University of Sana’a C omputer Basics

Facility of Engineering
Mechatronics Department

Lab1:
Introduction to Computer Basics Laboratory
Eng. M o h a m m e d Ta m i s h
TOPICS IN THE COURSE
▶ Introduction to Computer Basics Lab
▶ Hardware Components of the Computer
▶ Operating System
▶ Software
▶ Introduction to Matlab
▶ Introduction to MS-Word
▶ Introduction to MS-Excel
▶ Introduction to MS-PowerPoint
ASSESSMENT & REFERENCES

▶Assessment:
 Projects
 Reports
 Quizzes
 Final Exam (practical)

▶References:
 Google IT Support Professional Certificate Courses in Coursera
 CompTIA A+ Essentials
 CompTIA A+ Practical Application

 IT Essentials: PC Hardware a n d Software C o m p anion G u ide

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
 ▶ Understand Computer Architecture and Assemble a Computer
 ▶ Learn how to install Windows, Linux and other operating systems from scratch.
 ▶ Learn how to Install, Update, and Remove Software on different operating systems.
OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
 ▶ Understand the basics of Networks.
 ▶ Understand the basics of Matlab.
 ▶ Understand the basics of Ms-Excel, Ms-Word, and MS-Powerpoint.
HARDWARE
 Hardware Basics
 Choosing the Parts
 Assemble a Computer
 ▶ We'll learn about what's inside a computer.
 ▶ We'll learn all about the hardware components or different pieces inside a computer.
 ▶ We'll discover what each component does and how they work together to make a
computer function.
 ▶ Once you figure out how one computer works, you'll be able to understand how any type
of computer works.
 ▶ By the end of this lab, you will also know how to build a computer from scratch!
COMPUTER SYSTEM
 A computer system consists of hardware and software components.
 Hardware is the physical equipment such as the case, storage drives, keyboards, monitors, cables,
speakers, and printers.
 Software includes the operating system and programs.
 The operating system instructs the computer how to operate.
 These operations may include identifying, accessing, and processing information.
 Programs or applications perform different functions.
 Programs vary widely, depending on the type of information that is accessed or generated.
 For example, instructions for balancing a checkbook are very different from instructions for
simulating a virtual-reality world on the Internet.
COMPUTER SYSTEM
 There are six components that you’ll absolutely have to use in order to assemble a working PC. They include:
 Processor (or CPU)—the central processing unit, which acts as the “brain” of your PC. This will broadly
determine the speed of your computer.You’ll have to choose a CPU and a motherboard that are compatible with
each other, both in terms of manufacturer (Intel or AMD) and the CPU socket itself.
 Motherboard—the connective tissue of your PC build. Every other component will be attached to or plugged
into the motherboard in some fashion.
 Memory (or RAM)—RAM stands for random access memory. This is a crucial component of your computer’s
operation.You need to choose RAM that’s compatible with your motherboard’s RAM slots.
 Case the PC case is what holds all the internal components together in a structure. Also known as an enclosure
or chassis.
 Storage your hard drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD), the part of the computer that holds the operating
system and all your digital files. SSDs are much faster than hard drives, and are highly recommended these days,
though HDDs are generally larger and cheaper and has longer lifetime.
 Power Supply (or PSU)—a heavy little box that regulates the electricity going into your computer and
provides power to the individual components. The power supply will directly connect to the motherboard, CPU
(through the motherboard), storage, and other add-on components as necessary.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
 The central processing unit (CPU) is considered the computer’s brain.
 In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system.
 Common CPU manufacturers include Intel and AMD.
 Examples: Intel Core i9, AMD Ryzen 9
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
 The CPU socket or slot is the connector that is the interface between the motherboard
and the processor.
 “Land grid array” (LGA) consists of a socket with pins that you place the processor on.
PGA (“pin grid array”), on the other hand, places the pins on the processor.
 In the modern computing era, commonly Intel CPUs use LGA sockets, while AMD CPUs
use PGA.
 zero insertion force (ZIF): is a type of IC socket or electrical connector that requires very
little (but not literally zero) force for insertion
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
 A CPU’s power is measured by its speed and the amount of data it can process.
 The speed of current CPUs is measured in millions of cycles per second, called megahertz
(MHz), or billions of cycles per second, called gigahertz (GHz).
 The amount of data that a CPU can process at the one time depends on the size of the
processor data bus, Current processors have a 32-bit or 64-bit processor data bus.
 Overclocking is a technique used to make a processor work at a faster speed than its
original specification.
 Intel® Core™ i7-7700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.50 GHz) Product Specifications
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
 The thermal design power (TDP), sometimes called thermal design point,
is the maximum amount of heat generated by a computer chip or
component (often a CPU, GPU or system on a chip) that the cooling
system in a computer is designed to dissipate under any workload.
 Simultaneous multithreading (SMT) is a technique for improving the
overall efficiency of superscalar CPUs with hardware multithreading.
 pcpartpicker.com
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
 How to Pick the Right CPU for Your PC:
 AMD or Intel: Generally Intel is more popular while AMD offers more cheaper options with
nearly same performance, AMD also offers designs that have much more powerful integrated
graphics than Intel, referred to as “APU” models (Accelerated Processing Unit) models are
processors that combine both the CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit) on a single chip).
 Performance: Due to advancements in processor design, it’s hard to express exactly how
powerful a processor is based on a single factor like its clock speed. There are other factors,
like how many cores it has, what kind of cache it has, power consumption, and integrated
graphics performance
 If you really want to know which processor is faster in a direct comparison, you’ll need to go
look at some benchmarks.
 MOTHERBOARD
 The motherboard is the main printed circuit board found in general purpose computers and
other expandable systems. It holds, and allows, communication between many of the crucial
electronic components of a system.
 The form factor of motherboards pertains to the board’s size and shape. It also describes the
physical layout of the different components and devices on the motherboard. Motherboards
have various form factors:
 Advanced Technology Extended (ATX)
 (Mini-ATX)
 (Micro-ATX)
MOTHERBOARD
 The chip set of a motherboard allows the CPU to communicate and interact with
the computer’s other components and to exchange data with system memory
(RAM), hard-disk drives, video cards, and other output devices.

