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Computer Hardware Overview • Power supply. Introduction to Computer Hardware - Hardware = the physical components of a computer system - Works together with software to carry out tasks - Divided into categories: power, logic (motherboard, CPU, etc.), input, output, storage, etc. 2. Power Supply (PSU) What it is & role: - Converts AC from outlet to DC voltages (e.g. +12V, +5V, +3.3V) for computer components.
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- Provides stable, regulated power to motherboard, drives, fans, etc. Specifications to consider: - Wattage (e.g. 500W, 650W) - Efficiency rating (e.g. 80 Plus Bronze/Silver/Gold) - Modular vs non-modular cables - Number/type of connectors (for GPU, drives) - Cooling / fan / ventilation 3. Motherboard What it is & role: - The central printed circuit board (PCB) connecting all hardware.
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- Hosts CPU socket, RAM slots, expansion slots, ports, chipset, controllers Key parts & features: - Chipset (Northbridge / Southbridge or unified controller) - BIOS / UEFI firmware [19:53, 10/10/2025] ChatGPT: - Power phases / VRMs (power delivery to CPU) - Capacitors / regulators - Form factor (ATX, Micro ATX, ITX) - Expansion slots (PCIe, M.2, etc.) - Onboard ports (USB, audio, network, etc.).
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4. Ports & Slots Ports = connectors on the motherboard / case to plug in external devices - USB (Type-A, Type-C) - HDMI / DisplayPort / VGA - Ethernet (RJ-45) - Audio jacks - SATA ports for drives - M.2 connectors (for SSDs) Slots = expansion interfaces inside the computer - PCIe x16, x8, x4, x1 (for graphics cards, network cards, sound cards) - RAM slots (DIMM / SO-DIMM) - M.2 slots (for NVMe SSDs) - PCI (older standard).
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5. Input Devices Devices that allow user to send commands/data into the computer, e.g.: - Keyboard - Mouse - Touchpad / Trackpad - Joystick, Gamepad - Scanner, Microphone - Webcam - Stylus / Graphics tablet 6. Output Devices Devices that deliver data from computer to you, e.g.:.
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- Monitor / Display (LCD, LED, OLED) - Printer (laser, inkjet) - Speakers / Headphones - Projector - LED indicators / status lights 7. Storage Devices Devices to store data persistently (even when power is off): - Hard Disk Drive (HDD): spinning magnetic platters, read/write heads [19:53, 10/10/2025] ChatGPT: - Technologies: Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR), Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR).
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- Solid State Drive (SSD): flash memory (no moving parts) - Types: SATA SSD, NVMe / PCIe SSD, M.2 SSD - Optical Drives: CD, DVD, Blu-Ray - Flash Drives / USB pendrives - Memory Cards (SD, microSD) - Hybrid Drives (SSHD) combining HDD + small SSD cache 8. Common Hardware Failures Here are some typical issues you’ll see, causes, and how to detect & fix them:.
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| Component | Common Failures / Symptoms | How to Detect | Possible Solutions | ||--|- || | Power Supply | No power, random shutdowns, burning smell | Use a PSU tester or multimeter; observe startup | Replace PSU with quality unit, check connectors | | Motherboard | No boot, dead ports, burning capacitors | Visual inspection, beep codes, BIOS errors | Check capacitors, reset BIOS, replace board | | RAM | Blue Screen, random crashes, system hang | MemTest86, Windows Memory Diagnostic | Reseat modules, test one stick, replace faulty RAM |.
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| HDD / SSD | Data loss, slow reads, clicking noises | SMART diagnostics, Disk Check, CrystalDiskInfo | Backup, run diagnostics, replace failing drive | [19:53, 10/10/2025] ChatGPT: | GPU / Graphics Card | Display artifacts, crashes, no display | Stress test (FurMark), observe artifacts | Reseat card, update drivers, ensure adequate power | | Cooling / Fans | Overheating, loud noise | Monitor temps, hear fan noise | Clean dust, replace/repair fans, improve airflow | Sources: common hardware issue lists and detection methods [1].
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9. How to Detect Failures - Visual inspection: bulging capacitors, burnt parts, loose connectors - BIOS / POST beep codes: many motherboards use beep patterns to signal failures - Software diagnostics: MemTest86, CrystalDiskInfo, built-in Windows Performance Monitor [2] - SMART attributes for drives: monitor health, reallocated sectors - Stress tests (CPU, GPU, memory) to trigger instability - Event logs / Reliability Monitor in OS to check hardware error events.
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10. Preventive Maintenance & Best Practices - Keep hardware clean (dust, airflow) - Use stable power / UPS / surge protectors - Regular firmware / driver updates - Quality components (PSU, cooling) - Proper handling and mounting - Backups of critical data.