About The Presentations: A+ Guide To Hardware Modified by Dr. Feda Alshahwan

About the Presentations
• The presentations cover the objectives found in the

opening of each chapter.
• All chapter objectives are listed in the beginning of
each presentation.
• You may customize the presentations to fit your
class needs.
• Some figures from the chapters are included. A
complete set of images from the book can be found
on the Instructor Resources disc.
A+ Guide to Hardware modified by Dr. Feda AlShahwan

A+ Guide to Hardware:
Managing, Maintaining, and
Troubleshooting, 5e
Chapter 1
Introducing Hardware

Objectives
• Learn that a computer requires both hardware and

software to work
• Learn about the many different hardware
components inside of and connected to a computer
A+ Guide to Hardware modified by Dr. Feda AlShahwan 3

Hardware Needs Software to Work
• Hardware
– Computer’s physical components
• Monitor, keyboard, memory, hard drive
• Software
– Instruction set
• Directs hardware to accomplish a task
– Uses hardware for four basic functions
• Input, processing, storage, output
• Hardware components
– Require an electrical system

Figure 1-1 Computer activity consists of input, processing, storage,
and output
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

(cont’d.)
• User interaction with computer
– User and software communicate with input device
– Hardware uses two states: on and off
Figure 1-2 All communication, storage, and processing of data inside

a computer are in binary form until presented as output to the user

(cont’d.)
• Binary number system
– Stores and reads two states
• Zero or one
– Bit: binary digit
• Value of zero or one
– Nibble: four bits
– Byte: eight bits
– Used for counting, calculation, storage operations
• American Standard Code for Information Interchange
(ASCII)
– Used for storing information

Figure 1-3 All letters and numbers are stored in a computer
as a series of bits, each represented in the computer as on
or off

PC Hardware Components
• Input/output (I/O) devices: external to the case

• Processing, storage devices: internal to the case
• Central processing unit (CPU)
– Also called: processor, microprocessor
– Reads input, processes data, writes data to storage
• Elements required by I/O, storage devices
– Method for CPU to communicate with the device
– Software to instruct, control the device
– Electricity to power the device

Hardware Used for Input and Output
Figure 1-4 Input/output devices connect to the computer case by ports usually found on
the back of the case Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning
Ports (Connectors)
•There are different kinds of connectors used externally on
a computer
•The main purpose is to connect external peripherals to
the computer
•A computer port is an external connection device used
to connect different peripherals to a computer. In daily
terms a port is a door that a computer use to communicate
(input and output) with the rest of the world, what includes
other computers, the Internet, a printer, a keyboard,
mouse, digital camera, external modem, etc.

• Most computer ports are located on the back of the

case and some are located on the front for easy
access
• There are different kinds of connectors used
externally on a computer. The main purpose is to
connect external peripherals to the computer
• Most connectors use thumb screws or clips as
supplementary help in keeping them secure once
they are connected to the computer

Classification of Connectors:
1. Size: They also have a determined size that is
rather small, running for example from the size of a
penny (for the round ports) to the size of an electric
plug (for a trapezoid shaped one like COM ports)
2.Pin configuration
3.Speed
4.Design and shape: ports have specific shapes that
are the first and best way of recognizing them. Some
are round (DIN/PS2, BNC), some are trapezoid (D-
shell, Centronics) and some are rectangular (USB ,
Firewire)
Classification of Connectors:
5.Symbol: Some computer ports have a special well
known symbols that identify it, like USB, COM,
FireWire or SCSI, and for other computer ports often
computer manufacturers provide a symbol that is
similar and also identifies the port, like having a
symbol of a printer to identify a LPT port, or a
keyboard or mouse for a PS2 port. However there is
not a unique icon for these other ports. Normally the
symbol is present right next to the place where the port
is located, usually in the back of the computer.

