PC DIAGNOSTICS AND

MAINTANACE
CSC 221
BY
MR. Shao, P.E

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 Describe a Computer System
• A computer system consists of hardware and
software components.
• Hardware is the physical equipment such as
the case, storage drives, keyboards, monitors
• software includes the operating system and
programs

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 Hardware components found in a computer
system
• Identify the:
– Names
– Purposes and
– Characteristics of Cases and Power Supplies

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 Computer Case
• The computer case provides protection and
support for the computer’s internal
components.
• All computers need a power supply to convert
alternating-current (AC) power from the wall
socket into direct-current (DC) power.
• The size and shape of the computer case is
usually determined by the motherboard and
other internal components
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 Objectives for this slide
• Describe computer cases.
• Describe power supplies

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 Computer cases
• A computer case contains the framework to
support a computer’s internal components
while
• Provide an enclosure for added protection.
• Computer cases typically are made of Plastic,
steel, and aluminum and are available in a
variety of styles.

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 Computer case cont..
• The size and layout of a case is called a form
factor.
• The basic form factors for computer cases
include desktop and tower

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 Computer cases are referred to in a number
of ways
• Computer chassis
• Cabinet
• Tower
• Box
• Housing

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Factors to consider when choosing case

• The size of the motherboard

• The number of external or internal drive
locations, called bays
• Available space

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 When choosing a computer case, consider
the following:
• Model type: There are two main case models.
One type is for desktop PCs, and the other is for
tower computers.
• Available space:
– Desktop cases allow space conservation in tight areas,
because the monitor can be placed on top of the unit.
• Size: If a computer has many components, it
needs more room for airflow to keep the system
cool

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 Computer case cont….
• Available space: Desktop cases allow space
conservation in tight areas, because the
monitor can be placed on top of the unit

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 Others are
• Power supply:
• Appearance:
• Status display
• Vents

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 Describe power supply
• Change AC power to DC from the wall socket
• There are different types of power supply
around there, go find out……

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 Connectors on power supply
• A Molex connector is a keyed connector used
to connect to an optical drive or hard drive.
• A Berg connector is a keyed connector used to
connect to a floppy drive.
• A Berg connector is smaller than a Molex
connector.
• A 20-pin or 24-pin slotted connector is used to
connect to the motherboard.

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 Electricity and Ohm’s Law
• The four basic units of electricity are
– Voltage (V)
– Current (I)
– Power (P)
– Resistance (R)

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• Voltage is a measure of the force required to
push electrons through a circuit
• Current is a measure of the number of
electrons going through a circuit
• Power is a measure of the pressure required
to push electrons through a circuit
• Power = V * I

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• Resistance is the opposition to the flow of
current in a circuit. Resistance is measured in
ohms

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 Names, Purposes, and
Characteristics of Internal Components
• Motherboard
• Cooling system
• CPU
• RAM and ROM
• Adapter cards
• Storage devices
• Internal cables

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 Names, Purposes, and Characteristics of
Motherboards
• The motherboard is the main printed circuit board
• Contains the buses, or electrical pathways, found in
a computer.
• Accommodates the central processing unit (CPU),
RAM, expansion slots,
– heat sink/fan assembly, BIOS chip, chip set, and the
embedded wires that interconnect the motherboard
components.
– Sockets, internal and external connectors, and various
ports are also placed on the motherboard.
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 Motherboards form factors:
• Advanced Technology (AT)
• Advanced Technology Extended (ATX)-
• Smaller footprint than Advanced Technology
Extended (Mini-ATX)
• Smaller footprint than Advanced Technology
Extended (Micro-ATX)
• Low-Profile Extended (LPX)
• New Low-Profile Extended (NLX)
• Balanced technology Extended (BTX)
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 Names, Purposes, and Characteristics of
CPUs
• The central processing unit (CPU) is
considered the computer’s brain
• It is sometimes called the processor
• Refer to the book for info on processor

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 Names, Purposes, and Characteristics of
Cooling Systems
• Electronic components generate heat.
• Heat is caused by the flow of current within
the components.
• Computer components perform better when
kept cool
• If too much heat builds up, computer
components can be damaged

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 Names, Purposes, and Characteristics of
ROM and RAM
• ROM and RAM provide memory for a vast
amount of computer equipment.
• They come in different memory sizes and
module sizes and have different features
• Read-only memory (ROM) chips are located
on the motherboard
• ROM stores basic instructions for booting the
computer and loading the operating system.

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 Types of ROM
• Programmable read-only memory (PROM):
Information is written to a PROM chip after it is
manufactured. A PROM chip cannot be erased or
rewritten.
• Erasable programmable read-only memory
(EPROM):
– Information is written to an EPROM chip after it is
manufactured.
– An EPROM chip can be erased with exposure to UV light

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 Types of ROMs cont….
• Electrically erasable programmable read-only
memory (EEPROM):
– Information is written to an EEPROM chip after it
is manufactured
– EEPROM chip can be erased and rewritten without
removing the chip from the computer

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 Random-access memory (RAM)
• Is the temporary storage for data and
programs that are being accessed by the CPU
• RAM is volatile memory, which means that the
contents are erased when the computer is
powered off

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 The different types of RAM are as follows

• Dynamic RAM (DRAM) is a memory chip that is

used as main memory.
• DRAM must be constantly refreshed with pulses
of electricity to maintain the data stored in the
chip
• Static RAM (SRAM) is a memory chip that is used
as cache memory.
• SRAM is much faster than DRAM and does not
have to be refreshed as often.
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• Fast Page Mode (FPM) DRAM is memory that
supports paging.
– Paging enables faster access to the data than regular
DRAM.
• Extended Data Out (EDO) RAM-----
• Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) is DRAM that
operates in synchronization with the memory bus.
– The memory bus is the data path between the CPU and
the main memory

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 RAM types cont…..
• Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM is memory
that transfers data twice as fast as SDRAM.
– DDR SDRAM increases performance by
transferring data twice per cycle
• Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) SDRAM is faster
than DDR-SDRAM memory.
– DDR2 SDRAM improves performance over DDR
SDRAM by decreasing noise and crosstalk
between the signal wires.

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• RAMBus DRAM (RDRAM) is a memory chip
that was developed to communicate at very
high rates of speed.
• RDRAM chips are not commonly used.

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 Memory Modules
• Dual Inline Package (DIP) is an individual
memory chip. A DIP had dual rows of pins
used to attach it to the motherboard.
• Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM) is a
small circuit board that holds several memory
chips.
• SIMMs have 30-pin and 72-pin configurations.

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• Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) is a
circuit board that holds SDRAM, DDR SDRAM,
and DDR2 SDRAM chips
• RAM Bus Inline Memory Module (RIMM) is a
circuit board that holds RDRAM chips.

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 Cache Memory
• SRAM is used as cache memory to store the
most frequently used data.
• SRAM gives the processor faster access to the
data than retrieving it from the slower DRAM,
or main memory.
• :

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 The three types of cache memory are as
follows
• L1 is internal cache integrated into the CPU.
• L2 is external cache originally mounted on the
motherboard near the CPU.
– L2 cache is now integrated into the CPU.
• L3 is used on some high-end workstations and
server CPUs.

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