COMPONENTS OF A TOWER

By Jordy Chivers

Processors

Refers to a system that accepts a program as an input, it prepares it for execution and executes the process defined with data to produce results. can be a short term for a microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU) in computers

Motherboard

the primary circuit board of a personal computer, containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, mouse and monitor, together with slots for other devices

BIOS

The program built into the computer to control its operation, especially the booting of an operating system. Most computers let the user configure various BIOS options by means of a special screen or set of screens.

Power supply

Power supply is a reference to a source of electrical power. A device or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output load or group of loads is called a power supply unit or PSU

Fan and heat sink or cooling

A component designed to lower the temperature of an electronic device by dissipating heat into the surrounding air. All modern CPUs require a heat sink. Some also require a fan. A heat sink without a fan is called a passive heat sink; a heat sink with a fan is called an active heat sink. Heat sinks are generally made of an aluminum alloy and often have fins.

Hard drive configuration and controllers e.g. SATA, IDE, EIDE, master, slave

A device used for storing large amounts of data for a computer that persist while the computer is turned off

Ports e.g. USB, parallel, serial

An interface on a computer to which you can connect a device. Personal computers have various types of ports. Internally, there are several ports for connecting disk drives, display screens, and keyboards. Externally, personal computers have ports for connecting modems, printers, mice, and other peripheral devices.

Internal memory e.g. RAM, ROM, cache

Computer internal memory is used to store data that is used by the system at start up and to run various types of programs such as the operating system. Typically, internal memory is contained on small microchips that are either attached or connected to the computer's motherboard. Computer memory can range from a couple of megabytes to several gigabytes

Specialized cards e.g. network, graphic cards

Graphic card, a video card, video adapter, graphics- accelerator card, display adapter or graphics card is an expansion card whose function is to generate and output images to a display.

A network card, A network interference controller (nic), or a adapter is a computer hardware component designed to allow computers to communicate over a computer network

a specialized card is used to improve picture quality or sound quality or faster networking

Printer In computing, a printer is a peripheral which

produces a text and/or graphics) of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most newer printers, a USB cable to a computer which serves as a document source. Some printers, commonly known as network printers, have built-in network interfaces, typically wireless and/or Ethernet based, and can serve as a hard copy device for any user on the network

Smart Board The Smart Board interactive whiteboard is an

interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input – e.g., scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard, detect input. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output on the interactive whiteboard, which then acts as a large touch screen. The Smart Board typically comes with 4 digital pens, which use digital ink and replace traditional whiteboard markers. Most Smart Board interactive whiteboards register only one touch at a time

Monitor

A monitor or display (sometimes called a visual display unit) is an electronic visual display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure. The display device in modern monitors is typically a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) thin panel, while older monitors use a cathodic ray tube about as deep as the screen size.

Mouse In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions

by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons. (Although traditionally a button is typically round or square, modern mice have spring-loaded regions of their top surface that operate switches when pressed down lightly.) It sometimes features other elements, such as "wheels", which allow the user to perform various system-dependent operations, or extra buttons or features that can add more control or dimensional input. The mouse's motion typically translates into the motion of a cursor on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface.

Backing Storage

What is Backing Storage

Backing storage are used as the internal memory of the computer may be small so backing storage has been used to create a more portable store of data. Or also a second storage when needed

Types of Backing Storage

There are many different types of backing storage. The main forms however will include magnetic and optical. Other popular device are the newer pen drives and flash memory cards.

Magnetic storage

Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetism on a magnetically coated surface to store information in a safe and secure form.

Magnetic disk are also available in hard drives for offline storage. It is also in internal hard drives (for secondary online storage).

Floppy Disk A floppy disk is made of a flexible substance called

Mylar.  They have a magnetic surface which allows the recording of data.  The disk turns in the drive allowing the read/write head to access the disk.

A standard floppy disk can store up to 1.44 Mb of data which is approximately equivalent to 300 pages of A4 text.  However, graphic images are often very large, so you may well find that if you have used Word Art or a large picture, your work will not fit onto a floppy disk.

All disks must be formatted before data can be written to the disk.  Formatting divides the disk up into sections or sectors onto which data files are stored. Floppy disks are usually sold pre-formatted.

Types of Optical Devices CD, CD-ROM, DVD: for read only storage, used for

mainly large distribution of digital information such as music, video and computer programs.

CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R: Device that can be written on once. Its used for tertiary and offline storage

CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, RVD-RAM: slow-write/ fast-read storage used for tertiary and offline storage

Blue-ray Disc and HD DVD

Blue ray and high definition (HD) are the new forms off storage devices. The reason being that they have a better picture quality cause the discs have a bigger memory so they can burn a better quality onto the disc.

Memory Stick (flash Memory) Flash memory storage devices are

typically small, lightweight, removable and rewritable. They consist of a small printed circuit board which is encased in plastic or metal casing. They usually have a removable cap which covers and protects the part of the stick which is inserted into a USB port.

Memory sticks are available from 1Gb up to 8 Gb

Cabling PC cabling is used to connect to a power

supply. Cabling is also used for plugging in other peripherals to the PC. For example screens, speakers and keyboards.

Different faults can be recognised, for example if the cable if the cable is unplugged from the port or if the cable is damaged you will be able to see it

There are four different types of main cable, these are Two-wire cabling. Fibre optic cable, PS2/ mini-DIN 6- Pin and RJ-45.

Storage device

Capacity Optical magnetic

Internal/ external

Can be used for ..

Pros Cons

Floppy disk

1.44 Mb Magnetic External Floppy disks are useful for transferring small amounts of data between computer and for keeping a back-up of small files

Portable CheapLight Can be write Protected

Easy to breakStorage capacity

CD-ROM 650-900Mb

Optical External CD- ROM can be used for backing up files in medium to large capacity

Portable CheapLightCan be password protected

Can break easily Needs lots of disks

DVD 4.7Gb Optical External DVD’s can be used for store massive amounts of data. This is why they are used to store films on

Have a massive memoryLightPortable

Can be expensive

Can break easily

USB flash memory stick

256Gb Magnetic External USB can be used for adding massive amounts of

Light and very portable

Can be easily lost

Not password protected

Internal hard disk

500Gb Magnetic Internal Are used to store mass amounts of data

Storage a massive amount of information

Not portable

External hard disk

500Gb

Magnetic Tape

1.44Mb Magnetic External Used to store little amounts of data on

Light and portable

Haven't got a very good memory

Memory Cards

Hard drive The hard drive is the component which is

used to permanently store data, as opposed to RAM, which is erased whenever the computer is restarted, which is why the term mass storage device is sometimes used to refer to hard drives. The different hard drive controllers are

IDE SCSI Serial ATA

ATA-Advanced technology attachment or IDE integrated drive electronics

ATA is a standard interface that allows you to connect storage peripherals to PC’s. It would attach such things as memory sticks

ATA

ATA standard allows you to connect storage peripherals directly with the motherboard with a ribbon cable which is usually made up of 40 parallel wires and three connectors

Blue connector for the motherboard Black connector and a grey connector

for the tow storage peripherals