USB
PS2
keyboard Mouse
LPT
printer
Figure 1-5 Examples of ports’ symbols

6. Gender, which is either come with male or female
ends. This means that one connector end is meant
to match and connect to the other. The male
connector will have pins, and the female connector
will have socket holes that the pins fit into
• Adapters and gender changers: Connectors that
are used on the cabling ends, which help to further
modify and convert the connector for variations in
the designs, sizes and shapes of computers and
peripherals

• Connectors Types based on shape:
1. D Shell or D-Sub Connectors:
If you look at this connector, it looks similar to a
CAPITAL D. Most times, you will hear these
connectors referred to as their individual names
rather than a D-Shell Connector. It comes in
male and female varieties. The design on these
pins is all basically the same, with the exception
of manufacturer shell colors. The difference is
the amount of pins or sockets that they have.
They are used in serial and parallel ports, video
adapters, joystick interfaces, and some network
interfaces.
DB-9 (9 pins or sockets) - serial port
connector on IBM AT, PS/2 and compatible
computers for connecting modems and other RS-
232 serial devices, serial mouse & printer, mono
monitor
DB-15 (15 pins or sockets) - joystick port
on IBM, AT, PS/2 and compatible computers,
video connector on most Macintosh computers,
and Ethernet cards
HDDB-15 High Density (15 pins or
sockets) - VGA or SVGA video connector on IBM,
AT, PS/2 and compatible computers

DB-25 (25 pins or sockets) - parallel
port connector on IBM, AT, PS/2 and compatible
computers (IEEE 1284 Type A), and SCSI
connector on most Macintosh computers. Male
end - serial port connector on older IBM, AT, PS/2
and compatible computers, and for attaching
modems and RS-232 serial peripherals

2. Centronics connector
looks like an edge connector surrounded by a
metal shell and is used on printers and in
SCSI devices. It has the same type shell case
as the D Shell Connector. The area inside the
shell where you would expect to see holes or
pins is what makes it look so different. It looks
more like an edge connector for an adapter
card, except that it is a little wider. It is used
on printers and in SCSI device and held in
place by clips rather than thumb screws. The
Centronics connector actually comes in
several different sizes.
3. DIN Connectors:
The acronym "DIN" stands for Deutsche Industrie
Normen (German Industrial Standard) and the
connector is a high-frequency coaxial
connector. The connector has various uses
throughout the electronic industry, which
includes computers. It is round and has a
notch to make sure that the pins line up
correctly. DIN connectors have three (3) to
nine (9) pins, and sizes range from
approximately 5/8” to just under 1” in diameter.
The number next to DIN tells how many pins
(male) or socket holes (female) are
A+ Guide toincorporated into
Hardware modified by Dr. Fedathe DIN connector.
AlShahwan 21
The connector ends are attached to a coaxial
cable. The connector ends are attached to a
cable that contains the same amount of wires as
the DIN name. These connectors are used to
connect the keyboard and a mouse. A mouse
uses a miniature DIN connector. In a Mac the
printer, the modem, the mouse and keyboard use
a DIN connector. These connectors are used to
connect the keyboard and a mouse. A mouse
uses a miniature DIN connector. In a Mac the
printer, the modem, the mouse and keyboard use
a DIN connector.

DIN-3 MINI DIN-4 MINI

DIN-5
DIN-6 MINI DIN-8 MINI DIN-9 MINI
DIN Connector - Female (holes)

DIN Connector - Male (pins)

3. BNC
Is a hollow T shaped connector about 1

centimeter in diameter that has 2 small bumps
on its outside. These connectors are used to
connect computers to LANS (Local Area
Networks)
4. RJ-45 or RJ-13 Connectors
Look like telephone jacks. The phone uses a RJ-

