TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION calculations that are needed and manages the flow of
Information and Communication Technology information through a computer.
Computer System Servicing (CSS)
SYSTEM UNIT COMPONENTS 4. Primary storage - (internal storage,
main memory or memory) is the
The physical, touchable, electronic and mechanical parts of a computer's working storage space
computer are called the hardware which is composed of different devices that holds data, instructions for
attached to the computer. processing and processed data
(information) waiting to be sent to
1. System Unit - The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the secondary storage. Physically,
chassis. It includes the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, primary storage is a collection of
Memory Chips, Ports, Expansion Slots and Cards. RAM chips.
5. Expansion Bus - A bus is a data
pathway between several
hardware components inside
or outside a computer. It does
not only connect the parts of
the CPU to each other, but also
links the CPU with other
important hardware.
COMPONENTS INSIDE THE SYSTEM UNIT
2. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board - The main circuit board of a
6. Adapters - Printed-circuit boards (also called interface cards) that enable
computer. It contains all the circuits and components that run the
the computer to use a peripheral device for which it does not have the
computer.
necessary connections or circuit boards. They are often used to permit
upgrading to a new different hardware.
Graphic Adapter Network Adapter Sound Adapter
3. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The
processor is the main “brain” or
“heart” of a computer system. It
performs all of the instructions and
7. Power Supply Unit (PSU) - Installed in the back corner of the PC
case, next to the motherboard. It converts 120vac (standard
house power) into DC voltages that are used by other
components in the PC.
8. Secondary Storage - A secondary storage device refers to any non-volatile
storage device that is internal or external to the computer. It can be any 9. Optical Drive - An optical drive is a storage device that uses lasers to read
storage device beyond the primary storage that enables permanent data data on the optical media. There are three types of optical drives:
storage. Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu-ray Disc (BD).
Hard Disk Drive (HDD) – Also known as hard drive, is a magnetic
storage device that is installed inside the computer. The hard
drive is used as permanent storage for data. In a Windows
computer, the hard drive is usually configured as the C: drive and
contains the operating system and applications.
10. System Fan - A computer fan is any fan inside, or attached to, a computer
case used for active cooling, and may refer to fans that draw cooler into
the CASE from the outside, expel warm air from inside, or move air across
a heat sink to cool a particular component.
Solid-State Drive (SSD – Is a new generation of storage device
used in computers. SSDs store data using flash-based memory,
which is much faster than the traditional hard disks they've come
to replace. SSDs also have no moving parts, and upgrading to one
is a great way to speed up your computer and make it more
resilient.
