SUBJECT: Introduction to PC package and Operating system
UNIT – 3
Windows Feature
What is Computer Hardware?
Hardware, refers to all physical components of a computer system, including the
devices connected to it. You cannot create a computer or use software without
using hardware.
Computer Hardware Parts
Some of the commonly used hardware in your computer are described below:
1. Motherboard
2. Monitor
3. Keyboard
4. Mouse
1) Motherboard:
The motherboard is a thin circuit board that holds together almost all parts of a
computer except input and output devices. All crucial hardware like CPU,
memory, hard drive, and ports for input and output devices are located on the
motherboard. It is the biggest circuit board in a computer chassis.
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.
There can be different types of motherboards based on the type and size of the
computers. So, a specific motherboard can work only with specific types of
processors and memory.
Components of a Motherboard:
CPU Slot: It is provided to install the CPU. It is a link between a microprocessor
and a motherboard. It facilitates the use of CPU and prevents the damage when it
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is installed or removed. Furthermore, it is provided with a lock to prevent CPU
movement and a heat sink to dissipate the extra heat.
RAM Slot: It is a memory slot or socket provided in the motherboard to insert or
install the RAM (Random Access Memory). There can be two or more memory
slots in a computer.
Capacitor: It is made of two conductive plates, and a thin insulator sandwiched
between them. These parts are wrapped in a plastic container.
Inductor (Coil): It is an electromagnetic coil made of a conducting wire wrapped
around an iron core. It acts as an inductor or electromagnet to store magnetic
energy.
USB Port: It allows you to connect hardware devices like mouse, keyboard to
your computer.
PCI Slot: It stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect slot. It allows you to
connect the PCI devices like modems, network hardware, sound, and video cards.
Heat Sink: It absorbs and disperses the heat generated in the computer processor.
Power Connector: It is designed to supply power to the motherboard.
CMOS battery: It stands for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor. It is a
memory that stores the BIOS settings such as time, date, and hardware settings.
2) Monitor:
A monitor is the display unit of a computer on which the processed data, such as
text, images, etc., is displayed.
Types of Monitors:
1. CRT Monitor: It has cathode ray tubes which produce images in the form
of video signals. Its main components are electron gun assembly,
deflection plate assembly, glass envelope, fluorescent screen, and base.
2. LCD Monitor: It is a flat panel screen. It uses liquid crystal display
technology to produce images on the screen. Advanced LEDs have thin-
film transistors with capacitors and use active-matrix technology, which
allows pixels to retain their charge.
3. LED Monitor: It is an advanced version of an LCD monitor. Unlike an
LCD monitor, which uses cold cathode fluorescent light to backlight the
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display, it has LED panels, each of which has lots of LEDs to display the
backlight.
4. Plasma Monitor: It uses plasma display technology that allows it to
produce high resolutions of up to 1920 X 1080, wide viewing angle, a high
refresh rate, outstanding contrast ration, and more.
3) 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.
It comes with different sets of keys to enter numbers, characters, and perform
various other functions like copy, paste, delete, enter, etc.
It is an input device with a typical QWERTY keyset. It is an external hardware
device that is connected to the computer. It serves as the user's most fundamental
interface with a system. It has numerous buttons that can be used to generate
letters, numbers, and symbols as well as unique keys like the Windows and Alt
keys that can also accomplish other tasks.
Types of Keyboards:
1. QWERTY Keyboards
2. AZERTY Keyboards
3. DVORAK Keyboards
4) Mouse:
It is a small handheld device designed to control or move the pointer. It allows
you to point to or select objects on a computer's display screen. It is generally
placed on a flat surface as we need to move it smoothly to control the pointer.
Types of Mouse: Trackball mouse, Mechanical Mouse, Optical Mouse, Wireless
Mouse, etc.
Software
Software is a set of programs that enables the hardware to perform a specific task.
All the programs that run the computer are software. The software can be of three
types: system software, application software, and programming software.
