Electrical Safety and ESD Quiz

Electrical Safety

• Exchanging AC adapters between different devices can harm both the adapter and the device.
• Some printer components contain high voltage, consult the manual for their locations.
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) can damage computer equipment if not discharged properly.
• At least 3,000 volts of static electricity must build up before a person can feel ESD.

Preventing ESD Damage

• Keep all components in antistatic bags until ready to install them.
• Use grounded mats on workbenches and in work areas.
• Wear antistatic wrist straps when working inside computers.
• Ensure wrist straps are in contact with the skin.

Computer Cases and Form Factors

• Form Factor refers to the size and layout of a computer case.
• The form factor influences motherboard and power supply choices.
• Cases should be durable, easy to service, and offer expansion space.
• Case manufacturers have their own naming conventions, including super tower, full tower, mid tower, mini tower, and cube case.

Motherboard Components

• Contains the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Random Access Memory (RAM), expansion slots, chipset, BIOS, UEFI, SATA connectors, and an internal USB connector.

Motherboard Chipset

• Controls how system hardware interacts with the CPU and motherboard.
• Affects system performance and limitations.
• Determines the amount of memory a motherboard can support.
• Northbridge controls access to RAM, the video card, and the CPU, as well as the communication speed between the CPU and other components.
• Southbridge controls communication between the CPU and expansion ports.

Motherboard Form Factors

• Common form factors include ATX, Micro-ATX, and ITX.
• The form factor dictates how components attach, the power supply requirements, and the computer case shape.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• Interprets and executes commands.
• Often referred to as the "brain" of the computer.
• Uses either Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) or Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) architecture.

CPU Connections

• Connects to the motherboard via a CPU socket.
• Modern CPU sockets and packages use PGA, LGA, or BGA architectures.
• PGA sockets have pins on the underside of the processor package that insert into the motherboard.
• LGA sockets have pins on the socket itself.
• BGA sockets have pins soldered to the motherboard, commonly found in laptops, phones, and tablets.

Central Processing Unit (CPU) - Performance and Features

• Some CPUs use hyperthreading or hypertransport to improve performance.
• The size of the processor data bus determines how much data the CPU can process at once.
• CPU speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).
• Overclocking can increase the processor's speed beyond its original specifications.
• Modern CPUs can incorporate multiple cores onto a single chip, such as:
  • Dual Core CPU - Two cores.
  • Triple Core CPU - Three cores.
  • Quad Core CPU - Four cores.
  • Hexa-Core CPU - Six cores.
  • Octa-Core CPU - Eight cores.
  • Some CPUs have as many as sixteen cores.

Cooling Systems

• Keep computer components cool for optimal performance.
• Case fans improve cooling efficiency.
• Heat sinks draw heat away from the CPU core.
• Fans on top of heat sinks move heat away from the CPU.
• Fans can also be dedicated to cooling the GPU.
• Cooling solutions include active and passive methods:
  • Active cooling requires power, such as a case fan.
  • Passive cooling does not require power, and might include reducing component speed or adding heat sinks.

Types of Memory

• Different types of memory chips store data in the form of bytes.
• SODIMM (Small Outline DIMM) is a smaller, more condensed version of DIMM, ideal for laptops, printers, and other space-constrained devices.

Types of RAM

• Common types of RAM include:
  • SRAM (Static RAM)
  • DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
  • SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
  • DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
  • DDR2 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 2 Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
  • DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
  • DDR4 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 4 Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
  • GDDR SDRAM (Graphics Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM), specifically designed for video graphics and used with a dedicated BPU.

Cache Memory

• SRAM is used as cache memory to store frequently accessed data.
• Provides faster data access for the processor than retrieving data from DRAM (main memory).
• Memory speed directly impacts how much data a processor can handle in a given time.
• Different cache levels:
  • L1 cache: Integrated into the CPU.
  • L2 cache: Originally mounted on the motherboard, but now integrated into the CPU.
  • L3 cache: Used in some high-end workstations and server CPUs.

Error Checking in Memory

• Memory errors occur when data is not correctly stored in memory chips.
• Methods to detect and correct memory errors:
  • Nonparity: Does not check for errors.
  • Parity: Uses 8 bits for data and 1 bit for error checking.
  • ECC (Error Correction Code): Can detect multiple bit errors and correct single bit errors.

Adapter Cards

• Enhance computer functionality by adding controllers for specific devices or replacing faulty ports.

Input Devices

• Classic input devices:
  • Keyboard and Mouse
  • ADF/Flatbed Scanner
  • Joystick and Gamepad
  • KVM Switch: Controls multiple computers using a single keyboard, video (monitor), and mouse.

New Input Devices

• Touch screen
• Stylus
• Magnetic strip reader
• Barcode scanner
• Digital camera
• Webcam
• Signature pad
• Smart card reader
• Microphone

Newest Input Devices

• NFC devices and terminals: Near Field Communication (NFC) "tap to pay" devices.
• Biometric Devices:
  • Facial recognition scanners: Identify users based on unique facial features.
  • Fingerprint scanners: Identify users based on unique fingerprints.
  • Voice recognition scanners: Identify users based on unique voices.

Output Devices

• Output devices take binary information from the computer and present it to the user in a usable form.