Chapter. Chapter. Introduction to a Typical PC

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2 Chapter Chapter 1 Introduction to a Typical PC

3 Objectives Give examples of how computers are used. Contrast analog and digital electronics. Give examples of computer data. Interpret binary and hexadecimal numbers 0 through 15. Compare bit, byte, and word. Contrast serial and parallel data transfer. Interpret the common prefixes associated with the computer s size and speed. Identify external computer connections.

4 Objectives (Continued) Identify the major components of a typical PC. Explain how the major computer components interact with each other. Contrast electrostatic discharge, electromagnetic interference, and radio frequency interference. Identify common PC service tools. Recall common safety practices related to computer repair.

5 Key Terms A+ Certification American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) analog electronics anti-static wrist strap battery binary number system Bit byte central processing unit (CPU) CompTIA computer cooling fan data device bay digital electronics

6 Key Terms (Continued) driver electromagnetic interference (EMI) electrostatic discharge (ESD) expansion card expansion card slot external SATA firmware hard drive hexadecimal number system hot swap integrated circuit (IC) motherboard parallel transfer peripheral power esata (esatap) power supply

7 Key Terms (Continued) radio frequency interference (RFI) random access memory (RAM) serial transfer word

8 Introduction to a Typical PC A+ Certification awarded after successful completion of the CompTIA A+ exams A+ Certification recognized throughout the industry A+ Certification covers basic PC repair and support skills CompTIA is a not-for-profit, vendor-neutral organization that certifies the competency level of technicians

9 The Role of Computers Computers are part of every aspect of our lives. The make up of a computer can seem intimidating, but the mechanics are simple. This textbook teaches skills to be successful in computer technology.

10 Digital Electronics All electronic components fall into one of two categories: digital electronics and analog electronics. Digital electronics is an electronic system represented by a simple switch, which is either on or off. Analog electronics is an electronic system that uses and produces varying voltage levels.

11 Digital Electronics (Continued) Digital System Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Analog System Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

12 Review Describe the difference between a digital and an analog electronic device. Digital devices accept discrete levels of input and produce discrete levels of output. Analog devices accept continuous ranges of input to produce continuous ranges of input to produce continuous ranges of output.

13 What Is a Computer? A computer is an assembly of electronic modules that interact with computer programs known as software to create, modify, transmit, store, and display data. Computers have rapidly evolved from simple electronic devices to highly sophisticated pieces of technology. Computers appear to be intelligent but really only process and store data.

14 What Is a Computer? (Continued) Data is information that is stored and processed by computers. Data inside the computer is represented electronically as high and low voltages, which create a digital signal. Data in a computer system is represented as ones and zeroes, a pattern known as the binary system.

15 Computer Data Codes Data can be numbers, text, pictures, or sound. Data can be expressed in different forms. Voltage levels Numeric systems Binary Hexadecimal Symbolic codes, such as ASCII Data should be expressed in the way that is easiest to grasp for the given material.

16 Computer Data Codes (Continued) The binary number system consists of entirely ones and zeroes. Digital devices have two states (off and on), which are reflected in two numbers (0 and 1). One and zeros of this system are used to represent high and low voltage signals.

17 Computer Data Codes (Continued) Binary Number System

18 Computer Data Codes (Continued) The hexadecimal number system is a computer code system that uses 16 characters. The system uses a combination of numerals 0 through 9 and the letters A through F. It best matches the hardware systems of computers. The system can be used in combination with the binary system.

19 Computer Data Codes (Continued) Hexadecimal Number System

20 Computer Data Codes (Continued) American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is a symbolic code in which data can be expressed. It was the first attempt to standardize computer character codes among the varieties of hardware and software. It had limitations, such as not allowing for variations in fonts, a common requirement of wordprocessing software.

21 Bits, Bytes, and Words Bit, byte, and word are basic computer units of data based on the binary number system. Bit, short for binary digit, is a single binary unit of one or zero. A byte is equal to eight bits. A word is the total amount of bytes a computer can process at one time.