13 with 4 wires in it. Most Networks use the
RJ-45 connector with 8 wires in it. RJ-13's are
A+ Guide toused
Hardwarewith external
modified modems.
by Dr. Feda AlShahwan 24
4. USB (Universal Serial Bus)
USB is an interface that uses an external bus

standard, and is used to connect devices to a
computer. It is used to connect mice, modems,
keyboards, scanners, printers, digital cameras,
.etc. It has the following symbol
For computers that do not have a USB interface,
you can usually purchase an adapter that will
enable a USB connection along with its
speed. For instance, let's say you have a
digital camera, and it only has a serial
connector for your PC. A serial connection is
extremely
A+ Guide slowbyfor
to Hardware modified Dr. Feda AlShahwan 25
downloading the very large image files from your
camera to your PC. To solve this problem, USB
card readers were designed so that you could
take the memory card from the camera and insert
it into the USB cable that has a memory card
adapter attached to it. The difference in transfer
times can change to seconds as opposed to an
hour or more, for transferring images to your PC.
:It has the following features

USB Features
1. Speed:
It is much faster than serial and parallel
connectors, and supports data transfer rates of 12
Mbps or more.
2. Plug & Play:
USB supports Plug-and-Play technology. This
means that when you plug a device into USB port,
your computer can automatically detect and setup
the device for you.

3. Connect multiple devices:
Up to 127 peripheral devices can be connected to
a single USB port using Daisy Chain were the
device has built in USB port that allows it to plug
to other device creating chain of devices that can
be connected to a single USB port.
4. Hot Plug:
It allows adding or removing devices without
having to turn off your computer. So it permits you
to be able to connect peripherals "on the fly".

This means that as long as you already have the
USB device set up with your Windows operating
system, you can connect it while Windows is
running, without having to reboot or shutdown
your computer.
There are currently three versions of the USB in
:use
USB 1.0: Transfer information at speed of-
12MBPS
-USB 2.0: Transfer information at speed of
480MBPS
-USB 3.0: Transfer information at speed of
5GBPS
to Hardware modified by Dr. Feda AlShahwan
A+ Guide 29
5. FireWire Port
A FireWire port is a high-speed connector that

allows information to quickly transfer between
a computer and an external device it can
support up to 63 devices such as digital
camera, digital video camera and external
hard drive
Some FireWire devices have built-in FireWire
ports that you can use to plug into other
devices. This allows you to create a chain of
A+ Guide todevices thatby Dr. Feda AlShahwan
Hardware modified 30
you can connect to a single FireWire port on your
computer. This method of connecting is called
daisy chaining.
Firewire has same features as USB: speed,
multiple devices, hot plug and Plug & Play.
There are currently two versions of the FireWire
:interface in use
-400 megabits per second: The original version of
FireWire, the IEEE-1394a interface, also known
as FireWire 400.
-800 megabits per second: The latest version of
FireWire, IEEE-1394b, also known as FireWire
800 which is twice the speed of FireWire
400/1394a!
External Cables
Cables that are used to connect peripheral to the
computer or to transfer electrical to Input/output
devices.
Power Cable (plug/cord)
There is not anything special about a PC power cable,

except may be the fact that the end that connects to the
computer usually is not used in any other industry
besides computers. The standard AC power cord for
computers is of the 3-prong variety (third prong is
ground), with one end being male and one end female.

The female end plugs into the computer, monitor or

other peripheral, and the male end into the surge-
protected wall outlet. They come in various colors and
lengths, and a few even have extension cord adaptors
built into the wall outlet end.

• Primary input devices

– Keyboard: standard is enhanced keyboard with 104
keys
– Mouse : pointing device to move pointer on the
screen and make selections
• Rotating ball or optical sensor to track movements and
control location
• Top buttons serve different purposes for different
software
– Both requires electricity from inside case

• Primary output devices
– Monitor: visual device displays primary computer
output
• Measured by diagonal size (inches)
resolution (pixels) :number of
dots
– Printer: produces paper output (hard copy)
• Inkjet, laser, thermal and impact printers

Figure 1-5 The keyboard and the
mouse are the two most popular Figure 1-6 The two most popular output
input devices devices are the monitor and the printer
Courtesy: Course Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage
Technology/Cengage Learning Learning

