POLITEKNIK TUANKU SYED SIRAJUDDIN Pauh Putra 02600 Arau Perlis Author Puteri Azwa bt Ahmad Panneer Selvem a/l Indiran Siti Nurdiana binti Abu Bakar Editor Puteri Azwa bt Ahmad Panneer Selvem a/l Indiran Siti Nurdiana binti Abu Bakar Designer Puteri Azwa bt Ahmad Panneer Selvem a/l Indiran Siti Nurdiana binti Abu Bakar First Published 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by copyright may be produced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying recording, recording taping, or information retrieval systems) without the written permission of the author and publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Published by:
Puteri Azwa bt Ahmad Panneer Selvem a/l Indiran Siti Nurdiana binti Abu Bakar In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah SWT, whose blessing and guidance have helped us in completing this e-book Introduction to Computer System and Peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was a blessing to mankind. Our sincere appreciation to the numerous parties who have participated directly or indirectly in the production of this e-book. Such appreciation goes to the Head of Department and colleague in Department of Information Technology and Communication who had given us the opportunity to develop this e-book. The assistance, guidance, and constant support during the publication of this e-book have helped us a lot in completing this e-book. We would also like to thank our family members who provided encouragement, patience, and support. Finally, we would wish the readers of this e-book to enjoy reading this e-book and we do apologize for any omissions and errors. We hope that this module will be beneficial to all, especially Polytechnics students so that they can have a clearer view of the assembly process and the components of a computer. ACKNOWLEGMENT
This e-book is designed to provide a frame of reference for Polytechnic diploma courses in Information Technology or students majoring in related courses. The e-book is alternatively helpful to those who wish to keep enhancing their knowledge on the computer's assembly process. This e-book consists of three main topics, which cover the topics of Computer Hardware, Assemble the Computer and Printers. We use Introduction to Computer System syllabus adapted by the Malaysian Polytechnics in constructing this Ebook. In the first part of the e-book, basic computer hardware components are reviewed. The second part focuses on computer assembly process and on how to choose the right components for the process and the last part focus on type of printers and how to troubleshoot a printer. Finally, this e-book can also be beneficial to other students and readers who would like to learn on the computer hardware. Hopefully, students will find this e-book helpful in assisting them to achieve a better knowledge and understanding which can provide readers with a better result. PREFACE
by Stephen Salome T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S CHAPTER 1 : COMPUTER HARDWARE Introduction to Personal Computer Hardware PC Components Input device Monitor and projectors VR and AR headsets 1 3 4 15 15 CHAPTER 2: ASSEMBLE THE COMPUTER Safety precaution in assembling computer Computer assembly process Open case and install power supply Install the motherboard component Install the internal drives Install the adapter cards Install the cable Boot the computer RAID concepts Legacy ports Cable and connectors Monitor characteristic 16 17 18 21 24 26 30 32 36 37 38 41 CHAPTER 3: PRINTERS Types of printer Cloud printing Printer speed, quality and color Installing and configuring printers Sharing printer Maintaining and troubleshooting printer 44 48 49 50 51 52 REFERENCES 55
Pn CHAPTER 1 COMPUTER HARDWARE Introduction to Personal Computer Hardware Computer: an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can acceptdata (input), processthe data according to specified rules, produce information (output), and store the information for future use. Input devices: any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or other information appliance. Input device translate data from form that humans understand to one that the computer can work with. Most common are keyboard and mouse. Example of input devices are keyboard, mouse (pointing device), microphone, touch screen, scanner, webcam, touchpads, MIDI keyboard, electronic whiteboard, graphics tablets, cameras and pen input. 1
Pn Ide ntif y t h e Prob l em Central Processing Unit (CPU): is the brain of a computer. It is responsible for all functions and processes. Regarding computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system. The CPU is comprised of three main parts : Output device: any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) which converts the electronically generated information into human readable form. Example on Output Devices are monitor, LCD Projection Panels, printers (all types), computer Output Microfilm (COM), plotters, speaker(s) and projector. b) Control Unit (CU): controls and coordinates computer components. 1. Read the code for the next instruction to be executed. 2. Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction. 3. Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory. 4. Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register. 5. If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete, instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation. a) Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Executes all arithmetic and logical operations. Arithmetic calculations like as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Logical operation like compare numbers, letters, or special characters. c) Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed next, "very fast storage area". 2
