Lesson 7

Hardware

Topics to be discussed

1. External hardware components and their functions

2. Internal hardware components and their functions
3. Computer Diagnostics and Maintenance

Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. Describe functions of hardware components of a computer system.

2. Identify the types of input and output devices.
3. Identify the main parts of the CPU.
4. Describe the process involved in the machine cycle.
5. Define terms associated with the workings of CPU.
6. Identify the main and backup storage media and their devices
7. Distinguish between the primary and secondary media
8. Describe the disk filing system and hierarchical directory structure.
9. Identify common problems associated with PCs and their suggested solutions.
10. Perform routine PC maintenances.
11. Perform basic computer system Trouble shooting.
12. Install and / upgrade software on a computer.

Introduction

A computer system includes a computer, peripheral devices and software. The electronic,
electric and mechanical devices used for processing data are referred to as hardware.
 In addition to the computer itself, the term hardware refers to components called peripheral
devices that expand the computers input, output, and storage capabilities.

In this lesson, I start by describing external component and their functions.

I then follow up with describing the internal components and their functions.

I conclude with computer diagnostics and maintenance.

(1) External components and their functions

External components of a computer include the monitor, keyboard, mouse and a wide range of
optional peripherals, such as printers and scanners.

Any component that does not require opening the computers case to physically access it can
effectively be considered an external component.

External components are:

Keyboard
Mouse
Pointing devices
Voice input devices
Monitor
Speakers
Printers
Plotters
The external components can be grouped into:

Input Unit
Output Unit

The Input units are:

- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Pointing devices
- Voice input devices

All the input units have a common function. They enable data to be entered / inputted into a
computer.

The Output units are:

Monitor
Speakers
Printers
Plotters

Output devices convert the processed information held in the central memory into human
usable form.

Monitor
The monitor is the display for a PC. This is where anything you can see is displayed. Monitors
vary in size and use LCD screens for better quality. They connect to your PC through a DVI or
HDMI cable attached to the graphics card. Newer monitors use OLED rather than LCD because
they produce more high quality visuals, but do cost more than LCD screens.

Keyboard
The keyboard is the main way of typing on a PC. When typed, each key produces a letter on the
screen. Keyboards vary depending on what they are used for, some are basic and used for
normal activity or specialist keyboards that control computer functions are also used in specialist
industries. Keyboards connect to a PC wirelessly or use USB cables.

Mouse
The mouse is the primary way of navigating a computer. The mouse used to have a ball that
could move in any direction. Now, infra-red lasers have replaced the ball and are more efficient
than the ball mice. Currently, touch controlled mice with no physical buttons are being tested but
are not as good as the laser or ball mice currently used on many PCs.

Printer
The printer is computer hardware that will print anything written or created on a PC onto paper,
whether it be text or photos. Printers on the market today use either inkjet (liquid ink) or laser
(toner) technology. They also have other functions besides printing; this includes copying,
faxing and scanning making it a useful piece of hardware.
 Computer Casing
The computer casing is the housing for all the internal components of the PC. These are usually
made from steel because they need to be durable. These are often quite bulky, but are the best
for enthusiasts because there is plenty of room to work inside and all the components are easy to
remove whereas laptops are harder to work on due to the enclose space.

(2) Internal Components and their functions

Any component that requires opening the computers case to physically access it can be
effectively considered an internal component.

Internal components include:

The motherboard
The processor
RAM
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
CD ROM Drive
Power Supply
Power Cable
Fan
Graphics Card

The Motherboard
Inside the system unit, chips are housed on a circuit board called the main board or motherboard.

The motherboard is a printed circuit board that houses most, if not all of the internal components.
Some of the components are soldered, that is fused, to the board, but others are plugged into the
board ad can be removed.
Soldered components are permanent and arent likely to work loose. Removable components
allow you to upgrade your computer components.

The Processor
The processor is a computer chip that carries out instructions given by computer programs and
handles all the day to day tasks that a PC has to do. They used to use up an entire circuit board,
but nowadays, microprocessors handle everything from just one chip.

RAM
Random Access Memory or RAM is an area in the computer system unit that temporarily holds
data before and after it is processed.

For example, when you enter a document, the characters you type usually are not processed right
away. They are held in RAM until you tell your software to carry out a process such as printing.

RAM Functions
RAM is the waiting room for the computers processor.
RAM holds the instructions that will process the raw data.
RAM also holds processed data before it is stored more permanently on disk or tape.
RAM holds operating system instructions that control the basic functions of the computer
system.

HARD DISK DRIVE (HDD)

The Hard Disk Drive is a type of permanent computer data storage. Data is retrieved by using a
series of rapidly spinning magnetic disks that store the data. The spindle physically writes the
data to the magnetic disk and is a very delight piece of hardware that must be handled carefully.

