Various PC Components

Various PC Components

A PC uses a combination of hardware and software. Both hardware and software work together to perform various functions. The hardware is composed of many electronic components including all the internal (motherboard, hard disk, and power supply) and external components (monitor, keyboard, and mouse). The software refers to any set of instructions that tell the hardware what to do. Word processor, web browser, and media player are examples of software. Each component has its own function and contributes to the overall working of the system. A computer cannot function or may not work properly it we remove any component out of it. However, we can improve the performance of the system by upgrading a component with the latest one. For example, we can upgrade the RAM to improve the system performance. Let’s learn about the various components of a PC.

Motherboard

Motherboard is often referred to as the backbone of PC and any other electronic device such as a game console or cell phone. Every component of the PC is directly or indirectly connected to the motherboard. It doesn’t have actual processing Unit (GPU). Motherboard is the largest Printed Board Circuit (PCB) inside the system unit and contains numerous chips, electric conductors, slots, connectors, and other electronic components. It ensures that every signal is sent where it is needed, interpreted correctly, and then passes to where it needs to go.

CPU

The CPU or the processor is the most powerful component of a PC that performs all the actual work, that is, it executes stored program instructions as well as handles all instructions it receives from various hardware and software components. It is a highly complex, extensive set of electronic circuitry. The CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer. The CPU follows a sequence: fetch, decode, execute, and store; that is, it fetches instructions from memory, decodes them into binary instructions, executes the action, and stores the output to memory.

Memory

Computer memory refers to any physical device that can store information either temporarily or permanently. There are two types of computer memory; primary and secondary. Primary memory is the main memory of the computer. It is of two types: Read-Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM).

ROM- It is located on the motherboard and contains important instructions and programs that are essential for a computer to function. It the power is turned off, the information on ROM is not lost. Therefore, it is also called as permanent or non-volatile memory.

RAM- It uses integrated circuits (ICs) and therefore, it can store the information as long as there is electricity. If the power is turned off, the information on RAM is erased. Therefore, it is also called as temporary or volatile memory.  It is attached to the RAM slots on the motherboard.

RAM

ROM

Storage Device

A storage device mainly refers to the secondary memory of the computer and is used for permanent data storage and data transfer. This type of memory has more storage space and is less expensive than the primary memory. IT is mainly used as the backup storage for the computer. Secondary memory can be internal such as a hard disk, or external and removable such as a pen drive, memory card, or CD/DVD.

Power Supply

A power supply unit (or PSU) is a hardware component that supplies to the internal components of the computer. It regulates the power for the internal components of a computer by converting mains AC to low-voltage DC power. Modern PCs use switched-mode power supplies (SMPS), which regulate and stabilize the output voltage using switching devices.

Adapter Card

An adapter card refers to any internal expansion card that can be inserted into a slot on the motherboard. It allows one hardware to be adapted as another hardware. It enables the computer to communicate with its peripheral devices. In modern PCs, most peripheral devices use and adapter to communicate with system bus, for example, a network adapter is required to connect to any network.

Cooling System and Fan

Computer components often generate excessive heat that can be harmful for these components. It is necessary to remove this excess heat using a cooling system or fan. A cooling system or fan reduces the temperature inside the system unit by actively exhausting hot air.

Firmware and Chipset

Firmware refers to software that are mainly designed for and embedded permanently into a hardware component such as a keyboard, hard drive, BIOS, or video card. It stores basic information about the hardware that makes it work. Firmware also allows the hardware devices to communicate with each other. Without the firmware, the hardware won’t work. Firmware is stored in the ROM of the hardware and can be erased and rewritten.

In a PC, a chipset is a set of independent microchips or ICs on the motherboard that controls the flow of data and instructions between the processor, memory, and peripheral devices.

BIOS

BIOS stand for Basic Input/ Output System. It is a non-volatile firmware use to start the PC when we switch it on. It also allows us to set up the PC at the most basic level. It is found on the motherboard as a software or firmware component, and includes instructions on how to load basic computer hardware. When we turn the PC on, the BIOS performs a test referred to as POST (power on self-test). The test checks whether the P meets requirements to start properly. On failure, we receive beep sounds that indicate what is wrong within the computer. BIOS also acts as a way for the manufacturer to correct small bugs and to add functionality in the future.

CMOS

 CMOS stand for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor. It is the memory chip on a motherboard that stores the basic start up information (such as date, time, and startup configuration) of the computer. BIOS uses this setting at startup.

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