Figure 1-7 Two video connectors and two connectors used
by a printer

Hardware Inside the Computer Case
• Storage and processing occurs in the case
• Internal devices common to most computers
– Motherboard containing CPU, memory, other parts
– Hard drive, optical drive for permanent storage
– Power supply with power cords supplying electricity
– Adapter cards for internal and external communication
– Cables to connect devices
• Adapter card installed in expansion slots
• Cable types
– Data (communication) and power

• Internal Power Supply Connectors
There are different types of power connectors one
going to the motherboard called ATX power
connector, one called Auxiliary 12V connector, other
Molex 5.25" power supply connector used to power
various internal drives and 3.5” Berg power
connector smaller has four conductors arranged in a
row used for floppy drives . The main end attaches
to an existing connector coming out of the power
supply.

• Internal Cables
1. ATA Ribbon Cable

ATA cables are thin, flat, and have multi-connector
functions. This means that many parts of a device can
be connected by one cable, rather than many separate
wires. The colors that they come in are usually gray or
tan, but they can come in white, blue and multicolored.
Every ribbon cable has a unique identifying mark on it
to facilitate connecting a device or component inside a
computer. The identifying mark is that only one side
has a red stripe or dotted line imprinted on and
traversing down the cable.
The cable needs to be attached to the device according
to the pin setup. Number 1 pin on the device needs to
connect to the number one pin on the adapter card or
motherboard, and so on. If you connect these in the
wrong way, you risk the chance of burning out the
device, components, motherboard, etc. Even if it did not
burn or damage anything, the device would not work. For
example floppy disk drive, If the cable is plugged in
backwards, the floppy drive LED (Light Emitting Diode)
light will stay on, and BIOS will recognize an error when
the computer boots up. The floppy disk will not
immediately become damaged; however, it will not
function. Note the floppy drive ribbon cable is twisted.

41
2. SATA Cable

Serial ATA is a serial link -- a single cable with a
minimum of four wires creates a point-to-point
connection between devices. Transfer rates for Serial
ATA begin at 150MBps. One of the main design
advantages of Serial ATA is that the thinner serial
cables facilitate more efficient airflow inside a form
factor and also allow for smaller chassis designs. In
contrast, IDE cables used in parallel ATA systems are
bulkier than Serial ATA cables and can only extend to
40cm long, while Serial ATA cables can extend up to
one meter Serial ATA supports all ATA and ATAPI
devices
Figure 1-8 Inside the computer case

The Motherboard
• Largest, most important circuit board

– Main board or system board
– Contains the CPU, expansion slots, other devices
• Motherboard component categories
– Processing, temporary storage, communication, power
• All devices communicate with motherboard CPU
• Peripheral device links to motherboard via cable
• Motherboard ports may be outside of the case
– Keyboard, mouse, parallel, USB ports, sound ports

Figure 1-9 All hardware components are either located on the
motherboard or directly or indirectly connected to it because they must all
communicate with the CPU

Figure 1-10 A motherboard provides ports for common I/O devices

The Processor and the Chipset
• CPU
– Chip inside the computer
– Performs most data processing
• Chipset
– Group of microchips controlling data flow
• Personal computer (PC)
– Focus of this text
• Major CPU, chipsets manufacturers
– Intel Corporation, AMD

Figure 1-11 The processor is hidden underneath the fan and the
heat sink, which keep it cool

Storage Devices
• Primary storage (main memory)

– Temporary storage used by the processor
• Secondary storage (permanent storage)
– Enables data to persist after machine turned off
– Examples: hard drive, CD, DVD, USB drive
• Primary-secondary memory relationship analogy
– Library book stacks: permanent storage
– Books moved to a desk: temporary storage

Figure 1-12 Memory is a temporary place to hold
instructions and data while the CPU processes both

Primary Storage
• Provided by random access memory (RAM)

– Located on motherboard, adapter cards
• RAM chips
– Embedded on small board
– Plugs into motherboard
– Most common: dual inline memory module (DIMM)
– Video memory: embedded on video card
• Volatile memory
• Non-volatile memory

