Basic Hardware

Components of
Computer Systems
• A computer system consists of hardware and software
components. As important as the software which are
the programs that run the computer, the hardware is
the physical equipment such as the case, storage drives,
keyboards, monitors, cables, speakers, and printers that
builds up and let the software run.
• It is important to learn about these components as
these will be the basis before you handle equipment
especially in disassembling and assembling a computer
system.
Computer Systems
• The complete computer made up of the CPU, memory
and related electronics (main cabinet), all the peripheral
devices connected to it and its operating system.
• Computer systems fall into two broad
divisions: clients and servers.
• Client machines fall into three categories from low to
high end: laptop, desktop and workstation.
• Servers range from small to large: low-end servers,
midrange servers and mainframes.
Processing Devices

•Motherboard – the circuit board housing the memory and the central processing unit (CPU)
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•Central Processing Unit (CPU) – manipulates input data into the information needed by the users
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•Memory – also known as Random Access Memory or RAM. It is a series of electronic

elements that act as temporary storage of data and program instructions while the
instructions are being processed by the CPU.
•Chips – these make up the CPU and the memory; these are electronic devices that contain many
microscopic pathways designed to carry electrical currents.
Storage Devices

• Storage devices store data and programs. These hold

data, information, and programs permanently.
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•Solid State Drive (SSD) – mass storage device that stores data in a permanent state
even without power. Similar to an HDD’s function, only the internal components are
different. SSDs do not have moving parts but store data on magnetic platters making use
of flash memory.
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•Hard Disk Drive (HHD) – often called hard drive or hard disk. This is the most
common storage device that do not need power to maintain data; these store data
through spinning platters or magnetic disks, recording individual bits written into the
disk.
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Flash Drive – highly portable small data storage devices making use of flash
memory and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port connection
•CD – “compact disc”, this storage device can hold
up to 700 MB(CD)and ; it is read by an optical drive
through a laser

•DVD - ”digital versatile disc”

•4.7 GB (single-sided, single-layer – common)
•8.5 GB (single-sided, double-layer)
•9.4 GB (double-sided, single-layer)
•17.08 GB (double-sided, double-layer)

•Blu-ray
•25 GB (single-layer),
•50 GB (dual-layer)
•100, 128 GB (BDXL)

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Input Devices

• Input devices allow the user to communicate with the

computer by entering data or commands.
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•Keyboard – primary input device used to input alphanumeric data and commands to the computer
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•Mouse – primary input device used to navigate and interact with the monitor output
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•Scanner – scans documents and converts them digitally, which can be edited on a computer.
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•Webcam – small cameras attached to a monitor or desk that record or broadcast video
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•Joystick – device used to control video games, aside from the keyboard
Output Devices

• Output devices enable the computer to show the

processed data and information understandably to the
user.
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•Printer – prints paper documents, photographs, and other outputs called hard copies which
are physical versions of the documents.
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•Monitor – acts as the primary display of the unit where the user interface
and programs are reflected.
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•Speakers – sound system device that produce audio output from the computer
The System Unit

