Shaina D. Despi.

10-ponce

External Computer Hardware

Tower

The tower is the central brain of

the computer. It holds all the major internal components needed for the
machine to function properly. It is generally designed to sit flat on a desk or
upright on the floor. Most of the ports for plugging in other devices are
located here, such as the PS/2 ports for the keyboard and mouse, USB ports
for printers, cameras and other devices, microphone and speaker ports, VGA
port for the monitor and Ethernet and modem ports for Internet and network
connection.

Monitor

The computer's monitor, or

screen, is the window into the workings of the computer. Its visual display
allows for a visual interpretation of all that is happening.There are two major
forms of computer monitors. The first is the CRT, which projects the picture
from behind the screen and is therefore very bulky and heavy. The second is
LCD, which uses liquid crystals and electronic triggers to display images,
allowing for a much more sleek and lightweight unit.
 The keyboard allows typed input
into the computer. It has buttons for all the letters of the alphabet as well as
numbers, symbols and special function keys. Some keyboards, especially on
Macintosh computers, have USB ports available on them for easy access.

Mouse

The mouse allows movement of the

cursor on the screen. It allows the selection of icons and links much more
quickly and smoothly than the keyboard.

CD/DVD Drive, Floppy Drive and USB drives

These drives are all used for extra

storage as well as inputting information and programs into the computer. The
CD/DVD drive allows for CDs/DVDs to be read by the computer so that the
information stored on the can be handled accordingly. Although rapidly being
deemed to be too outdated for general usage, floppy drives have been used
longer than any other of this type of media. USB drives are quickly
becoming the storage/input device of choice because of their reliability, speed
and ease of use.
Printers and Scanners

Printer and scanners, although not

necessary for the overall function of a computer, are helpful tools that allow
for document management, whether that be uploading a document into the
computer using the scanner or creating a document using the printer.
Internal Computer Hardware

Introduction

Computer Hardware is the physical part of a computer, as distinguished from the computer
software that executes or runs on the hardware. The hardware of a computer is infrequently

changed,
while software and data are modified frequently. The term soft refers to readily created,
modified, or erased. These are unlike the physical components within the computer which
are hard.

When you think of the term computer hardware you probably think of the guts inside your
personal computer at home or the one in your classroom. However, computer hardware does
not specifically refer to personal computers. Instead, it is all types of computer systems.
Computer hardware is in embedded systems in automobiles, microwave ovens, CD players,
DVD players, and many more devices. In 2003, only 0.2% of all microprocessors sold were
for personal computers. How many other things in your house or your classroom use
computer hardware?

Motherboard - The motherboard is the body or mainframe of the computer, through

which all other components interface. It is the central circuit board making up a complex
electronic system. A motherboard provides the electrical connections by which the other
components of the system communicate. The mother board includes many components such
as: central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), firmware, and internal and
external buses.

Central Processing Unit - The Central Processing Unit (CPU; sometimes just called
processor) is a machine that can execute computer programs. It is sometimes
referred to as the brain of the computer.

CPU Diagram. There are four steps that nearly all CPUs use in their
operation: fetch, decode, execute, and writeback. The first step, fetch, involves retrieving an
instruction from program memory. In the decode step, the instruction is broken up into parts
that have significance to other portions of the CPU. During the execute step various portions
of the CPU, such as the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and the floating point unit (FPU) are
connected so they can perform the desired operation. The final step, writeback, simply writes
back the results of the execute step to some form of memory.

Random Access Memory

Random access memory (RAM) is fast-access memory that is cleared when the computer is
power-down. RAM attaches directly to the motherboard, and is used to store programs that
are currently running. RAM is a set of integrated circuits that allow the stored data to be
accessed in any order (why it is called random). There are many different types of RAM.
Distinctions between these different types include: writable vs. read-only, static vs. dynamic,
volatile vs. non-volatile, etc.