Pn Ide ntif y t h e Prob l em Pos s ib l e Sol u tions The case houses the internal components such as the power supply, motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), memory,disk drives, and assorted adapter cards. The term form factor refers to the physicaldesign and look of a case. Common desktop computers are availablein form factors including: Horizontal case - Full-Size Tower - Compact Tower - All-in-one Computers use a power supply to convert AC power into a lower voltage DC power required by internal components. Desktop computer power supply form factors include: a) Advanced Technology (AT)-original power supply for legacy computer system. b) AT Extended (ATX) – updated version of the AT. c) ATX12V–the most common power supply on the market today. d) EPS12V–originally designed for network servers but is now commonly used in high-end desktop models. PC Components a) Cases b) Power Supplies A computer can tolerate slight fluctuations in power, but a significant deviation can cause the power supply to fail. 3
Pn Ide ntif y t h e Prob l em Pos s ib l e Sol u tions A power supply includes several different connectors. They are used to power various internal components such as the motherboard and disk drives. Some examples are: 20-pin or 24-pinslotted connector SATA keyed connector Molex keyed connector Berg keyed connector 4-pin to 8-pin auxiliary power connector 6/8-pin PCIe power connector The motherboard is the backbone of the computer. It is a printed circuit board (PCB) that contains buses, or electrical pathways, that interconnect electronic components. These components may be soldered directly to the motherboard, or added using sockets, expansion slots, and ports. c) Connectors d) Motherboards Major components on a motherboard include: >>Central Processing Unit (CPU) >>Random Access Memory (RAM) >>Expansion slots >>Chipset >>Basic input/output system (BIOS) chip and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) chip >>SATA connectors >>Internal USB connector Motherboard chipset consists of the integrated circuits on the motherboard that control how system hardware Interacts with the CPU and motherboard. Most chipsets consist of the following two types: > Northbridge - Controls high speed access to the RAM and video card. >Southbridge - Allows the CPU to communicate with slower speed devices including hard drives, Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, and expansion slots. 4
Ide ntif y t h e Prob l em e) CPU The central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for interpreting and executing commands. The CPU is a small microchip that resides within a CPU package. Modern CPU sockets and processor packages are built in following architectures: Pin Grid Array (PGA) - the pins are on the underside of the processor package and is inserted into the motherboard CPU socket. Land Grid Array (LGA) - the pins are in the socket instead of on the processor. Computer components perform better when kept cool. Computers are kept cool using active and passive cooling solutions. Active solutions require power while passive solutions do not. Passive solutions for cooling usually involve reducing the speed at which a component is operating or adding heat sinks to computer chips. A case fan is considered as active cooling. f) Cooling Systems 5
TYPE OF ROM TYPE OF RAM ROM chips PROM chips EPROM chips EEPROM chips Dynamic RAM (DRAM) Static RAM (SRAM) Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM) Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM) DDR2 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR2 SDRAM) DDR3 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR3 SDRAM) DDR4 Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDR4 SDRAM) GDDR Synchronous Dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM) g) Types of Memory MEMORY MODULE Computer might use different types of memory chips. All memory chips store data in the form of bytes. A byte is a block of eight bits stored as either 0 or 1 in the memory chip. Read-Only Memory (ROM): the memory from which can only read but cannot write on it. This type of memory is non-volatile. Random Access Memory (RAM): is the temporary working storage for data and programs that are being accessed by the CPU. RAM is volatile memory. Adding more RAM in a computer enhances the system performance. However, the maximum amount of RAM that can be installed is limited by the motherboard. A memory module is another name for a RAM chip. It is often used as a general term used to describe SIMM, DIMM, and SO-DIMM memory. While there are several different types of memory modules available, they all serve the same purpose, which is to store temporary data while the computer is running. 6
