Computer Hardware

Computer Hardware
Computer Hardware is the physical component or the physical part of the computer. It may include the electronic circuitry or all the components that are essential for a computer to operate.
A typical Personal Computer (PC) consists of a case or chassis in desktop or tower shape and the following parts:




Motherboard: A motherboard is also known as a system board or main board that holds all the computer peripherals and also consists of extra slots for expanding other computer hardwares. Example of motherboard are Intel 845 GVFN, Intel 845 GLVA, Intel 865 GSA, VIM 2600 M, ASUS, AMD Chipset etc.
Components of a Motherboard :
  • PS/2 Keyboard Connector
  • PS/2 Mouse Connector
  • USB (Universal Serial Bus) Port ; For USB devices like pen drive, printers, scanners, webcams, digital cameras, mobile phones
  • COM (Communication) POrt : Also called Serial Communication Port which is for serial devices like serial mouse
  • LPT (Line print terminal) Port : Also called parallel port which is for parallel deviceslike printers, external modems etc
  • VGA (Video Graphics Array/Adapter) : For connecting monitor/display
  • LAN (Local Area Network) port : For Networking
  • Audio and MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) port : For Audio Devices like Speaker/mic etc
  • PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) : A separate slot for expanding hardware devices like LAN cards, modems, etc.
  • AGP ( Accelerated Graphics Port) : for high qualiy graphics requiring a graphics card.
  • PCI-E (Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express) : For new range of PCI devices
  • IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) : Storage controllers for CD and HDD (Hard Disk Drives)
Some useful abbreviations
  • FDD : Flopy Disk Drive
  • HDD : Hard Disk Drive
  • CD : Compact Disk
  • DVD : Digital Versatile Disk
  • RAM : Random Access Memory
  • ROM : Read Only Memory
  • AT : Advanced Technology
  • ATX : Advanced Technology Extended
  • ATA : Advance Technology Attachment
  • PATA : Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
  • SATA : Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
  • IDE : Integrated Drive Electronics 

RAM (Random Access Memory) : RAM is required for the program execution and short term data storage, so the computer does not have to take the time to access the hard drive to find the file(s) it requires. More RAM will normally contribute to a faster PC. RAM is almost always removable as it sits in slots in the motherboard, attached will small clips. The RAM slots are normally located next to the CPU socket. There are two types of RAM, the static RAM and the Dynamic RAM.
Example of RAM are SD (Synchronous data) RAM, DDR (Dynamic Data Rate) RAM, DDR2 RAM, DDR# RAM, DDR4 RAM and they may be of different capacities, ie 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, etc.



Power Supply: The power supply is just a case that holds transformers, voltage controllers, electricity and a cooling fan. It is the main component that provides electric power to a computer system. In today's generation of computers, SMPS ( Switching Mode Power Supply) is used. There are two types of SMPS, they are AT (Advanced Technology) and ATX (Advanced Technology Extended)

AT SMPS has
One AC input (220 V) and one AC output (220 V) (for other devices like monitor)
12 pin power connector for motherboard
4 pin power connector for HDD and CD ROM
4 pin power connector (small size) for floppy drives
4 pin power connector for power on/off

ATX SMPS has
One AC input (220 V) and one AC output (220 V) (for other devices like monitor)
20/24 pin power connector for motherboard
4 pin power connector for HDD and CD ROM
4 pin power connector (small size) for floppy drives
4 pin power connector for CPU

Buses : The Buses in a computer provide the interface through which data and the addresses pass. They are also a means of communication with the main processing unit and the related data and addresses. The Buses and self realization interface and they are attached with the motherboard. Examples are, the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), PCI-E (PCI Express), USB (Universal Serial Bus), AGP (Accelarated Graphics Port) etc.

Storage Controllers : The storage controllers are responsible for monitoring and controlling the hard disk, CD-ROM, floppy disk and other drives. They are usually attached with the motherboard. Examples are IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics), SATA (Serial ATA), PATA (Parallel ATA).




Hard Disks : Hard disks or simply HDD provide secondary storage in a computer and they are attached with the storage controllers. Hard disk drives comes in different capacities ranging from few MBs to large GBs. There are two types of hard disks that are widely used nowadays. They are PATA HDD and SATA HDD.

Video Display Controllers : The video display controller produces the output for the computer display and it is usually attached in the motherboard these days. Other wise we need to attach in separate slots within a motherboard like PCI, AGP requiring a graphics card.


Removable Media
  • CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read only Memory)
  • CD-RAM (Compact Disc-Random Access Memory) CD-Writer
  • DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc)
  • DVD-RAM
  • Floppy Drives
  • USB flash Drivers - pen drives, memory sticks etc.

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