• The System Unit is the overall structure that houses the

processor, memory, and electronic components of the
computer that are used to process data. All input and
output devices are connected into the system unit. The
system unit is housed by what is known as system
case or computer case. It holds and protects most
components of a computer.
• The Computer Case contains the framework to support and
enclose internal components of the computer. It helps to
prevent damage from static electricity. It typically made up
of plastic, steel, and aluminum which are available in a
variety of styles. The size and layout of a case is called
a form factor. It is also designed to keep internal
components cool by using airflow vents and cooling fans.
• Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways:
Computer chassis, Cabinet, Tower, Box and Housing.
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Types:
•Tower (Full, Mid, Mini)
•Desktop (Standard, Slimline)
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Power supplies serve as the source for electricity to the computer. Attached are vital
hardware cables and buses for transferring power to various components in the
computer.
• ATX 24 pin main power connector is the standard
motherboard power connector used in nearly every
computer.
• SATA 15 pin power supply connector is one of several
standard peripheral power connectors. SATA power
connectors only connect to SATA drives like hard drives
and optical drives. SATA power connectors do not work
with older PATA devices.
• Molex 4 pin power supply connector is a standard
peripheral power connector. Molex power connectors
connect to many different kinds of internal peripherals
including PATA hard drives and optical drives, some
video cards, and even some other devices.
• Floppy drive 4 pin power supply connector is the standard
floppy drive power connector. The floppy power connector,
also called a Berg connector or Mini-Molex connector, is
included in even the newest power supplies even though
floppy drives are becoming obsolete.
• ATX 4 pin power supply connector is a standard
motherboard power connector used to provide +12 VDC to
the processor voltage regulator. This small connector usually
attaches to the motherboard near the CPU.
• ATX 6 pin power supply connector is a motherboard power
connector used to provide +12 VDC to the processor voltage
regulator but the 4-pin variety is the more commonly used
connector. This small connector usually attaches to the
motherboard near the CPU.
Motherboard
• The motherboard is also known as mainboard, system
board, logic board, or MOBO. It holds and allows
communication between the crucial components of the
computer such as the CPU and memory. It also provides
connection for other peripherals. This provides the path
which the processor (CPU) communicates with all the
components of the computer.
There are several components that are attached to the
motherboard. These include:
1. Chip – small piece of semiconducting material, where more
integrated circuits are embedded. They have standard-sized
pin connectors that allows them to be attached to the
motherboard.
2. Bus - an electrical path that enables data flow between
various system components.
3. Integrated Circuit (IC) – contains microscopic pathways
that carry electric current. The IC contains millions of elements
such as resistors, capacitators, and transistors. Many different
kinds of chips are located in the motherboard
4. Microprocessor – this is the central processing unit on a
chip.
Different variety of chip packages:
1. Dual Inline Package (DIP) – this has two parallel rows of pints that
attach the chip package to the circuit board
2. Pin Grid Array (PGA) – holds a larger number of pins because the
pins are mounted on the surface of the package.
3.Flip Chip-PGA (CF-PGA) Package – higher performance PGA
packaging that places the chip on the opposite sides of the pins.
4. Single Edge Contact (SEC) Cartridge – does not use pins but connects
to one of the edges in the motherboard.
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• The form factor of motherboards pertains to the size and
shape of the board. It also describes the physical layout of
the different components and devices on the
motherboard. Various form factors exist for motherboards:

• AT – Advanced Technology
• ATX – Advanced Technology Extended
• Mini-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX
• Micro-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX
• LPX – Low-profile Extended
• NLX – New Low-profile Extended
• BTX – Balanced Technology Extended
The function of the northbridge is primarily a fast path between the CPU and the video bus
and system RAM. While the southbridge connects with the slow hardware/components of the
system.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Commonly known as the CPU or processor, this is
the brain of the computer. It interprets and carries out
the basic instructions to operate a computer.
• It impacts overall computing power and manages most
of the computer operations. The motherboard contains
a socket to hold the processor or CPU. The central
processing unit (CPU), also called the processor or
microprocessor, does most of the processing of data
and instructions for the entire system. Because the CPU
generates heat, a fan and heat sink might be installed
on top to keep it cool.
• Nowadays, processors have multiple cores called multi-
core processors. This means that the processor is a
single chips that has two or more separate processors.
In multi-core processors, each of the processors run at a
slower clock speed as compared to a single-core
processor, but this efficient process typically increases
performance. There are two kinds of common multi-
core processors today:

1. Dual Core Processor – chip that contains two separate

processors
2. Quad Core Processor – chip with four separate
processors
• Bundled with the processors are the heat sinks. A heat
sink consists of metal fins that draw heat away from a
component. The fan and heat sink together are called
the processor cooler. The photo below shows a CPU with
a heat sink mounted on the motherboard.

