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Quite often whenever electronic equipment do not function or work, we would immediately suspect a faulty switch mode power supply. But do you know that defective or shorted components in the motherboard or main board could cause the power supply to stop working too?

Switch mode power supply (SMPS) are designed so efficiently that whenever there is any short circuit occur in the main board the power supply would shut itself off and totally stop working. If you have no experience about troubleshooting switch mode power supply, you may think that the power supply have problem where in fact the main board is the real cause of no power problem.

Switch mode power supply have a current sense circuit (if you look at UC3842 PWM IC pin 3, it stated I-sense which mean current sense) and if there is short circuit in the secondary side (either in secondary diodes or main board), the current drawn would be increase and this will lead the PWM IC to stop generating output to the power fet and thus the power supply would shut down. All this happen in a split of seconds and you do not have the chance to know if there are output voltages at the secondary side.

Some older design of SMPS power supply do not use the PWM IC, but it do have the circuit to detect over current drawn and shut itself down whenever it detects a shorted component in the secondary side. One good example was the power supply used in printer. Printers usually have two boards; one was the power supply while the other was main board. If there is any short circuit in the main board, the power supply would not work. In order to isolate at where the problem is, one must remove the connector from the power supply board. Once the supply connector to the main board was removed, you can now switch on the printer and check if there is any voltages present at the power supply connector.

If there are zero voltages measured across all the supply (VCC) pins then we can conclude that the power supply have problem and you can put your whole concentration in this power supply board. What if there are voltages measured across the connector? This means that the main board is causing the no power problem most probably due to some shorted components in the main board.

For your information, dot-matrix printers usually required two voltages to function. One is the 5 Volts (for logic IC, eeprom and CPU) and the other is 30+ volts for the motors. The question now is how do we know if the main board is the main cause that shutting down the power supply? Very simple, just use your analog multimeter set to X 1 Ohm and measure between the supply pin (say 5 volts pin) and the main board ground and then reverse the probes. A good board should not show two similar reading and if you get two similar ohms reading then this means that the 5 volts line had shorted to ground through some faulty components.

If you have confirmed that the 5 volts line have problem then how do we find out the culprit since there are so many components connected to this line? TTL IC's, CPU, EEPROM, transistors, diodes and even small filter capacitors are all connected to the 5 volts line. Either one of these components shorted could cause no power to the printer. You may remove each components lead (5 volt supply) in the main board and hope that the short circuit will be gone. Assuming if you happen to remove one of the filter capacitor pin and the short circuit is gone then we can say that the real culprit is the filter capacitor.

The real problem is what if the board has many components on it and this will consume lots of your time to isolate the problem by removing one pin at a time. It is not easy to identify the supply 5 volts pin to a spider IC that has 100 pins or more. Many spider IC's have more than one 5 volts supply pin. Some even have 4 and some have 6 to 8 supply pins. Does this mean you have to check one pin at a time until you finally locate the fault? Not only that, to remove the supply pin from the spider IC's and check for any short circuit between the grounds required a very good skill too. If you messed out the circuit board track, the main board can then be considered beyond repair. Even though you can repair the broken circuit track, this does not mean you have solved the actual fault!

Do you see the extra problem arise when you try to find out the fault? There must be some better way to tackle this kind of problem. Yes it is true that one can use ESR meter to slowly track to the source of the short circuit You can utilize the ESR meter to locate short-circuits on electronic boards by checking the actual track resistance. One probe connects to the ground and the other to the circuit line and if the measurement rises as you probe further along the track, you know that you are heading to the wrong direction! If the ESR value decreases as you move along the track then you are in the right direction. The problem is what if the main board has double layers, 4 or even 8 layers? You may be wasting lots of your precious time trying to track to the actual fault using the ESR meter method! After explaining so much about the problems, now is the time that you are waiting for to get the answer on how to solve this kind of fault fast.

Do you know that the DC regulated power supply besides using it to power up electronic circuit it can also be use to troubleshoot and find out a shorted component in a motherboard? Assuming you have confirmed that the VCC supply lines shorted to ground through some faulty components, you can easily detect it with the use of a variable digital DC regulated power supply. If you do not have the digital one you can always use one with the analog panel meter which is cheaper.

Now connect the alligator clip from the positive output supply to the 5 volts VCC pin in the main board and the negative output to the main board ground as shown from the picture. Once everything was done, it's time to switch on the dc regulated power supply. Slowly vary the knob clockwise and see the voltage increase. At the same time the current draw can be seen from the current digital meter readout. From experienced, if there is a short circuit in the main board, whenever the voltage is increase, the current will rise dramatically and if no short circuit there would be less current draw.