Firmware - Firmware is loaded from the Read only memory (ROM) run from the Basic
Input-Output System (BIOS). It is a computer program that is embedded in a hardware
device, for example a microcontroller. As it name suggests, firmware is somewhere
between hardware and software. Like software, it is a computer program which is
executed by a microprocessor or a microcontroller. But it is also tightly linked to a
piece of hardware, and has little meaning outside of it. Most devices attached to
modern systems are special-purpose computers in their own right, running their own
software. Some of these devices store that software (“firmware”) in a ROM within the
device itself

Power Supply - The power supply as its name might suggest is the device that
supplies power to all the components in the computer. Its case holds a transformer,
voltage control, and (usually) a cooling fan. The power supply converts about 100-
120 volts of AC power to low-voltage DC power for the internal components to use.
The most common computer power supplies are built to conform with the ATX form
factor. This enables different power supplies to be interchangable with different
components inside the computer. ATX power supplies also are designed to turn on
and off using a signal from the motherboard, and provide support for modern
functions such as standby mode.
Removable Media Devices-If your putting something in your computer and
taking it out is most likely a form of removable media. There are many different
removable media devices. The most popular are probably CD and DVD drives which
almost every computer these days has at least one of. There are some new disc drives
such as Blu-ray which can hold a much larger amount of information then normal
CDs or DVDs. One type of removable media which is becoming less popular is floppy
disk.

CD- CDs are the most common type of removable media. They are inexpensive but
also have short life-span. There are a few different kinds of CDs. CD-ROM which
stands for Compact Disc read-only memory are popularly used to distribute computer
software although any type of data can be stored on them. CD-R is another variation
which can only be written to once but can be read many times. CD-RW (rewritable)
can be written to more than once as well as read more than once. Some other types
of CDs which are not as popular include Super Audio CD (SACD), Video Compact
Discs (VCD), Super Video Compact Discs (SVCD), PhotoCD, PictureCD, CD-i, and
Enhanced CD.

There are two types of devices in a computer that use CDs: CD-ROM drive and a CD writer.
The CD-ROM drive used for reading a CD. The CD writer drive can read and write a CD. CD
writers are much more popular are new computers than a CD-ROM drive. Both kinds of CD
drives are called optical disc drives because the use a laser light or electromagnetic waves to
read or write data to or from a CD.
DVD- DVDs (digital versatile discs) are another popular optical disc storage media
format. The main uses for DVDs are video and data storage. Most DVDs are of the
same dimensions as compact discs. Just like CDs there are many different variations.
DVD-ROM has data which can only be read and not written. DVD-R and DVD+R can
be written once and then function as a DVD-ROM. DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, or DVD+RW
hold data that can be erased and re-written multiple times. DVD-Video and DVD-
Audio discs respectively refer to properly formatted and structured video and audio
content. The devices that use DVDs are very similar to the devices that use CDs.
There is a DVD-ROM drive as well as a DVD writer that work the same way as a CD-
ROM drive and CD writer. There is also a DVD-RAM drive that reads and writes to the
DVD-RAM variation of DVD.

Blue Ray - Blu-ray is a newer optical disc storage media format. Its main uses are high-
definition video and data storage. The disc has the same dimensions as a CD or DVD. The
term “Blu-ray” comes from the blue laser used to read and write to the disc. The Blu-ray
discs can store much more data then CDs or DVDs. A dual layer Blu-ray disc can store up to
50GB, almost six times thecapacity of a dual layer DVD (WOW!). Blu-ray discs have similar
devices used to read them and write to them as CDs have. A BD-ROM drive can only read a
Blu-ray disc and a BD writer can read and write a Blu-ray disc.
Floppy Disk- A floppy disk is a type of data storage that is composed of a disk of
thin, flexible(“floppy”) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular
plastic shell. Floppy disks are read and written by a floppy disk drive. Floppy disks
are a dying and being replaced by the optical and flash drives. Many new computers
do not come with floppy drives anymore but there are a lot of older ones with floppy
drives lying around. While floppy disks are very cheap the amount of storage on them
compared to the amount of storage for the price of flash drives makes floppy disks
unreasonable to use.

Internal storage- internal storage is hardware that keeps data inside the computer for later
use and remains persistent even when the computer has no power. There are a few different
types of internal storage. Hard disks are the most popular type of internal storage. Solid-
state drives have grown in popularity slowly. A disk array controller is popular when you
need more storage then a single har disk can hold.
Hard Disk Drive -A disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage device which stores
digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces. Just about
every new computer comes with a hard disk these days unless it comes with a new
solid-state drive. Typical desktop hard disk drives store between 120 and 400GB,
rotate at 7,200 rpm, and have a madia transfer rate of 1 Gbit/s or higher. Hard disk
drives are accessed over one of a number of bus types, including parallel ATA(also
called IDE), Serial ATA (SATA), SCSI, Serial Attached SCSI, and Fibre Channel.

Solid-State Drive - A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state
memory to store persistent data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive, thus easily replacing it
in any application. SSDs have begun to appear in laptops because they can be smaller than
HDDs. SSDs are currently more expensive per unit of capacity than HDDs which is why they
have not caught on so quickly.

