Chapter Four Setting Up a Computer

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Strata Objectives Covered 1.2 (1.1 FC0-U21 U.K.) Demonstrate the proper use of the following devices: –Desktop –Server –Portable computer 1.7 (1.3 FC0-U11 U.K.) Demonstrate the ability to set up a basic PC workstation –Identify differences between connector types –Computer (desktop, tower, laptop, custom cases) –Voltage and power requirements –Turn on and use the PC and peripherals 2

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Choosing a Computer Type Size and portability Processing speed and multi-tasking Ease of input and output Multiple capabilities 3

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Choosing a Computer Type Desktop Full-featured Comfortable to use Low price Not easily portable 4

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Choosing a Computer Type Portables Notebook/laptop Netbook/mini/subnotebook Tablet (slates, convertibles) Easily portable Higher priced Not as comfortable to use 5

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Choosing a Computer Type Handhelds Smartphones Music players Very portable Less full-featured Difficult to use for extensive text entry 6

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Desktop Form Factors Tower case –Full tower –Mid tower –Mini tower 7

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Desktop Form Factors Desktop case –Regular –Slimline 8

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Unpacking a New Computer Don’t cut deeply into the box to open it Save all the packing materials Carefully remove tape or plastic protector film Place computer on a stable surface Position cables/cords so they will not be tripped over Plug the power in last 9

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PC Power Supply Two purposes –Steps down the voltage –Converts AC to DC 10

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PC Power Supply Plugs into standard electrical outlet –110/120V in USA –230v in UK and most of EU 11

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Notebook Power AC adapter is built into power cord; sometimes called a power brick Performs the same functions as the power supply box in a desktop PC: –Lowers the voltage –Converts from AC to DC 12

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Connecting Components to a PC’s Ports 13

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Monitor Connectors Video Graphics Array (VGA) –Older type of connection –Analog signal –Most CRTs use this type –Most LCDs include the option of using this type 14

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Monitor Connectors Digital Video Interface (DVI) –Digital connection –Most LCD monitors use this –Newer, superior interface to VGA High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) –Digital connection –Used primarily for TVs and home theaters 15

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. USB Multi-purpose port, used for many types of input and output devices 16

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. USB Several sizes and shapes –Standard –Mini –Micro 17

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. USB A/B Connectors A connector: thin rectangle, connects to computer B connector: more square/boxy, connects to device 18

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. USB Versions USB VersionSpeed Mbps 1.1 (Full Speed)12 Mbps 2.0 (High Speed)480 Mbps 3.0 (Super Speed)4800 Mbps 19

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. FireWire Competitor to USB; official name is IEEE 1394 FireWire 400 (original type) transfers data at up to 400 Mbps 20

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Newer FireWire Types FireWire 800 –Uses 9-pin FireWire Beta connector –Transfers data at up to 786 Mbps FireWire S800T –Uses Cat5e cable –Transfers data at up to 800 Mbps 21

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PS/2 Used for nearly all keyboards and mice in the 1990s, now obsolete 22

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legacy Serial Port Typically 9-pin, but some older ones are 25-pin 23

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legacy Serial Port Similar to a VGA connector but with only two rows of pins Inexpensive connector used for devices that don’t require high speed Nearly obsolete, but some computers still have them to connect with special-purpose devices such as router configuration consoles 24

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legacy Parallel Port Was widely used to connect computers to printers prior to USB Also called a Line Printer (LPT) port DB25F on the computer 36-pin Centronics on the printer 25

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Network and Modem Ports Modem: RJ-14 connector (narrower) Ethernet: RJ-45 connector (wider) 26

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3.5mm Audio Jack Standard connector for portable headphones and earpieces, speakers, and microphones 27

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ExpressCard, CardBus, and PCMCIA Multi-purpose slots for add-on adapters for notebook computers Approximately the height and width of a credit card (but thicker) Devices can include Ethernet, storage, add-on graphics cards, wireless networking, and TV tuners 28

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PCMCIA Original type of card slot in notebooks was PCMCIA PCMCIA was named for the organization that governed its standard: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association This association continues to manage the current standard 29

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PC Card Also called PCMCIA 2.0 Popular mm long and 54 mm wide Available in three thicknesses: –Type I (3.5 mm thick), for memory –Type II (5.0 mm thick), for most solid state expansion devices (network adapters, modems) –Type III (10.5 mm thick), for disk drive cards 30

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CardBus Notebook expansion slot type that replaced PC Card; also called PCMCIA 5.0 Popular from 1995 to mm wide with a 68-pin connector, using a 32-bit PCI bus on the motherboard Slots are backward compatible with PC Card devices All CardBus cards share a 1.06 Gbps bandwidth 31

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ExpressCard The current notebook expansion slot standard Introduced around mm slot with a 26-pin connector Throughput of up to 2.5 Gbps using PCI Express bus or 480 Mbps using USB 2.0 bus Devices include FireWire 800 devices, SATA stick drives, and solid state external hard drives 32

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Two shapes of ExpressCards –ExpressCard|34 (rectangular) –ExpressCard|54 (L-shaped) 33

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Powering On Devices Power button may have a Power symbol on it Start with the monitor, and then turn on the PC Turn on peripheral devices after the PC has started booting 34