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Information Sheet inCHT12Basic PC Assembly, Upgrading and Repair

Prepared by:Arvie-Jay Lapig

Computer DefinitionTechnically, a computer is a programmable machine. This means it can execute a programmed list of instructions and respond to new instructions that it is given. Today, however, the term is most often used to refer to the desktop and laptop computers that most people use. When referring to a desktop model, the term "computer" technically only refers to the computer itself -- not the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Still, it is acceptable to refer to everything together as the computer.Computer Components Hardware Input DevicesComputer Hardware Devices used to input data, information and instruction into the computer Output DevicesComputer Hardware Devices the computer uses to deliver data to the outer world. This devices enables the computer user(peopleware) to read, see or hear information from the computer. Storage DevicesDevices that stores data for future use. Processing DevicesHardware devices used in processing data or information. Software PeoplewareComputers are made of the following basic components: 1. System Unit/Case with hardware inside: 1. Power Supply - The power supply comes with the case, but this component is mentioned separately since there are various types of power supplies. The one you should get depends on the requirements of your system. 2. Motherboard - This is where the core components of your computer reside which are listed below. Also the support cards for video, sound, networking and more are mounted into this board. 3. Microprocessor - This is the brain of your computer. It performs commands and instructions and controls the operation of the computer. 4. Memory - The RAM in your system is mounted on the motherboard. This is memory that must be powered on to retain its contents.

5. Hard disk drive(s) - This is where your files are permanently stored on your computer. Also, normally, your operating system is installed here.6. CD-ROM drive(s) - This is normally a read only drive where files are permanently stored. There are now read/write CD-ROM drives that use special software to allow users to read from and write to these drives.7. Floppy drive(s) - A floppy is a small disk storage device that today typically has about 1.4 Megabytes of memory capacity.2. Monitor - This device which operates like a TV set lets the user see how the computer is responding to their commands.3. Keyboard - This is where the user enters text commands into the computer.4. Mouse - A point and click interface for entering commands which works well in graphical environments. System UnitA computer case is sometimes incorrectly referred to metonymously as a CPU referring to a component housed within the case. CPU was a common term in the earlier days of home computers, when peripherals other than the motherboard were usually housed in their own separate cases.

POWER SUPPLYSometimes abbreviated as PSU, which is short for Power Supply Unit. The PS is an internal hardware component used to supply the components in a computer with power by converting potentially lethal 110-115 or 220-230 volt alternating current (AC) into a steady low-voltage direct current (DC) usable by the computer. A power supply is rated by the number of watts it generates. MotherboardThe motherboard is a printed circuit that is the foundation of a computer and allows the CPU, RAM, and all other computer hardware components to function with each other.MOTHERBOARD PARTS:The Processor SocketIs the home for the Central Processor Unit (CPU). Memory SlotsMemory slots also call memory banks are for Random Access Memory modules (RAM). Main Power Connector And The 4 Pins ConnectorThe main power connector is uses to get the electric energy from the power supply which the motherboard require to function properly.

24 Pins Main Power Connector

IDE, ATA And S-ATA Interface ConnectorsThe IDE/Parallel Advance Technology Attachment (PATA) interface is used to connect hard drives and optic drives. Modern computer mother boards have the new interface called Serial Advance Technology Attachment (S-ATA). Floppy Drive Connector