Okay back to this problem, if you observe that the current drawn also increase (rapidly) as proportion to the rise in voltage setting, you are now for sure that there is component shorted in the main board. What does this mean? It is a good news to us, because if the current drawn too much we can know the culprit by touching on the hottest components in the main board. Using your finger you can touch on any components that are very hot. Touch on the IC's, diodes, transistors, capacitors and etc. Once you located that only one component that is extremely hot to touch then that was the culprit! That's the real cause that you are trying to find! I've used this method to solved lots of main board problem and usually the culprit turned out to be a defective gate array and ram IC.

Why do not I immediately turn the output voltage from the dc regulated power supply to 5 volts since the defective main board is also using 5 volts to run? If I do this and if the faulty components turned hot too fast, I'm afraid this will lead the faulty component to open circuit. If the faulty component open circuit, the current draw will drop and the only clue that you have to identify the culprit has been destroyed! If this thing happens then you may not have a higher rate to repair the board. Of course you still can by replacing one by one the SMD spider IC's but this will surely eat up lots of your repair time.

The above method I've just mentioned is not limited only to printer main board; it can apply to other type of board as well like the computer motherboard, hard disk, dvd, vcd, industrial board and etc. Get a DC regulated power supply and I'm sure you can detect shorted component in the main board in the shortest time possible! By the way the specification of the DC regulated power supply that I'm using was 5A 30 volts (variable type). Have a good day my friend!

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Source by Jestine Yong

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What is Hardware?

Are these terms familiar to you? Monitor, RAM, CD drive, CPU, graphic cards are all hardware, or more accurately, computer hardware. These components make up a computer, working together with computer software to make a computer work.

Simply put, hardware is the tangible parts of your computer, parts you can touch, feel and so on.

Hardware Failures

As mentioned before, hardware and software work together to form a fully functional system, theoretically. However, rarely do you get a fully functional system all the time. There will almost certainly be malfunction of hardware, be it within the electronic circuits or even the whole component itself. Sometimes, the originating factor of the hardware failure is not the components of the system itself, but due to outside factors such as environmental disasters like fire, earthquakes and lightning storm.

Recovery of failed hardware components is not a big problem by itself. It is basically identifying and replacing the problematic component. However, hardware failures are most deadly, when it affects daily routine and affecting critical personal or business data. This is especially true of the most important component of a computer system when it comes to storage of data, the hard disk.

The following is a list of common hardware failures:

• RAM Failures
• Power Connector
• Hard Disk
• Overheating
• LCD Failures
• Motherboard
• USB Box

RAM Failures

Bad RAM is somehow harder to diagnose as similar symptoms may be caused by software problems, other hardware problems or even motherboard failure. However if you experience any of these symptoms, users should check for bad RAM before attempting any other troubleshooting.

Symptoms:

• Windows does not start showing different error messages each time.
• Windows crashes (blue screen) or freezes frequently.
• Windows crashes as soon as you try to start a program.
• Unexplained random crashes and freezes without error messages.

Power Adaptor

The common weak spot on any laptop is the DC power jack. If someone trips over the power adapter cable while it is still connected to the laptop, there is a high possibility that the power jack will get severely damaged.

On most laptops, the DC power jack is soldered directly to the motherboard and there are only three or four small pins holding it in place, which makes the power jack rather weak. Any sideways pulling of the DC power cord while attached to the laptop will usually dislodge at least one of these pins, breaking the solder around it. Modern laptops use quite a lot of power, from about 70W to 120W or even more. The bad electrical connection from the dislodged pin will cause sparks and heating that will eventually burn a hole through the motherboard and can even be a fire hazard.

Symptoms which indicates poor contact between the DC power jack and the motherboard:

• The battery is not charging properly or stays at half charge despite having to use the power adaptor.
• The screen flickers (the brightness is changing) while the power cord is plugged in. This is caused by the laptop switching between DC power (screen is brighter) and battery power (screen is dimmer).
• The DC plug gets hot after a few minutes of use and may even smell of burning.
• There are "scratching" sounds coming from the DC jack.

