COMPUTER HARDWARE

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Hardware represents the physical
and tangible components of a
computer i.e. the components
that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are the following:
Input devices: keyboard, mouse etc.
Output divices: printer, monitor, speaker etc.
Secondary storage devices: Hard disk, CD, DVD etc.
Internal components: CPU, motherboard, RAM etc.
The motherboard is a large
electronic board that is used to
connect the power supply to
various other electronic parts,
and to hold these parts in
place on the computer.
 CPU Fan

A central processing unit, also called a central processor, main

processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that
executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU
performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and input/output
operations specified by the instructions in the program.
Fan help to prevent overheating of the various electronic components.

measured in GHz (gigahertz)

short term memory that is used to store documents while they are
being processed.
The amount of RAM in a computer determine the speed of a computer.
RAM attaches to the motherboard via some specific slots.

RAM is usually measured in gigabytes . The more gigabytes of RAM

a computer has, the more programs and operations it can handle at
the same time.
Video card, also called graphics card, integrated
circuit that generates the video signal sent to a
computer display. It contains a graphics processing
unit (GPU), which is a processor dedicated to
creating images; a digital-to-analog converter; and
memory chips that store display data.
(NIC) is a computer hardware component that allows a computer to
connect to a network. NICs may be used for both wired and wireless
connections.

A NIC is also known as a network interface controller (NIC) or network

card, LAN card, network adapter or network adapter card (NAC).
A power supply is an electrical device that supplies
electric power to an electrical load.

The primary function of a power supply is to convert

electric current from a source to the correct voltage,
current, and frequency to power the load.
A hard disk drive (HDD) is an electro-mechanical data
storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using
magnetic storage and one or more rigid rapidly rotating
platters coated with magnetic material.
Computer Hard disk are of two types:

IDE(Integrated drive electronics)-

Has a ribbon like cable with either a 40-pin or 80-pin
connector.
The IDE data transfer interface runs in parallel.

SATA(Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)-

has a narrower cable with a split data and power
connections.
It has a 7-pin cable and a much faster data transfer rate.
Most motherboards now support SATA
Well know hard disk manufactures are Seagate, Western
Digital etc.
 DRIVES
A computer’s drives are the devices used for long term storage of
information. e.g. Hard Disk, Flash Disk etc.

CD drive – Holds disks (CDs) that have data,

music, or software applications.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) drive - Popular alternative to a CD drive

that supports CDs as well as music and video DVDs.
Flash Drive-
Case/ System Unit. The computer case (also called
a tower ) is the box that encloses many of the
parts/components of the computer
 Peripheral hardware
Are the computer components that are not found within the
computer case

It is defined as any auxiliary device that connects to and works

with the computer in some way. E.g. mouse, microphone and
keyboard, monitor, scanner, printer, webcam.
 What is Computer Ports?
Port:
Is a connector on the motherboard or on a
separate adapter that allows a device to connect
to a computer; these may include keyboard,
mouse, serial, parallel, network, sound, or video
ports.
 Ports vary with the type of equipment that
connects to the ports.
 Ports have gradually changed over time as
computers have changed to become faster and
easier to work with.
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 Port contd…

 Male ports – Have pins  Female ports.

that out from the connector and
protrude Have holes in the connector to accept the male
require a cable with a female connector. cable’s pins.
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 Ports…

• D-shell connector – A connector with more pins

or holes on the top row than on the bottom so
that a connected cable can only be attached in
one direction and not accidentally connected the
wrong way; generally represented with the
letters DB and the number of pins such as, DB-9,
DB-15, or DB-25.

• DIN connector – Round with small holes and

normally keyed; the keyboard and mouse are
usually this type of connector with either 5 or 6
pins.
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 Parallel Port. (D-Shell Connector)
Serial Port. D- Shell Connector This long and slender port is also no
 uses pin connectors, longer commonly used, PS/2. DIN Connectors
Also known as a COM port) can be a The most common parallel port has Most desktop computers have two of
9-pin Female D-shell connector holes for 25 pins, these round ports for six pin connectors,
 Data travels at 115 kilobits per  Used for scanners and printers one for the mouse and one for the
second  Also called printer port keyboard.

TRS. TRS (tip, ring and sleeve) ports

Also known as ports for mini-jacks or
audio jacks. HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
USB. They are commonly used to connect provides an interface between any
 A 4-wire connector type of port audio devices such as headphones and audio/video source, e.g. DVD player, or
Different models (USB 1.0, USB 2.0 microphones to computers. A/V receiver and an audio and/or video
and USB 3.0), monitor, such as a digital television
 Connect all kinds of external USB (DTV),
devices e.g. external hard disk, printer, HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or
scanner, mouse, keyboard etc. high-definition video, plus multi-
Most of the computers provide two channel digital audio on a single cable.
USB or three USB ports as minimum.
Data travels at 12 megabits per
seconds GAME PORT.D-Shell Connector.
USB compliant devices
Computer can get
Hardware power
Repairs and Maintenance A 15 port pin used to connect games 19
from a USB port
 Modem Port
VGA Connects a PC's modem to the
 A three row, telephone network. Game Port.
15-pin female D-shell connector for  Connect a joystick to a PC
newer VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, or UXGA  Now replaced by USB
monitors
Connects monitor to a computer's
video card.
Similar to serial port connector but
serial port connector has pins, it has
holes.
IEEE 1394 ports –
A serial technology developed by Apple
Computer sometimes called the
FireWire port.
 A 6-wire cable/port (4 for data, 2 for
power) Ethernet Port
 speeds of 100, 200, 400, 800, and Connects to a network and high speed
1200 Mbps. Internet.
 Connect network cable to a computer.
Serial Port. Male D- Shell Connector  This port resides on an Ethernet Card.
 uses pin connectors,
Data travels at 10 megabits to 1000
 it is no longer commonly used,
megabits per seconds depending upon
It was used for printers, mice, modems
the network bandwidth.
and a variety of other digital
devices.
 Data travels at 115 kilobits per second

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 Arrangement of computer Components/ Ports

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 Thank you!

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