Pn Ide ntif y t h e Prob l em Pos s ib l e Sol u tions h) Speed of memory The speed of memory has a direct impact on how much data a processor can process in a given period of time. The fastest memory is typically static RAM (SRAM) which is used as cache memory. The speed of memory has a direct impact on how much data a processor can process in a given period of time. The fastest memory is typically static RAM (SRAM) which is used as cache memory for storing the most recently used data and instructions by the CPU. L1 cache – integrated into the CPU L2 cache – original mounted on the motherboard, but now integrated into the CPU L3 cache – used some high-end work stations and server CPUs Types of cache memory Memory errors occur when the data is not stored correctly in the memory chips. The computer uses different methods to detect and correct data errors in memory. Different types of error checking methods include: Non-parity – memory does not check errors in memory. Parity – memory contains8 bits for data and 1 bit for error checking. ECC – memory can detect multiple bit errors in memory and correct single bit errors in memory Memory error 7
Pn Common adapter cards: Sound adapter Network Interface Card (NIC) Wireless NIC Video adapter or display adapter Capture card TV tuner card Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller card eSATA card > Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) > Mini-PCI > PCI eXtended (PCI-X) > PCI Express (PCIe) > Riser card > Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) Computers have expansion slots on the motherboard to install adapter cards. The type of adapter card connector must match the expansion slot. i) Adapter Cards Adapter cards increase the functionality of a computer by adding controllers for specific devices or by replacing malfunctioning ports COMMON EXPANSION SLOTS 8
Solid-state drives (SSD) store data as electrical charges in semiconductor flash memory. This makes SSDs much faster than magnetic HDDs. SSDs have no moving parts, make no noise, are more energy efficient, and produce less heat than HDDs. SSDs come in three form factors: >>Disc drive form factor: similar to an HDD. >>Expansion cards: plugs directly into the motherboard and mounts in the computer case like other expansion cards. >>mSata or M.2 modules: these packages may use a special socket. M.2 is a standard for computer expansion cards. j) Storage Devices Data drives provide non-volatile storage of data. Some drives have fixed media, and other drives have removable media. Data storage devices can be classified according to the media on which the data is stored: Magnetic: like hard disk drive and tape drive Solid state: like solid state drive Optical: like CD and DVD Storage devices inside a computer connect to the motherboard using Serial AT Attachment(SATA) connections. The legacy interface is Parallel ATA (EIDE). The interface standards define the way that data is transferred, the transfer rates, and physical characteristics of the cables and connectors. There are three main versions of the SATA standard: SATA 1, SATA 2, and SATA 3. The cables and connectors are the same, but the data transfer speeds are different. Types of media storage This type of storage represents binary values as magnetized or non-magnetized physical areas of magnetic media. Common types of magnetic media storage drives: >>Hard Disk Drive (HDD) – the traditional magnetic disk devices with storage capacity ranging from gigabytes (GBs) to terabytes (TBs). >>Tape Drive –most often used for archiving data. >>Tape drives use a magnetic read/write head and removable tape cartridge. Common tape storage capacities vary between a few GBs to many TBs. Semiconductor Storage Magnetic Media Storage 9
Pn Types of Optical Media Optical Storage Optical drives are removable media storage devices that use lasers to read and write data on optical media. They were developed to overcome the storage capacity limitations of removable magnetic media such as floppy discs. There are three types of optical drives: CD, DVD, and BD media can be pre-recorded (read only), recordable (write once), or re-recordable (read and write multiple times). DVD and BD media can also be single layer (SL) or dual layer (DL). Dual layer media roughly doubles the capacity of a single disc. >> Compact Disc (CD) - audio and data >> Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) - digital video and data >> Blu-ray Disc (BD) - HD digital video and data 10