How to test for broken power jack:

1. Remove the battery 2. Plug in the power cord 3. Start the laptop 4. Gently wiggle the DC power plug on the back of the laptop

If the laptop shuts down abruptly (looses power), find the dealer to re-solder or change the DC power jack as soon as possible as the motherboard has already started to burn around the dislodged pins. The manufacturer might offer to replace the whole motherboard; however the price of a new motherboard together with the labor charge for installing it will usually cost more than the current value of that laptop and sometimes can the pricing can cost over a thousand dollars.

Replacing or re-soldering the DC power jack is not an easy job. It usually takes a few hours depending on the damage and the model of the laptop. To reach the power jack, the laptop has to be completely disassembled and have the motherboard taken out. Then if the board around the dislodged pin is badly burned, the power jack has to be un-soldered and the board has to be patched.

After that a different power jack has to be installed, attached to the case of the laptop and connected with wires to the motherboard, as the patched board would not be strong enough to support the original type of power jack that was soldered directly to the board.

Hard Disk

Hard disk failures are the most common computer hardware problems. And laptop hard disks fail more often than desktop hard disks due to the portability of a laptop as compared to the rather stagnant laptop. If user knock hard or drop the laptop even a few inches while the hard disk is being accessed or powered up, damage can be done to the hard disk.

Symptoms:

• The laptop starts as usual but when Windows starts to load it goes to blue screen with either "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME", "hal.dll is missing or corrupt" or "WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM" (or similar) is missing or corrupt. All these error messages indicate a file system problem. Sometimes it can be fixed by just scanning the hard disk for errors. However more than half of these cases indicate that the hard disk is starting to go bad and is probably developing bad sectors.
• The laptop starts as usual but Windows freezes on the initial "Windows XP" screen, although the blue bar continues to move, and users are able to hear feint but continuous clicking. Hard disks have to be replaced.
• As soon as the laptop is started there are loud clicks or grinding sounds and Windows does not load. Hard disks have to be replaced as well.
• Shortly after starting the laptop a message appears (usually on a black screen) "SMART test failed. Backup your data immediately and replace the hard disk" or similar. Well, that says it all. SMART is a self-test that is build into the hard disk.

In almost all cases the laptop can be started from a "live" bootable CD and everything works normal. In rare cases the hard disk PCB (printed circuit board) may get short circuited and even burn. In this scenario, the laptop will not start unless the hard disk is removed.

Good tool to A to use lands check for hard disk lifespan is ADRC's hard disk checker . It will scan the hard disk for bad sectors and inform you if the drive is still of good usability.

Overheating

Overheating happens when inadequate airflow from outside the computer's case across the CPU and motherboard and back out of the case usually via the power supply fan and other case fans.

Once the airflow is disrupted, heat builds up rapidly within the case. This causes components to either shutdown, if such protection is built in or performs erratically. Over the long term, overheating can irreversible damage components.

It is also advisable to keep the computer in a dry and shaded room, which is clean and little dust.

LCD Failures

The most common LCD or "Liquid Crystal Display" screen failure is the inverter, cable and backlight.

Symptoms:

• The laptop appears to start as usual but the screen is black, if users move it, it turns on and works properly. Failed cable.
• The laptop appears to start as usual but the screen is very dark, although it changes colour a little and users can see a very feint image. Failed inverter or cable 90% / 10%.
• Immediately after starting the screen has dark pink / red tint and turns dark after a few seconds. Failed backlight.
• The screen flickers a few times but then turns dark, if users move it or tap it lightly on the sides, it flickers again. Failed cable or LCD 50% / 50%.
• Screen is either black or white (no picture) and external monitor works. Failed cable or LCD 30% / 70%.
• There are stripes on the screen (either vertical or horizontal) that change when users move the screen or tap it lightly on the sides. Failed cable or LCD 10% / 90%.

Motherboard

Most motherboard related failures are due to the "On-board" regulated supplies and component failure within those circuits. The on-board power supply circuit had partially failed and was overloading subsequent components else the problem would be with the capacitors which are defective in the first place.

A motherboard failure on a laptop that is out of warranty would usually mean that it's time for a new laptop. The price of a new motherboard is usually higher than the current value of the laptop.

Symptoms:

Plug in the power adaptor and try to start the laptop.

• Nothing happens.
• The "ON" light comes on, the fan spins, but nothing on the screen (black) and you can not hear the HD working after 10-15 sec.
• The "ON" light comes on, the fan spins, but after a few seconds the light goes off.
• After pressing the "ON" button the screen stays black and you can hear a quiet high-pitched sound coming from the laptop.

