Chapter 1 Getting Started Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Getting Started In this Chapter, you will learn: How to power up the computer How to start the computer What to do if prompted for a password How to use the mouse and keyboard How to turn the computer off About different types of hardware Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Where’s the power switch? Your PC (Personal Computer) is a system unit consisting of: Physical Hardware A brain or microprocessor to carry out commands RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporary storage Storage media (hard disk, floppy disk, CD, etc.) Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Where’s the power switch? Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Where’s the power switch? Your PC is a system unit consisting of (cont): Software programs to perform tasks An operating system (I.e. Microsoft Windows) Application software (such as Word or Excel) A computer is turned on by a power switch on the system unit Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Starting the PC Booting up your PC Make sure the floppy drive is empty and turn the PC on to allow the PC to “boot up.” The operating system is stored on the hard drive and normally boots from there. The PC boot process will also check that the systems components are functioning correctly. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Starting the PC Booting up your PC (cont) If you leave a disk in the floppy drive by mistake, the system will stop the boot process with a “non-system disk” message. If you have problems with the operating system stored on the hard drive, you can boot the PC from the floppy drive using a system disk to correct the problem. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

The Windows Desktop after a successful boot of the PC Starting the PC The Windows Desktop after a successful boot of the PC Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Using a User Id and Password Booting up your PC (cont) Your PC may be an individual (stand alone) PC or it may be connected to others on a network. If your PC is on a network, you may be asked to identify yourself with a user ID and password. A user ID identifies you individually A password provides security and ensures that only authorized people access the network. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

The Mouse and the Keyboard You will use both a mouse and a keyboard to input information to the PC. Normally the keyboard is used to enter text, but can also be used to select tasks. The mouse allows you to point at and select objects. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

The Mouse and the Keyboard A Two-button Mouse Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

The Mouse and the Keyboard A Standard Keyboard Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Turning off the PC Shutting Down the PC Your PC may go into sleep mode if unused for a while, but it is still on. To properly turn off the computer, use the Shut Down Windows command. Turning off the power abruptly doesn’t allow Windows to save settings and close down properly. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Turning off the PC Shutting Down the PC (cont) Shutting down properly saves your work and cleans out temporary “scratchpad” areas. If the computer freezes, pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Del keys at the same time, may release it and allow for proper shutdown. Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

The Turn off computer command dialog box Turning off the PC The Turn off computer command dialog box Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Hardware Types There are several configurations you can select for your PC The basic types to consider are: A Desktop Computer which can be bought in either traditional desktop or in a tower style Less expensive, but not easy to move Most computing power per dollar Available for about $1000 Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

A traditional desktop configuration Hardware Types A traditional desktop configuration Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Hardware Types There are several PC configurations (cont): A Notebook (laptop) Computer More expensive, but portable Uses an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen instead of a monitor Limited number of internal devices Can use PC cards to connect to phone lines or a network Typically costs between $1000 and $4000 with about the same power as the desktop model Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Hardware Types A Notebook computer illustrating it’s major components Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Hardware Types There are several PC configurations (cont): A PDA (personal digital assistant) Basic level computer, but hand held No hard drive, software hard-wired Links to a PC for data exchange Uses simplified operating system (Palm OS or Windows CE) Costs about $300 Documents stored in flash memory (no constant power source) Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Hardware Types A PDA Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Unpacking & Setting up your PC When you buy a new PC, you need to be able to: Identify each of the hardware components Connect each of the components to the correct port Connect the components to power using a surge strip Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Unpacking & Setting up your PC The back of your PC and the different types of ports Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

What do you think? Computer “haves” and “have-nots” Do you own a computer? Do you believe that not having a computer at home is likely to limit a person’s chances to improve his or her economic status? Do you favor spending tax dollars to make computers available in public libraries? Would you favor allowing college students to spend their financial aid money on computers? Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1

Chapter Summary You should now be able to: Unpack and set up your PC Find the various hardware components Boot up your PC system Identify the different types of systems Use a user ID and password Know when to use a mouse and a keyboard Shut down your PC Practical PC, 4e Chapter 1