Figure 1-13 A DIMM holds RAM and is mounted directly
on a motherboard

Secondary Storage
• Remote storage locations containing data and

instructions
– Cannot be directly processed by CPU
– Permanent
• Hard drives
– Main secondary computer storage device
– Magnetic hard drives
• Use Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
– Solid state drive (SSD)
• Use nonvolatile flash memory

Figure 1-15 Hard drive with sealed Figure 1-16 Four SSD drives
cover removed Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage
Courtesy: Seagate Technologies LLC Learning

Secondary Storage (cont’d.)
• Hard drives (cont’d.)
– ATA (AT Attachment) standard
• Specifies motherboard-hard drive interface
• Types: serial ATA (SATA), parallel ATA (PATA)
– Serial ATA standard
• External SATA (eSATA)
• Usually two to eight SATA and eSATA connectors
– Parallel ATA (PATA)
• Slower than SATA
• Two connectors on a motherboard for two data cables
• Accommodates up to four IDE devices

Figure 1-18 Using a parallel ATA interface, a motherboard has two IDE
connectors, each of which can accommodate two devices; a hard drive
usually connects to the motherboard using the primary IDE connector

Figure 1-19 Two IDE devices connected to a motherboard using both IDE
connections and two cables

Figure 1-20 This system has a CD-ROM and a Zip drive sharing
the secondary IDE cable and a hard drive using the primary IDE cable

• Optical drives
– RW can write to a disk
– ROM (read-only memory) can only read a disc
Figure 1-22 This CD drive is an EIDE device and connects to the

motherboard by way of an IDE data cable
• USB flash drives and memory cards

– Popular, nonvolatile flash memory chips
– Compact; easy to use; currently hold up to 64 GB of
data
Figure 1-24 Most laptops have a memory card slot

that can accommodate an SD card

• Floppy drive
– Older secondary storage device
– 3.5-inch disk holding 1.44 MB of data
– Floppy drive connector
• Distinct from IDE connectors
• Floppy drive cable accommodates one or two drives

Motherboard Components Used For
Communication Among Devices
• Traces
– Fine lines on top and bottom of the motherboard’s
surface
• Bus
– System of pathways, transmission protocols
• Data bus
– Carries the data

Figure 1-27 On the bottom of the motherboard, you can
see bus lines terminating at the CPU socket

(cont’d.)
• Binary data corresponds to voltage on the line
– Voltage, lack of voltage interpreted as binary digits
• Data bus sizes today
– 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 bits wide
– Some use error checking bit
Figure 1-28 A data bus has traces or lines that carry voltage interpreted by the CPU
and other devices as bits Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning
(cont’d.)
• Data path size
– Width of a data bus
• Motherboard can have more than one bus
– Main motherboard bus
• Communicates with CPU, memory, chipset
• Also called system bus, front side bus (FSB), memory
bus, host bus, local bus, external bus
• System clock
– Dedicated to timing motherboard chip activities
– Quartz crystal generates oscillation

Figure 1-29 The system clock is a pulsating electrical signal sent out by this
component that works much like a crystal in a wristwatch (one line, or circuit, on
the motherboard bus is dedicated to carrying this pulse)

(cont’d.)
• Devices work according to beats (or cycles)
• Clock speed measured in hertz (cycles/second)
– One megahertz (MHz): one million cycles per second
– One gigahertz (GHz): one billion cycles per second
• Common ratings for motherboard buses
– 2600 MHz, 2000 MHz, 1600 MHz, 1333 MHz, 1066
MHz, 800 MHz, 533 MHz, or 400 MHz
• Range of CPU speeds: 166 MHz to 4 GHz
• Buses for expansion slots: PCI, AGP, ISA

Figure 1-30 The lines of a bus terminate at an expansion slot where they
connect to pins that connect to lines on the expansion card inserted in the
slot

Figure 1-31 The one AGP slot used for a video card is set farther from
the edge of the board than the PCI slots