Floppy Drive ConnectorPCI Slots32 bit slots Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) are used to install sound cards, graphic cards, Ethernet cards and modems. AGP/PCIE SlotThe motherboard parts Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and PCI Epress (PCIe) focus on graphic cards only. Back Panel ConnectorsAre used to plug the mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, sound system and any other peripherals you may have. The Back PanelThe back panel includes two Power Connectors. One is to connect your computer to the wall outlet, and the other can be used to connect the monitor power to operate from the socket on the back of the case. Usually the power connector for the monitor is not used since many use a power strip or a surge protector to control the power to all devices. The keyboard and mouse connectors are both normally PS2 connectors on new computers. A PS2 connector is a round connector with 6 pins and a plastic key. The keyboard always uses the PS2 connector; however the mouse may be a serial mouse and may plug into the serial cable on your computer. With modern computers, normally a PS2 mouse will be used. Near the keyboard and mouse connectors is normally a connector for a parallel printer called Parallel Printer Port. This is what is called a parallel device, meaning that more than one line carries data in one direction at a time. This is the connector you will plug your parallel printer into. See your computers motherboard or owner's manual for exact placement of these connectors. Usually a little below the parallel printer connector are two Serial Ports. There are two types of serial connectors, which are called DB9 and DB25. One type, DB9 contains 9 pins or sockets and the other contains 25 pins or sockets. You will need to make sure your connectors match for their given types. The serial cables are normally used to connect a serial mouse, an external modem, or some other device to your computer. Below the parallel and serial connectors are a series of slots called Expansion Slots. This is where additional cards are plugged into your system. These cards are usually a video card, a sound card, internal modem, and one or more network cards. Your monitor connector would plug into a connector on your video card, and your speakers will plug into a connector on your sound card. See your sound card and video card manual for exact placement of these connectors on the card. These cards are plugged into the motherboard and you must open your case up to remove or add one of these cards.BIOS

Front Panel conectorsNorthbridge

An integrated circuit (generally Intel or VIA) that is responsible for the communications between the CPU interface, AGP, PCI and the memory.Southbridge

An integrated circuit ( generally Intel or VIA ) on the motherboard that is responsible for the hard disk drive controller, I/O controller and integrated hardware such as sound card or video card if present on the motherboard.The North Bridge is typically the larger chip that always has a heat sink attached with it and the South Bridge is the smaller one.

MicroprocessorThe microprocessor is the core of your computer. It processes instructions and communicates with outside devices, controlling most of the operation of the computer. The microprocessor usually has a large heat sink attached to it called Cooling System. Some microprocessors come in a package with a heat sink and a fan included as a part of the package. Other microprocessors require you to install the heat sink and fan separately.MemoryShort for Random Access Memory, RAM, also known as the computers primary memory or system memory, is a term commonly used to describe the memory within a computer. Unlike ROM, RAM is a volatile memory and requires power; if power is lost, all data is also lost. Memory is a location where information is stored that is currently being utilized by the operating system, software program, hardware device, or the user. SDRAM - Alternatively referred to as SDR-RAM, SDRAM is short for Synchronous Dynamic RAM.

DDR - Short for Double Data Rate, DDR is memory that utilizes both the rising and falling edge of the system clock that has the potential of doubling the speed of the memory. DDR2 - DDR2 is the second generation of DDR memory. DDR2 is capable of operating at greater speeds of 400 MHz and higher, offers a greater bandwidth potential, operates at lower power consumption, and generates less heat. DDR3 - Short for double data rate, type three, DDR3 is the successor of DDR and DDR2 memory and is a type of memory (RAM) for a computer. DDR3 has bus clock speed of higher than DDR2, and memory chips range in size from 1 GB to 24 GB. DDR 3 memory chips are nearly 30% more efficient in power usage than its predecessor, having a 1.5V supply voltage (DDR2 - 1.8V).

Cache Memory - Cache memory is special memory that operates much faster than SDRAM memory. It is also more expensive. It would be impractical to use this memory for the entire system both for reasons of expense and physical board and bus channel design requirements. Cache memory lies between the microprocessor and the system RAM. It is used as a buffer to reduce the time of memory access. There are two levels to this memory called L1 (level 1) and L2 (level 2). The level 1 memory is a part of the microprocessor, and the level 2 memory is just outside the microprocessor. Hard disk drive(s) The secondary memory or the computer sometime called ROM(Read Only Memory) and HDD short for Hard Disk Drive. This is where your files are permanently stored on your computer. Also, normally, your operating system is installed here.

ConstructionHard drives consist of a series of round metal plates called platters, also called cylinders. They are coated with an electromagnetic material which can support magnetic states that are capable of being electrically altered. This means some type of electrical signal can alter the magnetic polarization of various areas of the plates. The state of these polarized areas can also be sensed. Each platter can hold large amounts of data. There are several platters mounted on a hard drive. Between each platter is a head which is used to sense and modify the states of the platter. There are two heads on each platter.