k) Video Ports and Cables A video port connects a monitor to a computer using a cable. Video ports and monitor cables transfer analog signals, digital signals, or both. Video ports and cables include: > Digital Visual Interface (DVI) > DisplayPort > High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) > Thunderbolt 1 or 2 > Thunderbolt 3 > Video Graphics Array (VGA) > Radio Corporation of America (RCA) l) Other Ports and Cables Input/output (I/O) ports on a computer connect peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, and portable drives. A computer may have other ports: > Personal System 2 (PS/2) > Audio and game port > Network > Serial AT Attachment (SATA) > Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) > The Universal Serial Bus (USB) 11
Pn m) Adapters and Converters There are many connection standards in use today. These components are called adapters and converters: > Converter – performing the same function as an adapter but also translates the signals from one technology to the other. > Adapter – physically connecting one technology to another Example of adapters include: DVI to VGA Adapter USB to Ethernet adapter USB to PS/2 adapter DVI to HDMI adapter Molex to SATA adapter HDMI to VGA converter Input Devices Some of the first input devices include: > Keyboard and Mouse: these are the two most commonly used input devices > ADF / Flatbed Scanner: these devices digitize an image or document > Joystick and Gamepad: these devices are used for playing games > KVM Switch: a hardware device that can be used to control more than one computer while using a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse 12
New Input Devices Some new input devices include touchscreen, stylus, magnetic strip reader, and barcode scanner: > Touch screen – input devices with touch or pressure sensitive screens > Stylus – a type of digitizer that allows a designer or artist to create artwork by using a pen-like tool > Magnetic strip reader – a device that reads information magnetically encoded on the back of plastic cards > Barcode scanner – a device that reads the information contained in the barcodes affixed to products > Digital camera – devices that capture digital images and videos > Webcams – video cameras that can be integrated into a computer > Signature pad– a device that electronically captures a person’s signature > Smart card reader – a device used on a computer to authenticate the user. > Microphone – a device that allows a user to speak into a computer and have their voice digitized 13
Pn Facial Recognition Scanner Fingerprint Scanner Virtual Reality Headset NFC Devices and Terminals Voice Recognition Scanner Most Recent Input Devices While an output device takes binary information from the computer and converts it into a form that is easily understood by the user. Examples of output devices include monitors, projectors, VR headsets, printers, speakers, and headphones. MOST RECENT INPUT DEVICES 14
Monitors and Projectors Most monitors use one of three types of technology: > Liquid crystal display(LCD) > Light-emitting diode (LED) > Organic LED (OLED) Most video projectors use LCD or DLP technology. > DLP stands for Digital Light Processing > Different projectors have different numbers of lumens, which affects the level of brightness of the projected image. VR and AR Headsets Virtual Reality (VR) uses computer technology to create a simulated, three-dimensional environment. A VR headset completely encases the upper portion of users’ faces, not allowing in any ambient light from their surroundings. Augmented Reality(AR) uses similar technology but superimposes images and audio over the real world in real time. AR can provide users with immediate access to information about their real surroundings. An AR headset usually does not close off ambient light to users, allowing them to see their real life surroundings 15
Printers are output devices that create hard copies of files. A hard copy might be a on a sheet of paper. It could also be a plastic form created from a 3D printer. Different types of printers: > Inkjet, impact, thermal, laser, and 3D printers > Printers use wired or wireless connections > All printers require printing material(such as ink, toner, liquid plastic ,etc.) > Printers use a driver to communicate with OS Printers Speakers and Headphones Speakers are a type of auditory output device. Headphones, earbuds, and the earphones found in head sets are all auditory output devices. > Most computers and mobile devices have audio support either integrated into the motherboard or on an adapter card. > These may be wired or wireless. Some are Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled. 16
Chapter 2: PC Assembly Turnoff and unplug equipment Remove clutter from workspace Cover sharp edges inside the computer Wear safety goggles Proper lifting procedures Fire extinguisher availability Remove watches or jewelry Safe working conditions help prevent injury to people and damage to computer equipment CHAPTER 2 ASSEMBLE THE COMPUTER Safety precautions in assembling computer 17
1 2 3 4 5 Open case and install power supply Install the CPU, heat sink, fan and RAM Install the motherboard 6 Install optical & hard drive Install adapter cards Install the cables COMPUTER ASSEMBLY PROCESS 18
