Personal computer hardware

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Hardware of a modern Personal Computer. 1. Monitor 2. Motherboard 3. CPU 4. RAM 5. Expansion cards 6. Power supply 7. Optical disc drive 8. Hard disk drive 9. Keyboard 10. Mouse

A personal computer is made up of multiple physical components of computer hardware, upon which can be installed a system software called operating system and a multitude of software applications to perform the operator's desired functions.

Though a PC comes in many different forms, a typical personal computerconsists of a case or chassis in a tower shape (desktop), containing components such as a motherboard.
Contents
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1 Motherboard 2 Power supply 3 Removable media devices 4 Secondary storage 5 Sound card 6 Input and output peripherals

o o

6.1 Input 6.2 Output

7 See also

[edit]Motherboard

Main article: Motherboard The motherboard is the main component inside the case. It is a large rectangular board with integrated circuitry that connects the rest of the parts of the computer including the CPU, the RAM, the disk drives (CD, DVD, hard disk, or any others) as well as any peripherals connected via the ports or the expansion slots. Components directly attached to the motherboard include:

The central processing unit (CPU) performs most of the calculations which enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the "brain" of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.

The chip set mediates communication between the CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory. RAM (Random Access Memory) stores resident part of the current running OS (OS core and so on) and all running processes (application parts, using CPU or input/output (I/O) channels or waiting for CPU or I/O channels).

The BIOS includes boot firmware and power management. The Basic Input Output System tasks are handled by operating systemdrivers.

Internal Buses connect the CPU to various internal components and to expansion cards for graphics and sound.

Current

The north bridge memory controller, for RAM and PCI Express

PCI Express, for expansion cards such as graphics and physics processors, and high-end network interfaces

PCI, for other expansion cards SATA, for disk drives ATA AGP (superseded by PCI Express) VLB VESA Local Bus (superseded by AGP) ISA (expansion card slot format obsolete in PCs, but still used in industrial computers)

Obsolete

External Bus Controllers support ports for external peripherals. These ports may be controlled directly by the south bridge I/O controller or based on expansion cards attached to the motherboard through the PCI bus.

USB FireWire eSATA SCSI

[edit]Power

supply

Main article: Power supply unit (computer)

Inside a custom-built computer: the power supply at the bottom has its own cooling fan.

A power supply unit (PSU) converts alternating current (AC) electric power to low-voltage DC power for the internal components of the computer. Some power supplies have a switch to change between 230 V and 115 V. Other models have automatic sensors that switch input voltage automatically, or are able to accept any voltage between those limits. Power supply units used in computers are nearly always switch mode power supplies (SMPS). The SMPS provides regulated direct current power at the several voltages required by the motherboard and accessories such as disk drives and cooling fans.

Central processing unit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Central Processing Unit)

"CPU" redirects here. For other uses, see CPU (disambiguation).

Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 126.75 mm) in its packaging.

Intel Core i5 CPU on a Vaio E series laptop motherboard (right)

The central processing unit (CPU) is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, and is the primary element carrying out the functions of the computer or other processing device. The central processing unit carries out each instruction of the program in sequence, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. This term has been in use in the computer

industry at least since the early 1960s.[1]The form, design and implementation of CPUs have changed dramatically since the earliest examples, but their fundamental operation remains much the same. Early CPUs were custom-designed as a part of a larger, sometimes one-of-a-kind, computer. However, this costly method of designing custom CPUs for a particular application has largely given way to the development of mass-produced processors that are made for one or many purposes. This standardization trend generally began in the era of discrete transistor mainframesand minicomputers and has rapidly accelerated with the popularization of the integrated circuit(IC). The IC has allowed increasingly complex CPUs to be designed and manufactured to tolerances on the order of nanometers. Both the miniaturization and standardization of CPUs have increased the presence of these digital devices in modern life far beyond the limited application of dedicated computing machines. Modern microprocessors appear in everything from automobiles tocell phones and children's toys.

[edit]Removable

media devices

Main article: Computer storage

CD (compact disc) - the most common type of removable media, suitable for music and data.

CD-ROM Drive - a device used for reading data from a CD. CD Writer - a device used for both reading and writing data to and from a CD.

DVD (digital versatile disc) - a popular type of removable media that is the same dimensions as a CD but stores up to 12 times as much information. It is the most common way of transferring digital video, and is popular for data storage.

DVD-ROM Drive - a device used for reading data from a DVD. DVD Writer - a device used for both reading and writing data to and from a DVD. DVD-RAM Drive - a device used for rapid writing and reading of data from a special type of DVD.

Blu-ray Disc - a high-density optical disc format for data and high-definition video. Can store 70 times as much information as a CD.

BD-ROM Drive - a device used for reading data from a Blu-ray disc. BD Writer - a device used for both reading and writing data to and from a Blu-ray disc.

HD DVD - a discontinued competitor to the Blu-ray format.

