Chapter 19 Upgrading and Expanding Your PC

2Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Getting Started In this Chapter, you will learn: − If you can upgrade the processor in your PC − If adding RAM will improve your PC’s performance − What to do if you run out of disk space − How to add and upgrade external devices − About Hardware: Your PC’s expansion bus

3Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Can I upgrade the processor in my PC? Expanding your PC usually means adding components Upgrading typically means replacing a component – You typically can upgrade your microprocessor – Make sure it fits into the CPU socket – Make sure it is cost effective Spending $75 to $300 won’t dramatically boost speed State-of-the-art processors are expensive, about $1000 Replacing the microprocessor rarely produces the performance equivalent to a new computer because it is only one factor

4Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Can I upgrade the processor in my PC? Microprocessor

5Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Will adding RAM improve my PC’s performance? Adding RAM can increase processing efficiency by providing fast-access space for programs and data – Today’s PCs typically have at least 1 GB of RAM – 1 GB of memory costs less that $100 U.S. – Find out the current RAM capacity and specifications – Work with a reputable store Factors – Speed: memory access time – Capacity: amount of data that can be held – Package: type of memory module – Type: most likely a type of DRAM (dynamic RAM)

6Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 What if I run out of disk space? If you run out of disk space, remove files – Clean out unused and unneeded files – Empty the recycle bin – Delete temporary internet files – Move large graphic, music, or video files to a CD or DVD – Uninstall unused software programs Consider adding a hard disk drive – External drives are affordable and easy to use – With a desktop computer, you can add an internal drive Check for a drive bay, which is a shelf to attach drive Make sure computer is off and unplugged for safety

7Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 What if I run out of disk space? Using Disk Cleanup

8Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 How do I add and upgrade external devices? Input, output, and storage devices connected to a computer are sometimes referred to as peripheral devices – Most connect to USB port – Your computer automatically recognizes the new device Add a USB hub to turn one port into multiple hubs – Bus-powered hub draws power from the computer – Self-powered hub has an external power supply Wireless USB operates by transmitting data between wireless transceivers

9Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 How do I add and upgrade external devices? USB Hub

10Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Hardware: Your PC’s expansion bus Expansion bus is an electronic pathway that moves information between your microprocessor and RAM and stretches to various ports and slots – Produces a port when it leads to a connection point that can be accessed outside the system unit Expansion slot provides a connection point for internal devices such as memory and graphics cards – Made to accept expansion cards containing circuitry for a device, such as a modem, network card, or graphics card – Most common use of expansion slots is to upgrade the graphics card

11Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Hardware: Your PC’s expansion bus Expansion bus

12Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Hardware: Your PC’s expansion bus Desktop PC system boards include several types of expansion slots – AGP (accelerated graphics port): primarily used for graphics cards – PCI (peripheral component interconnect): offers fast transfer speeds for a variety of cards – PCI Express (PCI-E): designed to replace PCI and AGP cards, especially for devices that require lightning-fast data transfers – ISA (industry standard architecture) slots: older technology no longer included on most system boards Know which slots are available on your computer

13Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Upgrade, reuse, recycle, or landfill? What do you think? – If you did not have a computer, would you accept any free computer as long as it ran some basic software? – Do you think that your current school or business would accept a donation of year old computers? – Do you believe that computer companies should take more responsibility for recycling the products they make?

14Practical PC 5 th Edition Chapter 19 Chapter Summary You should now: − Know if you can upgrade the processor in your PC − Know if adding RAM will improve your PC’s performance − Know what to do if you run out of disk space − Know how to add and upgrade external devices − Understand your PC’s expansion bus