ELN230 – Bazlur slide 1 ELN230 Lecture – 02c PC Components

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 2 Functional Units of a Computer CPU Memory Storage OutputInput System Unit

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 3 Major Hardware Elements A computer system consists of four major hardware elements: –The system unit (includes CPU and Memory); –Input devices; –Output devices; –Peripheral storage.

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 4 Major Hardware Elements System Unit

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 5 System Components The Motherboard Processor RAM Video Card Sound Card Modem (or Network Card)

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 6 The Motherboard Processor Socket Chipset Level 2 cache (on some models) Memory Sockets ROM BIOS Bus Slots

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 7 Processor CPU “Central Processing Unit” The “Engine” of the Computer Reads Instructions (commands) from memory then executes them One of the most expensive, yet smallest components

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 8 Memory RAM (Random Access Memory) –Requires power to maintain storage –SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module) –DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) ROM (Read Only Memory) –Doesn’t require power to maintain storage

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 9 Case and Power Supply The shell of your computer Protects and directs air flow Different “Form Factors” Power Supply converts AC into low voltage DC Important yet often over looked

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 10 Disk Drives (Storage) Hard Disk (Fixed Disk) - primary storage area for computer. Analogous to a filing cabinet Floppy Disk- used for storing and exchanging small files CD-ROM Drives- Holds greater amounts of data and are faster than floppies, yet slower than hard disks

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 11 Disk Drives CD-RW Drives - Can read and write CD-R and CD-RW media for high-capacity, durable storage LS-120 SuperDisk, Zip Drives - Replacing the standard floppy for high-capacity removable storage for work in progress

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 12 Keyboard and Mouse (Input) Many kinds of keyboards Only input device available prior to the invention of the GUI (graphical user interface) After the GUI, mice followed “Point and Click”

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 13 Video Card (Interface) Chipset Video Ram DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) BIOS Popular upgrade component, especially for gaming

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 14 Sound Card (Interface) Also popular upgrade components Popular for home recording includes Game Port Many high quality home PC speaker systems. Can rival home stereos. Often used to create and play MP3 audio files

ELN230 – Bazlur slide 15 Monitor (Output) Similar to a high quality television Video card send its memory contents to monitor Now available in both CRT and active-matrix LCD versions