STATUS DISPLAY SIZE All cases have a vent on the power supply, and some have a vent in the back to draw air out of into the system. Some cases have even more vents. POWER SUPPLY VENTS Match the power supply rating and connection type to the motherboard APPEARANCE There are many case designs to choose from. Open case and install power supply Select the Case and Fans Computer assembly is a large part of a technician's job. Prepare the workspace before opening the computer case. VENTS LEDs mounted on outside of case tell that the system has power, when the hard drive is in use, and when the computer is in sleep or hibernate mode. MODEL TYPE The motherboard determines the type of case can be use The size and shape must match A computer with many components will need more room for air flow to keep the system cool. 19
Factor to consider when choosing a case fan Select a Power Supply HOW TOCHOOSE A POWER SUPPLY Install the Power Supply Power supply installation steps STEP 1 Insert the power supply into the case STEP 2 STEP 3 Align the holes in the power supply with the holes in the case Secure the power supply to the case using the proper screws 20
Install the CPU STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Orient the CPU to the CPU slot Press the CPU into the CPU slot Lock the CPU into place Apply thermal paste to the CPU Install the heatsink Secure the heatsink STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 CPU installation steps Install the RAM STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Open the RAM slot levers. Orient the RAM chip to the motherboard slot Lower the RAM chip into the slot STEP 4 Press down firmly to lock the RAM chip RAM installation steps Install the Motherboard STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Align the motherboard in the correct direction Locate the standoffs Install standoffs in the computer case STEP 4 Align I/O plate to back of computer case Motherboard installation steps Lower motherboard into place Install the screws into the standoffs STEP 5 STEP 6 Install the Motherboard Components 21
Select the Motherboard Make sure it support CPU RAM Video adapter / adapter card Socket and chipset compatible with CPU Heat sink and fan Number / type of expansion slots Power supply fit the motherboard Computer case fit the motherboard When selecting a replacement motherboard 22
Specialized memory for servers and high-end workstations that use a large amount of RAM. These have a control chip built into the module that assists the memory controller in managing large quantities of RAM Buffered memory Unbuffered memory This is regular memory for computers. The computer reads data directly from the memory banks making it faster than buffered memory Buffered RAM is more stable Buffered RAM is more reliable when it comes to data storage BUFFERED VS UNBUFFERED RAM Buffered RAM is more expensive Buffered RAM also ensures that the electrical load on the controller is minimal Buffered RAM is used for missioncritical systems whereas unbuffered RAM is used for laptops and desktops Select the RAM New RAM may be needed when an application locks up or the computer displays frequent error messages. To determine if the problem is the RAM, execute the RAM test in the BIOS. The speed of the new RAM must be supported by the chipset. CATEGORIESOF MEMORY 23
Pn Hard Drive Optical Drive From the front of the case, choose the drive bay that you want to hold the drive. Remove the face plate from that bay if necessary Install the Drives Install the Internal Drives STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Position the HDD so that it aligns with the drive ay opening. The power and interface connectors should be facing out towards the motherboard Insert the HDD into the drive bay so that the screw holes in the drive line up with the screw holes in the case Secure the HDD to the case using the proper screws Hard drive installation steps STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Position the optical drive so that it aligns with the 5.25 inch (13.34cm) drive bay opening at the front of the case Insert the optical drive into the drive bay so that the optical drive screw holes align with the screw holes in the case Optical drive installation steps STEP 4 Secure the optical 24
Pn Select Optical Drives Select Hard Drives N EW H A R D D R I V E F A C T O R S I n t e r nal and e x t e r nal H D D , S S D o r S S H D H o t s w appabl e H eat ge n e rati o n N o i s e ge n e rati o n P o w e r r equ i r e m e n t s N EW O P T I C A L D R I V E F A C T O R S C o n n e c t o r t ype R eadi ng capabi l it y Wr iti ng capabi l it y O pti cal m edia t ype 25
Install the Adapter Cards STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Find an empty PCIe x16 slot on the case and remove the small metal cover Align the video adapter card to the appropriate expansion slot on the motherboard Press down gently on the video adapter card until it is fully seated STEP 4 Secure the video adapter card mounting bracket to the case with the appropriate screw Select Adapter Cards Adapter cards are designed for a specific task and add extra functionality to a computer Install the Adapter Cards Sound VARIETY OF ADAPTER CARDS NIC Storage Controller Graphics Capture I/O 26
