sc ict certification level 1 03 computer hardware by ross parker
TRANSCRIPT
SC ICT CertificationLevel 1
SC ICT CertificationLevel 1
03 Computer Hardware
By Ross Parker
WHY DO I CARE?03.1
Mysterious Magical Stuff
• Do you treat your computer like a “black box”?
• Why should I care what it is doing inside?
4 Reasons• Purchasing
– Understand what you are buying
• Performance– Know why your computer is running slow
• Power– Persuade your boss as to why you need a
new or upgraded computer!
• Peace-of-mind– Understand what is normal and what is not
THE BASICS03.2
What is a Computer?
Source: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
What is a Computer?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
What is a Computer?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
What is a Computer?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
What is a Computer?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
What is a Computer?
• wikipedia.org: “a computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions.”
• techterms.com: “technically, a computer is a programmable machine”
• merriam-webster.com: “a programmable usually electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data”
How a Computer Works“The Fundamental Idea”
wikipedia.org: “a computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions.”
I / OI / O
How a Computer Works“The Fundamental Idea”
DiskStorage
DiskStorage
KeyboardMouseCD-ROMVoiceData Collection DevicesTouch and beyond
DiskStorage
MonitorPrinterSpeakers
DiskStorage
Hard DriveCD-ROM - WritableUSB
DiskStorage
Storage Capacity
DiskStorage
120 to 250GB(Gigabytes)
A Little More on Disk Storage• How much do you need?
• Buy the biggest that you can afford!
• 100 Gigabytes: all the academic journals on the shelves of a single library floor
• 10 Terabytes: all printed collections of U.S. Library of Congress
• 5 Exabytes: All words ever spoken by human beings
What Does This Storage Mean for You?
1TB (Terabyte) Hard Drive
•781,250 pictures
•1,250 hours of video
INSIDE THE COMPUTER03.3
What Makes a Computer
Motherboard
CPU
GigaHertz (GHz)2.00GHz
2 Billion Calculations per Second!!!
Memory - RAM
• Typical RAM size for 2008: 2GB• Good RAM size for 2008: 4GB• Outstanding RAM size for 2008: 16GB
What Makes a Computer?• Motherboard – connects together and coordinates other components.
• CPU – processes information according to stored instructions. The heart of the beast!
• Internal Storage – persistent instruction and data storage. Usually a hard disk.
• Memory– temporary instruction and data storage. Usually RAM.
• Removable media devices
• I/O– Keyboard, mouse, webcam– Display, speakers– Network
• Power supply
Slowness• Hardware
– Older, slower processor– Insufficient RAM– Slow hard drive– Hard drive almost at capacity– Network issues
• Software– Demanding operating system & applications– Excessive multi-tasking– Malicious software
PLAYTIME!03.4
The Messy, Real-World ViewCase
Hard drive(hidden)
RAM
CPU
Power supply
Cable nest
Motherboard
Optical Drive
(on top)
InternalStorage(hidden)
Get Stuck In• There is a computer for you to play with.• Can you?:
– Connect up the external cables on the back panel.– Open the case.– Ground yourself on the power supply.
• Discharge dangerous static.• Computer should be off, and plugged in to a socket that is
switched off.– Identify:
• The motherboard• CPU• Internal storage• Memory• Power supply
– Reseat the RAM– Remove and replace the internal storage
cabling on both ends.
OUTRODUCTION03.5
Measures
• CPU: MHz, GHz, FlOps
• Memory: kB, MB, GB, TB
• Network: kb/s, Mb/s
• Screen Resolution: px
• Hard drive: rpm
• Optical drive: YYx
Summary
• Extreme complexity
• Understandable by most
• Grasp what you are buying
• Basic knowledge of problems
• Understanding of that mysterious magical stuff
Thank You
Licensing• All original work used here is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike 3.0 Unported license. For more details please look at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.
• This license has been chosen to permit a high degree of sharing, whilst protecting the author’s control as to how the content is used.
• Please respect this license and use accordingly!• Recycled and borrowed works from other sources are used under appropriate
licenses, which are not affected by this license. The original source is always given. • All original work created by Ross Parker (Sha Tin College, English Schools
Foundation, Hong Kong), except where specified.