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Mike Meyers’ CompTIA A+®

Guide to

Managing and

Troubleshooting PCs

Fourth Edition

The Visible PCChapter 3



Guide to

Managing and

Troubleshooting PCs

Fourth Edition

Overview

• In this chapter, you will learn how to

– Describe how the PC works

– Identify all the connectors and devices on a typical PC system unit

– Discuss the major internal components of a PC



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

How the PC Works

• Hardware

– Pieces you can kick (mouse, monitor, motherboard, etc.)

• Software

– Operating system (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)

– Applications (PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Internet Explorer)



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

How the PC Works

Figure 1 : Computer musing that a string of ones and zeros makes perfect sense



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

How the PC Works (continued)

Figure 2: Typical Mac OS X (left), Linux (middle), and Windows (right) interfaces



Guide to

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Fourth Edition


• Getting data into the computer

• Keyboard, mouse, webcam, etc…Input

• Occurs when the computer processes or manipulates data

• CPUProcessing

• Provided as the result of processing data

• Softcopy (monitor), Hardcopy (printer)Output

• Keep the data for later use

• Hard drive, optical media, flash driveStorage



Guide to

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Fourth Edition


Figure 3: Processing takes place somewhere in here!



Guide to

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Fourth Edition


Figure 4: Output devices



Guide to

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Fourth Edition


Figure 5: Typical storage (CD-R discs)



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

• The Art of the PC Technician

– Hardware and software interact to accomplish the four stages.

– Your goal is to understand all the parts and how they interact in the various stages.

• By understanding how it works, you’re better able to fix it when it breaks.

`

Broken PC PC tech Fixed PC

`

The Art of the PC Technician



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

• System Unit - All of the processing and storage takes place in the system unit

• Monitor - Provides a visual output for the computer

• Keyboard - Provides keyed input, based on a typewriter

• Mouse - Pointing device used to control a graphical pointer on the monitor for input

• Speakers - Provides sound output

• Printer - Provides printed paper output

The Complete PC



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

The Complete PC (continued)

Figure 6: Typical desktop computer with peripherals



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

External Connections

Figure 7: Connections in the back of a PC



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

External Connections (continued)

• Plug goes into a port.

• Port/jack accepts a plug.

• Connector can be either a port or a plug.

Figure 8: Plug, port, and jack



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

External Connections (continued)

• There are six basic types of connections:

– Mini-DIN connectors

– USB connectors

– FireWire connectors

– DB connectors

– RJ connectors

– Audio connectors



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

Mini-DIN Connectors

• DIN connectors are round and come in two sizes:

– DIN (ancient)

– Mini-DIN (a.k.a. PS/2)

• Always a female connector

• Used by a keyboard or mouse

Figure 9: DIN (top) and mini-DIN

(bottom) connectors



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

USB Connectors

• Universal serial bus (USB)

– Used by many devices today

– Devices are hot-swappable

• USB B plugs into devices

• USB A plugs into computers

• USB mini-B connects to smaller devices

• Less common are mini-A and micro-A/B



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

USB Connectors (continued)

Figure 10: USB A connector and port

Figure 12: USB mini-B connector

Figure 11: USB B connector



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

USB Connectors (continued)

Figure 13: Cell phone charging via a USB connection



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

FireWire Connectors/IEEE 1394

• FireWire connectors move data at incredibly high speeds.

– Also known as IEEE 1394

• Do not confuse this with the IEEE 1284 (parallel standard).

– Popular with video applications

– Uses a 6-wire connector (note the rounded edge)

– Some devices use a 4-wire

connector

– Hot-swappable

– Faster FireWire devices use a 9-wire connector

Figure 14: FireWire connector and port



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

DB Connectors

• DB connectors have a slight D shape

• Male DB connectors have pins

• Female DB connectors have sockets

• DB is the oldest type ofconnector in the PC

• Officially called D-shell orD-subminiature

• Has 9–37 Pins

Figure 15: DB-25 connector and port



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Fourth Edition

• Registered jack or RJ connectors

• RJ-11 connectors are used by telephone lines

• RJ-45 connectors are used in network interface cards (NICs)

RJ Connectors

Figure 16: RJ-11 (top) and RJ-45 (bottom)



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

Audio Connectors

• Audio connectors are found on sound cards

– Used to connect speakers, microphones, and other audio devices

• Mini-audio jacks

– Also called 1/8” jack

Figure 17: Mini-audio jacks and plug



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Fourth Edition

All the Colors of the Rainbow

• The connections on the back of the computer have been standardized

Connection Color

VGA Blue

Parallel Burgundy

Audio Line-In Blue

Audio Line-Out Lime

Microphone Pink

PS/2 Mouse Green

PS/2 Keyboard Purple



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Fourth Edition

Devices and Their Connectors



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Cards vs. On-boards

• Connectors are exposed on the rear and front of PCs.

• Some connectors attach directly to the motherboard.

• Some connectors attach to boards that plug into the motherboard.

