Computer System, Devices, and Peripherals PDF

COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEVICES AND PERIPHERALS What are the devices of a computer? 1. System Unit- The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the chassis. It includes the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, Memory Chips, Buses, Ports, Expansion Slots and Cards. 2. Motherboard / M...

COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEVICES AND PERIPHERALS What are the devices of a computer? 1. System Unit- The main part of a microcomputer, sometimes called the chassis. It includes the following parts: Motherboard, Microprocessor, Memory Chips, Buses, Ports, Expansion Slots and Cards. 2. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board- The main circuit board of a computer. It contains all the circuits and components that run the computer. 3. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The processor is the main “brain” or “heart” of a computer system. It performs all of the instructions and calculations that are needed and manages the flow of information through a computer. 4. Primary storage- (internal storage, main memory or memory) is the computer's working storage space that holds data, instructions for processing and processed data (information) waiting to be sent to secondary storage. Physically, primary storage is a collection of Two (2) Types of Memory a. ROM – (Read Only Memory) ROM is non-volatile, meaning it holds data even when the power is ON or OFF. b. RAM – (Random Access Memory) RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are lost. 5. Expansion Bus - A bus is a data pathway between several hardware components inside or outside a computer. It does not only connect the parts of the CPU to each other, but also links the CPU with other important hardware. 6. Adapters- Printed-circuit boards (also called interface cards) that enable the computer to use a peripheral device for which it does not have the necessary connections or circuit boards. They are often used to permit upgrading to a new different hardware. 7. Power Supply Unit (PSU) - Installed in the back corner of the PC case, next to the motherboard. It converts 120vac (standard house power) into DC voltages that are used by other components 8. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - Also known as hard drive, is a magnetic storage device that is installed inside the computer. The hard drive is used as permanent storage for data. In a Windows computer, the hard drive is usually configured as the C: drive and contains the operating system and applications. 9. Optical Drive- An optical drive is a storage device that uses lasers to read data on the optical media. There are three types of optical drives: Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu- 10. Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) - Designed to optically access data stored on a DVD. A laser moves back and forth near the disk surface and accesses data at a very fast rate.