Floppy disk - an outdated storage device consisting of a thin disk of a flexible magnetic storage medium. Used today mainly for loading RAID drivers. Iomega Zip drive - an outdated medium-capacity removable disk storage system, first introduced by Iomega in 1994. USB flash drive - a flash memory data storage device integrated with a USB interface, typically small, lightweight, removable, and rewritable. Capacities vary, from hundreds of megabytes (in the same ballpark as CDs) to tens of gigabytes (surpassing, at great expense, Blu-ray discs).

Tape drive - a device that reads and writes data on a magnetic tape, used for long term storage and backups.

[edit]Secondary

storage

Hardware that keeps data inside the computer for later use and remains persistent even when the computer has no power.

Hard disk - for medium-term storage of data. Solid-state drive - a device similar to hard disk, but containing no moving parts and stores data in a digital format. RAID array controller - a device to manage several internal or external hard disks and optionally some peripherals in order to achieve performance or reliability improvement in what is called a RAID array.

[edit]Sound

card

Main article: Sound card Enables the computer to output sound to audio devices, as well as accept input from a microphone. Most modern computers have sound cards built-in to the motherboard, though it is common for a user to install a separate sound card as an upgrade. Most sound cards, either built-in or added, have surround sound capabilities.
[edit]Input

and output peripherals

Main article: Peripheral Input and output devices are typically housed externally to the main computer chassis. The following are either standard or very common to many computer systems.

Wheel Mouse

[edit]Input

Main article: Input device

Text input devices

Keyboard - a device to input text and characters by depressing buttons (referred to as keys or buttons).

Pointing devices

Mouse - a pointing device that detects two dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface.

Optical Mouse - uses light to determine mouse motion.

Trackball - a pointing device consisting of an exposed protruding ball housed in a socket that detects rotation about two axes. Touchscreen - senses the user pressing directly on the display

Gaming devices

Joystick - a control device that consists of a handheld stick that pivots around one end, to detect angles in two or three dimensions and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling.

Game pad - a hand held game controller that relies on the digits (especially thumbs) to provide input. Game controller - a specific type of controller specialized for certain gaming purposes.

Image, Video input devices

Image scanner - a device that provides input by analyzing images, printed text, handwriting, or an object.

Web cam - a video camera used to provide visual input that can be easily transferred over the internet.

Audio input devices

Microphone - an acoustic sensor that provides input by converting sound into electrical signals.

[edit]Output

Main article: Output device

Printer - a device that produces a permanent human-readable text of graphic document. Speakers - typically a pair of devices (2 channels) which convert electrical signals into audio.

Headphones - for a single user hearing the audio.

Monitor - an electronic visual display with textual and graphical information from the computer.

CRT - (Cathode Ray Tube) display LCD - (Liquid Crystal Display) as of 2010, it is the primary visual display for personal computers. LED - (light-emitting diode) display OLED - Organic Light-Emitting Diode

Assembling a computer from components

The instructions below are for the 2004.10.10 standard workstation. The 2005.05.14 standard workstation has the following changes:

The UATA hard drive (and cable) have been replaced by a SATA hard drive (cable included with the motherboard). Effects on assembly: the hard drive uses a different cable from the one shown below, and plugs into a different spot on the motherboard. The Zalman fan has been replaced by a three-speed Antec fan with a 4-pin power connector. Effects on assembly: the fan plugs into main power instead of the motherboard; the power-supply fan plugs into the motherboard. The video card and DVD-ROM drive are different. Effects on assembly: none, but slightly different pictures.

The 2005.08.23 standard workstation has more changes. There turns out to be a serious bug in the motherboard BIOS in the 2005.08.23 workstation, and fixing that bug requires the following extra steps once the computer has beeped:

On a working computer, download the file A8V-ASUS-0213.ROM from the Asus A8V download page. This file has MD5 checksum 9c44e207cb3e37a6dc797aa6e1b99f5e. On a working computer, rename the file as A8VB.ROM and burn that file to a CD. On the standard workstation, as soon as the initial boot screen appears, press Alt-F2 to enter the BIOS EZ Flash utility, and then insert the CD. The EZ Flash utility will read A8VB.ROM from CD, erase the system's BIOS, and copy A8VB.ROM to the system's BIOS; don't turn the computer off while this is happening! After reboot, don't worry about the bad-checksum message; simply press F2 to continue.

Other changes in the 2005.08.23 standard workstation are not reflected here yet.

Assembling the 2004.10.10 standard workstation

The 2004.10.10 standard workstation is a very nice x86 (Intel-compatible) computer: solid, extremely fast, and reasonably inexpensive. I have a separate pageexplaining how to buy the components of the standard workstation. This page explains how to assemble those components into a working computer.