Each platter has data stored on it in a specific pattern for read and write access. The data is organized into tracks which are rings around the platter. The distance the head moves into the platter will determine which track is read. A sector is a section of data in the cylinder. Different hard drives have different numbers of sectors, tracks, and platters. With more modern drives, however, to increase storage space, some drives have more sectors on the outer tracks than the inner tracks. This is because there is more physical room for data on the outer tracks. Therefore this method of calculating hard drive capacity may not be effective in the future.

Controller Interface TypesA hard drive is a mass storage device where your operation system is installed along with many data files. There are two types of hard drives with regard to the controller: 1. IDE - Short for Integrated Drive Electronics or IBM Disc Electronics, IDE is more commonly known as ATA or Parallel ATA (PATA) and is a standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives.At the beginning all ribbon cables were being made of 40 wires and were supporting a certain range of standards. Nowadays, there are cables of 80 wires and they are supporting higher standards.Note for both, only connectors with 40 pins are used.

2. SATA - Short for SerialATA, SATA 1.0 was first released in August 2001 and is a replacement for the Parallel ATA interface used in IBM compatible computers. This cable helps make a much easier cable routing and offers better airflow in the computer when compared to the earlier ribbon cables used with ATA drives. CD-ROMCD-ROM drive(s) - This is normally a read only drive where files are permanently stored. There are now read/write CD-ROM drives that use special software to allow users to read from and write to these drives.Like hard disk, CD-ROM interface to the computer by using either the IDE (PATA or ATA) or the SATA interface. There are two primary types of CD-ROMs today. 1. Read only 2. Read and Write CD-ROM SpeedThe primary performance concern of CD-ROM drives is their speed. Speeds are expressed in terms of 1X, 2X, 4X, which is the number of times the drive is than the standard CD-ROM reader. Of the read only type, speeds have exceeded 50X. CD-ROMS of up to 40X speeds and beyond can be purchased today for a reasonably low price. MonitorAlternatively referred to as a video display terminal (VDT) and video display unit (VDU), monitors are used to view your data on a computer. The characteristics of your monitor are very important for your system performance since the quality of your video will significantly affect your computing experience. There are two typical types of monitor, the CRT and LCD. CRT - Stands for Cathode-Ray Tube, CRT is the electron beams within a monitor that move across your screen either interlaced or non-interlaced hitting phosphor dots on the inside glass tube.Within the CRT are three electron guns, red, green, and blue. Each of these guns streams a steady flow of electrons, left to right, for each line of your monitor. As the electrons hit the phosphors on the CRT, the phosphor will glow certain intensities. LCD - Short for Liquid-Crystal Display, LCD is a flat display technology used in laptops, cell phones, calculators and, flat screen displays.LCD emits a very small amount of radiation and consumes less power compared to CRT.Keyboard One of the main input devices used on a computer, a PC's keyboard looks very similar to the keyboards of electric typewriters, with some additional keys. This is where the user enters text commands into the computer.MouseA hardware input device that was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1963, who at the time was working at the Stanford Research Institute, which was a think tank sponsored by Stanford University. A point and click interface for entering commands which works well in graphical environmentsVideo CardAlternatively referred to as a graphics card, video adapter, video board, or a video controller, a video card is an internal circuit board that allows a display device such as a monitor to display images from the computer. Today's video cards are most commonly connected to the AGP(Accelerated Graphic Port), PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), or PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) expansion slot on the motherboard, however, can also be found on-board.Sound CardAlternatively referred to as a sound board or an audio card, a sound card is an expansion card or integrated circuit that provides a computer with the ability to produce sounds that can be heard by the user either over speakers or headphones.