Corrupted or improper device drivers and operating system

Invalid or corrupt device drivers can wreck havoc on a server, rendering the system unbootable in some cases. Device drivers may also conflict with certain application programs and cause problems with the computer system.

As Windows Vista has just made its launch, chances are some hardware is not supported or not supported fully by the new operating system.

Also, system updates, driver updates can also fix your "hardware" problems.

See updating and fixes

Also, it helps (occasionally) to call the respective support service for help on the driver that is with that particular hardware.

Controller Failure:

A controller failure can act much like a drive failure. However, when a drive fails, users can not access that particular drive; when a controller fails, users can not get access to all the drives, devices and any other components that is attached to that particular controller.

A controller fails because a component or components on the on the controller board fails. When users trying to boot the system, they can not switch on, view, access, or even get hardware conflict messages.

Controller failure occurs due to one of the following reasons:

• Devices / components not connected properly
  Verify that the cables are properly connecting the device / component to the controller
  If the component fits into a slot, see that the it is flushed in and not loosely connected.
• Devices / components not setup properly
  Verify that the devices / components is being properly detected and setup in the respective controller setup screen
• Bad connectors
  Replace the bad connectors with new working ones
• Bad components
  Replace the component
• Bad interface board or motherboard
  It is recommended that these components be replaced or that the computer be sent in for servicing

Hardware Failure: The big issue

The big problem, as mentioned earlier, is not replacing or repairing the non-functional hardware, but the time lost, interruptions to daily routine (especially for businesses), and the loss of critical data. If you need a running system at all times, have a backup system as a fail safe, or even two. If users want to ensure that none of their critical data is lost in the event of a hardware problem with their computer, there is only one way to do it – Back up the data as often as possible.

There are many different ways to ensure that the data is backed up, and as technology becomes advances, back up methods become much simpler.

Let's look for a moment at what a back up is. Backing up of computer files means that users are making a copy of the data that will be stored somewhere other than on the computer. Everyone should always have a back up of at least the most important files, because should anyone experience a hardware problem, they could still be able to access the files.

Many people do not back up their files, because they do not know what they need to back up. Start with those files that can not easily be recreated. Then, move on to files to which you make frequent changes just in case you accidentally change something that you should not have. Back up your music collection – because this can be quite expensive to replace in the event of data loss.

In general, best practice is to back up the files at least monthly and more frequently if users access the files regularly.

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Source by Ning Chee

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What the Fan Does

The main job of a computer or electronics fan is to keep the part cool. Chips inside them can get very hot so air flow keeps them at a regular temperature. Sadly, stock fans within electronics sometimes are not enough. Especially if there are several components working together, perhaps in an office or entertainment center.

That's why a good fan and fan filter are a great addition to any setup. Learn more about the various types of fans below.

Common Types of Fans:

• Power Supply – Most power supply units or PSU's are provided with a 90mm or 120mm fan filter and internal fan.However, some suggest that they have two fans, one for intake and one for out-take. It is very crucial to keep all elements cool to lengthen the life of the equipment. Avoid melting and even exploding components from overheating by providing this type of cooling. The absence of a fan can greatly reduce its life span. Why take a chance?

• Central Processing Unit – Having a smoothly operating fan in this unit is a critical step to have a computer or other device that performs well. Newer CPUs will have an internal temperature between 35 and 74 degrees Celsius, which is why a constant airflow from a fan and 120mm fan filter is necessary. The heat will continue to move off of the heat sink as required.

One can bet that if the CPU gets over 80 degrees Celsius it will fail in some way. A damaged motherboard means it's time to buy a new unit in most cases.

• Graphic Processing Unit – This type of fan is almost always found on high end video cards. It's similar to the CPU fan in most ways, and helps keep games working smoothly with minimal issues.

• Chipset – Chipsets in the motherboard come with both built in fans and 120mm fan filters and passive heat set ups. Many prefer passive heat but even these tiny fans work hard to keep things cool and cooperative. All elements, big or small need to stay operative and cool.

• Case Fans – Also known as chassis fans, not every system or setup needs a case fan, or comes with one. No one should ever rely on the system to cool itself, it's ineffective. Case fans come in many sizes as mentioned before; the most popular size is the fan and 120mm fan filter. Check the least in and outtake to see a huge difference in the effectiveness of any setup. Keeping the room temperature less than that inside the computer or part makes a huge difference.