Some of these instructions, and most of the pictures, are specific to the 2004.10.10 standard workstation. If you're using any different components, you'll have to figure out appropriate modifications to the instructions. Unpack the computer case. Discard its plastic wrap. Put on an antistatic wrist strap, and attach it to ground (for example, to the screw on a typical light-switch plate). Unscrew the big screws on the back of the case. Pull on the side latch to open the case. Take the power cord and the brown box out of the case. Open the brown box to find a bag of screws and brass standoffs:

Take five brass standoffs out of the bag. Look for four brass standoffs already installed at the back of the case:

Two of them are in line at the bottom; screw another into the third hole at the bottom. Two more are in line at the middle; screw another into the third hole at that height. Screw three more into the first, fourth, and sixth holes on the top, roughly (not exactly) lined up with the three standoffs on the bottom and the three standoffs in the

middle:

Use a hammer to tap the face plate out of the case:

Open the motherboard box and find a replacement face plate. Tap the replacement face plate into the case, with two holes at the top and three holes at the bottom. The face plate has three tabs bent into the case; bend them further so that they are at 90 degrees to the plate. Take the motherboard out of its box, and lay it on a non-metallic flat surface, such as a wooden table:

Look at the pattern of silver-circled holes on the motherboard; those will eventually line up with the brass standoffs in the case. Move the brass standoffs if necessary to match the motherboard.

Unpack the DIMM. Push apart the two white DIMM holders on the ends of the blue DIMM slot on the motherboard:

Push the DIMM solidly into the blue DIMM slot:

Pull the CPU-socket locking lever slightly out, then up to vertical:

Take the CPU out of its plastic container and off of the black foam, revealing an array of gold pins:

Put the CPU into the CPU socket, with the CPU triangle on top of the triangle marked on the motherboard; opposite corner from the lever. When the CPU is aligned properly with the socket, it will drop gently into the socket:

Push the CPU-socket locking lever back to its original position:

Take the plastic cover off the heatsink. Put the heatsink on top of the CPU, with the gray square face down on top of the CPU, and with the big black clip toward the center of the motherboard:

Make sure that the big black clip is pointing up, and push the silver hook onto the black tab below it:

Do the same with the silver hook on the other side. Make sure that both hooks are firmly below their tabs. Rotate the big black clip---it will push back at you somewhat--and hook it into place:

Attach the dangling plug into the three pins at the edge of the motherboard labelled

``CPU fan.'' Orient the plug so that its lips hook around the pins:

Lay the case flat on its side. Put the motherboard gently into the case:

Slide the motherboard towards the edge of the case; it will fit snugly into the face plate (under the three tabs that you bent earlier) and the brass standoffs will be visible through the holes. Screw nine small Phillips-head screws into the nine holes. Don't overtighten. The case has several slots for expansion cards, each slot covered by a plate. Unscrew the second plate from the top. Plug in, and screw in, the video card:

Unhook the 3.5'' drive cage from the case:

Take the 3.5'' drive cage out of the case:

Plug in the Zalman fan. Plug the fan connector into the fan resistor:

Change the hard drive jumper from CS to Slave. Slide the hard drive into the middle of the 3.5'' drive cage, slightly more than halfway, so that two of its screw holes are visible. Screw the hard drive into the drive cage:

Screw in the other side. Wrap the fan cable around the fan so that it will end up coming out towards the back of the case:

Slide the drive cage back into the case, and hook it into place:

Slide two drive rails out of their holders on the bottom of the case. Screw them onto the DVD-ROM drive:

Change the DVD-ROM jumper from Slave to Master. Push the top side buttons on the case to release the top front of the case. Take the front off, and pop the middle 5.25'' drive cover out:

(Why the middle position? The top position is bad for two reasons: first, it doesn't give heat from the DVD-ROM drive any room to rise; second, the nice IDE cable won't reach from the hard drive to the top position. In retrospect, the bottom position is even better heat-wise, and makes the cabling less of a stretch, but my pictures assume the middle position.) Slowly wiggle the corresponding metal plate inside the case back and forth until it snaps off. Watch out for sharp edges. Slide the DVD-ROM drive into the case from the front until it snaps into place:

Slide the front of the case back on, around the DVD-ROM drive:

If you moved the case, lay it flat again:

Plug the IDE cable into the DVD-ROM drive (master), the hard drive (slave), and the motherboard:

Screw the IDE cable's grounding connector to the case:

Take the rubber band off the power cables from the power supply:

Two cables are different: they have two rows of pins. Plug these cables into the motherboard until they click:

Plug the front fan connector into the motherboard:

Plug 4-pin power cables into the rear fan, the DVD-ROM, and the hard drive:

Plug the reset-switch, power-switch, HDD-LED, speaker, and power-LED connectors into the motherboard, all labels facing upwards:

Plug the USB cable into the motherboard:

Don't worry about the IEEE 1394 (FireWire) cable. Don't worry about the powersupply fan cable. (I didn't realize, when I was selecting components for the standard workstation, that there were only two fan connectors on the motherboard. The next version of the standard workstation will have either a $2 3-pin-to-4-pin converter or a 4-pin case fan.) Starting now, be very careful not to touch anything inside the case. Power will be flowing into the computer in a moment; if you touch something inside the case, you can electrocute yourself! Take off the antistatic wrist strap. Turn the case's rear power switch off (0). Plug power into the case. Turn the power switch on (1). Watch the CPU fan, and press the front power button on the case. If the CPU fan doesn't start spinning, turn power off immediately; you have a problem. If the computer doesn't beep within thirty seconds, turn power off; you have a problem. If the CPU fan starts spinning and the computer beeps, turn power off; you have a working computer. Put the side of the case back on.