In the picture to the right, is an example of what a sound card may look like from the back of your computer and the connector symbols usually found next to each of the connections. With almost every sound card you'll have four connections: sound out or line out, sound in or line in, Microphone, and MIDI (Joystick). In the case of this picture, the first white connection is the digital in connection. Next, the generic blue sound in connection found on every sound card and represented by an arrow pointing into sound waves. Next, the microphone connection is a pink connection with a symbol of a microphone and sound waves. Finally, this sound card has three sounds out connections: green, black, and orange. Most generic sound cards will only have one sound out that is colored green and will be represented with an arrow pointing out of the sound waves as shown in the picture to the right. LAN CardLAN is short for Local Area Network, a LAN Card is also commonly referred to as an Ethernet card and network adapter and is an expansion card that enables a computer to connect to a network such as a home network or the Internet using an Ethernet cable with a RJ-45 connector.

Firewire CardAlternatively referred to as IEEE-1394, FireWire was developed by Apple in 1995 and is a bus that has a bandwidth of 400-800 Mbps, can handle up to 63 units on the same bus, and is hot swappable. Users more familiar with USB can relate FireWire to USB as it has a lot of the same similarities.

OHS (Occupational Health and Safety Procedures)

The following are the examples of OHS that is related to computer hardware servicing.1. Contingency measures during workplace accidents, fire and other emergencies are recognized.2. Personal protective equipment are correctly used in accordance with organization OHS procedures and practices.3. Hazard/risks in the workplace and their corresponding indicators are identified to minimize or eliminate risk to co-workers, workplace and environment.4. Always discharge bodys static charge before touching any part of the computer.5. Be careful with tools that may cause short circuit.6. Take off any metal objects on your arms or fingers such as bracelets, rings or watches.7. Wear rubber sole shoes when standing on the ground or in a concrete floor.8. Fully shut down and unplug the computer before you make any attempts to disassemble the tower.9. Replace only fuses with those proper rating. 10. Hold the components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.11. Read and follow instructions on the manual carefully.12. Do not use excessive force if things dont quite slip into place13. Make sure your hands are completely dry to avoid damaging any mechanical parts as well as to avoid electrocution.Three most damaging things to a computer:1. Moisture (sweat, drinking water),2. Shock (electric or from being dropped) 3. Dust (any debris from household dust to bits of food).BIOSShort for Basic Input/Output System, the BIOS, ROM BIOS, or System BIOS is a chip located on all motherboards that contain instructions and setup for how your system should boot and how it operates. In the picture to the right, is an example of what a BIOS chip may look like on your computer motherboard.The BIOS includes instructions on how to load basic computer hardware and includes a test referred to as a POST (Power On Self Test) that helps verify the computer meets requirements to boot up properly. If the computer does not pass the POST, you will receive a combination of beeps indicating what is malfunctioning within the computer.

Three major brands of BIOS chip 1. AWARD BIOS 2. IBM BIOS 3. AMI BIOSIn most PCs, the BIOS has 4 main functions as mentioned below.1. POST - Test the computer hardware and make no errors exist before loading the operating system. 2. Bootstrap Loader - Locate the operating system. If a capable operating system is located, the BIOS will pass control to it.3. BIOS drivers - Low level drivers that give the computer basic operational control over your computer's hardware.4. BIOS or CMOS Setup - Configuration program that allows you to configure hardware settings including system settings such as computer passwords, time, and date. POST ABCsThe computer power-on self-test (POST) tests the computer to make sure it meets the necessary system requirements and that all hardware is working properly before starting the remainder of the boot process. If the computer passes the POST the computer will have a single beep (with some computer BIOS manufacturers it may beep twice) as the computer starts and the computer will continue to start normally. However, if the computer fails the POST, the computer will either not beep at all or will generate a beep code, which tells the user the source of the problem.BEEP CODESA beep code is the audio signal given out by a computer to announce the result of a short diagnostic testing sequence the computer performs when first powering up (called the Power-On-Self-Test or POST).Each of the three major BIOS brands has its own error code.AMI BIOS beep codes (American Megatrends Inc.)Beep CodeDescriptions

1 shortDRAM refresh failure

2 shortParity circuit failure

3 shortBase 64K RAM failure

4 shortSystem timer failure

5 shortProcess failure

6 shortKeyboard controller Gate A20 error

7 shortVirtual mode exception error

8 shortDisplay memory Read/Write test failure

9 shortROM BIOS checksum failure

10 shortCMOS shutdown Read/Write error

11 shortCache Memory error

1 long, 3 shortConventional/Extended memory failure

1 long, 8 shortDisplay/Retrace test failed

IBM BIOS beep codesBeep CodeDescription

No BeepsNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.