Disk Array Controller - A disk array controller is a device which manage the
physical disk drives and presents them to the computer as logical units. It almost
always implements hardware RAID. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Drives) is a
technology that employs the simultaneous use of two or more hard disk drives to
achieve greater levels of performance, reliability, and/or larger data volume sizes. A
disk array controller also provides additional disk cache.

Part of system unit

System unit (chassis) is a set of electronic components of a computer that provides the
proper its operating. There are six main system unit components:

1. Motherboard – a system core. Actually, it is a heart of computer. Other

system elements are connected to motherboard, and the whole system is
managed and controlled by it. Motherboard contains special chips on which
some ICs (Integrated circuits) are etched.
2. Processor – a computer engine, its brain. CPU (central processing unit)
manages most of computer operations. Processors can be with pins or pin-less.
It contains a control unit and a logic unit.
3. RAM (random access memory) – primarily memory. It storages all data
processed by programs and apps on the computer. There are dynamic and
static RAMs.
4. Hard Drive – a system memory that storages data in a form of archives.
Here all our files, folders, operating system, programs, and applications are
saved. Hard driver can be of two type: PATA (Parallel Attachment Packet
Interface) and SATA (Serial Attachment Packet Interface).
5. Video Card (graphics adapter) – with its help the outputs from a computer
are displayed on the screen. Modern video cards support HDMI (high-
definition multimedia interface), VGA (video graphics array) and DVI (digital
visual interface).
6. Power Supply – provides every part of PC with electrical power.

Assembly of System Unit Steps

First you will need to buy the parts necessary to build the
computer. The parts we will use in this project are labeled in
figure 1:
1. Processor (CPU)
2. Computer Case
3. Optical Drive (DVD RW and SATA capable)
4. Memory (RAM)
5. Power Supply
6. SATA Cables
7. Motherboard (SATA Capable)
8. Processor Fan
9. Case Fan
10. Hard Drive (SATA Capable)
11. Assortment of case and drive screws (Not Pictured)
12. Flowers (necessary if you are invading the space of your
significant other)

Step 2: Gather Tools and Supplies

Gather the tools you will need for the project:

*Screwdriver (for slotted and Phillips head screws) *Wire

cutters and strippers *Needle-nosed pliers *Utility knife
*Small flashlight *Adjustable wrench *Small container to
hold screws *Heat sink compound *Grounding Strap You

may not use every single one of these tools in every installation, but it is best to have all of them

on hand in case you have a use for them.

Step 3: Open the Case

Open the computer case by removing the side panels. Find
the screws that hold the side panels in place and remove
them (shown in figure 3 circled in red). The panel is removed
by first sliding it back (figure 4) then lifting it away from the
case (figure 5)

Step 4: Prepare the Case for Assembly

Three things need to be done before assembly begins:
Remove any parts or packaging materials that may have
been shipped inside the case (figure 6).
Remove the cover for the optical drive. On our case, we will
be removing the cover on the highest drive bay to mount our
DVD drive as shown in figure 7. Do this by pressing in the
retaining tabs shown in figure 8.
*Make note of the cables pre-installed in the case. These
should be front panel connections for features such as the
power switch, audio jacks and usb ports. If they are not
labeled, consult the manufacturer’s documentation and label
them yourself now before other parts are installed in the
case (figure 8).
Step 5: Ground Yourself

Put the grounding strap on your wrist (Figure 10) and

connect the other end to the computer case. If your strap is
not equipped with a clip to hook to the case, find a place to
wedge against the metal as shown in figure 11. This will
prevent any buildup of static electricity on your body from
damaging the computer components.
Caution:Static electricity can ruin computer components.
Always wear a grounding strap when handling any internal
components.

Step 6: Install Motherboard

To install the motherboard we need parts that should have
been included with your purchased components:
I/O Bezel is a trim panel installed in the back of the case
that surrounds the interface ports on the motherboard. It
should be included with the motherboard. Figure 12 shows
the contents of the motherboard box.
Standoffs are installed in the case screw holes to create a
riser that separates the case and motherboard. The screws
install into the standoffs as shown in figure 13. Screws and
standoffs should be included with the case, but it is a good
idea to order these items just in case they aren't included.
Follow these steps to install the motherboard in the case:
Install the I/O bezel plate into the opening in the back of the
case (figure 14). It pushes in from the inside.
1.Install standoffs in the case. The standoffs screw into the
motherboard mounting holes shown in figure 14. Check the
screw hole locations on the motherboard for exact
placement.
2.Lower the motherboard into the case and align with the I/O
bezel.
3.Install the screws.
Figure 15 shows the motherboard installed in the case. It
works best to leave the screws loose until all of them have
been started and the board is aligned with the bezel.
Caution: To prevent damage to the motherboard it must only
contact the standoffs and screws. All of the standoffs and
screws must be installed.

