MetComm.Net, LLC :: Information technology is there for you!

By: Eric Durrand

Most people think of their PC as a Pandora box. They don’t want to know what’s inside, as long as it’s working. When the computer starts freezing often, or slowing down considerably – they blame the software companies, or the unknowable gods inside the machine.

This attitude is surprising, considering these same people’s attitudes towards their cars: when the engine is overheating, most people don’t ignore it, or complain to the upholstering company: they know the problem is with the cooling system and that they need to either stock up on cooling liquid, or perhaps see a mechanic.

When buying a car, they generally know the difference between different engine volumes, between ABS breaks and regular breaks, different kinds of fuel, seating, and cargo space. But when buying a new PC, they may confuse memory with hard drive space, CPU with CD-R, and optical drive with optical mouse. 

In this beginner-level article we’ll learn to understand some of the basic parts of the PC, and what they’re good for. This introduction will continue from time to time in future articles.

Your PC is composed of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), connected to a motherboard, that seats various components including memory cards, hard drivers, sound cards, graphic cards, optical drives, and various input and output devices.

If you look at this schematic sketch of a motherboard, you will see the general locations of: (1) The CPU, (2) The RAM memory slots, (3) The Hard-Drive connection, (4) The floppy and optical drives connections, (5) The PCI slots for sound cards, graphics cards, and network cards, and finally (6) the connections to external devices including mouse, keyboard, monitor, and USB.

The CPU, the most complicated PC component to understand, is the “brain” of the machine, the part where calculations are made, and so it naturally has a great impact on total performance. New processors are released every few months, with increasingly faster clock speeds, Bus and Front Side speeds, and new technologies such as Core Duo and 64 bit processing which may or may not improve the performance for any specific application. In general, a better clock speed means faster processor, though innovative multitasking technologies such as Core Duo, and 64 bits can speed applications up without increasing clock speed.

  Memory Chips, often called RAM memory, sit in the slots at number (2), and make up your PC’s short term memory. This is where the operating system stores all the information about your currently open programs, preferences, and open documents. For people who use complex applications or multiple applications at the same time – having enough memory is crucial. The minimum for smooth operation using Windows XP is 256MB, but it may slow you down considerably if you keep multiple windows open. Ideally your PC will have at least 512MB, 1024MB or even 2048MB of memory. The type of memory also affects performance: SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) chip memory is faster and more reliable than the more common DRAM (Dynamic RAM).

 The Hard Drive, or Hard Disc, is the long-term storage device in your PC. This is where your files, documents, folders, programs, and settings are stored long term. Hard Drives come in various speeds, measured in RPMs (Rounds per Minute), ranging from 4,800 RPM (in mobile and external devices), through 7,200 RPM (in most workstations), to 15,000 RPM (in servers). Hard Drives can be either internal (which is usually also faster), or external – using USB, FireWire, or SCSI connections. An HD typical device sold today might range from 30GB of storage to 750GB, with the common workstation hard drive usually holding around 80GB.

To this basic setting you must add a multitude of other devices and factors, which we will cover in future articles. Other drives, including CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-R, sound cards and video cards, network cards, modems, keyboards, mice, monitors, USB hubs – all come together to create the PC that gives you better or worse performance, better or worse satisfaction.

 How can you tell what’s hiding beneath your computer’s skin? The easiest and fastest way is to go to your Windows Desktop, right-click My Computer, and choose Properties. Under the General tab, you will be able to see a short summary of the basics, such as model, CPU, and memory. Under the Hardware tab, click on Device Manager to see an overview of all the devices recognized by Windows.

 Another way is to use a specialized tool to give you all the information you need (and more). AIDA32, is one free program that could help you. AIDA32 gathers information on all aspects of your computer, from Operating System to Sound Cards, presenting the information in an easy to grasp graphical interface. Other tools include System Spec, and Everest.

 Whether you are new to computers, or a long-time user, it is always better to understand the basics of what makes your PC tick , than to be left in the dark when it’s time for an upgrade, or when something goes wrong. In future articles, we will tell you more about the various components of any PC system, why they’re important, and how to pick the best one for you.