1 Short BeepNormal POST, computer is ok.

2 Short BeepPOST error, review screen for error code.

Continuous BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.

Repeating Short BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.

One Long and one Short BeepMotherboard issue.

One Long and Two Short BeepsVideo (Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue.

One Long and Three Short Beeps.Video (EGA) Display Circuitry.

Three Long BeepsKeyboard or Keyboard card error.

One Beep, Blank or Incorrect DisplayVideo Display Circuitry.

AWARD BIOS beep codesBeep CodeDescription

1 long, 2 shortIndicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information

Any other beep(s)RAM problem.

CMOSAlternatively referred to as a Real-Time Clock (RTC), Non-Volatile RAM (NVRAM) or CMOS RAM, CMOS is short for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. CMOS is an on-board semiconductor chip powered by a CMOS battery inside computers that stores information such as the system time and date and the system hardware settings for your computer. A CMOS is similar to the Apple Macintosh computer's PRAM. In the picture to the right, is an image of a CMOS battery on a IBM compatible computers motherboard and the most common CMOS battery you're likely to encounter with your computer.In the bottom right picture, are examples of batteries that may be used in a computer to power the CMOS memory. As mentioned above the most common battery is the coin cell battery (lithium battery), usually about the size of a U.S. Nickel.The standard lifetime of a CMOS battery is around 10 Years. However, this can vary depending on the use and environment that the computer resides. How to Enter the BIOS or CMOS Setup.Because of the wide variety of computer and BIOS manufacturers over the evolution of computers, there are numerous ways to enter the BIOS or CMOS Setup. Below is a listing of the majority of these methods as well as other recommendations for entering the BIOS setup.New computersThankfully, computers that have been manufactured in the last few years will allow you to enter the CMOS by pressing one of the below five keys during the boot. Usually it's one of the first three. F1 F2 DEL ESC F10A user will know when to press this key when they see a message similar to the below example as the computer is booting. Some older computers may also display a flashing block to indicate when to press the F1 or F2 keys.Press to enter BIOS setupIf your computer is a new computer and you are unsure of what key to press when the computer is booting, try pressing and holding one or more keys the keyboard. This will cause a stuck key error, which may allow you to enter the BIOS setup.Once you've successfully entered the CMOS setup you should see a screen similar to the below example.

Older computersUnlike the computers of today, older computers (before 1995) had numerous different methods of entering the BIOS setup. Below is a listing of general key sequences that may have had to be pressed as the computer was booting. CTRL + ALT + ESC CTRL + ALT + INS CTRL + ALT + ENTER CTRL + ALT + S PAGE UP KEY PAGE DOWN KEY

File SystemSometimes abbreviated as FS, a file system is a method of organizing and retrieving files from a storage medium such as a hard drive. File systems usually consist of files separated into groups called directories. Directories can contain files or additional directories. The oldFAT (File Allocation Table) file systemwas developed originally (when the original IBM PCs came out) for MS-DOS on small machines and floppy disks. The existing File Allocation Table (FAT) file system was invented in 1977 as a way to store data on floppy disks for Microsoft stand-alone Disk Basic. Although originally intended for floppy disks, FAT has since been modified to be a fast, and flexible system for managing data on both removable and fixed media. In 1996, Windows 95 OSR2 came out with FAT32, a new and improved FAT. A new generation of very large hard disks will soon be shipping, and the existing FAT data structures have finally reached the limit of their ability to support ever larger media. FAT currently can support a single disk volume up to 2 Gigabytes in size. FAT32 is an enhancement of the FAT file system that supports larger hard drives with improved disk space efficiency.