22 Bits, Bytes, and Words (Continued) Unit Definition Example Bit 0 or 1 1 Byte eight bits Word 1 to 8 bytes

23 Serial and Parallel Data Transfer Data is transferred in one of two modes in a computer system: series or parallel. Ports in a computer are classified as serial or parallel. In a serial transfer, data is sent through a port one bit at a time in successive order. In parallel transfer, more than one bit is sent side by side, eight bits at a time.

24 Serial and Parallel Data Transfer (Continued) Serial and Parallel Data Transfer Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

25 Computer Numerical Values Metric prefixes are used to express the speed and size of computer systems and hardware. Prefixes are used in combination with the word bit (b) or byte (B). Speed is usually expressed in bits. Storage is usually expressed as bytes.

26 Computer Numerical Values (Continued) Metric Prefix Chart

27 Computer Numerical Values (Continued) Comparison between Base 2 and Base 10 Number Systems

28 Review The binary system consists of the decimal numbers and. 0,1 There are eight in one. bits, byte Describe the difference between serial data transfer and parallel data transfer. In a serial transfer, data is sent through a port one bit at a time in successive order; in parallel transfer, more than one bit is sent side by side.

29 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case A minimal workstation consists of a computer and input and output devices. The computer is a case that houses the motherboard, CPU, memory, and hard drive. Typical input devices include the keyboard and mouse. Typical output devices are the monitor, printer, and speakers.

30 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) Peripherals are optional pieces of equipment used to display data or to input data. Monitor displays data as words or pictures. Printer displays data in printed form. Speakers convert data into sound. Keyboard is used to enter data. Mouse is used to interact with coordinates on the display. Touch screen can be both input and output.

31 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) There are many different case styles used to contain and protect the electronic part of a computer. Most common case styles Desktop Tower Mini tower Micro tower Laptop Notebook

32 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) Exterior of the computer allows access to the electronic parts inside. Data can be entered through the hard drive, optical drive, keyboard, mouse, or one of the ports in the back.

33 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) Mini-DIN is an exterior connection used for the mouse and the keyboard that may not be interchangeable. FireWire is an exterior connection also known as the IEEE-1394 connector. Made to allow hot swaps, meaning a device can be plugged in or unplugged while the PC is running Made for very high-speed data transfers

34 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a multipurpose exterior connection that allows many different devices to connect to a PC. Connects up to 127 devices in a daisy-chain fashion Eliminates the need to open the PC case to connect some peripherals

35 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) A device bay is a drive bay designed to accommodate the easy hot swap of devices such as hard drives, tape drives, and optical drives. Prewired for either USB or FireWire Eliminates the problem of running long cords across work surfaces

36 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) There are two types of RJ connectors commonly used: RJ-11 and RJ-45. RJ-11 for telephone connections RJ-45 for network connections DB connector looks similar in shape to the letter D. Options include a 9-, 15-, or 25-pin Current computers have no DB connections, replaced by USB

37 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) VGA, DVI, and HDMI are used as monitor connections. VGA is used for analog connections. DVI and HDMI are used for digital connections. External SATA devices require two connections. External SATA port provides a data connection to an external SATA device. Power esata port, also called the esatap, provides data connection and electrical power.

38 Take a Tour Outside the Computer Case (Continued) Typical Exterior Connections Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

39 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case The inside of a PC has several standard components. Central processing unit (CPU) Power supply Hard drive Motherboard RAM Firmware Battery Expansion cards Expansion card slots Cooling fan Cables

40 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer. Intel Core i7, Intel Pentium, Intel Celeron, AMD FV 8-Core, and AMD Phenom are various models of CPUs. All other components depend on the CPU. CPU controls the data in the computer. The CPU translates commands into actions. CPU carries out the program codes written in the software program.

41 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) One CPU Model AMD Athlon 64 FX-70 series processor. Courtesy of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

42 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) The power supply converts the 120-volt ac power from the wall outlet to dc voltage levels used by the various computer components. The hard drive is where computer programs and data are stored. The hard drive is also called the internal hard drive or hard disk drive. Programs and data are stored as magnetic patterns on the hard drive.

