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Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION V-BI COL
SCHOOLS DI VI SI ON OF CAM ARI NES SUR
DON SERVI LLANO PLATON M EM ORI AL NATI ONAL HIGH SCHOOL

COMPUTER
SYSTEMS SERVICING
NC II
(Quarter 1- Week 3)
Lesson 5: Basic Hardware Components of Computer Systems

A computer system consists of hardware and software components. As important as the software which
are the programs that run the computer, the hardware is the physical equipment such as the case, storage drives,
keyboards, monitors, cables, speakers, and printers that builds up and let the software run.

It is important to learn about these components as these will be the basis before you handle equipment
especially in disassembling and assembling a computer system.

1. Computer Systems
The complete computer made up of the CPU, memory and related electronics (main cabinet), all the peripheral
devices connected to it and its operating system.

 Computer systems fall into two broad divisions: clients and servers.

 Client machines fall into three categories from low to high end: laptop, desktop and workstation.

 Servers range from small to large: low-end servers, midrange servers and mainframes.
  Processing Devices
Processing devices. Processing devices are the computer electronic circuitry housed in the system unit. The
processor, formally known as the central processing unit (CPU), has electronic circuitry that manipulates input data
into the information people want. Computer instructions are actually are executed in the central processing unit.
Memory is a series of electronic elements that temporarily holds data and program instructions while they are being
processed by the CPU. Both the processor and memory consist of chips. A chip is an electronic device that contains
many microscopic pathways designed to carry electrical current.

 Motherboard – the circuit board housing the memory and the central processing unit (CPU)

 Central Processing Unit (CPU) – manipulates input data into the information needed by the users

 Memory – also known as Random Access Memory or RAM. It is a series of electronic elements that act
as temporary storage of data and program instructions while the instructions are being processed by the
CPU.
  Chips – these make up the CPU and the memory; these are electronic devices that contain many
microscopic pathways designed to carry electrical currents.

 Storage Devices
Storage devices. Storage usually means secondary storage that can store data and programs outside the
computer itself. Storage devices hold data, information, and programs permanently. Common storage devices
include a hard disk, USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs, and memory cards.

 Solid State Drive (SSD) – mass storage device that stores data in a permanent state even without
power. Similar to an HDD’s function, only the internal components are different. SSDs do not have
moving parts but store data on magnetic platters making use of flash memory.

 Hard Disk Drive (HDD) – often called hard drive or hard disk. This is the most common storage device
that do not need power to maintain data; these store data through spinning platters or magnetic disks,
recording individual bits written into the disk.

 Flash Drive – highly portable small data storage devices making use of flash memory and a Universal
Serial Bus (USB) port connection
  CD – “compact disc”, this storage device can hold up to 700 MB; it is read by an optical drive through a
laser
 Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)- an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte storage capacity on a single-
sided, one-layered disk, which is enough for a 133-minute movie.

 Input Devices
Input devices. Input devices allow you to enter data or commands in a form that the computer can use; they send
the data or commands to the processing unit. Commonly-used input devices include keyboard, mouse,
microphone, scanner, digital camera, and PC camera.

 Keyboard – primary input device used to input alphanumeric data and

commands to the computer

 Mouse – primary input device used to navigate and interact with the monitor
output

 Scanner – scans documents and converts them digitally, which can be

edited on a computer.

 Webcam – small cameras attached to a monitor or desk that record or broadcast

video

 Joystick – device used to control video games, aside from the keyboard
  Output Devices
Output devices. Output devices show people the processed data--information --in understandable and useful
form. Four commonly used output devices are a printer, a monitor, speakers, and a portable media player.
Input/output devices are playing an increasingly significant role in our lives. The number and variety of input/output
devices are expanding.

 Printer – prints paper documents, photographs, and other outputs called hard copies which are physical
versions of the documents.

 Monitor – acts as the primary display of the unit where the user interface and programs are reflected.

 Speakers – sound system device that produce audio output from the computer

Communications devices. Communications devices provide connections between the computer and
communications networks, and enable computer users to communicate and to exchange data, information, and
programs with other computers. Communications devices transmit these items over transmission media such as
cables, telephone lines, satellites, and cellular radio. A widely used communications device is a modem.

In summary, we communicate with computers through input/output devices. Input devices translate our
data and communications into a form that the computer can understand. The computer then processes these data,
and an output device translates them back into a form we can understand. The central processing unit manipulates
data and controls the other parts of the computer system. Memory (primary storage) temporarily stores data and
program instructions during processing, while secondary storage feeds data and instructions into the central
processor and stores data for future use.
 2. The System Unit
The System Unit is the overall structure that houses the processor, memory, and electronic components of
the computer that are used to process data. All input and output devices are connected into the system unit. The
system unit is housed by what is known as system case or computer case. It holds and protects most components
of a computer.

