MODULE

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

STUDENT NAME

____________________________________________

COURSE / YEAR

____________________________________________

EMAIL ACCOUNT

____________________________________________

MOBILE NUMBER FACEBOOK USER NAME

____________________________________________
___________________________________________

DATE RECEIVED

____________________________________________

INSTRUCTOR
Jayrald C. Galin
____________________________________________

EMAIL ACCOUNT
Galinjayrald1@gmail.com
____________________________________________

MOBILE NUMBER FACEBOOK USER NAME

09502991462 Jayrald Calopez Galin
____________________________________________
__________________________________________

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MODULE
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

2
Chapter
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER HARDWARE

Table of Contents
Chapter 2: “Introduction to Computer Hardware”

2.1.The System Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.1.1. Motherboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

2.1.2. Expansion Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.1.3. CPU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5

2.1.4. Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.1.5. Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

2.1.6. Power supply unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

2.1.7. Ethernet Cable in Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.2.Improving the Performance of Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.3.1. Add More Memory and Buy a Separate Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

2.3.2. Upgrade To A Solid-State Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

2.3.3. Upgrade Your Internet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.3.4. System Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13

2.3.5. Future
Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

2.3.First Look at Laptop Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2.4.First Look at Mobile Device Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

2.5.References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27

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MODULE
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

2
Chapter
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER HARDWARE

I. Overview

Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer, such as the case, central
processing unit (CPU), monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound
card, speakers and motherboard. A computer case, also known as a computer chassis, tower, system
unit, or cabinet, is the enclosure that contains most of the components of a personal computer (usually
excluding the display, keyboard, and mouse).

II. Learning Outcomes

To identify the components of a computer’s System Unit.

III. Course Content

2.1. The System Unit

The System Unit, also known as a "tower" or "chassis," is the main part of a desktop
computer. It includes the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and other components. The system unit also
includes the case that houses the internal components of the computer.

2.1.1. “Motherboard”
"The motherboard can be thought of as the "back bone" of the computer." This quote is from the

article Motherboard. Inside the system unit contains the motherboard. The motherboard is the "glue" of
the computer. It connects the CPU, memory, hard drive, optical drives, video card, and sound card together.
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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

The front of the motherboard are peripheral card slots. The slots contain different types of cards which are
connected to the motherboard. The left side of the motherboard contain ports. The ports connect to the
monitor, printer, keyboard, mouse, speakers, phone line, and network cables.

Like many of the components of computers, motherboards have not always been as advanced as
they are today. Motherboards on early PCs did not have many integrated parts located directly on the board.
Instead, most of the devices, such as display adapters and hard disk controllers, were connected through
expansion slots. As technology advanced, more and more devices were built in directly to the board itself.
At first, this began to create problems as manufacturers began to find that if one of the devices on the
motherboard was faulty or in some way damaged, that the entire motherboard must be replaced. This led
manufactures to change the design in a way that allowed them to remove faulty parts easily and replace
them, especially parts that are growing and changing so quickly, such as the RAM or CPU. Today, a
motherboard comes equipped with many parts working in conjunction with each other. One can find
anything, from back up batteries, keyboard and mouse connectors, to cache memory chips, in close
proximity to the CPU. The
computer is able to do tasks
faster as its components
continue to be closer to one
another. The advancement of
technology has allowed for
these parts to become smaller
and more powerful,
allowing more surface area on
the motherboard to fit more
devices. It is Fig 2.1.A Annotated Motherboard common today
to find even audio and video
components built into it as well.
With technology moving as fast as
it is, one may wonder what a
motherboard will be capable of
containing in the near future.

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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Fig 2.1.B Motherboard Diagram

Fig 2.1.C Real-time clock on a Motherboard

2.1.2. “Expansion
Cards”
An expansion card,
also known as an expansion
board, adapter card, or
accessory board, is a printed
circuit board that can be inserted
into an expansion slot on the
motherboard to add functionality
to a computer system. The
three most common
expansion cards are the audio
card, graphics card, and network card. Each type of expansion card has a self-explanatory name
and all serve the same purpose of adding functionality to the computer. The audio card is
responsible for producing sound that is then transferred to speakers or headphones. Commonly
audio cards are built onto the motherboard, however, they can be purchased separately. The
graphics card turns the data produced by a CPU to an image that is able to be seen on a computer's
display. Along with the audio card, graphics cards are commonly built onto the motherboard, yet
graphics card that produce higher resolution images can be bought separately. Lastly, the network
card is an expansion card that connects the computer to a computer network. This allows for a
computer to exchange data with the computer network through a commonly used number of
protocols called IEEE 802.11, popularly known as wireless LAN or Wi-Fi

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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Fig 2.1.D Expansion card on a Motherboard

2.1.3. “CPU”
The Central Processing Unit, also known as the CPU, is responsible for executing a
sequence of instructions called a program. The computer needs the CPU in order to function
correctly. It is known as the brains of the computer where the calculations occur. The
microprocessor and the processor are two other names for the central processing unit. The Central
processing unit attaches to a CPU socket on the motherboard. A multi-core CPU contains more than
one processor chips. This specific type of CPU is efficient because it allows computers to work on
more than one task at a time because the singular processor can run multiple instructions on the
different cores at the same time. Also, these multi core CPU's experience less over heating than the
original CPU which causes much less problems to the computer.