Unlike RAM, hard drives retain data even if the machine is powered off or cut off unexpectedly
because of a power cut. Data can be lost if the hard drive breaks or becomes corrupt.

CD ROM DRIVE
A CD Rom drive is a drive that reads compact discs only, but now expands to DVDs as well
hence use laser beams to read the data on the die. Drives like this one connect to the
motherboard .SATA cables usually on internal drives, external drives connect via USB.
Power Supply
The Power Supply unit is a switch operated unit that converts mains AC electricity into DC
electricity that powers all the internal components.

These units have many cooling systems to them so that they do not overheat.

Also a fan on the front makes sure that the power constantly flows to the PSU and cools the
system so it does not break down.

Power Cable
These cables are connected to the Power supply unit and cables that look like this power the
motherboard and is the largest connector found on a PCs motherboard. Without these the
computer would not work, so are an essential internal component.

FAN
A fan inside a computer is a fan that sucks cool air into the PC case and blows hot air out of the
case and stops any key components overheating.

This is an essential part of a computers cooling system. Fans can stop working if they become
clogged by dust or any foreign bodies, so require regular cleaning.

Graphics Card
The graphics card is a type of expansion card that processes and produces outputs for displays.
These are a crucial component that monitors rely on. They also handle output of video to
projectors. They also have their own fans as this type of card gets hot quickly and needs instant
cooling.
The Main Parts of a Central Processing Unit
The central processing unit is the circuitry in a computer that executes instructions to process
data.

The central processing unit retrieves instruction and data from RAM, processes those
instructions, and then places the results back into RAM so that they can be displayed or stored.

The central processing unit has two main parts:

The arithmetic logic unit
The control unit

Each of these units performs specific tasks to process data.

The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction.
It also performs logical operations such as comparing two numbers to see if they are the same.

The Control Unit directs and coordinates processing. The control unit interprets the instruction
to find out what needs to be done According to its interpretation.
How the CPU Works
The central processing unit retrieves instructions and data from RAM, processes those
instructions, and then places the results back into the RAM so they can be displayed or stored.

How the CPU Works can be summarized as:

Fetching instructions and data from RAM
Decoding or interpreting the instructions
Executing or processing the data
Storing or displaying the data

Terms Associated with the Workings of CPU

The following terms are associated with the workings of CPU:

Main memory is sometimes referred to as Primary memory. This is where the program
and data are stored before the central processor can process them and also where the
processed information is stored.

Memory addresses helps the computer locate the data and instructions contained in the
memory.
 An address bus is a computer bus (a series of lines connecting two or more devices) that
is used to specify a physical address.
An address space is a range of valid addresses in memory that are available for a program
or process.
Data travels from one location to another within the computer on an electronic pathway
or circuit called a data bus. The data bus is a series of electronic circuits that connect
motherboard.
A computer memory consists of a honey comb of cells. The technical name for a cell is
a Word or Location. Each word consists of a group of 8 or more bits. The number of bits
in a word is called the Word Length of the computer. The computer processes one
word length of information at a time.
A computer accomplishes a complex task by performing a series of very simple steps,
referred to as instructions.

An instruction tells the computer to perform a specific arithmetic, logical, or control operation.
The list of instructions that a central processing unit performs is known as its instruction set.

Word size refers to the number of bits the central processing unit can manipulate at one
time.

The fetching of instruction from RAM and translating it into a form the ALU can use is
known as the instruction cycles.

The process of executing data and storing of executed data is called execution cycles.

The processing cycle consists of the instruction cycle and the execution cycle.

The Processor Speed is set by the system clock that determines the speed at which the
computer can execute an instruction and, therefore limits the number of instructions the
computer can complete within a specific amount of time.
(3) Computer Diagnostics and Maintenance
No matter how well built your PC is and how well written its software, problems can occur.

Diagnostic software can help troubleshoot problems when your computer malfunctions or you
suspect problems with a component.

You might also find that your system problems are caused by a hardware malfunction and that
you must open the computer case to perform repairs.

Of course, the best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Preventive maintenance describes the procedures you should perform on a regular basis to keep
your system in good working order.

Common Problems Associated with PCs and their Suggested Solutions

Hardware:
Computer / monitor / keyboard / mouse does not work.
- Is the power card plugged in?
- Is the keyboard / mouse / monitor plugged into the CPU?
- Is the computer / monitor power button on?

Sound doesnt work

- Are the speakers plugged in correctly to the CPU?
- If you have headphones are they plugged in correctly to the CPU (match the colors)
- Is the volume up?
- Is there any sound playing.