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By
James Overly
Cyber Exchange
It seems
nowadays everyone has a computer or two and if not they
are looking to buy one. The reasons people buy computers
have become about as varied as the number of people buying
them. We know computers can do a multitude of tasks, some
to entertain, some more productive and some simply to pass
the time. But just what is a computer? That is, what makes
a computer a computer?
Instead of a history lesson on computers, which although
interesting would do little in helping use or buy them,
we will look at the different components and how they all
work together. Most computers are made of several different
components that all have unique tasks to perform. Knowing
what these components are may be helpful in troubleshooting
errors, buying a new one or just helping to take some of
the mystery out of the beeping, flashing box sitting next
to the desk.
Most computers are made up of the same basic components,
although there can be many differences among each component.
The basic components are a main board (also know as a motherboard),
CPU, hard drive, floppy drive, video card, RAM (memory)
and a case. These parts make up the most basic computer.
Most computers also contain some of the following parts:
a sound card, a CD-ROM drive, a modem, a network card, a
DVD player, a CDRW drive, a Zip drive, and USB ports.
There are more but these are the most common components
in home and business computers. So what do all these foreign
sounding parts do?
The main board is the part of the computer that all the
other parts plug into. It largely determines the overall
make up of the rest of the computer. This one piece determines
the types and quality of the components that can plug into
it. Some main boards have other components built into them
making it difficult at best or impossible to upgrade later.
In most pre-made brand-name computers the choice for a main
board has already been made, leaving no options. Be aware
when choosing this component and if given the options choose
the most flexible main board. Although not always the most
expensive to buy it is usually the most costly repair since
it involves removal of all the other components to replace,
increasing the time to fix.
The CPU or central processing unit (only use its full name
if you want to be labeled a geek) is a chip usually considered
the brains of a computer. So what does that mean? The CPU
handles all the thinking of a computer. Anything that a
computer does or displays on the screen must at some point
be processed or pass through the CPU. There are other chips
that help it but most of the information is still processed
by the CPU.
That is why the faster the CPU the better the computer.
Think of it this way: if a person were to move all their
belongings to a new home by themselves it would take a long
time. But for every friend they had help them it would reduce
the time to move. In the same way the faster the CPU the
less time a particular function takes in a computer. CPUs
can be inexpensive or the most expensive part of the computer,
depending on their speed. To replace them, there is no repair;
the cost would again depend on the speed of the chip. It
should be noted that the main board determines the max speed
of CPU that a computer can be upgraded to.
Now on to the hard drive. This is the component where all
the information that a computer uses is semi-permanently
stored. Why semi-permanently stored? Because it can be erased
just like a cassette tape. It can be erased on purpose or
by accident, as many unfortunately already know. The drive
can also physically fail and thereby have the information
irretrievable, at least by conventional means.
Hard drives store the information in the same way a garage
stores many of the larger household items, lawn mowers,
bikes, rakes, shovels, etc. The items or information are
all ready and waiting to be used, just being temporarily
stored until needed. The more items or information stored
the larger the garage or hard drive needs to be.
Hard drives come in many sizes and the use of the computer
generally determines the size of drive needed. It should
also be noted that main boards have hard drive size limits
depending on the age and chip set on the main board. Hard
drives are generally in the mid range in price compared
to other components and can be replace at the same cost
and are relatively easy to install.
A 3-inch floppy drive has not changed in the last 10 years
and has changed very little since the first 5-inch drive.
Most every computer has one and most people never have a
need to use them today. At one time all the programs people
bought where on 3-inch floppies, not CD-ROMs. Today floppy
drives are used sparingly for file transfers or diagnosing
a sick computer. Think of them as an extremely small portable
hard drive, able to move information between one computer
and another.
The video card helps produce and displays all the pictures
that a person sees when using the computer. Wait, doesn't
the CPU handle all the information? Yes, but it does get
help. The better the video card the less work the CPU has
to do there by freeing it up to move on to other tasks.
At the bare minimum the video card displays the pictures
that the CPU tells it to. The CPU processes the information,
turns some of it into a picture and the video card displays
the picture.
However, if the video card is more complex and therefore
more expensive it can do some of the processing instead
of the CPU. The type of computer usage should determine
the size and quality of video card. Games are more graphically-oriented
and therefore need a much more powerful video card to handle
the displaying of so many colors at such a fast rate. Movies,
DVDs, pictures again all require or at least recommend a
better video card. Keep in mind the main board will determine
the most advanced card that can be used.
RAM or memory is the part of the computer that stores information
just before the CPU uses or processes it. Doesn't the hard
drive store the information? Yes, hard drives do store the
information but are slow compared to RAM, which is slow
compared to the CPU. So the way a computer works with information
is as follows.
Information is stored on the hard drive until needed by
the CPU, however the CPU does not have direct access to
the hard drive, so the CPU makes a request for the needed
information and that information is moved to the RAM at
which point the CPU has access to it. In this process the
CPU would have to wait for the information to go from the
hard drive to the RAM and then to itself. In computers today
information that the CPU may need is stored in RAM, that
way if the CPU makes a request for this information it is
readily available.
What information is moved to RAM and how does the computer
"guess" as to what will be needed next? Much hardware and
software development has been done to address this issue.
Suffice it to say that computers have become faster because
of the steps taken to guess correctly at providing information
in RAM for the CPU.
This is the most economical upgrade to increase a computer's
performance. The more memory the faster a computer will
operate. If memory goes bad it can cause general protection
fault errors and illegal operation errors. The computer
still seems to function but is plagued by countless "blue
screens of death". RAM is not readily repaired, so it is
replaced when bad. The only way to know if RAM has failed
is to bring it to a local computer store with a RAM tester
and have it tested.
A case is the simplest component to explain, but there are
literally hundreds to choose from. Style, size, functionality,
price, and features all play a role in choosing the right
case. The case is simply the box all the components fit
into.
Sound cards provide a computer with a way to produce sound.
The type of sound card will determine the quality of sound
produced. Generally the more expensive the card the better
the sound or music produced. Not much rocket science here.
A CD-ROM is the component that allows most programs to be
installed on a computer. It provides a place for information
to be read and transferred to the hard drive where it is
stored for latter usage. CD ROMs are measured in rotation
speeds: 32X, 48X, 52X and so on. This simply means a 52X
drive spins 52 "times" faster than the first CD-ROM. Brands
and durability are the two important factors when choosing
a drive. Cost is reasonable and replacement is the option
when a CD-ROM fails.
The modem is the most common way people use to access the
Internet or World Wide Web. The most common speed today
is the 56K and is used over standard phone lines. There
are faster modems available; ISDN, DSL and Cable are three
of the more common in use. The faster the modem, the quicker
access to the Internet the computer has. Most Internet activity
is not limited by the computer but by the modem.
The more Internet activity a person uses, the faster the
modem that should be considered. Keep in mind more speed
equates to more cost.
There are many differences within each type of component,
including brand, quality, and price. Knowing which one will
work with any given computer or which one would be best
for the application being used is best determined by someone
with good knowledge of what is available in today's market.
It is easy to buy a component that seems to be an improvement,
but knowing how it will inter act with the rest of the computer
often determines any components true usefulness. There is
much more technical information available on any of the
above components, but they all work in the same basic way.
Go forth with this new knowledge and enlighten your friends.
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