Hardware Components

Unit 1: Computer Systems

Hardware Components

This is assignment work.  Do it well, and you can copy it into your assignment with only minor changes.

Task 1

P1 explain the function of computer hardware components

Create a table looking like this:

	Component	What is it for	Where to find it
1.	CPU	is the hardware within a computer system which carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical	Under the heat sink on the motherboard
2.	BIOS	The BIOS software is built into the PC, and is the first code run by a PC when powered also identifies the CPU and RAM	On the motherboard
3.	RAM	RAM (random access memory) is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs also after the computer switches of nothing stays on the ram	On the motherboard
4.	CMOS	Short for complementary metal oxide semiconductor. Pronounced see-moss, CMOS is a widely used type of semiconductor. It’s in the bios battery and when you take the battery out for a min it resets the bios password.	On the motherboard
5.	Northbridge	The north bridge has historically been one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a PC motherboard	It’s on the motherboard
6.	Southbridge	The south bridge is one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a personal computer (PC) motherboard	It’s on the motherboard
7.	Backup battery	Modern personal computer motherboards have a backup battery to run the clock circuit and retain configuration memory while the system is turned off. This is often called the CMOS battery	On the motherboard
8.	Front panel connectors	A front panel was used on early electronic computers to display and allow the alteration of the state of the machine's internal registers and memory.	On the front of the computer case
9.	IDE Port	To connect the hard drive	On the motherboard and the connect to the hhd
10.	PCI Slots	PCI slots are general purpose slots that take a wide variety of cards, such as network cards, sound cards and graphics card	The go through the case to connect on the motherboard
11.	Hard drive	A hard disk drive is a device for storing and retrieving digital information, primarily computer data	You can find it in the hhd cage
12.	Floppy drive	A floppy disk, or diskette, is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles.	You can find it in the floppy cage
13.	DVD-ROM	DVD is an optical disc storage format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions it’s for installing programs on computer and burning things on it	You can find it in the DVD –ROM cage
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Finished already?

Extension task:

D2 explain and justify improvements that could be made to a computer system.

Explain which components you could upgrade to improvements the performance a computer system, and why.

1.     You will need more ram better hard drive really good graphics card and a better CPU