Fig 2.1.E Intel i7 940 Fig 2.1.F AMD Dual core

Brief History of the CPU

The first CPU ever made was the Intel 4004, which was designed by Federico Faggin. After
ten months of Faggin and his colleagues working on the chip, it was released by Intel Corporation in
January 1971. Even though this first generation, 4-bit microprocessor could only add and subtract, it
was a major breakthrough in technology. The amazing quality was that all of the processing was
done on one chip, as opposed to prior computers which had a collection of chips wired together.
This invention lead to the first portable electronic calculator.
While technology has advanced quite a bit since 1971, old technology is not as “out-of-date”
as one thinks. There are still CPU chips made in the 1970’s and 1980’s that are still being used
today. Personal computers, such as PC’s and Mac’s, use faster, more up-to-date CPU’s because
the users run many programs at the same time. However, the more simple computers embedded in
cars, printers, and microwaves can still use the older forms of microprocessors. For example, one
famous CPU was the MOS 6502, made in 1975, and it was still being used in many appliances up
until 2009. Control processing units are the key component in any computer, and thus sometimes
the simpler styles work best.

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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Fig 2.1.F The Intel 4004

2.1.4. “Memory”
Memory identifies data
programs on a
temporary or permanent basis. There are two main types of memory storage which are random-
access memory (fig 2.1.G : RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Inside the system unit, ROM is
attached to the motherboard. Random-access memory can read data from RAM and write data into
RAM in the same amount of time. RAM capacity is measured in bytes. It is volatile which means that
it loses the information/data stored on it when the power is turned off. In order to retrieve an
important file at a later date, one needs to store it on a separate, non-volatile, storage medium (such
as a flash drive or hard-drive) so that, even though the information is erased from RAM, it is stored
elsewhere. RAM has different slots where it stores data and keeps track of addresses. Read-only
memory cannot be written to and is non-volatile which means it keeps its contents regardless of
whether the power is turned off or not. Flash memory (solid-state) is starting to replace ROM. It is
also a non-volatile memory chip that is used for storage on devices, like mobile phones, tablets,
digital cameras, etc. This type of memory can often be found in the form of flash drives, SD cards,
and Solid-State hard drives. The reason for this is so that the data can be quickly updated over time
while taking up a smaller amount of physical space in comparison to its precursors. Flash memory is
also more resistant to outside forces, such as electro-magnetic fields or shock, than other memory
alternatives such as traditional hard-drives.

Fig 2.1.G The Template: Gaps byte Fig 2.1.H A microprocessor, which may
(512×220) capacity of these RAM use cache memory.
modules is stated as "512 MB" on the
label.
Cache memory (fig 2.1.H) and Registers are special types of volatile memory that allows a
computer to perform certain tasks much more quickly. The cache memory is a high speed circuitry
that can either be built right into the CPU or very close to the CPU. Registers are built into the CPU
to store intermediary results during processing. A good analogy from HowStuffWorks compares the
computer to a librarian, data to books, and cache to a backpack.[14] Suppose somebody walks into
a library and asks the librarian for a copy of the book Moby Dick. The librarian goes back into the
room full of books, grabs that book, and gives it to the reader. Later that day, the reader returns,
having finished the book, and gives it back to the librarian, who returns it to the same storage room.
Then, a second reader walks in asking for the same book, Moby Dick. The librarian has to get up
and go all the way back to the room in order to get the book he was just handling, which is a waste
of time. Instead, suppose the librarian had a backpack that could store up to 10 books. When the
first person returns Moby Dick, the librarian puts it into his backpack instead (after making sure the
backpack doesn't have 10 books in it already.) Then, when the second person comes in requesting

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Palawan State University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

that same book, the

librarian can just check
his bag, get the book
out, and hand it to the
second person without
having to walk all the way
back into the other room.
Cache memory
functions like that
backpack, it stores
previously accessed
data in a specific
area with a limited amount of memory so that the processor can get this data much more quickly.

2.1.5. “Ports”
Ports are on the outside of the system unit and they are used to connect hardware devices.
There are physical ports and virtual ports. A physical port is a physical connection to a computer
where data is transferred. It is when something is physically plugged into the computer or some
other device. Virtual ports allow software applications to share hardware resources without having to
physically connect to each other or to interfere with one another. Parallel ports are most often used
with a keyboard, printer or mouse, but these are more commonly known as legacy ports instead.
Each port has a certain connector to plug it into the computer. Different type of ports would be
power connectors, VGA monitor port, USB ports, Firewire port, HDMI port, Network port, audio
ports, and empty slots. The connectors would be Monitor (VGA, HDMI), USB, Firewire, network, and
audio connector. Each port also has a different purpose and connector. Almost all PCs come with a
serial RS-232C port or a RS-4222 port and they are used for connecting a modem, mouse, or
keyboard. They also have parallel ports that are used to connect printers. These are also
considered USB ports because they are physical ports and which standardize communications
between computers and peripheral. USB ports were created in the mid 1990’s; USB stands for
Universal Serial Bus. There are also network ports used to connect a computer to a network.
Ethernet was developed in the 1980s and it is a system for connecting a number of computer
systems to form a local area network (LAN).

Fig 2.1.I Ports on the motherboard

A serial port is used to connect modems to personal computers. The term “serial” signifies
that data sent in one direction always travels over a single wire within the cable. The last main kind
of port is the FireWire, which are used to connect FireWire devices to the computer via a FireWire
connector. These are used with mostly digital video cameras and other multimedia devices.

