Personal Computers and Personal Computers and ApplicationsApplications

Networking for Home and Small Businesses – Chapter 1

ObjectivesObjectives Purpose and use of personal computers. Differentiate local and network applications. Different types of computing devices and usage. Binary Arithmetic and Character representation. Computer System Components and Peripheral

devices and there requirements. Install, verify, and upgrade computer hardware

components and peripherals.

Purpose and Uses of Personal Purpose and Uses of Personal ComputersComputers

Business organizations Home Users Government Education System (Schools) Non Profit Organizations Vehicle using GPS systems or

using Digitally tuned engines for patrol consumption, brakes and other systems managed by microprocessors

E-Banking and ATM

Computers need 3 things . . .Computers need 3 things . . .

Hardware: Work on Electronic Signals

Operating System: Pass User Tasks to Hardware for Execution.

Application Software: Specifically generated software used by user for doing particular task. It works on operating systems.

Purpose and Uses of Personal Purpose and Uses of Personal ComputersComputers

Few Application Software used in Business & Industry (specifically build to cope with industry specific needs)

– Medical– Educational– Legal

Few Application Software for General Use (Provide basic level wide variety of services used by wide range of people)

– Word Processor Applications– Spreadsheets – Simple accounting software

Types of ApplicationsTypes of Applications

Local – runs on only one PC also known as Desktop Applications.

Network – runs over the network or the Internet– Must have two components

runs on a local computer (Client Applications such as Web Browser)

runs on a remote computer (Server Application such as Web Server)

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing Devices Main Frame:

– Multiple processors used for executing several user applications together at a very high speed in a centralized environment. (work with dumb terminals)

Servers: – work in Client Server Architecture, used to execute several client

requests in a centralized environment. Client machines are not dumb terminals and normally execute applications on client machine itself and only depend for data from server. (reduce redundancy of data).

Workstations: – Workstations are high-powered business computers. They are

designed for executing specialized, high-end applications used in business environment such as CAD (Computer Aided Design), CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering)

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing Devices Desktop:

– Desktops support many options and capabilities. – Wide variety of components and Peripherals supported. – Used to execute common generalized applications such as web

browsing, word processor, spreadsheets, email client etc..

Laptop:– A Mobile computer work on less power and have built in mouse

and keyboard.– Equivalent capabilities to desktop computers.– Less support to peripherals and additional components then

desktops. (these facilities can be generated using a docking station)

Handheld computing Devices– Devices available with various capabilities and varieties. Few of

them are Mobile phone, Palmtop, PDA, Gaming Devices etc.

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing DevicesServers

High performance computers which provide services to many clients using

Multiple CPUs high speed and higher capacity RAM and high capacity Storage Drives.

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing Devices

Type of Servers: Standalone Server:

single server unit may be available with single processor or multiple processor.

Rack-Mount Server Multiple server units configured and mounted on

rack requiring less space as no separate I/O units available.

Blade Server Multiple blades (Server) available on single blade

rack. Highly flexible, robust and scalable environment.

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing DevicesDesktop personal computer (PC)Used to run everyday applications

– Email– Internet– Word Processing– Spreadsheet

Having many I/O device connection options for connecting printers, modem, scanners, mouse, keyboard, monitor etc.

Types of Computing DevicesTypes of Computing Devices Workstation – high powered computers Features

• Multiple processors• Large amounts of RAM• High capacity drives

Types of applications• Computer Aided Design (CAD)• Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)• Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)• Video animation

Example: Sun System’s Silicon Graphics Workstation, IBM’s CAE Workstation

Number SystemsNumber Systems Number Systems mostly used by humans and

computers:– Base 2 (Binary) Means 2 digits, 0 and 1– Base 8 (Octal) means 8 digits, 0 to 7– Base 10 (Decimal) Means 10 digits, 0 to 9– Base 16 (Hexadecimal) means 16 digits from 0 to 9 and A to

F So how do we communicate?? Simple – Learn Conversion between Decimal, Octal and

Hexadecimal to Binary and Binary to Hexadecimal and Octal and Decimal

Computer Represent data in Binary.

