PC Construction and Maintenance Week 9

1. PC Construction and MaintenanceWeek 9 Review of PC concepts Key Points

2. Components of a computer • To build a computer we need the following core components • Motherboard, RAM, CPU + fan, Video card or chipset, Hard disk, Floppy drive, case, monitor, keyboard and mouse • Motherboard, RAM and CPU determine the power of the system. More money spent = better system • CD or DVD drive, sound card, network card, modem, printers and scanners can all be added later

3. Type of computer • Most computers in use are Intel compatible – they have an Intel compatible processor • The two most popular Intel-compatible CPU manufacturers at the present time are AMD and Intel • Faster chips provide better performance, and at the present time, AMD are selling their fast (1GHz or above) chips for a lot less money than Intel

4. CPU standards • CPUs are either of the socket or slot variety • The size,shape and pin count of the CPU is collectively known as the form factor • The CPU can generally only be used in a board that matches its form factor • Adapters are available, to overcome this, but are rarely used. • Electrical compatibility is also a requirement. When buying a board, the documentation specifies exactly which make, model and speed of chips it is compatible with • Expect your CPU to be obsolete after 3-5 years • Always purchase a CPU fan with the CPU

5. Motherboard Standards • Most motherboards comply with the ATX standard – they will fit in an ATX case • All motherboards have PCI slots – the industry standard for internal peripheral cards • Most new boards should support AGP for high performance graphics • ISA is the old standard for internal peripherals and is rapidly becoming obsolete • Expect your motherboard to become obsolete after 3-5 years

6. Hard disks • Most hard disks are IDE devices • All motherboards support 4 IDE devices, via 2 IDE channels, with 2 devices per channel • Hard disk capacity is specified in Gigabytes (Gb) • Always purchase the biggest drive you can afford • Hard disk size doubles every 18 months • Different drives have different performance properties (access time, rotational speed, interface speed) etc. Faster is more expensive • Expect new drives to support the UDMA 66 or UDMA 100 standards, allowing for fast operation

7. Video cards • An AGP card is strongly recommended • New cards conform to the AGPx4 high-speed standard • Expect your card to be lagging in performance behind the leaders after 6-12 months • This is irrelevant if you don’t play games and don’t use high performance multimedia applications • Many motherboards have on-board graphics chipsets. It is recommended to avoid these inflexible systems, as they often lack an AGP slot

8. Cases • Not much to choose between different cases • Always expect the PSU to be supplied with the case • Power users will want a 300W power supply • For ordinary users, the Rating of the PSU will not be too important • Choosing a case is often just a matter of personal preference • Ensure that the case is ATX compatible • New cases should conform to CE regulations

9. RAM • RAM technology changes every 3 years or so • Price of RAM fluctuates on weekly basis • AMD Athlon and Pentium 3 processors use DIMM memory • Pentium 4 uses more expensive RIMM modules (a.k.a RAMBUS modules) • At the present time 128Mb is acceptable for a new system, with 256Mb recommended for power users. • Buy the fastest memory that your motherboard can benefit from.

10. Monitors • All PC monitors are 15-pin SVGA compatible • Bigger screen is better • Cathode ray tube becoming replaced with gas-plasma and TFT technologies • Parameters to look for are supported resolutions, dot-pitch • Some monitors are clearer than others, try before you buy

11. Keyboards and mice • Most mice and keyboards are PS/2 compatible • USB keyboards and mice are also often used • Expect to pay around 10 pounds for mouse & keyboard • Not critically important to buy a “good” brand – if it breaks, buy another one.

12. Sound Cards • Sound cards are found in 99% of machines • Can pay 5 pounds – 200 pounds • Most cards are PCI • Creative is a leading brand • Always buy a card that is compatible with Direct-X • Speakers and microphones usually sold seperately

13. Operating system • 87% of the worlds computers run a Microsoft windows product • Use Windows ME for home use, entertainment, games, multimedia hardware etc.. • Use Windows 2000 for business/serious work (good security and robustness) • Add Linux later if required, onto a second disk. • The next version of windows is XP (one for home, and one for business)

14. Internet/Networking • Modem is essential, internal or external are available. Both are O.K. • Obtain flat rate ISP service • ADSL will become essential over the next few years, but is currently expensive • If working with more that one computer, a small LAN is essential • In that case, build a small 100Mb UTP based LAN with a hub. • Use the LAN to share your printers and your Internet connection across machines

15. Printers/Scanners • Inkjet/DeskJet the currently dominant technology in the home • Business will require a laser printer • Big players are Hewlett-Packard and Epson • The cost of the printer isn’t too important, as the cost of the consumables can soon dwarf that • Can buy a USB flatbed scanner for less than 40 pounds