Doing research is the best way to decide the final set up for what components are owned. There are many other fans that are wonderful supplements, and that can be installed. These include hard drive, PCI slot, and CD style. These types are great for helping CPU's and video cards run at maximum efficiency.

These fans are almost always considered more of an option, while the above-mentioned fans are more mandatory. However, rest assured they do make a difference. Individuals can find fans and 120 mm fan filters from local and online sources.

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Source by Johny Brown

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Laptops have now become essential parts of our lives and have moved on from being luxury devices to an absolute necessity. Electronic appliances and computers only work well when all their peripherals are in the right condition. Laptop chargers are essential as well, because they recharge a laptop battery.

A laptop battery is designed to be recharged at a certain voltage and ampere. The life of the battery is maximized when a laptop user recharges the battery at the same voltage and ampere value. Any changes in this configuration are not going to help. On many occasions, people tend to use wrong chargers simply because they are in hurry to bring their laptop back to life after it is drained of all its power.

Incompatible laptop chargers can damage a laptop and its battery to a great extent. Read on to learn more on how this can happen:

1. Incompatible chargers may be of a lower voltage – A lower voltage laptop charger is likely to overheat when you use it. For example, if your laptop battery demands a 90 watt laptop power supply, and you connect a 70 watt charger, it is almost certainly going to cause overheating. As a result of overheating, you may even smell burning plastic from around your laptop and charger. This is an indication that you should immediately remove the incorrect charger from the DC socket.

2. Temporary usage can also be dangerous – Even the temporary use of an incorrect charger can have adverse effects on your laptop battery. Many people complain that their laptop batteries start draining out soon after they use an incompatible charger. The battery life can go down considerably if you use a lower voltage laptop charger. Always try to find the right model of the original laptop charger on the internet if your old one is no longer working. Try not to use makeshift arrangements for recharging your laptop battery.

3. An incorrect laptop charger can damage your motherboard – On many occasions, faulty laptop power supply has caused irreparable electrical damage to laptops. It usually happens when you rely on a duplicate or universal charger. Many people buy cheap and low quality chargers from the market once their original charger stops working due to some reason.

Most people try to save a few pounds while purchasing a non-branded model online or from a local computer shop. These laptop chargers are prone to overheating, voltage fluctuations, and scores of other vulnerabilities. It is important never to use these chargers with your laptop even if they claim to provide the right voltage. These duplicate chargers have little or no safety features, including power trip in the event of voltage fluctuations.

It may seem like a feasible option to use a universal charger for a while. However, you will only end up causing damage to your laptop in the long run. Always remember to buy new and original laptop chargers on the internet when you are in need of a replacement.

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Source by Michael Pattison

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In this article I give a high level overview of all the major components of a computer – the computer hardware. This information is useful for anyone who wants to be able to repair or upgrade their computer, or just wants to have a basic understanding of how a computer works.

Case

The computer is housed inside of what's called the computer case. The computer case is the metallic box that surrounds the computer. It's there to protect the computer and to hold the components in place.

Power Supply

The power supply is the box with lots of wires coming out of it. It takes the electricity that comes out of the wall outlet and converts it into electricity that each of the internal components can use.

Motherboard

The motherboard is a big circuit board that connects all the internal components together. It gives the internal components a way to communicate with each other. It also provides some common functionality that is basic to all computers – audio, network, modem, sometimes video, and a few other things. These additional devices that come as part of the motherboard are called integrated devices.

The motherboard also has slots that other device cards can plug into and provide extended functionality to the computer. Of the more Some common cards are On wireless View cards, USB extension cards (Provide additional USB ports), and EVEN video cards – Which the I talk about below.

CPU / Processor

The CPU (Core Processing Unit), also known as the processor, is the main logic component of the computer. It decides what to do, what to load, which other device to activate, etc. It's kind of like the center of the brain.

The processor tends to get extremely hot, so it's always covered by a heat sink (metal thing with fins) and a fan. The processor itself looks like a standard chip.

Hard Drive

The hard drive is the long-term memory of the computer. The long-term memory is slower and much bigger than the short-term memory, specifically made for storage of data. The section on . Read main memory for information on short-term vs. long-term memory.

Main Memory

Also known as primary memory, RAM, or just memory, is the short-term memory component of the computer. Short-term memory is much, much faster than long term memory, but is also much, much smaller in size.