2.1.6. “Power supply unit”

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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Computers need power and there are two main functions the power supply unit, also
commonly referred to as the PSU, is responsible for. The first is to convert the type of electrical
power available at the wall outlet such as 110 V 60 Hz AC (alternating current) or 230 V 50 Hz AC to
the type the computer circuits can use. The other crucial task is to deliver low voltages to each
device due their requirements. The converting currents could be represented either by built in PSU
(desktops, servers, mainframes) or by the separate power supply
adapters for computers with rechargeable batteries inside
(laptops, tablets). Three main voltages are used to power
computer : +3.3 V, +5 V, and +12 V DC, Usually, the +3.3 or +5
voltages are being used by logic circuits and some digital electronic
components (motherboard, adapter cards, and disk drive logic
boards) while the motors (disk drive motors and any fans) use the
+12 V power. The power supply must provide a good, steady
supply of DC power for the proper system operation. Devices that run
on voltages other than these must be powered by onboard voltage
regulators. For example the CPUs operate 1.5 V and 2 V and require
very stable power with high power consumption.

Fig 2.1.J PSU rear

2.1.7. “Ethernet Cable in Theatre”

A commonly used cable today is Ethernet cable. You are
probably most familiar with its use involving the internet in
your home, mostly going from your modem, to another
computer to a Wi-Fi router. However, the use of Ethernet
cable has been instrumental in the changing would of technical
theatre. Before its introduction, the most common computer
cables used in theatre were DMX and XLR, for lighting and
sound respectively. The issue with this is that each cable can
only carry the information for one device, be that a
microphone or light. In addition, if these cables are stored
improperly, they can corrupt the information being
transmitted. Ethernet is much smaller, and can transmit far more data. Also, there is less of a
danger regarding storing cable. Ethernet, combined with new operating system and equipment, has
made things far more efficient. For example, an analog board must have one XLR cable go to each
microphone, so if you wanted to run 40 microphones, you must have 40 channels available on your
soundboard. Also, the size of a cable with 40 smaller lines inside it can reach a one-inch diameter,
and can weigh several hundred pounds. Now, a digital soundboard can control up to 100
microphones on a single Ethernet cable.

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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Fig 2.1.K An Ethernet Cable

How the CPU Works?

1. CPU Architecture and Components
As previously discussed on this page, the CPU is a complex piece of the computer
made up of many parts. The way these parts all fit together inside the CPU is different in
each processor but they mainly contain the same parts from device to device. The most
abundant part in the CPU would be the transistor. Modern CPU's typically hold several
hundred million transistors with some of the more high-end computers holding over a billion,
and for good reason. Calculations in a computer can be performed thanks to the combination
of transistors turning off or on. Besides these transistors, there are several parts that make
up the CPU. Some of these include the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and floating point unit
(FPU), the control unit, and the prefetch unit. The ALU is the part of the CPU that deals
with the mathematics involving whole numbers and any functions done with those numbers.
The FPU takes care of the mathematics with other numbers like fractions, or numbers with
decimal places. These two parts work hand in hand, using arithmetic and logical processes,
to allow you to perform basically any function you perform on your computer. The control unit
takes charge in controlling where and when information is transferred to and from the CPU.
When information leaves the control unit, it is usually sent to the ALU/FPU where it can be
converted into a process. The prefetch unit, as its name implies, fetches data before it is
needed. It uses a sequence of processes to guess what information will be needed next, and
have it readily available before the time it needed. Other components of the CPU include the
cache, the decode unit, and the bus interface unit. The cache serves as high-speed
memory for instructions that the CPU would like to access faster, in other words instructions
that the CPU would rather avoid retrieving from RAM or the hard drive. The decode unit, just
as it sounds, decodes instructions. Once the prefetch unit fetches data, the data goes
through the decode unit so the instructions can be understood by the control unit. The bus
interface unit allows communication between the core and other CPU components. Think of
it as literally a bus, taking information from one place and transporting it somewhere else.

2. The Internal Clock

Every computer actually has two different clocks. One is the virtual or system clock
that runs and is displayed whenever the computer is on and running. The other is a real-
time clock or hardware clock that runs continuously, and is responsible for tracking the
correct time and day. This device does not count time in days and hours for example.
Instead it just runs a counter at times per second. As far as the century goes, it is the job of
the BIOS, the Basic Input-Output System, to track this and save it in the non-volatile memory
of the hardware clock. These two clocks run independently on each other. The system clock
is physically a small quartz crystal that can be found on the motherboard. It also helps
synchronize all computer functions by sending out signals- or cycles- on a regular basis to all
parts, much like a person’s heartbeat. Hertz is the unit of measure used to count the number

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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

of cycles per second. For example, one megahertz is one million ticks of the system clock.
This clock is very important to the CPU because the higher the CPU clock speed, the more
instructions per second it could process. Since the entire system is tied to the speed of the
system clock, increasing the system clock speed is usually more important than increasing
the processor speed.
PCs in the past only had one unified system clock with a single clock, which drove
the processor, memory, and input/output bus. However, as technology advanced, the need
for a higher speed, and thus multiple clocks, arose. Therefore, a typical modern PC now has
multiple clocks, all running at different speeds to enable any data to “travel” around the PC.
Furthermore, two CPUs with the same clock speed will not necessarily perform equally. For
instance, if an old microprocessor required 20 cycles to perform a simple arithmetic
equation, a newer microprocessor can perform the same calculation in a single clock tick.
Therefore, even if both processors had the same clock speed, the newer processor would be
a lot faster than the old.