Expansion Cards
• Some names for circuits mounted in expansion slots

– Circuit cards, adapter boards, expansion cards, cards
• Cards that connect the CPU to an external device
– Video: provides a port for the monitor
– Sound: provides ports for speakers and microphones
– Network: provides a port for a network cable
– Modem: provides ports for phone lines
• Determine a card’s function by identifying its port

Figure 1-32 This adapter card is a modem card and is
mounted in a PCI slot on the motherboard

Figure 1-34 The easiest way to identify this video card is to look at the ports on the
end of the card

The Electrical System
• Power supply
– Most important electrical component
– Converts AC voltage external source to DC voltage
– Reduces voltage from 110-120 volts to 12 volts or less
– Runs a fan to cool the inside of the computer case
• Temperatures > 185° F can cause component failure
• Motherboard has 1 or 2 connections to power supply

Figure 1-36 The motherboard receives its power
from the power supply by way of a 20 or 24-pin
connector called the P1 connector
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage
Learning

Instructions Stored on the Motherboard
and Other Boards
• BIOS (basic input/output system)
– Data and instructions stored on ROM chips
– ROM BIOS chips: type of firmware
• Three purposes served by motherboard ROM BIOS
– System BIOS: manages simple devices
– Startup BIOS: starts the computer
– CMOS setup: changes motherboard settings
• CMOS RAM: includes date, time, port configurations
• Flash ROM
– ROM chips that can be overwritten
Figure 1-37 This firmware chip contains flash ROM and CMOS RAM; CMOS
RAM is powered by the coin battery located near the chip

BIOS and CMOS
• Often the BIOS and CMOS can be confused because
instructions may either indicate to enter the "BIOS Setup"
or the "CMOS Setup". Although the setup for BIOS /
CMOS is the same, the BIOS and CMOS on the
motherboard are not.
• The BIOS on the motherboard contains the instructions on
how the computer boots and is only modified or updated
with BIOS manufacturer, the CMOS is powered by a
CMOS battery and contains your system settings and is
modified and changed by the user when entering the
CMOS Setup.


BIOS and CMOS
Definition of BIOS
•Stands for Basic Input Output System
•The program that starts a computer up
•A small program that controls the computer from the
time it powers on until the time the operating system
takes over
•A firmware which means it cannot store variable data
•It will initialize and control components like the disk
drive controllers, display screen, serial
communications and the computer’s hardware clock
•It will also tests the integrity of the memory

BIOS and CMOS
• It performs POST, which is the sequence of system
checks that the BIOS goes through every time
computer is started
• The BIOS is typically stored in a ROM chip that
comes with the computer (it is often called a ROM
BIOS).
• Because RAM is faster than ROM, though, many
computer manufacturers design systems so that the
BIOS is copied from ROM to RAM each time the
computer is booted. This is known as shadowing.

BIOS and CMOS
• Many modern PCs have flash BIOS, which means
that the BIOS have been recorded on a flash
memory chip (EPROM), which can be updated if
necessary.
• PC BIOS's that can handle Plug-and-Play (PnP)
devices are known as PnP BIOS's, or PnP-aware
BIOS's. These BIOS's are always implemented with
flash memory rather than ROM.

BIOS and CMOS
Definition of CMOS Chip
•Stands for Complementary Metal Oxide
Semiconductor
•CMOS is an on-board semiconductor chip powered by
a CMOS battery inside computers.
•Stores information such as the system time and
system settings for your computer.
•It is made of RAM
•Where the BIOS stores the date, time and system
configuration details it needs to start the computer
•Stores the specific parameters for startup and
initializing components
BIOS and CMOS
Definition of CMOS setup program
•Software provided to allow users to modify & view
CMOS settings
•Can be accessed by pressing special keystroke or
combination as an example: ESC, F1, F2, DEL
•It is sometimes called BIOS setup
CMOS battery
•The information contained in the CMOS chip is
maintained by a battery. If the battery runs low, the
CMOS content will be lost and POST will display a
"CMOS invalid" or "CMOS checksum invalid"
message.
BIOS and CMOS
• The first symptom for a battery running low is time
slowing down and eventually complete loss of date
and time. In some cases you might get a boot
device error because a boot device such as floppy
disk or hard drive can not be located. Almost always
the CMOS battery can be replaced very easily. Here
is a picture of a common CMOS battery:

