Processor Motherboard BIOS RAM Power supply CMOS Battery

Heating and cooling Hard drive Graphics card Peripherals Backing storage Connections

The power supply unit (PSU), supplies power to the components of the PC. 2 types: internal and external.

The PSU converts AC to DC power.

New component.

The motherboard is the most important component

within a PC system.

It houses everything that makes up the computer

system.

It is a PCB (Printed circuit board), used to

electrically connect the components using conductive pathways.

Without the motherboard, the computer won’t communicate; as it connects with all components of the computer.

A case surrounds the motherboard to protect it.

New component.

A peripheral is a device connected to a host computer, but not part of it. It expands the host's capabilities

Main Peripherals:

Mouse.

Keyboard.

Monitor.

USB pen

Printer

There are many more peripherals to expand your PC’s capabilities.

•Computer hardware •Controller •Expansion card •Video game accessory

If you are a computer or gaming freak, more peripherals could be added.

New component.

BIOS is a collection of software utilities that forms part of the operating system.

The BIOS is the first code run by a PC when

powered up. (boots up the PC)

Basic Input/output System

When the PC starts up, the first job for the BIOS is the power-on self-test, which identifies system devices such as the CPU, RAM, video display card, keyboard and mouse, hard disk drive, optical disc drive and other hardware.

In the BIOS UI, a user can: •configure hardware •set the system clock •enable or disable system components •select which devices are eligible to be a potential boot device •set various password prompts, such as a password for securing access to the BIOS user interface functions itself and preventing malicious users from booting the system from unauthorized peripheral devices.

New component.

The term "port" is Dutch meaning gate, entrance or door.

Also known as port.

A port is an outlet on a piece of equipment in which a plug/cable can connect.

It is a place on the outside of your PC where you can plug in a cable. Example: USB port.

New component.

The processor is a chip housed on the

motherboard and is the ‘heart’ of a computer

system

• It controls everything

• It processes the input and interprets them

into outputs/actual movements.

• It is known as the central processing unit

(CPU).

Manufacturers are still seeking today to improve the CPU.

New component.

The hard drive is the device for storing and retrieving digital information. It is the computer’s main storage for all data.

A hard disk drive records data by magnetizing a thin film of ferromagnetic material on a disk

New component.

Random Access Memory.

A form of a computer storage.

So data can be accessed quickly in any random order.

Types of RAM There are two different types of RAM: •DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) •SRAM (Static Random Access Memory).

This type of data storage is called volatile memory.

New component.

Fan and heat sink or cooling

Heat sinks are used to cool electronic components such as high-power semiconductor devices.

The heat sinks are used for cooling down CPU’s or graphics processors.

New component.

The graphics card is also known as the video card. They can come in many different styles.

It is an expansion card which generates images to a display. It also gives you 3D effects.

Graphics are visual presentations on a surface, e.g.. Screen.

Sound Wireless.

New component.

Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor.

• CMOS is a little battery located on the motherboard.

• It powers an on-board semiconductor chip that stores information such as date and time and the system hardware settings for your computer.

When the battery fails, the first signs is that your clock is running slow and your computer is forgetting the date and time. Other problems: • Your PC will have problems accessing

certain peripherals, • Refuse to boot • CMOS Checksum error • System configuration lost

New component.

It does what it says.

Refers to the coping of files/data so it can be used to restore the original after a data loss event.

Devices can be used to restore data and be used else where on another system. USB is the most

common way to back up files. These systems are

used for backing up data also but used commonly by people who know computers.

Disks are not used commonly but can be used for the same reason.

New component.