Main memory is not used for storage of data over the long term. Unlike the hard drive, main memory has to have power to keep information. Once the computer is turned off, the main memory is cleared out. Instead main memory is used for fast data access. Once the computer knows what data you'll be working with, it loads it up in one big chunk into main memory, and works with it there. For example, when you run application xyz, your computer loads up lots of the common data that the application needs into memory, from then on it works with it in the much faster main memory. Then once you want to save your changes, the computer writes that data out to the hard drive for long term storage.

Video Card

The video card handles the display of images and 2D / 3D graphics calculations. Often the video card comes integrated into the motherboard. But integrated video cards are somewhat weak. The powerful video cards, needed to run modern games and other graphically intensive applications, come as standalone cards. They are big circuit boards with their own processor (GPU) and memory. They even have fans and heat sinks. They are kind of like separate computers inside of the computer.

CD / DVD Drives

These are standard devices that read and sometimes write CDs and DVDs.

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Source by Josh H. Burton

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In this short article I will explain the basic computer ports you can find in the rear side of your computer so to connect peripheral devices. If you are new to computers and do not feel comfortable with your computer's hardware, I will tell you that: It is so easy to build a custom computer or to connect anything to it that even a 10 years old child could do it (with the appropriate teaching of course).

Ok let's list some of the most important basic computer ports that you can find on your computer.

PS2 Serial Ports

This is the old-fashioned way of connecting a keyboard and a mouse to your system. You can still find some very cheap mouse and keyboards that use these ports. In my opinion, if you can use these ports then do it; PS2 serial ports do not need any driver to work and also you preserve your USB ports for other devices.

USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 Ports

These are very common ports and the majority of the computer peripherals use these ports to connect with the computer. These are mainly located on the I / O plate which is on the back of the computer. However modern PC cases offer a limited number of USB ports on the front or the side of the computer case for easy access. Some common devices that make use of these ports are:

• Keyboards & Mice
• Printers
• External Hard Disks, Optical Drives and Flash Drives
• Portable media devices (MP3 players, Digital cameras etc.)
• Gadgets, Gaming Devices etc.

eSata

The "e" stands for external and so the eSata ports are going to be used by external storage devices, which support the Sata protocol, like the internal HDD do. It is an alternative and faster way to connect external HDD with the motherboard. However the HDD models that support this protocol are a lot more expensive than simple USB 2.0 Drives. It is expected though that the prices will fall when USB 3.0 and SATA 3.0 will fully replace the 2.0 versions of these protocols.

Ethernet LAN Ports

These ports are used for connecting a modem / router or switch to the computer for getting access to a network. This is also the port that the computer uses to access the internet (Through a Router of course). Nearly every motherboard has at least one Ethernet port. Let's see how Ethernet LAN port can be used:

• Connect it to a router
• Connect it to a switch
• Connect it directly to another PC

Be careful to connect with the appropriate UTP cable (straight-through or cross-over) for each configuration. For connecting with a router which is the most common scenario, you need a cross-over Ethernet cable.

Analog Audio Jacks, SPDIF Coax & Optical

These are the audio output interfaces of your computer. Every motherboard nowadays support multi channel audio. Analog Audio jacks are the classic colored jacks that you can find in the rear side of the computer. There you can connect speaker systems, microphone and headphones. Most PC systems have also headphone or mic audio jacks in the front of the PC case for accessibility reasons.

If your motherboard supports digital audio output then you can use the SPDIF interfaces, which can be optical or coaxial, to connect your speakers. Of course your speakers may have also SPDIF input interfaces so to make use of these ports.

These are some of the very basic computer ports that you can find on the back of a modern computer. The if you still However have inquiries about them do not forget to lands check out a detailed following article about the rear basic computer ports Which Provides Also some nice close-up people like photos.

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Source by Socrates Chouridis

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It is quite well known that the working of the computer is pulled by hardware and software. One can define computer hardware as the electronic, magnetic, and electric devices that carry out the computing functions. Hardware is the physical components of the computer like microprocessor, hard disks, RAM, and motherboard. The peripheral devices such as monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, and speakers can also be included in the list of hardware parts. The programs that run on the computers like Windows, C ++, and Photoshop are the software parts of the computer. A good example for an easy understanding of hardware-software definition is music CDs. The actual compact disk is the hardware, while the songs and music in the CD are the software parts.