File Allocation Table Variants: FAT12: The oldest File Allocation Table that uses 12-bit binary system. A hard disk drive formatted using FAT12 can use a maximum of approximately 16,736,256 volume size and today is no longer used. If your computer is running Windows 95 or above and your FAT within FDISK is being displayed as FAT12 it is likely that your hard disk drive is corrupted, bad or has a computer virus. FAT16: FAT utilizing a 16-bit binary system. Commonly found with Windows 3.x through Windows 95. FAT16, while becoming obsolete by FAT32, is still commonly found. FAT32: Enhanced File Allocation Table utilizing a 28-bit binary system, first used in Windows 95 OSR2 and more so in Windows 98, that saves disk space by using 4k Cluster. See FAT32 Page for extended information about FAT32.

NTFS is short for New Technology File System; a file system that was originally designed for Windows NT and today is supported in Windows 2000, Windows XP and some Unix variant operating systems. NTFS, when compared to previous File Systems such as FAT16, improves on reliability, security and support for client-server systems. The file system used goes with an individualpartitionof the disk. You can mix the two types on the same physical drive. The Windows XP operating system is the same, whichever file system is used for its partition, so it is a mistake (and source of confusion) to speak of a FAT disk reading an NTFS partition. It is theoperating system,not the disk, that does the reading.Actual files are unaffected by which file system they are on; that is merely a matter of a method of storage. An analogy would be letters stored in an office. They might be in box-files on shelves (FAT) or in suspended folders in file cabinets (NTFS); but the letters themselves would be unaffected by the choice of which way to store them, and could be moved from one storage place to the other. Similarly, files can be moved between folders on an NTFS partition and folders on a FAT partition, or across a network to another machine that might not even be running Windows.EXAMPLE:Consider the downloading to your computer of a file through a link on a web page. You click on the link, and the file is copied across the Internet and stored on your hard drive. If you download the file from this present site, the file is stored on a computer running Unix, which uses neither FAT nor NTFS. The file itself is not affected when it is copied from a Windows computer to the Unix-based server, or copied from that server to your Windows-based computer.However, if a machine has two different operating systems on it, dual booted, they may not both be able to read both types of partition. DOS (including an Emergency Startup boot floppy), Windows 95/98, and Windows ME cannot handle NTFS (without third party assistance). Early versions of Windows NT cannot handle FAT32, only FAT16. So, if you have such a mixed environment, any communal files must be held on a partition of a type that both operating systems can understand meaning, usually, a FAT32 partition. 2. WHICH SYSTEM TO USE?There are three considerations that affect which file system should be chosen for any partition:a. Do you want to use the additional capabilities that only NTFS supports?NTFS can provide control of file access by different users, for privacy and security. The Home Edition of Windows XP only supports this to the limited extent of keeping each users documents private to him or herself. Full file-access control is provided in Windows XP Professional, as is encryption of individual files and folders. b. Considerations of Stability and ResilienceNTFS has stronger means of recovering from troubles than does FAT. All changes to files are journalized, which allows the system to roll back the state of a file after a crash of the program using it or a crash of the system. Also, the structure of the file system is less likely to suffer damage in a crash, and is therefore more easily reinstated by CheckDisk (CHKDSK.EXE). But in practical terms, the stability of FAT is adequate for many users, and it has the benefit that a FAT partition is accessible for repair after booting from a DOS mode startup floppy, such as one from Windows 98. If an NTFS partition is so damaged that it is not possible to boot Windows, then repair can be very difficult.c. Considerations of economy and performanceOn the other hand NTFS takes much more space for holding descriptive information on every file in that files own block in the Master File Table (MFT). This can use quite a large proportion of the disk, though this is offset by a possibility that the data of a very small file may be stored entirely in its MFT block. Because NTFS holds significant amounts of these structures in memory, it places larger demands on memory than does FAT.

Searching directories in NTFS uses a more efficient stucture for its access to files, so searching a FAT partition is a slower process in big directories. Scanning the FAT for the pieces of a fragmented file is also slower.

References:http://www.computerhope.com/http://www.comptechdoc.org/hardware/pc/begin/hwintro.html