Fig 2.1.L The system clock alternates between zero and one at a periodic rate.

As mentioned previously, a CPU serves as a great example for the synchronization

that the system clock performs. To synchronize, most CPUs start an operation on either the
falling edge, when the clock goes from one to zero, or the rising edge, when the clock goes
from zero to one. All devices, such as a CPU, synchronized with the system clocks run at
either the system clock speed or at a
fraction of the system clock speed;
therefore, the CPU is unable to perform
tasks any faster than the clock. For example,
during each system clock tick, a CPU clock
speed of 2 GHz allows the CPU clock to “tick” 10 times, executing one or more pieces of
microcode. This ability to process multiple pieces of microcode at one time is known
as superscalar.

3. The Machine Cycle

A machine cycle is a term often used when discussing the clock. It has four main
parts- fetch, decode, execute, and store. The machine cycle occurs whenever a CPU
processes a single piece of microcode. The fetch operation requires the program instruction
to be fetched from either the cache or RAM, respectively. Next, the instructions are decoded
so that the ALU or FPU can understand it, known as the decode operation. Then, the
execute operation occurs when the instructions are carried out. Finally, the data or result
from the ALU or FPU operations is stored in the CPU’s registers for later retrieval, known as
the store operation. A fifth possible step in the cycle is the register write back operation,
which occurs in certain CPUs. The RISC CPU, which stands for reduced instruction set
computer processing unit, is an example that uses the fifth step of the machine cycle.
Machine cycles can only process a single piece of microcode, which forces simple
instructions, like addition or multiplication, to require more than one machine cycle. In order
to make computers faster, a system known as pipelining has been created. Originally, one
machine cycle would have to finish processing a single instruction before another instruction
could be carried out through a second machine cycle. With pipelining, as soon as an
instruction passes through one operation of the machine cycle, a second instruction can start
that operation. For example, after one instruction is fetched and moves on to decoding, the
CPU can fetch a second instruction. This invention allows for multiple machine cycles to be
carried out at the same time, which boosts the performance
e of the computer. Also, because of how fast the CPU can work with pipelining, it can be
measured in millions of instructions per second.
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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

Fig 2.1.M 5 Stages of Pipeline

2.2. Improving the Performance of

Your Computer
With computer hardware,
an upgrade is a term that describes
adding new hardware in a
computer that improves its
performance. For example, with
a hardware upgrade, you could replace your hard drive with an SSD or upgrade the RAM,
providing a boost in performance and efficiency.

UPGRADE
“Advantages of a hardware upgrade”
1. Performance increase, which makes the overall computer run faster and
more smoothly.
2. Capacity increase. For example, adding a larger hard drive allows the
computer to store more information. Adding more memory increases the
computer’s ability to run more programs efficiently.
3. It may be necessary to upgrade the computer to meet a program or
games system requirements.

“Disadvantages of a hardware upgrade”

Although the benefits always outweigh the disadvantages of a hardware
upgrade, it's still worth noting the following disadvantages of doing hardware
upgrades.
1. Damage during installation. It's possible, if not done correctly (e.g., not
taking ESD precautions) or using too much force, you may damage the new
hardware during the upgrade.
2. When upgrading major computer components, such as a hard
drive or motherboard, you may need to reinstall all your software, which
is a significant time investment.

2.3.1. “Add More Memory and Buy a Separate Hard Drive”

When it comes to technology, there is no question that newer is better. New systems are
able to process faster, store more, and run more applications at one time. However, it is obviously
not within everybody’s means to just run out and purchase the newest technology the minute it hits
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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Quezon Campus

the market. Technology is expensive, and therefore

it is important to know your options. For example, if
you have a computer that is a couple of years old, it is
not unreasonable to assume that the hard drive and
memory on the system are starting to slow down.
However, what many people may not know is that
buying a new computer is not the only solution to the
problem. You can add memory (Fig 2.2.A : HDD) to your
old system simply by purchasing a new memory card and
installing it into the computer hardware. By doing this, you are saving money and buying yourself a
little bit more time with the computer. Another way to speed up your computer without having to
invest in a whole new one is by buying a second hard drive. When the original hard drive starts to fill
up, one can simply purchase either an internal or external hard drive for the computer and
drastically increase the operating speed.

Fig 2.2.A Computer HDD’s Parts

2.3.2. “Upgrade To A Solid-State Drive”

Since solid-state drives (Fig 2.2.B : SSDs) are hard drives that use flash memory technology
instead of hard disk platters they have no moving parts. They also no longer make noise, consume
less power thus generating less heat, and are much faster than hard drives. Since they are much
faster than hard drives, the performance of the computer would also be improved. Running
programs, opening files, saving things to the disk, even browsing the web will be much faster. Also
with a mechanical hard drive, physical heads have to move around to read data from the disk while
in a solid-state drive data can be read and written on any location thus there is no penalty in
performance. Not only are solid-state drives faster but they have also become less expensive that
upgrading to them is much more affordable and reasonable. Even further, installing solid-state
drives is not too difficult or complex. It is basically the same as installing regular hard drives. Also if
the decision of upgrading to solid-state drives seems a little too final, it is possible to just add a solid-
state drive alongside the hard drive. Thus not only having more space, but also having the ability to
keep the old mechanical drive.