There is another way to define computer hardware. Hardware devices are the executors of the commands provided by software applications. For example, let us see what happens when you click the print button of the web browsing software. The software application provides a command to the processor, which is the central part of all computer hardware. Processor in turn checks for an attached printer. If the printer is ready, the software will get a positive response from the processor. Then the software application provides instruction to the printer via the processor to print the web page. In that sense, hardware parts are the foot soldiers and software applications are the commanders in the digital operation that takes place within a computer.

The main player of computer hardware is undoubtedly the microprocessor. It is the sun in the solar system of computer hardware devices. It is the central component and all other components work around it. It is an integrated chip on which a number of functions are incorporated. Two specifications determine its efficiency. One is its processing speed, which is measured in gigahertz. The other is its bit rate. Commonly available processors are 32 bit and 64 bit. The bit rate is a measure of the efficiency of a processor to carry out multiple operations at the same time.

One can not define computer hardware without mentioning the two types of memory used in computers. One is permanent memory. It refers to the magnetic storage capacity of hard disk. It is measured in gigabytes. The second is RAM or random access memory. This memory is able to store data only when the computer is switched on. The memory will lose all the data when the computer is switched off.

Another important product that one should mention when one defines computer hardware is motherboard. It is the electric and electronic circuit board on which all the other components are inserted. There are several other kinds of products such as sound card, video card, network card, and modem that complete the hardware spectrum.

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Source by Candis Reade

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Since most businesses use servers in a variety of different roles, it's a good idea to see just exactly what's inside. You will notice that server components are very similar to personal computer components. The major differences are the speed and the storage capacity of servers.

Motherboard. The motherboard of a server is similar to a PC's motherboard. As in a PC, the motherboard is what brings many of the other components together. Think of it as the body of the server. Most of the other components and electronic circuitry attach to the motherboard. Memory, a hard drive controller, input / output ports, and the chipset is all part of the server motherboard. Motherboards can also provide housing for components such graphic adapter and a network interface. Many of today's modern computers come with this circuitry built-in to the motherboard. When a motherboard fails, the system itself will fail.

Processor. The second major component is the processor or the central processing unit (CPU). This component, oddly enough, processes the data that crosses through its componentry. Think of a processor as the brains of the server. It is the component that largely affects system performance, though there are other components that contribute to its success.

Memory. This is the component that you should always have more than enough of. In fact, it was Bill Gate who famously said that you should only need 720kb of RAM (memory). We're into gigabytes now. Put a lot of money into memory because it will be money well spent.

Hard Drive. This is where you'll store everything. Again, you should get one that will suit your needs for years to come. Hard drive memory is cheap.

Video card. This is perhaps the one component that is significantly different from the PC. Servers do not have much use for sophisticated graphics cards. Go generic on this item.

Network connections. Network adapters are often built into the motherboard. You will still need to understand this component for it is through the connections that the other PC are able to connect. Otherwise, it's an expensive box with a lot of fancy components and gadgetry inside.

Power Supply This is mentioned (whereas wiring or soldering is not) because you will be using significantly more power than you would normally use with a PC. The number of hard drives that are housed inside the box will determine how large your power supply should be.

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Source by Mort Greenwood

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Mainframe computers are crucial for some of the largest corporations in the world. Each mainframe has more than one modern processor, RAM ranging from a few megabytes to several-score gigabytes, and disk space and other storage beyond anything on a microcomputer. A mainframe can control multiple tasks and serve thousands of users every second without downtime.

The chief difference between mainframes and other computing systems is the level of processing that takes place. Mainframes are also different in terms of data bandwidth, organization, reliability, and control. Big organizations-banking, healthcare, insurance, and telecom companies, etc.-use mainframes for processing critical commercial data.

In this article, we discuss the evolution of mainframe computers and their components.

History of mainframe computers

IBM developed a crucial part of mainframe computing, the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC) for arithmetic operations, in 1944. From the late 1950s through the 1970s, several companies manufactured mainframes: IBM, Burroughs, RCA, NCR, General Electric, and Sperry rand, for example. Since then, System / 390 by IBM is the only kind of mainframe in use. It evolved from IBM's System / 360 in 1960.

An Early mainframe occupied a huge space. New technologies have drastically reduced the size and cost of the hardware. A current-generation mainframe can fit in a small closet.

Components of a modern mainframe computer

Like a PC, a mainframe has many components for processing data: operating system, motherboard or main board, processor, controllers, storage devices, and channels.