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Random Access Memory (RAM)
• The Random Access Memory or RAM acts as temporary
storage as long as the computer is running. The
contents of the RAM change as programs are
executed. These are chips that are placed directly on the
motherboard. These RAM consists of switches which are
triggered by changes in electric current.
Three basic types of RAM:
1. Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – This kind of RAM needs to be
recharged by the CPU. If not, it loses its contents. There
are many variations of DRAM such as:
o Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) – faster than DRAM
because it is synchronized to the system clock
o Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM – faster than SDRAM
because they transfer data twice for each clock cycle
o DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM – faster than DDR SDRAM
o ambus DRAM (RDRAM) – type of DRAM faster than
SDRAM that uses pipelining techniques
2. Static RAM (SRAM) – This kind is faster and more
reliable than any form of DRAM. Unlike the DRAM, this does
not need to be re-energized. However, it is much more
expensive and it used for special purposes.
3. Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) – This kind stores data
using magnetic charges instead of electrical charges. It
has greater storage capacity, consume less power, and
faster access times.
The RAM chips are housed in a small circuit board called
the memory module, which is inserted into the
motherboard.
Three types of memory modules:
1. Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM) – this has pins
on opposite sides of the circuit board which connect
together to form a single set of contacts. This houses
SDRAM chips along with DIMMs.
2. Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) – the pins on the
opposite sides of the circuit board do not connect and
form two sets of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along
with SIMMs.
3. Rambus Inline Memory Module (RIMM) – this houses
RDRAM chips
• The computer will need a certain amount of memory to be
able to handle programs, data, and information, depending
on the types of applications used.
• The more RAM a computer has, the faster the computer will
be.

• To be able to use basic application software such as Office

Suite, one needs at least 1GB of RAM.
• Using programs and multimedia should have at least 4GB.
• Playing modern games or using editing software will
require at least 8GB.
• Today the RAM ranges up to 64GB depending on the
programs that will be used for the computer.
Cooling Technology
• Cooling technologies are essential in avoiding the
computer from overheating and maintaining a good,
well-ventilated system.
Several cooling technologies are present throughout the
system unit:

• Fans are also present in several components such as

the power supply, ports, processor, hard disk etc.
• Heat sink, on another hand, is a small metal or ceramic
component with fins on the surface which absorbs and
distributes heat produced by electrical components.
• Heat pipe is used on smaller devices like notebook
computers since this is smaller in size.
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Expansion Cards
• A motherboard has expansion slots to be used by
expansion cards. An expansion card, also called
an adapter card, is a circuit board that provides more
ports than those provided by the motherboard.
• The photo below shows a Video Card, where it provides
three video ports. Notice the cooling fan and heat sink
on the card, which help to keep the card from
overheating. The trend today is for most ports in a
system to be provided by the motherboard (called
onboard ports) and less use of expansion cards.
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• There are also other variants of expansion cards such as
network cards, sound cards, video capture cards,
interface cards, and other expansion cards that cater to
whatever the computer user for his/her needs and
improvements for the system.
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 Storage
• A system might have one or more hard drives, an optical
drive, a tape drive, or, for really old systems, a floppy drive.
• A hard drive, also called a hard disk drive (HDD), is
permanent storage used to hold data and programs.
• For example, the Windows operating system and
applications are installed on the hard drive. All drives in a
system are installed in a stack of drive bays at either the
front or on the lower portion of the case. Nowadays, users
use Solid State Drive or SSDs because of its use of flash
memory, which does not use physical disks to write
memory/data.
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 • Each drive has two connections for cables: the power
cable connects to the power supply and another cable,
used for data and instructions, connects to the
motherboard.

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Ports, Sockets, Slots, & Connectors
• The motherboard has several ports, sockets, slots, and connectors
that link the computers' components, input, and output devices
among each other. First we'll look at the port which are usually
found at the side of the motherboard or the back of the system
case.
• The port basically serves as an interface between the computer
and other computers or peripheral devices.
• A port generally refers to the female part of connection.
Computer ports have many uses, to connect a monitor, webcam,
speakers, or other peripheral devices.
• On the physical layer, a computer port is a specialized outlet on a
piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects.
Electronically, the several conductors where the port and cable
contacts connect, provide a method to transfer signals between
devices.
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Slots
Sockets

• The following are the most common sockets found in the

motherboard. The CPU socket where the CPU itself is inserted and
the CMOS slot where the CMOS battery (which lets the motherboard
remember the date and time of the computer) that is replaced after it
has worn out.
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Connectors