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Fig 2.2.B An Intel X25-M Solid-State Drive

2.3.3. “Upgrade Your Internet Connection”

If your system seems to be running poorly while using the internet, you may have to upgrade
your internet connection. Upgrading your internet connection may become more costly but there is a
significant change in the processor. Your first step would be to discuss any upgrades or check if the
provider needs to be enhanced in any way. Then find a browser that is suitable for your connection
type. With that being stated, you can change the settings on the router in order to speed up the
internet connection. In order to prevent your internet connection becoming slower, it’s highly
suggested to have a password in order to access the internet. In addition, every computer owner
should provide maintenance to their computer in order to prevent viruses or any bugs the computer
may receive but it also prevents an internet connection from being slow. In order to do so, keep up
with upgrading and cleaning the computer because the more the computer is trying to maintain, the
slower the internet connection may become

2.3.4. “System Maintenance”

In order for computers to operate at their maximum efficiency, users must be aware of the
importance of system maintenance because, over a period of time, one may notice a reduction in
system performance. This can be attributed to a number of common factors that lead to the
degradation in performance. One major reason is hard drive fragmentation. As more programs are
installed onto the hard drive, the pieces of the files that are on those programs take longer to be
located. The longer pieces of the program become shorter and fragmented, leading to a longer
waiting period for the user as the computer searches for these scattered pieces. Related to this,
although not nearly as detrimental to system performance as fragmentation, is the cluttering of
pieces and references to uninstalled programs in the operating system. For Windows users, this
occurs in the Registry. After the user uninstalls a program, there are references to that program left
behind in the Registry that can possibly impact performance. However, performance is not
necessarily the issue here. For example if the user is going to update the system by switching from
an Nvidia graphics card to an AMD one, it might be a good idea to not only uninstall all drivers and
related programs but also to clean the Registry of any references to the Nvidia drivers and software
(in order to avoid possible conflicts when the AMD card is installed). This will ensure a “clean” install
of both the hardware and software components. A free registry cleaner utility one can use is
CCleaner.
Temporary files (e.g. from web browsers and installation programs) can take up valuable
storage space if they are not removed after extended periods of times. Also, users should be aware
of the programs they are installing and decide which specific programs are to run at startup. Too
many programs can slow down the initial startup time of the computer because it must launch
program after program. Only those programs that are necessary should be included, and to check
for this, click Start (in the lower-left Windows icon) and enter the command msconfig in the search
tab. This will open the System Configuration window. Programs that run at startup are listed under
the Startup tab. Here the user can enable or disable programs, which can affect startup time.
Another important factor in determining system performance is the corruption of system files
by malware. Viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and other forms of malware can infect a system by
various means, so it is important for the user to be aware and defensive. Anti-virus programs and
other security software provide protection from malware, so it is recommended that a user has some
sort of program installed and regularly scans the system for any traces.
Lastly, dust can accumulate in and on heatsink fans (e.g. processor and graphics card),
case fans, ports, power supplies, and motherboards. Every internal component can accumulate
dust, and this can be a major issue for system integrity because dust acts as an insulator by
trapping heat. Fans with too much dust do not operate efficiently because the fins do not spin

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quickly, which further exacerbates the heating problem. Not only that, but dust can also cause
electrical shorting of the circuits, which can irreversibly damage components. To clean the
computer, power off the system, which includes turning off the power supply. It should not be
connected to any source. Then open the case and use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust
wherever it may be. The goal is to rid the case of any remnants of dust. Following this and the other
tips listed above will help ensure reliable performance and a longer lifespan for the computer.

2.3.5. “Future Trends”

The challenge of making computers faster and more efficient has brought new ideas to the
table of technology. One such idea is nanotechnology, which uses microscopic components only
nanometers in length. Carbon nanotubes are already being used in technology today in products
such as lithium ion batteries because of their great performance conducting electricity. Other
nanotechnology includes nanoparticles and nano-sensors. Another idea that has received increased
recent attention is quantum computing. These computer’s go beyond regular computers’ binary
system using qubits, which can be either a 1, a 0, or both simultaneously. Although these computers
are only able to perform seemingly simple tasks like sudoku puzzles as of recently, their potential is
outrageous for tasks such as encryption. Optical computing is another form of future technology
which uses light waves to transfer data. Since the in fared beams do not interfere with each other,
optical computers can be much smaller and more efficient that electronic computers. In fact, once
optical computers have been mastered the computers will be able to process information at the
speed of light using very little power at all. In years to come, the extraordinary power of
supercomputers is predicted to be available in more common computers using technology like
terascale computing to process at incredible speeds.

2.3.First Look at Laptop Components

A laptop, also called a notebook, is designed for portability (see Figure 2.3.1a and 2.3.1b)
and can be just as powerful as a desktop computer. More than half of personal computers
purchased today are laptops, and almost 30 percent of personal computers currently in use are
laptops. Laptops use the same technology as desktops, but with modifications to use less power,
take up less space, and operate on the move.