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) PCIExpress (PCIe) Types of expansion slots on a motherboard for adapter cards Factors for Adapter Card Selection Before purchase please consider What are current user's and future needs? Is there an open and compatable expansion slot available? What are the possible configuration option? PCIe has four types of slots; x1, x4, x8, and x16 27
Select a Media Reader •Secure digital (SD) •MicroSD •MiniSD •CompactFlash •Memory Stick MEDIA CARD FORMAT SD CARD CompactFlash MiniSD Memory Stick MicroSD N EW M E D I A R E A D E R F A C T O R S M edia cards s uppo r t ed I n t e r nal o r e x t e r nal S i z e C o n n e c t o r t ype 28
USB eSATA Thunderbolt ports External storage devices connect to an external port using : Select External Storage External USB flash drives, sometimes called thumb drives, are commonly used as removable external storage. CORRECT TYPE OF EXTERNAL STORAGE CHOOSE YOUR External flash drive is a good choice to transfer a small amount of data, such as a single presentation External hard drive to to back up or transfer large amounts of data 29
Install the Front Panel Cables A computer case typically has a power button and visible activity lights on the front of the case. The case will include front panel cables that must be connected to a common system panel connector on a motherboard. Writing on the motherboard near the system panel connector shows where each cable is connected. Install the Cables System panel connectors are not keyed. However, each front panel cable usually has a small arrow indicating pin 1, and each pair of LED pins on the motherboard system panel connector has pin 1 marked with a plus sign (+). System panel connectors Power button Reset button Power LED Drive activity LED button System speaker Audio 30
New cases and motherboards have USB 3.0 or USB 3.1 capabilities. USB connector cables are often 9 or 10 pins arranged in two rows. These cables connect to USB motherboard connectors. This arrangement allows for two USB connections, so USB connectors are often in pairs. Sometimes the two connectors are together in one piece and can be connected to the entire USB motherboard connector. 31
Boot the Computer Power-on self-test (POST) Motherboard manufacturers may use different beep codes. When a computer is booted, the basic input/output system (BIOS) performs a hardware check on the main components of the computer. This check is called a power-on self-test (POST). If a device is malfunctioning, an error or a beep code alerts the technician of the problem. BIOS manufacturers use different codes to indicate different hardware problems. POST screen 32
All motherboards need a BIOS to operate. BIOS is a ROM chip on the motherboard that contains a small program that controls the communication between the operating system and the hardware. BIOS Which drives are available? How SATA and USB ports are configured? How PCIe and PCI expansion slots are configured? Motherboard power management features Which drives are boot able? How the memory is configured and when it can be used? Along with the POST, BIOS also identifies 33
If the computer’s time and date are incorrect, it could indicate that the CMOS battery is bad or is getting very low. The motherboard manufacturer saves the motherboard BIOS settings in a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)memory chip. When a computer boots, the BIOS software reads the configured settings stored in CMOS to determine how to configure the hardware. The BIOS settings are retained by CMOS using a battery. . CMOS Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Most computers today run Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). All new computers come with UEFI, which provides additional features and addresses security issues with legacy BIOS. UEFI can run on 32-bit and 64-bit systems, supports larger boot drives, and includes additional features such as secure boot. Secure boot ensures your computer boots to your specified operating system. This helps prevent rootkits from taking over the system BIOS vs EUFI If the battery fails, important settings can be lost 34
35 Update the Firmware Motherboard manufacturers may publish updated BIOS versions to provide enhancements to system stability, compatibility, and performance. Early computer BIOS information was contained in ROM chips and to upgrade the BIOS information, the ROM chip had to be physically replaced. Modern BIOS chips are Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) which can be upgraded by the user without opening the computer case. Flashing your BIOS is an advanced procedure, and if you don’t perform it properly you can cause major damage to your PC > This is called “flashing the BIOS”. Installing firmware or BIOS updates in Windows 10 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Search for and open Device Manager Expand Firmware Double-click System Firmware STEP 4 Select the Driver tab Click Update Driver. Click Search automatically for updated driver software STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7 Wait for the update to download and then follow the instructions.