 The chip set establishes how much memory can be added to a motherboard. The
chip set also determines the type of connectors on the motherboard.
MOTHERBOARD
 ▶ How to Pick the Right Motherboard for Your PC:
 Socket: You need to choose a CPU and a motherboard that will fit each other.

 Size: The motherboard you choose needs to be compatible with the case you’re using.

 Power Supply pins

 Other Features: At least one PCI-Express slot for a graphics card, enough SATA ports for
all your hard drives and DVD drives, supports the amount of RAM you want,
 check the back panel, sound, Ethernet, USB 3.0 ports, and even on- board Wi-Fi, If you already
have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, you want to make sure that the motherboard supports
them.
CASE
 A computer case contains the framework to support a computer’s
internal components while providing an enclosure for added protection
 The size and layout of a case is called a form factor.
 You must consider many factors when
choosing a case:
 The size of the motherboard
 The number of external or internal
drive locations, called bays
 Available space
POWER SUPPLY
 ▶ The power supply, converts alternating-current (AC) power coming
from a wall outlet into direct-current (DC) power, which is a lower voltage.
DC power is required for all the components inside the computer.
 ▶ Form factor
 ▶ Wattage
POWER SUPPLY
 ▶ Efficiency rating, 80 Plus is a certification designed to denote that the
efficiency of the power supply.
 ▶ Modular PSU allows the builder to attach (or detach) cables as they're
needed. Traditional power supplies, on the other hand, have the cables attached
permanently to the PSU.
 ▶ Power supply connectors.
FILES WITH THE LAB
 Textbooks:
 IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide

 Further Info:
 CPU socket - Wikipedia _ Further_reading.pdf
 Computer form factor - Wikipedia - Further_reading.pdf
 Intel® Core™ i7-7700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.50 GHz) Product Specifications.pdf
 Intel model meaning.png

 Videos:
 Google IT Support Professional Certificate
REFERENCES

 ▶ Google IT Support Professional Certificate Courses in Coursera

https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-it-support

 ▶ IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide (book)

 ▶ https://pcpartpicker.com

 ▶ https://en.wikipedia.org

 ▶ https://www.howtogeek.com
Any Questions ?!