Figure 18: Typical expansion card



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Fourth Edition

Keyboard

• Keyboards connect into dedicated mini-DIN (usually purple) or USB

• Mini-DIN plugs and ports are usually either purple (for keyboards) or green (for mice)

Figure 19: Keyboard plug and port



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Fourth Edition

Monitors

• Monitors connect to ports on video cards

– S-Video connector (left)

– Digital visual interface (DVI) connector (center)

– 15-pin blue female DB connector (right)

Figure 20: Video card with (from left to right) S-Video, DVI, and VGA ports



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Fourth Edition

Monitors (continued)

• Newest connector type is called Hi-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)

– Brings a number of enhancements

– Carries both sound and video on same cable

– Designed for home theater systems

Figure 21: HDMI connector



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Sound

• Converts digital information into sound

• Converts sound from a microphone into digital data

• Mini-audio jacks for speakers and microphones

• DB-15 connector for a joystick or musical instrument

Figure 22: Typical bank of 1/8-inch audio jacks

Figure 23: Legacy joystick/MIDI port



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Sound (continued)

• Newer Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format (S/PDIF)

• Comes in coaxial and optical versions

• Replaces all of the mini-audio connections

Figure 24: S/PDIF connection



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Fourth Edition

Network

• Networks: groups of PCs connected together

• Network interface cards (NICs) typically on motherboard (can be expansion card)

• Typical connector is RJ-45

Figure 25: Typical network connection



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Fourth Edition

Mouse

• A mouse enables you to select graphical items on a screen

• Connects through mini-DIN port (light green), USB port, or Bluetooth

• A trackball may be used instead of a mouse

Figure 26: Mouse with

mini-DIN connection

Figure 27: Trackball



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Fourth Edition

Modem

• Modems convert analog telephone signals into digital data and vice-versa

– Internal modems are expansion cards

– External modems connect to a serial port or a USB port

– May use one or two RJ-11 sockets

• Cable from wall to computer is mandatory, and from computer to phone is optional

Figure 28: Internal modem



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

• Printers output data from the PC onto paper

• Historically used a female DB-25 on the computer side and a Centronicsconnection on the printer side

• Today, printers use USB or wireless connections

Printer

Figure 29: Parallel port



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Fourth Edition

Joysticks

• Joysticks are used almost exclusively to play games on the computer

– Originally designed as an input

device to be used like a mouse

– DB-15 connector (typically orange)

– Most joysticks use USB today

Figure 30: Joystick



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

• Special connector for external hard drives and optical drives

eSATA

Figure 31: eSATA port



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

Inside the System Unit



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

• The case houses all of the internal components

– Protects internal components

– External connections in front and rear

– Provides access to storage devices such as CDs

Case

Figure 32: Case—front and back

Figure 33: Onboard connections



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Fourth Edition

Going Inside

• Most cases open with a Phillipsscrewdriver

• Some use thumbscrews

• Proprietary cases open in odd ways, like with Torx wrenches

• When inside, be careful!– ESD issues

– Dropped screws (use plastic tools)

• Inside you’ll find internal components:– Motherboard

– Devices attached to the motherboard

– Start in the center with the CPU



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

Going Inside (continued)

Figure 34: Opening a system unit



Guide to

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CPU

• Central processing unit (CPU)

– Also called a microprocessor

• Performs calculations

• Generates a lot of heat

– Cooling fan and/or heat sink used to keep them

coolFigure 36: CPU with fan



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Fourth Edition

• CPUs come in different packages:

– Pin grid array (PGA)

– Land grid array (LGA)

CPU (continued)

• Makes

– Intel

– AMD

• Models

– Phenom

– Athlon

– Pentium

– Core

Figure 35: Typical CPUs still in protective packaging



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CPU (continued)

Figure 37: CPU and matching socket



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RAM

• Random access memory (RAM)

– Stores programs and data currently used by the CPU

– Measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB)

– Each piece or module of RAM is called a stick

– Dual inline memory module (DIMM) most common today

Figure 38: Two DIMMs



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Fourth Edition

Motherboards

• The motherboard is a thin, flat piece of circuit board

– Everything connects directly or indirectly to the motherboard

– Contains sockets for the CPU, RAM, power, and external

devices such as mice, printers, and keyboards

– Expansion slots allow the addition of new components



Guide to

Managing and

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Fourth Edition

Motherboards (continued)

Figure 39: Typical motherboard

Figure 40: Placing a card into an expansion slot



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

Power Supply

• Provides electrical power to PC components

– Uses 110-VAC power from the wall outlet

– Has power connectors for the motherboard and other

devices

– Uses a fan to keep itself and the PC cool inside

• Safety Alert!

– High-voltage capacitor holds power after being unplugged

Figure 41: Power supply



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

• The floppy drive uses floppy diskettes to store data

– Connects to the computer via a ribbon cable

– Connects to the floppy controller on the motherboard

– Uses a connector from the power supply

Floppy Drive

Figure 42: Floppy drive connected to motherboard



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Fourth Edition

• Hard drives store programs and data not currently in use by the CPU

– Capacity is quoted in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB).

– A typical PC has one hard drive but may contain more

– Common types include:

• Parallel AT attachment (PATA)

• Serial AT attachment (SATA)

• Small computer systeminterface (SCSI)

• Uses a power cable from the power supply

Hard Drive



Guide to

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Fourth Edition

Hard Drive (continued)

Figure 43: SATA and PATA drives showing data connectors

Figure 44: Hard drive and DVD drive



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Optical Media Drives

• Three groups

– CD

• Stores about 700 MB of data

– DVD

• Stores about 4–16 GB of data

– Blu-ray Disc (BD)

• Stores about 25–50 GB of data

Figure 45: Assorted optical discs

Figure 46: Optical drives

fourth edition the visible pc - city tech openlab · fourth edition the visible pc chapter 3 ......

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