I.

SYSTEM UNIT
- It is the enclosure for all the other main interior components of a computer. It is
also called the computer case, computer chassis, or computer tower.
- The term "system unit" is often used to differentiate between the computer
and peripheral devices, such as the monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

A. INSIDE THE SYSTEM UNIT

1) CD-ROMs - Stands for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory." A CD-ROM is a

CD that can be read by a computer with an optical drive. The "ROM" part of the
term means the data on the disc is "read-only," or cannot be altered or erased.
Because of this feature and their large capacity, CD-ROMs are a great media
format for retail software.
2) Hard Drive - is an electromechanical data storage device that
uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information using one or
more rigid rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.
3) Data Cable – A data cable is a cable that provides communication between
devices. For example, the data cable (i.e., DVI, HDMI, or VGA) that connects
your monitor to your computer and allows your computer to display a picture
on the monitor. Other popular examples of data cables include
the CAT5, IDE/EIDE, SATA, and USB cables.
4) Mother Board – is one of the most essential parts of a computer system. It
holds together many of the crucial components of a computer, including the
central processing unit (CPU), memory and connectors
for input and output devices.
5) Power Cable - is the primary cable that provides power to the
computer, printer, monitor, and components within a computer.
6) Video Card - is an expansion card that allows the computer to send graphical
information to a video display device such as a monitor, TV, or projector.
7) Fan - is a hardware device that keeps the overall computer or a computer
device cool by circulating air to or from the computer or component.

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B. FRONT CASE OF THE SYSTEM UNIT

Floppy disk drive - is a small disk drive used in computers for data
transfer, storage and backup of small amounts of data, as well as installation of
programs and driver updates. A floppy disk drive accesses data recorded on small,
removable diskettes known as floppy disks.

C. BACK CASE OF THE SYSTEM UNIT

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II. PARTS OF THE MOTHERBOARD

1. RAM Memory Slot - is what allows computer memory (RAM) to be inserted into
the computer. Depending on the motherboard, there may be two to four memory
slots (sometimes more on high-end motherboards) and are what determine the
type of RAM used with the computer.
2. Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) Connector - is a standard interface for
connecting a motherboard to storage devices such as hard drives and CD-
ROM/DVD drives. The original IDE had a 16-bit interface that connected two
devices to a single-ribbon cable.
3. Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot - is a connecting apparatus for a
32-bit computer bus. These tools are built into the motherboards of computers and
devices in order to allow for the addition of PCI devices like modems, network
hardware or sound and video cards.
4. Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) - An earlier hardware interface from Intel for
connecting a graphics card (display adapter) to a PC.
5. CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) - is a memory chip that
houses setting configurations and is powered by the onboard battery. The CMOS
is reset and loses all custom settings in case the battery runs out of energy,
Additionally, the system clock resets when the CMOS loses power.
6. North Bridge - is an Intel chipset that communicates with the
computer processor and controls interaction with memory, the Peripheral
Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, Level 2 cache, and all Accelerated Graphics
Port (AGP) activities. Northbridge communicates with the processor using the
front side bus (FSB).
7. South Bridge - is the chip that controls all of the computers I/O functions, such
as USB, audio, serial, the system BIOS, the ISA bus, the interrupt controller and
the IDE channels. In other words, all of the functions of
a processor except memory, PCI and AGP.

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 8. Advanced Technology eXtended connector(ATX) - is a specification used to
outline motherboard configuration and dimensions to improve standardization.
9. Central Processing Unit Socket - is the connector on the motherboard that
houses a CPU and forms the electrical interface and contact with
the CPU.Processor sockets use a pin grid array (PGA) where pins on the
underside of the processor connect to holes in the processor socket.
 Central Processing Unit - is a piece of hardware that carries out the
instructions of a computer program. It performs the basic arithmetical, logical,
and input/output operations of a computer system.
 Expansion Slots - is a socket on the motherboard that is used to insert an
expansion card (or circuit board), which provides additional features to a
computer such as video, sound, advanced graphics, Ethernet or memory.

Example of Cards:
1. Video Card - is an expansion card that allows the computer to send graphical
information to a video display device such as a monitor, TV, or projector.
2. Sound Card - is an expansion card or IC for producing sound on a computer that
can be heard through speakers or headphones. Although the computer does not
need a sound device to function, they are included on every machine in one form
or another, either in an expansion slot or built into the motherboard (onboard).
3. Network Card - contains the electronic circuitry required to communicate using
a wired connection (e.g., Ethernet) or a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi).
A network interface cardis also known as a network interface controller, network
adapter, or Local Area Network (LAN) adapter.
4. TV tuner Card - is a kind of television tuner that allows television signals to be
received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards,
allowing them to record televisionprograms onto a hard disk much like the digital
video recorder (DVR) does.
5. PC (Printed Circuit Board) card - is a credit card-size memory or I/O device that
fits into a personal computer, usually a notebook or laptop computer. Probably
the most common use of a PC Card is the telecommunications modem for
notebook computers.

III. PORTS AND CABLES

Computer Port
- It is an interface or a point of connection between the computer and its
peripheral devices.
- Some of the common peripherals are mouse, keyboard, monitor or display unit,
printer, speaker, flash drive etc.
- Its main function is to act as a point of attachment, where the cable from the
peripheral can be plugged in and allows data to flow from and to the device.
- It is also called as a Communication Port as it is responsible for communication
between the computer and its peripheral device.
- Generally, the female end of the connector is referred to as a port and it usually
sits on the motherboard.

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1. Serial port
- It is an interface through which peripherals can
be connected using a serial protocol which
involves the transmission of data one bit at a
time over a single communication line.
- It is used for external modems and older
computer mouse
- It transfers data travels at 115 kilobits per
second
- The most common type of serial port is a D-Subminiature or a D-sub connector
that carry RS-232 signals.

2. Parallel port
- It is an interface through which the
communication between a computer and its
peripheral device is in a parallel manner i.e.
data is transferred in or out in parallel using
more than one communication line or wire.
- Printer port is an example of parallel port.

3. Universal Serial Bus (or USB) Port

- It is a common interface that enables
communication between devices and a host
controller such as a personal computer (PC).
- It can connect all kinds of external USB devices
such as external hard disk, printer, scanner,
mouse, keyboard, etc.
- It is co-invented and established by Ajay Bhatt,
a computer architect who had been working for
Intel.
- Most of the computers provide two USB ports as minimum.
- It transfers data at 12 megabits per seconds.
- The USB symbol is derived from Poseidon's Trident, and the circle, triangle,
square at the end represent the power of the USBs to connect a varied range
of devices.

4. Firewire Port
- It provides a high-speed connection between a
computer and peripheral devices.
- It was developed by Apple, Inc. and is based
off the standard IEEE 1394 high performance
serial bus.
- It transfers data at a rate of up to 400 to 800
Mbps.
- The firewire port symbol consists a circle with two lines to the top-left and
bottom with a solid rectangle in the top right.

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IV. POWER SUPPLY UNIT (PSU)
- It is the piece of hardware that's used to convert the
power provided from the outlet into usable power for
the many parts inside the computer case.
- It converts the alternating current (AC) into a
continuous form of power that the computer
components need in order to run normally, called direct
current (DC).
- It also regulates overheating by controlling voltage,
which may change automatically or manually depending on the power supply.
- It is a crucial piece because, without it, the rest of the internal hardware can't
function.
- CoolMax and Ultra are the most popular PSU makers.