The Computer Case contains the framework to support and enclose internal components of the computer. It
helps to prevent damage from static electricity. It typically made up of plastic, steel, and aluminum which are
available in a variety of styles. The size and layout of a case is called a form factor. It is also designed to keep
internal components cool by using airflow vents and cooling fans.

Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways: Computer chassis, Cabinet, Tower, Box and Housing.

Types:

Tower (Full, Mid, Mini)

Desktop (Standard, Slimline)

 Power Supply

Power supplies serve as the source for electricity to the computer. Attached are vital hardware cables and buses
for transferring power to various components in the computer.
The following are the basic connector you can see in a power supply:

 ATX 24 pin main power connector is the standard motherboard power connector used in nearly every
computer.

 SATA 15 pin power supply connector is one of several standard peripheral power connectors. SATA
power connectors only connect to SATA drives like hard drives and optical drives. SATA power
connectors do not work with older PATA devices.

 Molex 4 pin power supply connector is a standard peripheral power connector. Molex power
connectors connect to many different kinds of internal peripherals including PATA hard drives and optical
drives, some video cards, and even some other devices.

 Floppy drive 4 pin power supply connector is the standard floppy drive power connector. The floppy
power connector, also called a Berg connector or Mini-Molex connector, is included in even the newest
power supplies even though floppy drives are becoming obsolete.

 ATX 4 pin power supply connector is a standard motherboard power connector used to provide +12
VDC to the processor voltage regulator. This small connector usually attaches to the motherboard near
the CPU.

 ATX 6 pin power supply connector is a motherboard power connector used to provide +12 VDC to the
processor voltage regulator but the 4-pin variety is the more commonly used connector. This small
connector usually attaches to the motherboard near the CPU.
  Motherboard
The motherboard is also known as mainboard, system board, logic board, or MOBO. It holds and allows
communication between the crucial components of the computer such as the CPU and memory. It also provides
connection for other peripherals. This provides the path which the processor (CPU) communicates with all the
components of the computer.
There are several components that are attached to the motherboard. These include:

1. Chip – small piece of semiconducting material, where more integrated circuits are embedded. They have
standard-sized pin connectors that allows them to be attached to the motherboard.

2. Bus - an electrical path that enables data flow between various system components.

3. Integrated Circuit (IC) – contains microscopic pathways that carry electric current. The IC contains millions of
elements such as resistors, capacitators, and transistors. Many different kinds of chips are located in the
motherboard

4. Microprocessor – this is the central processing unit on a chip.

Different variety of chip packages:

1. Dual Inline Package (DIP) – this has two parallel rows of pints that attach the chip package to the circuit board

2. Pin Grid Array (PGA) – holds a larger number of pins because the pins are mounted on the surface of the
package.

3. Flip Chip-PGA (CF-PGA) Package – higher performance PGA packaging that places the chip on the opposite
sides of the pins.

4. Single Edge Contact (SEC) Cartridge – does not use pins but connects to one of the edges in the motherboard.
 The form factor of motherboards pertains to the size and shape of the board. It also describes the physical
layout of the different components and devices on the motherboard. Various form factors exist for motherboards:

AT – Advanced Technology

ATX – Advanced Technology Extended

Mini-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX

Micro-ATX – Smaller footprint of ATX

LPX – Low-profile Extended

NLX – New Low-profile Extended

BTX – Balanced Technology Extended

The function of the northbridge is primarily a fast path between the CPU and the video bus and system RAM. While
the southbridge connects with the slow hardware/components of the system.
See the photo below (courtesy of Quora) to understand the function of these bridges:

 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Commonly known as the CPU or processor, this is the brain of the computer. It interprets and carries out the
basic instructions to operate a computer.

It impacts overall computing power and manages most of the computer operations. The motherboard contains
a socket to hold the processor or CPU. The central processing unit (CPU), also called the processor or
microprocessor, does most of the processing of data and instructions for the entire system. Because the CPU
generates heat, a fan and heat sink might be installed on top to keep it cool.

Nowadays, processors have multiple cores called multi-core processors. This means that the processor is a
single chips that has two or more separate processors. In multi-core processors, each of the processors run at a
slower clock speed as compared to a single-core processor, but this efficient process typically increases
performance. There are two kinds of common multi-core processors today:

1. Dual Core Processor – chip that contains two separate processors

2. Quad Core Processor – chip with four separate processors

 AMD and Intel are the two most popular brands of processors in the market nowadays.

Bundled with the processors are the heat sinks. A heat sink consists of metal fins that draw heat away
from a component. The fan and heat sink together are called the processor cooler. The photo below shows a CPU
with a heat sink mounted on the motherboard.