BIOS and CMOS
Types of CMOS Battery
•Coin Cell Batteries (Lithium) : Similar to calculator &
watch battery. The most common battery used in
today's computers 0.3 volt Lithium coin cell battery.
Replacement for CR-2032 computer battery.
• 4.5V Alkaline Batteries :4 pin connector.

VelcrVelcro strip provided to attach it out of the way on
the power supply or case.

BIOS and CMOS
• 3.6V CMOS Batteries
3.6 volt Nicad (NICKEL CADUIM) battery - 60mah-2
pin connector, small cylinder soldered to
motherboard.
• PS2 Computer Clock Battery : 6V Lithium battery

replacement for PS2 50 and up computer battery.

BIOS and CMOS
What is the difference between old batteries and new
batteries?
Old batteries
•Does not charge while PC is on
•Shorter life < or = 5 years
•Clear CMOS by disconnecting the battery & connect it
again.
New batteries
•Charges while PC is on.
•Large life 10 years.
•Clear jumper to clear CMOS or disconnect the battery for a
while.
•
BIOS and CMOS
What Is POST?
•Stands for Power-on self-test
•It is built in diagnostic program which consists of
series of diagnostic tests performed at power-on
•POST program contained in BIOS ROMs
•POST diagnostics are provided by the manufacturer
of the BIOS
•ROMs used in the PC or clone
•As an Example: IBM, American Megatrends Inc.
(AMI), Award, Phoenix, DTK, etc. Our is Phoenix
•POST tests and error codes vary by manufacturer

BIOS and CMOS
Advantages of POST diagnostics
•Basic system components tested on every power-up
•POST diagnostics do not depend on disk drives to run
•Capable of isolating faults to board level
System Devices Tested by POST
•Basic motherboard components
- CPU and motherboard support circuitry
- Interrupt controller, DMA controller, and timer chip
- System ROM chips
•Display adapter
-Display controller and display memory
BIOS and CMOS
System Devices Tested by POST (contd.)
•System RAM memory
-Tests base and extended memory
-Expanded memory is not tested
•Keyboard
-Tests for keyboard response and stuck keys
•Disk drives
-Checks for presence and status of disk drives

BIOS and CMOS
Types of POST Error Messages:
•POST error messages are generated in two forms
-Audio: a series of coded beeps
-Visual: error codes or messages displayed on monitor
•POSTs and error codes vary depending on
manufacturer of BIOS ROMs
•The pattern of beeps may be a variable numbers of
short beeps or a mixture of long and short beeps,
depending on what type of BIOS is installed.

BIOS and CMOS
• Errors that occur during the POST can be classified
as either 'fatal' or 'non-fatal'. A non-fatal error will
typically display an error message on screen and
allow the system to continue the boot process. A
fatal error, on the other hand, stops the process of
booting the computer and is generally signaled by a
series of beep-codes.
• An error found in the POST is usually fatal (that is, it
causes current program to stop running) and will
halt the boot process, since the hardware checked
is absolutely essential for the computer's functions.

