1. How Computers Work The Four Basic Operations The Boot Process
Hardware Components & Their Functions
Differences in Portable Devices

2. The Four Basic Computer Operations
Input – Getting data from the outside world into the computer
Processing – Manipulating the information
Output – Presenting data from the computer to the outside
Storage – Efficiently and inexpensively holding data for later use.

3. Hardware to Provide Four Functions

4. The Boot Process
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup program loads and runs
The Power-On-Self-Test (POST) runs
The Operating System loads
System Configuration
System utilities load
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) stored in EPROM
ROM → PROM → EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)

5. PC Components Case Processor Power Supply Motherboard Memory
Hard Drives
Removable Media Drives
Video, Audio Functionality
Monitor
Mouse, Keyboard
Draw chart of component selection

6. The Processor Single core vs. Dual core Intel vs. AMD
Trade-off between price and speed
The newest, fastest processors are always overpriced. Best "bang for the buck" is with the next step down.

7. System Memory How much? What kind? Single core or dual core processor
Types of applications
What kind?
Types
SDRAM
DDR SDRAM
DDR2 SDRAM
Motherboard and CPU must support.
SDRAM – Synchronized Dynamic Random Access Memory
DDR (Double Data Rate) – Doubles the rate by passing information twice in one clock cycle.
DDR2 – Doubles the effective transmission rate of DDR with better engineering. Less power required than DDR1.

8. Choosing a Power Supply
Enough power for high class video cards
Special connectors available for SATA Hard Drives and PCI-E video cards
Motherboard may have a 20-pin or 24-pin main connector
Provide 4 voltages on 3 "rails" - +5 v, -5v, +12v, +3.3v
To handle 20- or 24-pin, some PS have 20 and 4, that can get plugged in next to each other

9. Storage Hard Drives Optical Drives Floppy Drive?
How much, based on applications used
What type (SATA or PATA)?
Optical Drives
CD Burner, DVD-ROM, DVD Burner (Single Layer or Dual Layer)
How many? Two really make copying disks easy.
Floppy Drive?
SATA – Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
PATA (IDE) – Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment

10. Hard Drives IDE (ATA) SATA – Serial ATA
EIDE – ATA2 aka Fast ATA
ATA3 – Ultra ATA - Improved interface, hard drives can report status information to the MB.
Two devices per channel (or cable)
SATA – Serial ATA
One device per channel
SCSI – Many devices can be daisy- chained.
IDE – Integrated Drive Electronics
ATA – Advanced Technology Attachment

11. Choosing a Motherboard
Supports the chosen Processor
Storage connectors ( PATA [aka IDE], SATA150, SATA 3.0)
Memory type and amount
Built-ins (Video, Audio, LAN)
Graphic Card support (PCI-e, AGP)
PCI Expansion slots
RAID support
Show pictures of MB and describe

12. Factors in Choosing a Case
4 Form Factors
Desktop
Mid-Size Tower
Full-Size Tower
Little, Teeny, Tiny Cases (VSFF)
External and Internal Drive Bays
Front (Top) Panel Multi-Media Connectors
Cooling System (can also add-on)
Form Factor – How is the PC going to be used
How many external bays do I need?
Is the computer going to be on a desk or on the floor?

13. Display
Made up of two components
Monitor
Video card or circuitry

14. Monitors CRT Flat Panel Cheaper Takes up more desktop real estate
Can tire your eyes
Flat Panel
More expensive
Saves space
Sharper Image

15. Video Cards PCI Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) PCI Express (PCIe)
Fits in a standard expansion slot
General purpose video
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
AGP 2X/4X, AGP 4X/8X, AGP Pro 4X/8X
PCI Express (PCIe)
PCIe x1, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, PCIe x16

16. Replacing a Video Card
Make sure you don't buy too much card for the monitor.
It doesn't matter if the original video was built-in to the motherboard. Installing a video card and loading drivers "takes over" from the old video.
Get a card the motherboard supports.