AGP SLOT

Stands for "Accelerated Graphics Port." AGP is a type of expansion slot designed specifically for graphics cards. It was developed in 1996 as an alternative to the PCI standard. Since the AGP interface provides a dedicated bus for graphics data, AGP cards are able to render graphics faster than comparable PCI graphics cards. Like PCI slots, AGP slots are built into a computer'smotherboard. They have a similar form factor to PCI slots, but can only be used for graphics cards. Additionally, several AGP specifications exist, including AGP 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0, which each use a different voltage. Therefore, AGP cards must be compatible with the specification of the AGP slot they are installed in. Since AGP cards require an expansion slot, they can only be used in desktop computers. While AGP was popular for about a decade, the technology has been superseded by PCI Express, which was introduced in 2004. For a few years, many desktop computers included both AGP and PCI Express slots, but eventually AGP slots were removed completely. Therefore, most desktop computers manufactured after 2006 do not include an AGP slot.

SOUTHBRIDGE
Southbridge is an Intel chipset that manages the basic forms of input/output ( I/O ) such as Universal Serial Bus ( USB ), serial , audio, Integrated Drive Electronics ( IDE ), and Industry Standard Architecture ( ISA ) I/O in a computer. Southbridge is one of two chipsets that are collectively called Northbridge /Southbridge. Northbridge controls the processor , memory , Peripheral Component Interconnect ( PCI ) bus , Level 2 cache , and all Accelerated Graphics Port ( AGP ) activities. Unlike Northbridge, Southbridge consists of one chip, which sits on Northbridge's PCI bus. The Intel Hub Architecture (IHA) has replaced the Northbridge/Southbridge chipset. The IHA chipset has two parts also, the Graphics and AGP Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and the I/O Controller Hub (ICH). The IHA architecture is used in Intel's 800 series chipsets, which is the first chipset architecture to move away from the Northbridge/Southbridge design.

CMOS BATTERY

History In 1982, the CMOS 65C02 processor was first introduced by Western Design Center, Inc. Computers using the Intel 80286 processor and beyond began to require a small CMOS battery on the motherboard to help provide power to the CMOS chip at all times, even when the computer was not turned on. All modern computer motherboards still require a CMOS battery. About The CMOS battery most often resembles a large watch battery. It is usually a silver coin cell lithium battery, often similar in size to a nickel. This battery is installed into a circular slot on the computer's motherboard and provides power to the CMOS semiconductor chip that stores important systemsettings information. Functions The function of the CMOS battery is to provide continuous power to the CMOS chip on the computer's motherboard. The CMOS chip stores essential system information and settings such as date and time, hard disk type, boot drive order, floppy drive type and BIOS settings. The CMOS chip requires the power source of the battery to sustain and preserve these settings.

CMOS Cont
Signs of Failure A CMOS battery can begin to weaken and fail over time, depending on the environment the computer is exposed to. Some symptoms of a weakening battery are consistent changes in system date and time, system component drivers requiring re-installation every time the computer is booted or a computer that shuts itself down consistently without a reason. The BIOS may provide low-battery warnings on the start-up screen. The computer may also report error messages such as "CMOS Checksum Error," "CMOS Read Error" or "CMOS Battery Failure." Replacement If your computer is reporting CMOS errors, first attempt to recharge the CMOS battery by leaving your computer running for a full 24 hours. Often, this will clear up a CMOS battery issue. But if recharging does not fix the issue, you may need to replace the CMOS battery. You will have to open your computer, find the battery on the motherboard and record the information etched on the battery to find a matched replacement for it. You can easily replace the coin cell battery by gently pulling the old battery out of its container with your fingers and inserting a new one in its place.

IDE CONNECTOR
Short for Integrated Drive Electronics or IBM Disc Electronics, IDE is more commonly known as ATA (Attachment) orParallel ATA (PATA) and is a standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives. IDE is different from the Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) and Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI) because its controllers are on each drive, meaning the drive can connect directly to the motherboard or controller. IDE and its updated successor, Enhanced IDE (EIDE), are the most common drive interfaces found in IBM compatible computers today. Above, is a picture of the IDE connector on the back of a hard drive, a picture of what an IDE cable looks like, and the IDE channels it connects to on the motherboard.