1) System Software
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The system software is the main software that runs the computer. When you turn
on the computer, it activates the hardware and controls and coordinates their
functioning. The application programs are also controlled by system software. An
operating system is an example of system software.
Operating System:
An operating system is the 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. The commonly used
operating systems are Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Apple Mac OS X.
2) Application Software:
Application software is 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. A
computer can run without application software. Application software can be
easily installed or uninstalled as required. It can be a single program or a
collection of small programs. Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, and any
other software like payroll software or income tax software are application
software. As we know, they are designed to perform specific tasks.
3) Programming Software:
It is a set or collection of tools that help developers in writing other software or
programs. It assists them in creating, debugging, and maintaining software or
programs or applications. We can say that these are facilitator software that helps
translate programming language such as Java, C++, Python, etc., into machine
language code. So, it is not used by end-users. For example, compilers, linkers,
debuggers, interpreters, text editors, etc. This software is also called a
programming tool or software development tool.
What is hardware and software installation?
Hardware and software installation is the process of configuring hardware and
software within a computer application or system. Many pieces of hardware are
enclosed in their own individual cases with external connections made by cables.
The installation of hardware is the process of installing physical components into
a computer or another electronic device. This also includes configuring
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motherboard jumpers or DIP switches, enabling and disabling integrated
components, plugging in cables, etc.
The installation of software is the process of putting data onto some kind of
storage so that it can be accessed by other devices. Both are important elements
required for the correct functioning of any given hardware or software product
being used these days. They are also quite easy to perform.
Scanner, Web Camera, Printers:
You will need to connect these device to your computer to let them communicate
and work together. Most modern printers, scanners, webcams, and other devices
connect via a USB connection. With Windows 10, you can just plug in these
devices and they’re ready to go. However, you sometimes need to install a device
so your computer can recognize it and what it does.
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Disk Management Tools
Disk management tools are utility software that is used to manage data on disk
by performing various functions on it. They perform functions like partitioning
devices, manage drives, disk checking, disk formatting, etc. There are various
types of disk management tools like disk checkers, disk cleaners, and disk
analysers. We also call these tools as disk utility. Utility Software or system
utilities is a type of system software that helps in the proper and smooth
functioning of a computer system.
Basic Functions of Disk Management Tools
The disk utility basically takes care of the computer disk system. It performs all
the tasks which are necessary to keep the functioning of the disk smooth. Some
basic functions that these tools perform are as follows:
• Partitioning of the disk
• Formatting the disk
• Changing disk’s name
• Shrinking a disk partition
• Extending a disk partition
• Deleting a disk partition
• Changing the file system of a driver
Types of Disk Management Tools
1. Disk Cleanup Tools
These tools clean up the unnecessary and unwanted files on the system.
Furthermore, this deletion of files thus helps to clean up the disk space. It prevents
unnecessary clutter and protects privacy.
Temporary files, web caches, old backups, etc. are the files that make up the
unwanted clutter on the disk. Privacy risk happens due to files that have
information about files opened by each computer program. For example log files,
HTTP cookies, etc.
2 Disk Formatters
They prepare a data storage device for the initial use. For example devices like
hard disk, floppy disk, USB flash drive, etc. Moreover, they can also permanently
erase a drive.
The formatting has three levels:
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Low-level formatting
Partitioning
High-level formatting
3. Disk Partitioning Tools
These tools divide the disk into more than one region. It does this so that each
region can be managed separately and hence, more efficiently. These regions are
the partitions. A partition table is also maintained which contains information
about the location and size of each partition.
4. Disk Defragmenter
This utility software helps to reduce the fragmentation and hence, reduces the
access speed. Defragmenting refers to rearranging files and storing them in
contiguous memory locations. This means that when the contents of some files
are scattered here and there it rearranges them and stores them in a contiguous
memory area. These scattered parts are fragments. Moreover, saves time in
reading from files and writing files to disk.
5. Backup Software
This keeps a copy of all the information on a disk. Whenever some disk failure
occurs or files are deleted accidentally, it restores the files. Restoring the whole
disk is called disk cloning.
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