HOW RAID STORES DATA ON THE VARIOUS DISKS Double Parity – provides fault tolerance for up to two failed drives Striping – enables data to be distributed across multiple drives with a significant performance increase, however the failure of a single drive means that all data is lost Parity – provides basic error checking and fault tolerance by storing checksums separately from data and enables the reconstruction of lost data without sacrificing speed and capacity Mirroring – stores duplicate data on one or more other drives and provides redundancy so that the failure of a drive does not cause the loss of data RAID Concepts RAID, or “Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks” is a technique which makes use of a combination of multiple disks instead of using a single disk for increased performance, data redundancy or both. The term was coined by David Patterson, Garth A. Gibson, and Randy Katz at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 RAID provides a way to store data across multiple storage devices for availability, reliability, capacity, and redundancy and/or performance improvement 36 Key evaluation points for a RAID System Realiability Availability Performance Capacity How many disk faults can the system tolerate? What fraction of the total session time is a system in uptime mode, i.e. how available is the system for actual use? How good is the response time? How high is the throughput (rate of processing work)? Given a set of N disks each with B blocks, how much useful capacity is available to the user?
RAID LEVEL 0 – STRIPING 36 RAID LEVEL 1 – MIRRORING . RAID LEVEL 6 – STRIPING WITH DOUBLE PARITY RAID LEVEL 5 – STRIPING WITH PARITY RAID LEVEL 10 – COMBINING RAID 1 & RAID 0 In a RAID 0 system data are split up into blocks that get written across all the drives in the array. By using multiple disks (at least 2) at the same time, this offers superior I/O performance RAID Levels There are several levels of RAID available. These levels use mirroring, striping, and parity in different ways. Data are stored twice by writing them to both the data drive (or set of data drives) and a mirror drive (or set of drives). If a drive fails, the controller uses either the data drive or the mirror drive for data recovery and continuous operation. At least 2 drives are needed for a RAID 1 array. RAID 5 is the most common secure RAID level. It requires at least 3 drives but can work with up to 16 RAID 6 is like RAID 5, but the parity data are written to two drives. That means it requires at least 4 drives and can withstand 2 drives dying simultaneously. This is a nested or hybrid RAID configuration. It provides security by mirroring all data on secondary drives while using striping across each set of drives to speed up data transfers.
Parallel Game PS/2l Audio ports VGA DVI HDMI Display port Designed to replace both DVI and VGA for computer monitors while including high bandwidth video and audio signals. Legacy Ports Analog ports were used for connecting stereo system, microphone and speakers/headphones. Video and Graphic Ports Used for connecting to various peripheral devices, commonly printers. Serial Used for connecting a joystick input Used for connecting a keyboard and mouse. Purple for keyboard and green for the mouse. Used for connecting various peripherals such as printers, scanners, modems, and console connections to network devices. An analog port and commonly the oldest graphics port still used on some PCs Provides support for transmitting uncompressed Includes DVI-A (analog), DVI-D (digital), and DVI-I digital video. (integrated). Carries the same video information as DVI but is also capable of providing digital audio and control signals. 37
38 The typical rectangular connector found on almost all desktop and laptop computers, TVs, game consoles, and media players. This connector is a small proprietary 8-pin connector used by Apple mobile devices such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods for both power and data. USB Cables and Connectors Over the years, USB has evolved with various standards. (USB 1.0,USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.2) USB Type-A Mini-USB A rectangular connector with a small indention on each side that is being replaced with the micro-USB connector. Micro-USB A common connector on smartphones, tablets and other devices. This connector has two corners pushed in at an angle. USB Type-B This connector has a square shape with beveled exterior corners and an extra notch at the top. Used to connect printers or external hard drives. USB Type-C This connector is rectangular with four rounded corners and is the newest USB interface. Used as a multipurpose cable to attach different kinds of peripheral devices to a PC. Lightning Cables and Connectors