What helps determine the speed?What helps determine the speed?Type of Media

– UTP Cable – Fiber– Wireless

Type of file– Larger files require more time to download

Type of Network connection– Bandwidth and Throughput

Determining Screen Resolution Determining Screen Resolution and Speedand Speed

Measuring resolution and frequency Pixels – determines the resolution in number of points in row and column on

screen. Hertz = how fast something recycle or refreshes used to represent the speed

on processor, memory, motherboard and other hardware components and refresh rate of monitor.

300 MHz = 300 million cycles/second

Purchasing ComputerPurchasing Computer Preassembled or Custom Built – which one should you

choose?? Preassembled Advantages:

– Lower Cost– Performs most applications

Preassembled Disadvantages:– May lack in performance– Fixed Components and Configurations

Custom Built Advantages:– Components as per your requirements– Supports higher performance applications

Custom Built Disadvantages– Costly

Determining Appropriate Components Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devicesand Peripheral Devices

Motherboard– main circuit board– slots for processor, RAM, IDE and

Floppy Drives– Expansion Slots (ISA, EISA, PCI or

Extended PCI) for NIC, sound card, internal modems, etc.

– AGP Slot– Additional onboard backend interfaces

for attaching various other devices such as keyboard, mouse, printers etc.

CPUCPU Central Processing Unit (CPU)

– nerve center of the computer

Factors to remember when selecting your processor– higher speed = faster performance– more power = more heat– Support to OS (16 Bit, 32 Bit or 64 Bit)

Bus– how data gets to its location (like a highway)– faster bus = faster computer– Front-side Bus Speed (FSB) calculated in

Hertz

RAMRAMRandom Access Memory (RAM)

– temporary storage– stores data while it is being processed by the CPU

Why would a user need more RAM?– Multiple applications running at the same time– Applications are more memory intensive such as

Database or Specific Server Applications.– Multiple CPUs– Maximum RAM availability determined by the

motherboard

Additional Cards and FunctionalityAdditional Cards and Functionality

Adapter cards add additional functionality to a computer system such as sound card, NIC, Modem, IDE Card, Graphics Adapter Cards etc.

Optical DrivesOptical DrivesOptical Drives

– Use of laser beams to record and read information– CD or DVD – uses red laser

CDs can store upto 700MB DVDs can store up to 8GB data.

– Blue Ray – uses blue-violet laser can hold up to 25GB of data.

Magnetic Storage DevicesMagnetic Storage Devices

Magnetic Drives– Hard Drive– Floppy Drive– Tape Drive

Additional DevicesAdditional Devices

Peripheral Devices– Added to the computer to expand

its capabilities– Different categories

Input (Key board, mouse, Scanners etc)

Output (Monitor, Printers) Storage (Flash Drive, USB Hard Disk

etc. Networking (External Modems etc.)

Where do these devices fit??

Power Supply to your Computer Power Supply to your Computer and Peripheralsand Peripherals

Surge Protector– Prevents damage to the computer.– Normally have fuse for protecting from

higher voltage levels.

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)– Keeps charge of internal battery– Provides backup power without

interruption for a short period of time– Normally give enough time to properly

shutdown computer.

Install, Verify and Upgrade Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and PeripheralsComponents and Peripherals

Computer Repair Best Practices Turn PC off and unplug power

– Determine if the part is hot-swappable (if so, there is no need to turn off power before adding or removing the part)

Never open power supply or monitor – both contain high voltages

Be aware of Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)– transfers electricity from your body to electrical parts– ground yourself properly

Install, Verify and Upgrade Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and PeripheralsComponents and Peripherals

Take the following precautions:– Determine if the component is hot swappable

If in doubt, unplug it!!

– Use ESD safe environment.– wear grounding strap on wrist.– Remove old component– Check the connection on the new component

Should fit easily; if you have to force it, it probably doesn’t belong there

– Place component in the correct slot

Install, Verify and Upgrade Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and PeripheralsComponents and Peripherals

PS/2 - connects keyboard and mouseUSB – connects many devices (PnP)Serial – connects modems/serial mouse etc.Parallel – connects printerVGA – connects monitorsRJ11 – connects phone linesRJ45 – connects to the network