43 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Hard Drive Power Supply Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

44 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) The motherboard is usually a rectangular piece of circuit board covered with many conductors that provide electrical energy paths to the computer components and expansion slots. The motherboard provides a way to distribute the digital signals. The motherboard is an electrical system of pathways referred to as the computer bus.

45 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Motherboard Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

46 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Random access memory (RAM) is where computer programs are loaded to and from the hard drive. RAM is classified as volatile memory, meaning that data is lost when the power is turned off. The amount of RAM required to run applications will vary. RAM is where data is temporarily stored. RAM is emptied when a computer is turned off.

47 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Three Difference Types of RAM Modules Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

48 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Firmware is hardware-specific software required to boot the computer and support communication between the operating system and hardware devices. Interprets commands of higher-level software programs, such as operating systems. Translates the commands into actions hardware devices, such as the hard drive, can understand.

49 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Firmware and drivers work hand in hand. A driver is a small software program written specifically for a hardware device. Drivers allow operating system to properly communicate with a device. Without the driver, the device will not function properly.

50 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) CMOS, and BIOS are distinctly different from firmware. CMOS is where the Setup utility stores information about the computer s hardware, date, and time. BIOS is a type of firmware written in machine language. Machine language uses hexadecimal codes to write a program. Because there is no single BIOS standard, BIOS systems are diverse. BIOS soon will be replaced by UEFI.

51 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) The battery supplies voltage to the CMOS, which contains the firmware setup data. Without the battery, the computer would lose the date, time, and all important information about the hardware components when the power switch is turn off. The battery allows information to be saved while the PC is powered down.

52 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Computer Battery Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

53 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) An expansion card is a board that can be easily installed in a computer to enhance or expand its capabilities. An expansion card is also called an interface card or host adapter. This component is used for such devices as TV tuners, video cards, sound cards, and modems. Many devices designed to be added to expansion cards have been redesigned as exterior devices that connect typically through a USB port.

54 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Expansion Card Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

55 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) An expansion card slot is a receptacle for an expansion card, which allows the card to connect to the motherboard s circuitry. The cooling fan supplies a constant stream of air across the computer components. Cables, such as the SATA and the PATA, connect the motherboard to devices such as the hard drive and optical drive.

56 Take a Tour Inside the Computer Case (Continued) Expansion Card Slots SATA and PATA Cables Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

57 How the Major Parts Work Together 1. Power switch is turned on and electrical power goes from the wall outlet into the computer system. 2. Firmware system is activated and performs a power-on self-test (POST), checking the RAM, ROM, hard drive, and keyboard. 3. Operating system takes control of the system. 4. CPU waits for activity to be generated by the mouse, keyboard, modem, or other input device.

58 How the Major Parts Work Together (Continued) 5. Mouse pointer is moved to an icon and the mouse is clicked to activate a program, such as a word-processing program. 6. Some typing is done, and the save command is issued by clicking the save icon. The operating system takes over to interpret the command. 7. The firmware translates the instructions from the operating system to the storage media, activating the hard drive motor and actuator arm. 8. Control is returned to the program, so long as an error had not occurred.

59 Integrated Circuits The term chip is often used in the computer industry and is the final product of the manufacturing of an integrated circuit. An integrated circuit (IC) is a collection of transistors, resistors, and other electronic components reduced to an unbelievable small size. Over six million transistors manufactured as an integrated circuit can fit into an area the size of a dime.

60 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Manufacturing an integrated circuit takes many hundreds of steps. The circuit is drawn on a very large scale and drawings are photographed. The negative of the photograph is used as a template. An ingot of pure silicon is made and sliced into thin wafers to serve as the base. A series of layers are produced over the silicon wafer using a process called photolithography.

61 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Manufacture of Integrated Circuits Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

62 Integrated Circuits (Continued) A coating of a chemical called photoresist is laid over the entire surface of the wafer, which will react when exposed to UV light. Ultraviolet light is shone through the negative, causing the photoresist to leave a pattern of soft and hard surfaces in the exact pattern of the designed circuit.

63 Integrated Circuits (Continued) The soft photoresist is washed away, leaving an etched pattern of valleys and ridges on the surface of the wafer. The valleys are filled in with conductive material, called doping or implantation. The process is repeated multiple times until 20 or more layers are developed over the entire wafer. Single wafer is cut into several individual circuits.