BIOS and CMOS
What POST Does Not Test?
•Low area of system RAM
-POST requires minimal amount of RAM to operate
-RAM failure in low memory causes POST to stop
•Expanded memory is not tested
Troubleshooting CMOS:
Problem
•CMOS checksum error
Cause
•This issue is caused when the CMOS values are incorrect.
This issue can occur because of any of the below
possibilities
BIOS and CMOS
• This issue is caused when the CMOS values are
incorrect. This issue can occur because of any of the
below possibilities
• Bad or old CMOS battery
• BIOS update
• Disconnecting power from computer without shutting
down computer
Solution
Bad or old CMOS battery
• Attempt to reboot the computer. If error still occurs after
rebooting the computer enter CMOS setup and check all
values, this includes verifying the time and date are
correct. Once everything has been verified and/or
changed make sure you save and exit CMOS setup.
BIOS and CMOS
• If you have a Phoenix BIOS and have an option for
'Reset Configuration Data', set this value to 'Yes' and
save and exit the CMOS.
• Note: If this issue continues to occur after you turn off
your computer off it is possible that the CMOS battery
may be failing or already bad
Disconnecting power from computer without shutting down
computer
• If the computer was had the power disconnected while it
was still running it is possible this could cause the CMOS
to become corrupt. Ensure that the computer is ready to
be shut off before turning off the computer. If you have a
laptop computer ensure that the battery is charged
before disconnecting the power connection.
BIOS and CMOS
• If the CMOS values have become corrupted entering the
values in CMOS setup. saving and exiting CMOS should
resolve your issues.

BIOS and CMOS
Replacing a CMOS Battery on a PC
•When you replace your battery, the CMOS settings will
immediately be lost. In addition, battery corrosion (more
common in older PCs) or other battery problems may
cause the battery to die more suddenly than its expected
lifetime. For this reason, it is important to keep a record of
your CMOS settings. Many utility suites, such as Norton
Utilities, will allow you to create a floppy disk backup of
your settings. This can be extremely handy for battery
problems as well as recovering from other CMOS errors. If
you do not have any of these utilities then here is what to
do!

BIOS and CMOS
Warning
Before proceeding remember to observe proper anti-static
precautions when operating inside the case of your PC. If
you do not have an anti-static strap, rub your hands on the
metal portion of the case to get rid of static.
If you can't see your battery right away, try removing
expansion cards or unplugging cables. Most new
motherboards use lithium batteries that look like large
watch batteries.

Typical motherboard with a Coin Cell Battery
BIOS and CMOS
1. Boot your PC and enter its setup mode
2. Write down all of the settings from the various menus.
3. Power off your PC.
4. Open the case and locate the battery on the motherboard.
See your user manual for specifications about the battery and
its location.
5. Obtain a replacement battery from a local or online computer
parts dealer or Radio Shack.
6. Remove the old battery and replace it with the new one.
7. Document the date you replaced the battery.
8. Replace the case and power on the PC.
9. Enter your PC's setup mode.
10. Reenter the settings you have written down from the various
setup menus.

Summary
• A computer comprises hardware and software

• Main functions
– Input, output, processing, storage
• Data stored in a binary format (one or zero, on or off)
• Input/output devices
– Keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor
• Motherboard (system board)
– Contains CPU, access to other circuit boards,
peripherals

Summary (cont’d.)
• Primary storage (RAM): volatile

• Secondary storage: nonvolatile
• Parallel and serial ATA standards
– Enable secondary storage devices to interface with the
motherboard
• Computer bus
– System of communication pathways, protocols
• ROM BIOS
– Helps start PCs; manages simple devices; changes
some motherboard settings

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About the Presentations

• The presentations cover the objectives found in the

A+ Guide to Hardware modified by Dr. Feda AlShahwan

A+ Guide to Hardware modified by Dr. Feda AlShahwan

• Learn that a computer requires both hardware and

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Figure 1-2 All communication, storage, and processing of data inside

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• Input/output (I/O) devices: external to the case

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• Most computer ports are located on the back of the

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Figure 1-5 Examples of ports’ symbols

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DIN-3 MINI DIN-4 MINI

DIN-6 MINI DIN-8 MINI DIN-9 MINI

DIN Connector - Female (holes)

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Is a hollow T shaped connector about 1

Look like telephone jacks. The phone uses a RJ-

USB is an interface that uses an external bus

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A FireWire port is a high-speed connector that

There is not anything special about a PC power cable,

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The female end plugs into the computer, monitor or

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• Primary input devices

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• Largest, most important circuit board

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• Primary storage (main memory)

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• Provided by random access memory (RAM)

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