IDE cont
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) is a standard electronic interface used between a computer motherboard's data paths or bus and the computer's disk storage devices. The IDE interface is based on the IBM PC Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) 16-bit bus standard, but it is also used in computers that use other bus standards. Most computers sold today use an enhanced version of IDE called Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics (EIDE). In today's computers, the IDE controller is often built into the motherboard. IDE was adopted as a standard by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in November, 1990. The ANSI name for IDE is Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA). The IDE (ATA) standard is one of several related standards maintained by the T10 Committee.

20 PIN ATX POWER CONNECTOR

ATX Cont
The above connector is a 20-pin ATX power supply connector. As you can see from the colorcode to the left of the photo, it supplies many different voltages (+3.3V, +5V, +12V, -12V, -5V) as well as a number of ground wires and a couple signal wires ("Pwr On" which is how the motherboard tells the power supply to turn on and "Pwr Good" which reports back that the voltage of 3.3V and 5V are within spec) There's also a +5V stand by (+5VSB) that constantly supplies power to the board even when the PC is off.

ATX Cont.
The connector above is still an ATX main power connector, but is of the 24-pin variety. One each additional +3.3V, +5V, +12V and Ground have been added to the connector. Some people will tell you that 24-pin connectors are for PCI-e boards. Funny. PCI-e slots don't use +5V and I can think of a few AGP based boards that have a 24-pin main power connector. Fact is, the extra 4-pins simply provide more power to the motherboard over more wires. This reduces resistance, heat and can provide better voltages.

ATX Cont
It's not unusual to see motherboards with 24-pin connectors on them. Likewise, it's not unusual to still see power supplies with only 20-pin power connectors. If you end up with such a mismatch, don't sweat. Use the 20-pin power connector in the 24-pin socket, as shown in the above photo, and chances are your PC will work just fine. The above is actually a production model eMachine, built by FIC, that came from the factory with a 20pin power supply, despite the 24-pin connector on the board.

ATX Cont.
Some 24-pin main power connectors allow the user to "break away" the extra four pins so the connector can easily be used in a 20-pin motherboard. The four pins that are "broken off" need to be tucked away somewhere inside the PC. These wires can not be connected anywhere else in the PC.

ATX Cont
The above left connector is called a "+12V" and is the defining characteristic that differentiates an ATX power supply from an ATX12V power supply. It's also known as the "P4" connector because they were initially introduced only on Pentium 4 boards. The connector comprises of two +12V wires and two grounds and provides voltage to the CPU. The connector on the right is called the "EPS connector." It's typically used on SSI or SMP boards, mostly of the server variety. Essentially, it is two of the +12V connectors side by side and comprises of four +12V leads and four grounds. A quad rail SSI power supply tends to have each pair of +12V leads on this connector on it's own rail, essentially providing each CPU in a dual CPU arrangement it's own dedicated rail. Recently, high performance boards (like the Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe) have added an EPS connector to provide better amperage, through more leads. Like the 20 and 24-pin ATX main power connectors, EPS and +12V connectors are interchangeable. A 4-pin +12V connector will fit in an EPS receptacle and an EPS connector can fit into a +12V receptacle if you leave four pins hanging off the edge. In fact, some power supplies actually provide an 8-pin EPS that can be split into two 4-pin connectors (see below left,) one of which can be used for the +12V connector.

ATX Cont.
The connector in the upper right photo is the PCI Express power connector. Similar to the +12V and EPS connectors, it consists of only +12V leads and ground leads. Three of each, to be precise. This connector is used to provide additional power for PCI-e video cards. Only so much power can be pushed through the tiny little slot soldered to your motherboard's PCB. By using this connector, better voltage can be delivered to your video card's GPU because there is less resistance.

ATX Cont
The above left connector is the most common, and most certainly the most unchanged connector, of any PC power supply. It's technically called a "peripheral power connector," although most of us call it a "Molex." Molex is quite a misnomer, actually. Like Kleenex and Tabasco, Molex is a brand and the company actually has part numbers for every connector you'd ever find on a power supply or motherboard and not just the peripheral power connector. And although there are a number of companies other than Molex making these connectors, we still call them "Molex." This connector is used for optical drives, hard drives, fans... pretty much any device in a PC that doesn't have a connector specifically designed for it. This connector supplies both +12V (yellow wire) and +5V (red wire) and has two grounds. Typically, the +12V is used to power motors while the +5V is used to power logic boards. On the right, we have a floppy power connector. It's wired the same way as a peripheral power connector with one +12V, one +5V and two grounds, but is considerably smaller in size for use with devices like floppies, LS120's and Zip drives.