 Random Access Memory (RAM)

The Random Access Memory or RAM acts as temporary storage as long as the computer is running. The
contents of the RAM change as programs are executed. These are chips that are placed directly on the
motherboard. These RAM consists of switches which are triggered by changes in electric current.

Three basic types of RAM:

1. Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – This kind of RAM needs to be recharged by the CPU. If not, it loses its contents.
There are many variations of DRAM such as:

 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) – faster than DRAM because it is synchronized to the system clock

 Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM – faster than SDRAM because they transfer data twice for each clock
cycle

 DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM – faster than DDR SDRAM

 ambus DRAM (RDRAM) – type of DRAM faster than SDRAM that uses pipelining techniques

2. Static RAM (SRAM) – This kind is faster and more reliable than any form of DRAM. Unlike the DRAM, this does
not need to be re-energized. However, it is much more expensive and it used for special purposes.

3. Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) – This kind stores data using magnetic charges instead of electrical charges.
It has greater storage capacity, consume less power, and faster access times.

The RAM chips are housed in a small circuit board called the memory module, which is inserted into the
motherboard.
Three types of memory modules:

1. Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM) – this has pins on opposite sides of the circuit board which connect
together to form a single set of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with DIMMs.

2. Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) – the pins on the opposite sides of the circuit board do not connect and
form two sets of contacts. This houses SDRAM chips along with SIMMs.

3. Rambus Inline Memory Module (RIMM) – this houses RDRAM chips

The computer will need a certain amount of memory to be able to handle programs, data, and information,
depending on the types of applications used.

The more RAM a computer has, the faster the computer will be.
 To be able to use basic application software such as Office Suite, one needs at least 1GB of RAM.
 Using programs and multimedia should have at least 4GB.
 Playing modern games or using editing software will require at least 8GB.
Today the RAM ranges up to 64GB depending on the programs that will be used for the computer.

Memory and storage sizes

While performing a processing operation, a processor needs a place to temporarily store instructions to
be executed and the data to be used with those instructions. Memory is also known as primary storage or internal
storage. This role of memory to store both data and programs is known as the stored program concept. The size
of memory is measured by the number of bytes available for use. A kilobyte of memory is equal to exactly 1,024
bytes. To make storage definitions easier to identify, computer users often round a kilobyte down to 1,000 bytes.
A megabyte (MB) is equal to approximately 1 million bytes. A gigabyte (GB) equals approximately 1 billion bytes.
A terabyte (TB) is equal to approximately 1 trillion bytes.

The system unit contains two types of memory: volatile and nonvolatile. The contents of volatile memory are
lost when the computer power is turned off. In nonvolatile memory, the combination of circuit states is fixed, and
therefore the contents of nonvolatile memory are not lost when power is removed from the computer.
  Cooling Technology
Cooling technologies are essential in avoiding the computer from overheating and maintaining a good,
well-ventilated system.

Chassis Fan
Several cooling technologies are present throughout the system unit:
 Fans are also present in several components such as the power supply, ports, processor, hard
disk etc.
 Heat sink, on another hand, is a small metal or ceramic component with fins on the surface
which absorbs and distributes heat produced by electrical components.
 Heat pipe is used on smaller devices like notebook computers since this is smaller in size.

Heat sink

 Expansion Cards
A motherboard has expansion slots to be used by expansion cards. An expansion card, also called an adapter
card, is a circuit board that provides more ports than those provided by the motherboard.

The photo below shows a Video Card, where it provides three video ports. Notice the cooling fan and heat
sink on the card, which help to keep the card from overheating. The trend today is for most ports in a system to be
provided by the motherboard (called onboard ports) and less use of expansion cards.

There are also other variants of expansion cards such as network cards, sound cards, video capture
cards, interface cards, and other expansion cards that cater to whatever the computer user for his/her needs and
improvements for the system.
  Storage
A system might have one or more hard drives, an optical drive, a tape drive, or, for really old systems, a floppy
drive.
A hard drive, also called a hard disk drive (HDD), is permanent storage used to hold data and programs.

Hard Disk Drive

For example, the Windows operating system and applications are installed on the hard drive. All drives
in a system are installed in a stack of drive bays at either the front or on the lower portion of the case. Nowadays,
users use Solid State Drive or SSDs because of its use of flash memory, which does not use physical disks to
write memory/data.

Solid State Drive

Each drive has two connections for cables: the power cable connects to the power supply and another
cable, used for data and instructions, connects to the motherboard.

SATA Cable // SATA Connector Slot in the Motherboard

 Ports, Sockets, Slots, & Connectors

The motherboard has several ports, sockets, slots, and connectors that link the computers'
components, input, and output devices among each other. First we'll look at the port which are usually
found at the side of the motherboard or the back of the system case.

