the Ethernet network cable is 100m.
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) – is a standard interface that connects peripheral devices
to a computer. USB devices are hot-swappable, which means that users can connect
and disconnect the device while the computer is powered on.
• Audio and Game Port – connect audio devices to the computer. Analog ports typically
include a line in port to connect to an external source (e.g., stereo system), a
microphone port, and line out ports to connect speakers or headphones. The game port
connects to a, for example, a Joystick.

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 Figure 14: Ports and Cables
Port and Cable Adapters
There are many connection standards in use today. Many are interoperable but require
specialized components. These components are called adapters.
• Adapter – This is a component that physically connects one technology to another. For
example, USB to Ethernet adapter. The adapter could be one component or a cable with
different ends.

Figure 15: Port and Cable Adapter

1.15 Unit Summary

Now that you have finished this unit, you should keep in mind that a computer system’s
hardware includes cases, internal components that are mainly mounted on the motherboard
and external input and output devices. The many components connect to the computer
system through ports and cables.

1.16 Unit Review Questions

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