ATX Cont
Finally, we have the SATA power connector. This connector provides power to Serial ATA devices. It provides +12V and +5V just like a peripheral power connector, but also provides +3.3V. +3.3V has yet to be utilized by SATA drives, which is why SATA drives currently function properly with standard peripheral power connectors, but may be implemented in the near future.

MEMORY SLOT

MEMORY Cont
A memory slot, memory socket, or RAM slot is what allows computer memory (RAM) to be inserted into the computer. Depending on the motherboard, there will usually be 2 to 4 memory slots (sometimes more on high-end motherboards) and are what determine the type of RAM used with the computer. The most common types of RAM are SDRAM and DDR for desktop computers and SODIMM for laptop computers, each having various types and speeds. In the below picture, is an example of what memory slots may look like inside a desktop computer. In this picture, there are three open available slots for three memory sticks.

Memory Cont
When buying a new computer or motherboard, pay close attention to the types of RAM the memory slots will allow to be used, so you are familiar with what type of RAM to buy for your computer. It is also important to note how many available memory slots are available in your computer. It is not uncommon for some computers to have all memory slots occupied, which means if you wanted to upgrade your computer memory some or all of the memory currently installed would need to be removed first.

 Stands for "Double Data Rate 2." DDR2 RAM is an improved version of DDR memory that is faster and more efficient. Like standard DDR memory, DDR2 memory can send data on both the rising and falling edges of the processor's clock cycles. This nearly doubles the amount of work the RAM can do in a given amount of time. DDR and DDR2 are also both types of SDRAM, which allows them to run faster than conventional memory.
While DDR and DDR2 have many similarities, DDR2 RAM uses a different design than DDR memory. The improved design allows DDR2 RAM to run faster than standard DDR memory. The modified design also gives the RAM more bandwidth, which means more data can be passed through the RAM chip at one time. This increases the efficiency of the memory. Since DDR2 runs more efficiently than standard DDR memory, it actually uses less power than DDR memory, even though it runs faster. The only downside of DDR2 memory is that it is not compatible with standard DDR slots. So make sure your computer supports DDR2 RAM before upgrading your memory.

A computer fan is any fan inside, or attached to, a computer case used for active cooling, and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from the outside, expel warm air from inside, or move air across a heat sink to cool a particular component.

 A CPU socket or CPU slot is a mechanical component(s) that provides mechanical and electrical connections between a microprocessor and aprinted circuit board (PCB). This allows the CPU to be replaced without soldering. Common sockets have retention clips that apply a constant force, which must be overcome when a device is inserted. For chips with a large number of pins, either zero insertion force (ZIF) sockets or land grid array (LGA) sockets are used instead. These designs apply a compression force once either a handle (for ZIF type) or a surface plate (LGA type) is put into place. This provides superior mechanical retention while avoiding the risk of bending pins when inserting the chip into the socket. CPU sockets are used in desktop and server computers. As they allow easy swapping of components, they are also used for prototyping new circuits. Laptops typically use surface mount CPUs, which need less space than a socketed part.

A CPU socket is made of plastic, a lever or latch, and metal contacts for each of the pins or lands on the CPU. Many packages are keyed to ensure the proper insertion of the CPU. CPUs with a PGA (pin grid array) package are inserted into the socket and the latch is closed. CPUs with an LGA package are inserted into the socket, the latch plate is flipped into position atop the CPU, and the lever is lowered and locked into place, pressing the CPU's contacts firmly against the socket's lands and ensuring a good connection, as well as increased mechanical stability.

The PS/2 connector is a 6-pin Mini-DIN connector used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987. The PS/2 mouse connector generally replaced the older DE9 RS-232 "serial mouse" connector, while the PS/2 keyboard connector replaced the larger 5pin/180 DIN( Deutsches Institut fr Normung) connector used in the IBM PC/AT design. The PS/2 designs on keyboard and mouse interfaces are electrically similar and employ the same communication protocol. However, a given system's keyboard and mouse port may not be interchangeable since the two devices use a different set of commands.

 Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and communications protocolsused in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices.[2] USB was designed to standardize the connection of computer peripherals (including keyboards, pointing devices, digital cameras, printers, portable media players, disk drives and network adapters) to personal computers, both to communicate and to supply electric power. It has become commonplace on other devices, such as smartphones, PDAs and video game consoles.[3] USB has effectively replaced a variety of earlier interfaces, such as serial and parallel ports, as well as separate power chargers for portable devices.

 In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time (in contrast to a parallel port).[1] Throughout most of the history of personal computers, data was transferred through serial ports to devices such as modems,terminals and various peripherals. While such interfaces as Ethernet, FireWire, and USB all send data as a serial stream, the term "serial port" usually identifies hardware more or less compliant to the RS-232 standard, intended to interface with a modem or with a similar communication device. Modern computers without serial ports may require serial-to-USB converters to allow compatibility with RS 232 serial devices. Serial ports are still used in applications such as industrial automation systems, scientific instruments, shop till systems and some industrial and consumer products.Server computers may use a serial port as a control console for diagnostics. Network equipment (such as routers and switches) often use serial console for configuration. Serial ports are still used in these areas as they are simple, cheap and their console functions are highly standardized and widespread. A serial port requires very little supporting software from the host system.

 A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers (personal and otherwise) for connecting peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port. It was a de facto (is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact.) industry standard for many years, and was finally standardized as IEEE 1284 in the late 1990s, which defined a bidirectional version of the port. Today, the parallel port interface is seeing decreasing use because of the rise of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire (IEEE 1394) devices, along with network printing usingEthernet.[citation needed] The parallel port interface was originally known as the Parallel Printer Adapter on IBM PC-compatible computers. It was primarily designed to operate a line printer that used IBM's 8-bit extended ASCII character set to print text, but could also be used to adapt other peripherals. Graphical printers, along with a host of other devices, have been designed to communicate with the system.

Alternatively referred to as an Ethernet port, network connection, and network port, the LAN port is a port connection that allows a computer to connect to a network using a wired connection. In the picture to the right, is a close up example of what a LAN port looks like for a network cable using a RJ-45 connector. In the case of this example, the two led lights will blink when that port is active and receiving activity.

An audio port on a computer is any receptacle or jack to which an audio device such as speakers, headphones or a microphone can be connected. All laptops and some desktops have built-in speakers, but for better sound or privacy, you will need to connect external audio through one of the ports.

 A power supply unit (PSU) converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal components of a computer. Modern personal computers universally use a switched-mode power supply. Some power supplies have a manual selector for input voltage, while others automatically adapt to the supply voltage. Most modern desktop personal computer power supplies conform to the ATX specification, which includes form factor and voltage tolerances. While an ATX power supply is connected to the mains supply, it always provides a 5 V standby (5VSB) voltage so that the standby functions on the computer and certain peripherals are powered. ATX power supplies are turned on and off by a signal from the motherboard. They also provide a signal to the motherboard to indicate when the DC voltages are in spec, so that the computer is able to safely power up and boot. The most recent ATX PSU standard is version 2.31 of mid-2008.

 SED Monitors SED is abbreviated form of Surface-conducted electron-emitted display. These are high resolution and flat penal display screens. Some of these display units are even more than 40 inches in diagonal measurements. These display units are composed from an electron-emitting array and layer of phosphorus. Array and layer of phosphorus are separated by thin sheet that allows air to pass. SED consumes less energy in comparison with CRT and it gives higher resolution picture.

CRT CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) computer monitors were the most common computer monitors until flat panel screens became affordable. Similar to older TVs, CRT monitors still typically have much better contrast ratios and viewing angles than other computer monitor alternatives. LCD LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) computer monitors save a lot of space and can even be mounted on walls. They provide a wide viewing angle and come in sizes typically ranging from 17-inches to 60inches. Plasma Plasma computer monitors are less commonly used with computers due to their high operating temperatures, high power consumption, and fixed resolution. Touchscreen Touchscreen computer monitors provide a new way of interacting with your computer with a touch-sensitive screen. This allows users to interact directly with the application on screen without need for a mouse or keyboard. OLED OLED (Organic Light Emitting Display) computer monitors are much thinner and brighter than LCD or Plasma screens. OLED monitors can also be placed on transparent surfaces, such as glass, allowing the user to see through them when not active.