Figure 2.3.1 A laptop, netbook, and all-in-one computer

Laptops come in several varieties, including some with a touch screen that also allows you
to handwrite on it with a stylus and some with a rotating screen or removable screen that allows you
to use the laptop as a tablet (see Figure 2.3.2). Another variation of a laptop is a netbook (Figure
2.3.1b) that is smaller and less expensive than a laptop and has fewer features. An all-in-one

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computer (Figure 2.3.1c) has the monitor and computer case built together and uses components
that are common to both a laptop and desktop.

Figure 2.3.1 A laptop, netbook, and all-in-one computer

Figure 2.3.2 A laptop with a rotating display can do double-duty as a tablet computer

Because all-in-one computers use many laptop components and are serviced in similar ways, we
include them in this chapter.
A laptop provides ports on its sides, back, or front for connecting peripherals (see Figure
2.3.3). Ports common to laptops as well as desktop systems include USB, FireWire, network, dial-up
modem (seldom seen on newer laptops), and audio ports (for a microphone, headset, or external
speakers). Video ports might include one or more VGA, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt (on Apple
laptops), or HDMI ports to connect to a projector, second monitor, or television. On the side or back
of the laptop, you’ll see a lock connector that’s used to physically secure the laptop with a cable lock
(see Figure 2.3.4) and a DC jack to receive power from the AC adapter. Also, a laptop may have an
optical drive, but netbooks usually don’t have optical drives.

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Figure 2.3.3 Ports and slots on a laptop computer

Figure 2.3.4 Use a cable lock system to secure a notebook computer to a desk to help prevent it
from being stolen

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Notice the two slots in Figure 2.3.3 used for flash memory cards: a MagicGate slot and an
SD card slot. Each can support several types of flash memory cards that you learn about later in the
text.
When a laptop is missing a port or slot you need, you can usually find a USB dongle to
provide the port or slot. Here are some options:
 Connect to a local wired network. Figure 2.3.5 shows a USB to RJ-45 dongle. Plug the
dongle into a USB port and plug a network cable into the RJ-45 port the dongle provides to
connect the laptop to a wired network.
 Connect to a local wireless network. Figure 2.3.6 shows a USB to Wi-Fi dongle, which allows
you to connect a laptop that doesn’t have wireless capability to a wireless network. Wi-Fi
(Wireless Fidelity) is the common name for standards for a local wireless network.

Figure 2.3.5 USB to RJ-45 dongle provides a network port to connect to a wired network

Figure 2.3.6 This USB to Wi-Fi adapter plugs into a USB port to connect to a local wireless network

 Connect to a cellular network. Some laptops have embedded capability to connect to a

cellular network. Figure 2.3.7 shows a USB cellular modem that can be used for a laptop that
doesn’t have the embedded technology. A cellular network consists of geographic areas of
coverage called cells, each controlled by a tower, called a base station. Cell phones are
called that because they use a cellular network.

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Figure 2.3.7 This USB device by Sierra Wireless provides a wireless connection to a cellular
network

 Connect to a Bluetooth device. When a laptop doesn’t have Bluetooth capability, you can
use a USB to Bluetooth adapter to connect to a Bluetooth wireless device such as a
Bluetooth printer or smart phone. Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology to connect
two devices in a small personal network.
 Use an external optical drive. When a laptop or netbook doesn’t have an optical drive, you
can use a USB optical drive. Plug the USB optical drive into a USB port so that you can use
CDs and DVDs with the laptop or netbook.

Special Keys, Buttons, and Input Devices On a Laptop

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Buttons or switches might be found above the keyboard, and the top row of keys contains
the function keys. To use a function key, hold down the Fn key as you press the function key. Here
are the purposes of a few keys and buttons. Some of them change Windows settings. Know that
these same settings can also be changed using Windows tools:

 Volume setting. You can set the volume using the volume icon in the Windows taskbar. In
addition, some laptops offer buttons or function keys to control the volume (see Figure
2.3.8).

Figure 2.3.8 On this laptop, use the Fn and the F2, F3, or F4 key to control volume; use the Fn key
and the F5 or F6 key to control screen brightness; and use the Fn key and the F7 key to manage
dual displays

 Keyboard backlight. Function keys can be used to control the keyboard backlight to light up
the keyboard.
 Touch pad on or off. Other function keys can turn on or off the touch pad, which is the most
common pointing device on a laptop (see Figure 2.3.9). Some people prefer to use a USB
wired or wireless mouse instead of a touch pad.
 Screen brightness and screen orientation. Function keys can control the screen brightness
on many laptops. Screen brightness can also be controlled in Windows display settings.
Some laptops allow you to use a function key to change the screen orientation to landscape
or portrait so you can use the laptop turned on its end.

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Figure 2.3.9 The touch pad is the most common pointing device on a notebook

 Dual displays. Most laptops use a function key to control dual displays. For example, for one
laptop, the combination of the Fn key and the F7 key (refer back to Figure 2.3.8) displays the
box shown in Figure 2.3.10. Use arrow keys to use only the LCD panel, duplicate or extend
output to the external monitor, or use only the external monitor. Dual displays can also be
managed using Windows display settings.