The port basically serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or peripheral
devices.

A port generally refers to the female part of connection. Computer ports have many uses, to connect
a monitor, webcam, speakers, or other peripheral devices.
 On the physical layer, a computer port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug
or cable connects. Electronically, the several conductors where the port and cable contacts connect,
provide a method to transfer signals between devices.

Familiarize yourself with the following ports usually found with computer systems below:
3. Ports, Sockets & Connectors
 Ports
  Sockets

The following are the most common sockets found in the motherboard. The CPU socket where the
CPU itself is inserted and the CMOS slot where the CMOS battery (which lets the motherboard remember
the date and time of the computer) that is replaced after it has worn out.
Name:____________________________ Section:_________ Date:_____________

Lesson 5. Basic Hardware Components of Computer Systems

Written Work #5
I. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. The computer, since it was made in the 19th century, have been developed and improved through the years.
The following are the computers made during those years EXCEPT FOR:
a. Analytical Engine c. Atanasoff-Berry Computer
b. MS-Dos d. Value Machine
2. The following are storage devices EXCEPT FOR:
a. Solid State Drive c. Flash Drive
b. Hard Disk Drive d. Random Access Memory

3. This is a kind of port that is used in modern monitors and home theaters. It also transmits digital audio and video.
a. VGA c. S/PDIF
b. HDMI d. Firewire
4. How much GB of RAM (at least) should the following require?
Basic application software such as Office Suite | at least ___ GB .
Programs and multimedia | at least ___ GB.
Modern games and editing software | at least ___ GB.
a. 4, 8, 16 c. 2, 6, 8
b. 1, 2, 4 d. 1, 4, 8

5. This serves as the source for electricity to the computer. Attached are vital hardware cables and buses for
transferring power to various components in the computer.
a. System Unit c. Power Supply
b. Battery d. Central Processing Unit
6. The computer is a device that accepts information in the form of ___________________, and manipulates it for
some result based on a program or sequence of instructions on how the data is to be processed.
a. Controlled Currents c. Electric Blasts
b. Digitalized Data d. Analog Frequencies
7. The following are FACTS about the Central Processing Unit (CPU) EXCEPT FOR:
a. It is also called the processor.
b. A fan and a heat sink is usually installed to regulate its temperature.
c. Intel is the only brand of CPU available in the market.
d. It is the brain of the computer. It interprets and carries out the basic instructions to operate a computer.
8. an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte storage capacity on a single-sided, one-layered disk,
which is enough for a 133-minute movie.
a. CD c. Flashdrive
b. DVD d. Memory card
9. Primary input device used to input alphanumeric data and commands to the computer
a. mouse c. monitor
b. keyboard d. joystick

10. Acts as the primary display of the unit where the user interface and programs are reflected.
a. mouse c. monitor
b. keyboard d. joystick
II. TRUE or FALSE. Write TRUE if the statement is Correct, FALSE if otherwise.

______________1. Computer systems fall into two broad divisions: clients and networks.
______________2. Servers range from small to large: low-end servers, midrange servers and mainframes.
______________3. The function of the southbridge is primarily a fast path between the CPU and the video bus
and system RAM. While the northbridge connects with the slow hardware/components of the system.
______________4. Client machines fall into three categories from low to high end: laptop, desktop and
workstation.
______________5. AMD and Intel are the two most popular brands of processors in the market nowadays.

PERFORMANCE TASK

TITLE: Identify the Different Computer Components and Peripherals

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE: In the tool shop, given the supplies, computer components
and peripherals, materials, and equipment, you are required to identify the different computer
components and peripherals and their specifications in 15 Minutes.

SUPPLIES/MATERIALS: Paper and Pen

EQUIPMENT:
1. Computer
2. PPE

STEPS/PROCEDURE:
1. Proceed to the station (with PC Unit)
2. Identify the different components and write the specifications of each component on your
paper
3. Classify them whether it is an Input, Processing, Storage, or an Output Devices
4. Submit the output for evaluation

ASSESSMENT METHOD: Practicum with interview

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA CHECKLIST

CRITERIA YES NO

Computer components and peripherals are identified correctly

Questions about the computer components and peripherals are
answered correctly
Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) were used properly

The objective of the activity are achieved accordingly

 KEY ANSWERS
Lesson 5. Basic Hardware Components of Computer Systems

I.

1. D 6. B

2. D 7. C

3. B 8. B

4. D 9. B

5. C 10. C

II.
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True

References:
TESDA
Computer Hardware Servicing Module Grade 7 -10 Learning Module
Department of Education Learning Module