Peek inside your PC



















































 
  INTRODUCTION : What are the various components of your PC? What are their specific functions? Well, this quick look under the hood will show you all you need to know.
THE PROCESSOR : The computer you are using to read this page uses a processor to do its work. The processor is the heart of any normal computer, whether it is a desktop machine, a server, or a laptop. Whether you are playing games or creating a spreadsheet file, the processor coordinates the flow of information between the various components of your system. It performs mathematical operations and works on various kinds of data. Processors are identified by their interface, their brand and also by the price range they fall under.
RAM : Next to the CPU itself, RAM is the most important factor in computer performance. If you don't have enough, adding RAM can make more of a difference than getting a new CPU. The RAM is where data is stored before the processor or any other component accesses it. This memory is volatile because its contents are lost each time you switch off your computer. But you can access the data stored here at a very fast rate compared to any other storage system.

RAM is fabricated in the form of 'sticks' that contain the memory chips, which are inserted into the motherboard of your computer. RAM is identified according to its type, its speed and its interface.
HARD DISK DRIVE : Hard disk drives are storehouses of information that hold all the programs and data in your computer. These devices are constructed out of platters known as disks, upon which data can be stored. As these platters spin, read-write heads access the information on the platters. Therefore, hard disks are a combination of mechanics as well as electronics. One important feature of a hard disk drive is that it does not lose information even after the system is powered down. Hard disks are identified by their interface, spindle speed and storage capacity.
MOTHERBOARD : The motherboard is the very foundation upon which your computer system is built. It is used as a physical and electronic foundation to interconnect the various components in your computer system. It consists of various sections where different types of hardware can be connected-the processor interface, the RAM slots, the IDE (hard disk/CDROM) connectors, the expansion slots and other integrated peripherals. Integrated peripherals are devices that are directly built into the motherboard to add functionality and to reduce your total system cost. Motherboards are identified according to the types of processors they support, their size and the chipset used in them.
GRAPHICS CARD : Since the early days of personal computers, most graphics cards have been translators, taking the fully developed image created by the computer's CPU and translating it into the electrical impulses required to drive the computer's monitor. All cards today also feature some form of 3D acceleration, which is a specialised functionality that speeds up the display of 3D images and objects-the kind that are found in games and other applications. With this card, special effects like fog, mist and other environmental and lighting effects can also be simulated. The basic components of a graphics card are the processor, the video RAM and the interface. Graphics cards are identified by the graphics processors they use, their interface and the amount of video RAM they feature.
CD-ROM / DVD DRIVE : The CDROM / DVD drive is used to run data, video and audio disks. These devices consist of a mechanical assembly that spins the CD (or DVD) disk and the information on these disks is read optically. This is done with the help of a fine laser beam that detects the digital information that is encoded onto the surface of the disks. This laser beam assembly moves in a manner that is similar to that of a record player -radially from the center to the outer edges. The differentiation between CD and DVD drives is in the amount of data that can be stored on the disks. This varies from 650 MB for CD-ROMs up to 17 GB for DVD disks. CD and DVD drives are classified according to their interface and the maximum speed of the drives.
FLOPPY DRIVE : Floppy drives are one of the few devices that have managed to last it out ever since the first computers were created. This is a storage device that became very popular simply because of its large installed base and ease of use. It stores information on disks that can carry 1.44 MB of data and are available in a 3.5-inch form factor. Its predecessors were much larger and could store lesser amounts of data and were therefore discontinued. They work on primarily the same principles as that of a hard disk - though on a much smaller and slower scale.
MONITOR : The monitor is a display system that works in very much the same manner as your television at home. The major component in a monitor is the picture tube that contains a phosphor screen and three electron guns that fire a continuous stream of electrons. When these electrons hit the phosphor screen, it glows and an image is produced when the entire screen is scanned continuously from top to bottom. Monitors are specified by their screen sizes and also by other factors like the maximum resolution that it supports. Newer display systems are now available in the form of TFT and LCD monitors that use the same principles as that of your digital watch.
MOUSE : The mouse is the device that lets you point the cursor to any part of the screen in a graphical operating system like Windows. The main parts in most mice are two little rollers - one on the X-axis and the other on the Y-axis. At the base of the mouse there is a ball that comes into contact with these two rollers. When you move the mouse over a surface, the movement of the two rollers is converted into digital information that decides the direction and rate of movement of the cursor.

Now, we have optical mice which have a little camera built into the base, that 'sees' the movement of the surface underneath the mouse. This allows greater accuracy and precision in moving the cursor. Mice are identified according to their interface and the technology that they use.
KEYBOARD : The keyboard is an input device that lets you type information into your computer. It basically consists of switches that, when pressed, send a code to the computer that corresponds to the character pressed. The basic components of a keyboard are the array of switches and a chip in the keyboard that continually scans for any keys pressed. This chip also sends the corresponding code to the computer depending upon the key presses. Keyboards are classified according to the technology that is used to construct the keys, like membrane switches or mechanical switches, and also according to the number of keys it contains. The keyboard connects to the PS/2 port at the back of your computer or even to the USB port as seen in the newer keyboards.
MODEM : The modem connects your computer to the outside world. The word modem is derived from the words MOdulator-DEModulator and it describes the way in which the modem works. Since modems use the phone line to transmit and receive information, it has to convert digital signals from your computer to analog tones that can be transmitted by the telephone line and vice versa. Modem speeds range from 9.6 kBits/s, which are the slowest, to 56 kBits/s, the faster ones. The fastest are Cable modems which blaze at anything between 3 - 50 Mbits/s, depending upon the cable distance. Modems connect to your computer via the serial port or USB port and also incorporate additional capabilities like fax and answering machine features depending upon the software bundled with it.
LAN CARD : The LAN card enables you to link your computer to other computers using a network. Usually available as PCI cards, the LAN card plugs into your computer and upon configuration lets you share files and use other resources, such as printers, in a network. It is most often found in office computers where information needs to be shared. Depending upon the network interface they support, there are basically two types of network cards available - coaxial or UTP. Coaxial is similar to the cable that lets you view cable TV at home and the UTP LAN card is a smaller wire that enables faster data transfer and ease of connectivity.
SOUND CARD : Sound Card is the device that lets you hear all those MP3 songs and sound effects from your games. This card plugs either into a PCI or ISA slot and converts information sent to it into audio signals that are eventually used to drive external speakers or headphones. Soundcards also feature additional connectors that let you interface external audio equipment like microphones, musical devices, joysticks etc. Newer soundcards also have more exotic features like four-channel support for surround sound, audio processing for simulating audio effects and generating soundstages like cinema, concert hall and arena effects. Top