Figure 2.3.10 Control dual monitors on a Windows 8 laptop

 Bluetooth,Wi-Fi, or cellular on or off. Some laptops use function keys such as Fn with F5 or
F6 to toggle Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular on or off, or a laptop might have a switch for this
purpose. You can also control these wireless technologies using Windows settings or
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software utilities provided by the manufacturer. When you turn off all wireless technologies,
the computer is said to be in airplane mode.
 Media options. Some laptops provide buttons or allow you to use function keys to fast
forward, stop, pause, or rewind audio or video media playing in an optical drive.
 GPS on or off. If a laptop has a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to calculate its
position on the Earth, the laptop might provide a button or function key to turn the GPS on or
off. The Global Positioning System is a system of 24 or more satellites orbiting the Earth,
and a GPS receiver can locate three or more of these satellites at any time and from these
three locations, calculate its own position in a process called trilateration.

Laptop Internal Components

Figure 2.3.11 shows the inside of a laptop case after the cover on the bottom of the laptop
has been removed. Here is a list of important components, most of which you can see in the photo:

Figure 2.3.11 Bottom of a laptop with cover removed

 Battery pack. The battery pack is not shown because you always remove the battery first
before opening a laptop case.
 Hard drive. The 2.5-inch hard drive is secured in its bay with two screws. When you remove
the screws, you can use the plastic tab to lift the drive from its bay.
 CPU, heat sink, and fan. The CPU is hidden under the heat sink, which is labeled in the
figure. The heat sink draws heat from the CPU and pipes it to the fan, also labeled in the
figure. The fan blows the heat out of the laptop case.
 Memory. Laptops use smaller memory modules than the DIMMs used in desktop computers.
In the figure, you can see two SO-DIMMs (small outline DIMMs) installed. Figure 2.3.12
shows a DIMM and a SO-DIMM for size comparison.

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Figure 2.3.12 A DIMM used in desktops compared with a SO-DIMM used in laptop computers

 Wireless card. The wireless card is installed to the left of the hard drive in Figure 2.3.11. You
can see two wires leading to the wireless antennas, which are installed in the laptop lid.
 System board. Look for the blue system board (in laptop documentation, the motherboard is
usually called the system board) under the heat sink, memory, and fan. If you look carefully,
you can see microchips and other components on the board.
 Optical drive. The optical drive is not visible in the photo. To replace it, you first remove a
single screw holding the drive in place and then slide the drive to the left and out of the case.
This one screw is labeled in Figure 2.3.11.

What’s Inside an All-in-One Computer

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An all-in-one computer uses a mix of components sized for a desktop computer and a
laptop. Let’s get the general idea of what’s inside the case of an all-in-one by looking at the inside of
the Lenovo ThinkCentre all-in-one shown earlier in Figure 2.3.1. Figure 2.3.13 shows the computer
with the case cover removed. Notice in the figure the hard drive is a 3.5-inch drive appropriate for a
desktop system, and the memory modules are SO-DIMMs appropriate for a laptop. So goes the
hybrid nature of an all-in-one. The fan and heat sink look more like that of a laptop computer, but the
processor socket on the motherboard is a desktop processor socket, another hybrid design.

Figure 2.3.13 Components inside an all-in-one computer

Several components are easy to exchange in this all-in-one without further disassembly. For
example, the Mini PCIe card for wireless connectivity, shown in Figure 2.3.14, is easy to get to, as
are the SO-DIMMs you can partly see on the right side of the photo.

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Figure 2.3.14 CMOS battery and Mini PCIe wireless card

To work inside an all-in-one, you’ll need the service manual to know how to open the case
and replace internal components. Also, for some components, such as the motherboard and power
supply, you’ll need to buy the replacement component from the all-in-one manufacturer because
these components are likely to be proprietary as with many laptop components. For specific
directions about replacing parts in an all-in-one, see the service manual.

Maintaining Laptops and Mobile Devices

Laptops and mobile devices tend to not last as long as desktop computers because they are
portable and, therefore, subject to more wear and tear. A device’s user manual gives specific
instructions on how to care for the device. Those instructions follow these general guidelines:

 LCD panels on devices are fragile and can be damaged fairly easily. Take precautions
against damaging a laptop or other device’s LCD panel. Don’t touch it with sharp objects like
ballpoint pens.
 Don’t pick up or hold a laptop by the lid. Pick it up and hold it by the bottom. Keep the lid
closed when the laptop is not in use.
 Only use battery packs and AC adapters recommended by the laptop manufacturer. Keep
the battery pack away from moisture or heat, and don’t attempt to take the pack apart. When
it no longer works, dispose of it correctly. For laptops, you might consider buying an extra
battery pack to use when the first one discharges. You can also buy battery chargers so that
you can charge one while the other is in use.
 Don’t tightly pack a laptop or tablet in a suitcase because the LCD panel might get damaged.
Use a good-quality carrying case and make a habit of always transporting the laptop in the
carrying case. Don’t place heavy objects on top of the laptop case.
 Don’t move the laptop while the hard drive is being accessed (when the drive indicator light
is on). Wait until the light goes off.
 Don’t put the laptop close to an appliance such as a TV, large audio speakers, or refrigerator
that generates a strong magnetic field, and don’t place your cell phone on a laptop while the
phone is in use.
 Always use passwords to protect access to your laptop or mobile device so you are better
protected when connected to a public network or the device is stolen or used by an
unauthorized person.