64 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is best defined in the world of computer maintenance as the transfer of static electrical energy from one object to another. An ESD will damage the circuits of a microchip. Technicians wear an anti-static wrist strap, which connects the technician to ground and bleeds off any electrostatic charge. Electronic parts and devices are shipped inside anti-static bags to prevent ESD.

65 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Anti-Static Kit Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

66 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) is interference or damage to components caused by magnets and magnetic fields. Any device that operates on magnetic principles should not come in contact or close proximity to a magnetic field. Most common source of a magnetic field is magnetic tools. Some computer chips can be damaged by strong magnetic force, but most are designed with magnetic shielding.

67 Integrated Circuits (Continued) Radio frequency interference (RFI) is interference produced by electronic devices that use radio waves. Wireless network devices can fail or operate erratically because of radio frequencies broadcast by other devices. Common devices that generate RFI are cell phones, cordless phones, wireless network components, and microwave ovens.

68 Review What components are found in a typical computer workstation? Some common PC components are CPU, cooling fan, motherboard, RAM power supply, hard drive, expansion cards, and cables. What is the purpose of the battery mounted on the motherboard? The battery supplies voltage to the CMOS chip that contains the firmware setup data. Describe the difference between ESD, EMI, and RFI. ESD is a static charge of electricity; EMI is interference or damage to components caused by magnets and magnetic fields; and RFI is interference produced by electronic devices that use radio waves.

69 Tool Kit Computer repair requires a minimum number of tools and can vary. A variety of screwdrivers are needed, a chip puller, anti-static wrist strap, multimeter, extra screws, and an extraction device are helpful. Canned compressed air may be necessary.

70 Tool Kit (Continued) A software tool kit is important as well. Software will be used to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair PCs. Many software tools can be found as shareware, which is software that is freely distributed, usually via the Internet.

71 Safety Safety is the responsibility of everyone. Precautions should be taken to ensure physical safety. Cables, such as power cords or network cables, should be properly secured to avoid causing a tripping hazard. Tape the cable to the floor Use a cable floor runner Avoid touching electronic components while the computer is energized.

72 Safety (Continued) Other steps should be taken to ensure physical safety of computer technicians and users. Loose clothing and inappropriate footwear should not be worn in the computer repair environment. When the weight of an object exceeds 50 pounds, two or more people should lift it or special equipment designed for lifting and hauling heavy objects should be used.

73 Safety (Continued) Electrical hazards in a computer lab should be understood. Do not attempt to open, inspect, or repair any electronic device that you have not been trained on by your instructor or if you have nor received your instructor s permission. Disconnect electrical power before opening any computer case. Remove jewelry before working inside a computer case.

74 Safety (Continued) The possibility of fire is always a threat in a computer laboratory. The acronym PASS is used to remember the proper procedure for using a fire extinguisher P = Pull the pin. A = Aim at the base of the fire. S = Squeeze the handles together slowly to discharge the fire extinguisher. S = Sweep the nozzle from side to side moving carefully toward the fire while keeping the discharge aimed at the base of the fire.

75 Safety (Continued) Five Classes of Fire Extinguishers Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

76 Safety (Continued) Computer technicians come into contact with hazardous materials and thus, need to practice chemical safety. A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is required by federal law for hazardous materials. An MSDS includes proper handling, storage, and disposal of the material, and health effects or harmful effects from breathing and contact with skin or eyes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information about how to properly dispose of and recycle electronic equipment.

77 Review What does the fire protection acronym PASS represent? Pull the pin. Aim at the base of the fire. Squeeze the handles. Sweep the nozzle side to side at the base of the fire. What government organization is responsible for safety education and enforcement in the work area? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for safety education and enforcement in the work area.

For the A+ Certification exams, you should be able to identify the names, functions, and characteristics of the major components and ports of a Pc.

Introduction For the A+ Certification exams, you should be able to identify the names, functions, and characteristics of the major components and ports of a Pc. Practice 1.1 Fill in the blanks for the