• Motherboard: The motherboard of a mainframe computer consists of a printed circuit that allows CPU, RAM, and other hardware components to function together through a concept called "Bus architecture". The motherboard has device slots for input cards and cable interfaces for various external devices. Where PC motherboards use 32- or 64-bit buses, mainframes use 128-bit buses. General instructions regarding the internal architecture help the motherboard connect to the other devices and retrieve data using binary computation.

• Processor: A CPU acts as the central processing point in mainframe architecture and includes an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for performing arithmetic calculations. It also works as a controller for the bus architecture and handles traffic and data requests. The processing power of mainframes is much higher compared to PCs, so that they can handle huge amounts of data.

• Storage devices: Storage devices are for entering, retrieving, storing, and recording data. Many are external devices, such as hard drives, tape drives, and punch card readers, all connected to terminals of the mainframe and controlled by the CPU. Their capacity for data storage can be hundred or even thousands of times that of a PC.

• Communication controllers: Communication controllers allow remote computers to access a mainframe. With the help of networks, LAN or WAN, communication controllers establish connections with various devices, perform data transmission over communication channels, and keep track of users at terminals.

• Channels: The "channels" are the cables used to connect the CPU and the main storage to other parts of the system and make sure that data is moved in a systematic way without losing its integrity.

Modern mainframes have advanced features such as expanded service management capabilities, cross-platform integration facilities, etc. and thus are suitable for critical data center operations. The cost of maintaining modern mainframes is much less compared to older models.

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Source by Nate Rodnay

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Knowing different motherboard types is important if you want to assemble your own computer. It is also useful for troubleshooting computer problems easily. Over the years, lots of motherboards have been out in the market and most of the time there are new models released each year. To get familiar with the different types of motherboards especially in choosing one, check the following listed classifications of motherboards:

Based On Dimension:

Baby AT Motherboard

This motherboard is 8.5 inches wide and 10 inches long. Usually, it is easily recognized as the DIN keyboard connector is placed on the top right corner of the motherboard. In general, it is made for classic Pentium processors as it has a socket 7 ZIF slot. It is also called Baby AT since its overall size is just two thirds of a regular AT motherboard.

Full AT Motherboard

This is the very first type of motherboard made and it measures 12 inches wide and 11 inches long. It suffered lots of problems in peripheral installation and troubleshooting as the overall design is not so good. Its accessibility is poor as well since the drive bays are installed above the motherboard. Also, the expansion cards cover the processors leading to poor system ventilation and high risk of overheating.

ATX Motherboard

ATX is 7.5 inches in width and 12 inches in length. It is generally made for Intel processors. Its bus speed is around 100 MHz and it has a soft power support which only means that the operating system can shut it down. The USB ports and I / O ports are also integrated directly. The best thing about it is the way everything is positioned; the Baby AT parts within is rotated in 90 degrees so the cards in the bus architectures will not cover the processor, thus aiding in efficient system ventilation.

Based on the Type of Processor:

Socket A Motherboard

Otherwise known as Socket 464, this motherboard is made for Durons and AMD processors. It is made in Pin Grid Array with 462 pins and the bus speed is around 100 to 200 MHz.

Socket 370 Motherboard

This is made for Celeron, Pentium III, VIA C3 and VIA Cyrix III processors. It is in PGA package with 370 pins and the bus speed runs around 66 to 133 MHz.

Socket 378 Motherboard

Also known as Socket N, this motherboard is made for Pentium 4, Pentium 4EE and Intel Pentium M processors. It is built in PGA package with 478 pins. In average, the bus speed runs around 100 to 200 MHz.

Socket T Motherboard

It is also termed as LGA 775. This motherboard type is made for Intel Xeon, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core 2 Quad and many more similar processors. It is built in PGA with 775 pins. Its bus speed is high as well at 1600 MHz.

Socket 939 Motherboard

This type of motherboard is made for AMD processors. Made in PGA package as well with 939 pins, its bus speed is fast at 200 to 1000 MHz.

Socket AM3 Motherboard

This is made for AMD Athlon II and AMD Phenom II processors. It is also built in PGA with 941 pins and bus speed rate at 200 – 3200 MHz.

Socket H Motherboard

The other term for this is LGA 1156 and it comes in LGA format with 1156 pins. It is initially made to support IntelCore i3, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processors.

Since there are lots of motherboard classifications and types, it is important to consider these details when repairing computers, especially if one specific part should be replaced, or whenever a new one should be chosen. Pay attention to compatibilities and make sure to know your computer's motherboard thoroughly upon buying a new unit.

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Source by James Hamby