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 Keep your laptop or device at room temperature. For example, never leave it in a car
overnight when it is cold, and don’t leave it in a car during the day when it’s hot. Don’t
expose your laptop or device to direct sunlight for an extended time.
 Don’t leave the laptop or device in a dusty or smoke-filled area. Don’t use it in a wet area
such as near a swimming pool or in the bathtub. Don’t use it at the beach where sand can
get in it.
 Don’t power it up and down unnecessarily.
 Protect the laptop from overheating by not running it when it’s still inside the case, resting on
a pillow, or partially covered with a blanket or anything else that would prevent proper air
circulation around it.
 If a laptop has just come indoors from the cold, don’t turn it on until it reaches room
temperature. In some cases, condensation can cause problems. Some manufacturers
recommend that when you receive a new laptop shipped to you during the winter, you should
leave it in its shipping carton for several hours before you open the carton to prevent
subjecting the laptop to a temperature shock.
 Protect a laptop against static electricity. If you have just come in from the cold on a low-
humidity day when there is the possibility that you are carrying static electricity, don’t touch
the laptop until you have grounded yourself.
 Before placing a laptop in a carrying case for travel, remove any CDs, DVDs, or USB flash
drives, and put them in protective covers. Verify that the system is powered down and not in
sleep mode, which will drain the battery.
 If a laptop gets wet, you can partially disassemble it to allow internal components to dry.
Give the laptop several days to dry before attempting to turn it on. Don’t use heat to speed
up the drying time.
 Keep current backups of important data on a laptop or device in case it fails or is stolen.

A well-used laptop, especially one that is used in dusty or dirty areas, needs cleaning occasionally.
Here are some cleaning tips:

1. Clean the LCD panel with a soft dry cloth. If the panel is very dirty, you can use monitor
wipes to clean it or dampen the cloth with water. Some manufacturers recommend using a
mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water to clean an LCD panel. Be sure the LCD panel is dry
before you close the lid.
2. Use a can of compressed air meant to be used on computer equipment to blow dust and
small particles out of the keyboard, trackball, and touch pad. Turn the laptop at an angle and
direct the air into the sides of the keyboard. Then use a soft, damp cloth to clean the key
caps and touch pad.
3. Use compressed air to blow out all air vents on the laptop to make sure they are clean and
unobstructed.
4. If keys are sticking, remove the keyboard so you can better spray under the keys with
compressed air. If you can remove the key cap, remove it and clean the key contact area
with contact cleaner. One example of a contact cleaner you can use for this purpose is
Stabilant 22 (www.stabilant.com). Reinstall the keyboard and test it. If the key still sticks,
replace the keyboard.
5. Remove the battery and clean the battery connections with a contact cleaner.

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2.4.First Look at Mobile Device Hardware

Here’s a list of the mobile devices that you, as an IT support technician, might be called on to
support:

 Smart phone. A smart phone is primarily a cell phone that also includes abilities to send text
messages with photos, videos, or other multimedia content attached; surf the web; manage
email; play games; take photos and videos; and download and use small apps. Most smart
phones use touch screens for input (see Figure 2.4.1) and a few have a physical keyboard
and a touch screen. Some smart phones allow for voice input.

Figure 2.4.1 Most smart phones don’t have a keyboard and use a touch screen for input

 Tablets and phablets. A tablet is a computing device with a touch screen that is larger than a
smart phone and has functions similar to a smart phone. Most tablets can connect to Wi-Fi
networks and use Bluetooth or NFC (Near Field Communication) to wirelessly connect to
nearby devices. Some tablets have the ability to use a cellular network for data
transmissions and phone calls. Installed apps, such as Skype, can make voice phone calls,
send text, and make video calls. When you can use your tablet to make a phone call, the
distinction between a smart phone and a tablet is almost nonexistent, except for size.
A phablet bridges this size exception. A phablet (pronounced “fab-let”) has the same
capabilities of a smart phone or tablet, but is smaller than a tablet and larger than a smart
phone.
 E-readers. An e-reader is a mobile device that holds digital versions of books, newspapers,
magazines, and other printed documents, which are usually downloaded to the device from
the web. An e-reader can connect to the Internet using a Wi-Fi wireless connection or a
wired connection to a computer that is connected to the Internet. In addition, content can be
stored on a flash memory card, which is inserted in the e-reader.
 Smart cameras. A smart camera is a digital camera that has embedded computing power to
make decisions about the content of the photos or videos it records, including transmitting
alerts over a wired or wireless network when it records certain content. Smart cameras,

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sometimes called vision sensors, can be used to initiate alerts for surveillance of a protected
area or to monitor manufacturer automated assembly lines for potential problems.
 Wearable technology devices. Wearable technology devices, including smart watches (see
Figure 2.4.2), wristbands, arm bands, eyeglasses, headsets, and clothing, can be used as
computing devices to make phone calls, send text messages, transmit data, and check
email; wearable technology fitness monitors can measure heart rate, count pool laps or miles
jogged or biked, and a host of other activities. These devices can sync up with a computer
for power and communication, similar to how other mobile devices work. Many people
believe smart watches will eventually replace smart phones as the personal communication
device of choice.

Figure 2.4.2 The app screen on a smart watch by Apple, Inc.

2
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2.3. References

Books and Articles:

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/u/upgrade.htm
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Computer_Information_Systems/
The_System_Unit#cite_note-11
A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC: Jean Andrews
A+ Guide to IT Technician Support: Jean Andrews, Joy Dark, Jill West
A+ Guide to Software. Managing, Maintaining and Troubleshooting: Jean Andrews, Joy
Dark, Jill West

Images:
https://sites.google.com/site/computerparts626/hard-disk-drive - Fig 2.2.A hdd

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