Step 7: Install Hard Drive

The hard drive is the device that stores all of your data. It is
3.5" wide and needs to be mounted so that you can gain
access to the cable connections on the back (figure 16). If
that is not possible you may need to connect cables before
you install the drive. To mount the drive:
1.Find a 3.5" drive bay to install the drive in. If you have
trouble finding a place to mount the drive consult your case
documentation for suggestions.
2.Slide the drive into place until the screw holes on the sides
are lined up with the holes in the case.
3.Install the screws.
 Step 8: Install Optical Drive

The optical drive is 5.25" wide and is installed in the drive

bay that we removed the cover from in a previous step.
Cable access considerations apply to this drive also. To
install the drive:
1.Slide the drive into the drive bay until the screw holes
are lined up and the front of the drive is flush with the
front of the case (figure 18). Make sure that it is
orientated correctly.2.Install the screws.
Step 9: Install the CPU
The CPU is the brain of the computer. It is installed on the
motherboard in the socket shown in figure 20.To install the
CPU:
1.Find the corner marking that designates pin 1 of the CPU as
shown in figure 19. On this AMD brand processor, the corner
is marked with an arrow. Consult the manufacturer's
documentation for specific information about your
processor.
2.Lif the small metal rod next to the socket as shown in
figure 20.
3. the corresponding marking on the CPU socket and insert
the CPU so that the markings are lined up
4..Push the rod down to lock the processor in place (figure 21).
Step 10: Install RAM
The RAM is the temporary memory location that the
processor works from. Permanently stored data is pulled
from disks and stored in RAM while the processor works
with it. The memory is easy to install:
1.Set the RAM board in the socket as shown in figure 22.
Check to see that the notch in the board is in the correct
location. If it is not, turn it around 180º.
2.firmly on both ends of the board to set it into the socket.
Make sure the tabs lock into place as shown in figure 23.
Caution: Pressing the boards in when the tab is not aligned
could cause damage to the RAM boards as well as the
motherboard.

Step 11: Install the CPU Fan

The CPU fan is really a combination of a heat sink and fan
together. The unit draws heat away from the CPU . To install
the fan:
1.Place thermal compound to the CPU following the
instructions provided with the compound.
2. the fan assembly on the CPU with mounting tabs aligned.
3.Pull the locking rod down on the fan assembly to lock into
place.
4.Connect the fan assembly's power connector to the
motherboard. Consult the manual to determine proper
placement.
Caution: Failure to apply thermal compound will result in
insufficient cooling and will cause damage to the CPU and/or
motherboard.
Step 12: Install Case Fan
The case fan is usually installed on the back panel of the
case. If the fan mount is not obvious consult the case
documentation. To mount the fan:
1.Align the mounting holes by holding the fan to the mounting
pad on the inside of the case as shown in figure 25. The fan
needs to be mounted so that it blows air out of the case.
2.Insert the screws from the outside of the case and tighten.
Step 13: Install Power Supply

Consult your case documentation for details and then follow

these directions to install the power supply:
1.Align the mounting holes in the case and power supply as
shown in figure 26.
2.Insert screws and tighten.
Step 14: Connect Cables

With all of the components installed in the case, the jungle

of wires can be daunting. It is important to consult the
motherboard manual in order to make sure proper
connections are made. There are two kinds of connections,
power and data.
*Every device that has been installed needs power. In figure
27, the power supply connectors are shown. The
motherboard has two power connections, and there are two
connectors specifically for SATA devices (drives). The other
connectors will run fans and other non-SATA devices.*Data
cables connect drives and front panel devices to the
motherboard. Please consult the motherboard
documentation for the exact placement of connectors.
Warning: Incorrect connections can damage components
and cause bodily injury.
 Step 15: Wrap-up

Now that the components are completely installed, the last

thing to do is to reinstall the side panels on the case. The
computer is now ready to be turned on and to have software
loaded on it. If the computer has problems starting up, check
all component connections and mounting to make sure that
you have hooked everything up correctly. Consult individual
component manuals for specific troubleshooting information
if problems persist.