COS 101

• Hardware (HW)


  All physical components of a computer system, including the devices connected to it
• You cannot create a computer or use software without using hardware
• The screen on which you are reading this information is also a hardware
• Hardware upgrade


  A new hardware, or a replacement for the old one, or additional hardware developed to improve the performance of the existing hardware
• Hardware upgrade examples


  • RAM upgrade
  • Video card upgrade
• Commonly used hardware in a computer


  • Motherboard
  • Monitor
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
• Motherboard


  • It is a thin circuit board that holds together almost all parts of a computer except input and output devices
  • It allocates power to all hardware located on it and enables them to communicate with each other
  • It is meant to hold the computer's microprocessor chip and let other components connect to it
  • Each component that runs the computer or improves its performance is a part of the motherboard or connected to it through a slot or port
• Components of a motherboard


  • CPU slot
  • RAM slot
  • Expansion slot
  • AGP slot
  • PCI slot
  • Northbridge
  • Southbridge
  • USB port
  • Heat sink
  • Power connector
  • CMOS battery
• CPU slot


  Also called CPU socket or Processor Socket. It is provided to install the CPU. It is a link between a microprocessor and a motherboard.
• RAM slot


  Memory slot or socket provided in the motherboard to insert or install the RAM (Random Access Memory)
• Expansion slot


  Also called the bus slot or expansion port. It is a connection or port on the motherboard, which provides an installation point to connect a hardware expansion card
• AGP slot


  Accelerated Graphics Port. It provides the slot to connect graphics cards.
• PCI slot


  Peripheral Component Interconnect slot. It allows you to connect the PCI devices like modems, network hardware, sound, and video cards.
• Northbridge


  Also known as the host bridge or Memory Controller. It allows communications between the CPU interface, AGP, and memory. It also allows the southbridge chip to communicate with the RAM, CPU, and graphics controller.
• Southbridge


  It implements the slower capabilities of the motherboard in the northbridge/southbridge chipset computer architecture.
• USB port


  Allows you to connect hardware devices like mouse, keyboard to your computer.
• Heat sink


  Absorbs and disperses the heat generated in the computer processor.
• Power connector


  Designed to supply power to the motherboard.
• CMOS battery


  Stores the BIOS settings such as time, date, and hardware settings.
• Monitor


  • It comprises a screen circuity and the case which encloses this circuity
  • It is also known as a visual display unit (VDU)
• Types of monitors


  • CRT Monitor
  • LCD Monitor
  • LED Monitor
  • Plasma Monitor
• Keyboard


  It is the most important input device of a computer. It is designed to allow you input text, characters, and other commands into a computer, desktop, tablet, etc.
• Types of keyboards


  • QWERTY Keyboards
  • AZERTY Keyboards
  • DVORAK Keyboards
• Mouse


  It is a small handheld device designed to control or move the pointer (computer screen's cursor) in a GUI (graphical user interface). It allows you to point to or select objects on a computer's display screen.
• Types of mouse


  • Trackball mouse
  • Mechanical Mouse
  • Optical Mouse
  • Wireless Mouse
• Parts of a mouse


  • Two buttons
  • Scroll Wheel
  • Battery
  • Motion Detection Assembly
• External hardware components


  Items that are frequently attached to the computer from outside in order to control input or output functions
• Examples of input hardware components


  • Microphone
  • Camera
  • Touchpad
  • USB flash drive
  • Memory card
• Examples of output hardware components


  • Printer
  • Speaker
  • Headphones, earphones, earbuds
• Software (SW or S/W)


  A set of programs that enables the hardware to perform a specific task
• Types of software


  • System software
  • Application software
  • Programming software
• System software


  • The main software that runs the computer
  • It activates the hardware and controls and coordinates their functioning
  • It also controls the application programs
• Operating system


  System software that works as an interface to enable the user to communicate with the computer. It manages and coordinates the functioning of hardware and software of the computer.
• Examples of system software


  • BIOS
  • Boot program
  • Assembler
  • Device driver
• BIOS


  Basic input output system. It is the first software that gets activated when you turn on your computer system. It loads the drivers of the hard disk into memory as well as assists the operating system to load itself into the memory.
• Boot program


  Enables the computer to perform the basic input/output instructions to start the computer.
• Assembler


  Converts basic computer instructions into a pattern of bits that the processor can use to perform basic operations.
• Device driver


  Controls hardware devices connected to a computer. It enables the computer to use the hardware by providing an appropriate interface.
• Application software


  • A set of programs designed to perform a specific task
  • It does not control the working of a computer as it is designed for end-users
  • It can be easily installed or uninstalled as required
• Types of application software


  • Word processing software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Multimedia software
  • Enterprise software