Pn 39 Coax Cables and Connectors COAX CABLE CONSTRUCTION Coaxial cable has an inner center conductor surrounded by insulating material. The insulating material is surrounded by a foil shield which is used as an outer conductor and also shields against electromagnetic interference (EMI) RG-6 A heavy gauge cable with insulation and shielding for high-bandwidth, highfrequency applications (Internet, Cable TV, and Satellite TV) A thinner cable similar to RG-6, used for low bandwidth and lower frequency applications (analog video and CCTV) RG-59 An older connector, used with digital or analog audio or video BNC
Pn 40 EXTERNAL SCSI CABLE INTERNAL SCSI CABLE IDE CABLE Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) is a standard for connecting peripheral and storage devices in a daisy-chained format. SCSI and IDE Cables and Connectors Used for connecting older external SCSI devices such as scanners and printers Common SCSI connector for internal hard drive with 50 pins arranged in two rows and attached to a ribbon cable Visually similar to the internal SCSI cable, but commonly with three 40-pin connectors. One connector connects to the IDE port on the motherboard and two for attaching IDE drives.
Pn Monitor Characteristics There are many types of computer monitors available and they vary by use, size, quality, clarity, brightness and more. Computer monitors are usually described by: The diagonal measurement of the screen (i.e., top left to bottom right) in inches. Resolution is measured by the number of horizontal and vertical pixels. For example, 1920 x 1080 (i.e.,1080p) means it has 1920 horizontal pixels and 1080 vertical pixels This relates to the amount of information that can be displayed on a screen. This identifies the best monitor resolution for the specific monitor. This term describes when the image sent to the monitor by the video adapter card matches the native resolution of the monitor Older monitors used VGA or DVI while newer monitors support HDMI and DisplayPort. 41
Pn Pixel – a tiny dot capable of displaying red, green, and blue. Dot pitch – The distance between pixels on the screen. Brightness – The luminance of a monitor, measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) Contrast ratio – The measurement of how white and how black a monitor can get. Aspect ratio – The horizontal to vertical measurement of the viewing area of a monitor. Refresh rate – The amount of seconds for an image to be rebuilt, measured in Hertz (Hz). Response time - The amount in time for a pixel to change properties (color or brightness) Interlaced – Creates an image by scanning the screen two times. (Odd lines and then even lines) Non-Interlaced – Creates an image by scanning the screen one line at a time, from top to bottom. Monitor Terms Display Standards CGA – Color Graphics Adapter (320 x 200 resolution) VGA – Video Graphics Array (640 x 480 resolution) SVGA – Super Video Graphics Array ( 800 x 600 resolution) HD – High Definition (1280 x 720 resolution) – Also known as 720p FHD – Full High Definition (1920 x 1280 resolution) – Also known as 1080p QHD – Quad High Definition (2560x 1440 resolution) – Also known as 1440p UHD – Ultra High Definition ( 3840 x 2160 resolution) – Also known as 4k 42
Pn Adding monitor scan increase your visual desktop area and improve productivity. The added monitors enable you to expand the size of the monitor or Many computers have built-in support for multiple monitors. To connect multiple monitors to a computer, you need to: duplicate the desktop so you can view additional windows. > enable your computer to support multiple monitors > gather the appropriate display cables Using Multiple Monitors 43
CHAPTER 3 PRINTERS When it comes to the different types of printers, there is a huge range of models and types for you to choose from. From simple home inkjet printers to enterprise-grade laser printers, choosing the right printer for your business or family can be a challenge. Here are some types of printers available in the market. Inkjet Printer Perfectly positioned for small businesses that want to produce quality over quantity printouts, inkjet printers are some of the best on the market. Advantages > Low cost > High resolution > Easy to use and cheaper Disadvantages > Some nozzles prone to clog > Cartridges can be expensive > Ink can be wet after printing Inkjet Printer Parts Types of Printers 44