CPU A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions.

RAM slotRAM slots are vertical slots, typically numbering three or four, which usually are located at the upper-right corner of the motherboard. The motherboard is the primary printed circuit board in the computer that contains various slots, or connection points, for a number of vital components

HARD DISKA hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk or hard drive, is something used by computers to store information. Hard disks use magnetic recording (similar to the way recording is done on magnetic tapes) to store information on rotating circular platters. The capacity of a hard drive is usually measured in gigabytes (GB), however hard disc capacity can also be measured in terabytes when the capacity is over 1000 gigabytes. A gigabyte is one thousand megabytes and a megabyte is one million bytes, which means that a gigabyte is one billion bytes. Some hard drives are so large that their capacity is measured in terabytes, (TB) where one terabyte is a thousand gigabytes (1 TB = 1000 GB). Very early Consumer Grade hard drives were measured in megabytes.

CPU FANA computer fan is any fan inside, or attached to, a computer case used for active cooling, and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from the outside, expel warm air from inside, or move air across a heat sink to cool a particular component.As processors, graphics cards, RAM and other components in computers have increased in speed and power consumption, the amount of heat produced by these components as a side-effect of normal operation has also increased. These components need to be kept within a specified temperature range to prevent overheating, instability, malfunction and damage leading to a shortened component lifespan.

POWER SUPPLYA power supply is an electronic device that supplies electric energy to an electrical load. The primary function of a power supply is to convert one form of electrical energy to another and, as a result, power supplies are sometimes referred to as electric power converters.Some power supplies are discrete, stand-alone devices, whereas others are built into larger devices along with their loads. Examples of the latter include power supplies found in desktop computers and consumer electronics devices.

SATA cablesSATA, short for Serial ATA, is an IDE standard for connecting devices like optical drives and hard drives to the motherboard.The term SATA generally refers to the types of cables and connections that follow this standard.SATA, short for Serial ATA, is an IDE standard for connecting devices like optical drives and hard drives to the motherboard.The term SATA generally refers to the types of cables and connections that follow this standard.

DATA CABLESA data cable is any media that allows baseband transmissions (binary 1,0s) from a transmitter to a receiver.Examples Are: Networking Media Ethernet Cables (Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a) Token Ring Cables (Cat4) Coaxial cable is sometimes used as a baseband digital data cable, such as in serial digital interface and thicknet and thinnet. optical fiber cable; see fiber-optic communication serial cable Telecommunications Cable (Cat2 or telephone cord)

CD ROMA CD-ROM /sidirm/ is a pre-pressed optical compact disc which contains data. The name is an acronym which stands for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory". Computers can read CD-ROMs, but cannot write to CD-ROMs which are not writable or erasable.Until the mid-2000s, CD-ROMs were popularly used to distribute software for computers and video game consoles. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both computer data and audio with the latter capable of being played on a CD player, while data (such as software or digital video) is only usable on a computer (such as ISO 9660 format PC CD-ROMs).

FLOPPY DISKA floppy disk, also called a diskette, is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles. Floppy disks are read and written by a floppy disk drive (FDD).Floppy disks, initially as 8-inch (200 mm) media and later in 5-inch (133 mm) and 3-inch (90 mm) sizes, were a ubiquitous form of data storage and exchange from the mid-1970s well into the 2000s.[1]By 2010, computer motherboards were rarely manufactured with floppy drive support; 3-inch floppy disks can be used with an external USB floppy disk drive, but USB drives for 5-inch, 8-inch and non-standard diskettes are rare or non-existent, and those formats must usually be handled by old equipment.While floppy disk drives still have some limited uses, especially with legacy industrial computer equipment, they have been superseded by data storage methods with much greater capacity, such as USB flash drives, portable external hard disk drives, optical discs, memory cards and computer networks.

HEAT SINKIn electronic systems, a heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that cools a device by dissipating heat into the surrounding medium. In computers, heat sinks are used to cool central processing units or graphics processors. Heat sinks are used with high-power semiconductor devices such as power transistors and optoelectronics such as lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs), where the heat dissipation ability of the basic device is insufficient to moderate its temperature.A heat sink is designed to maximize its surface area in contact with the cooling medium surrounding it, such as the air. Air velocity, choice of material, protrusion design and surface treatment are factors that affect the performance of a heat sink. Heat sink attachment methods and thermal interface materials also affect the die temperature of the integrated circuit. Thermal adhesive or thermal grease improve the heat sink's performance by filling air gaps between the heat sink and the heat spreader on the device.

RAMRandom-access memory (RAM /rm/) is a form of computer data storage. A random-access memory device allows data items to be accessed (read or written) in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside the memory. In contrast, with other direct-access data storage media such as hard disks, CD-RWs, DVD-RWs and the older drum memory, the time required to read and write data items varies significantly depending on their physical locations on the recording medium, due to mechanical limitations such as media rotation speeds and arm movement delaysToday, random-access memory takes the form of integrated circuits. RAM is normally associated with volatile types of memory (such as DRAM memory modules), where stored information is lost if power is removed, although many efforts have been made to develop non-volatile RAM chips.[1] Other types of non-volatile memory exist that allow random access for read operations, but either do not allow write operations or have limitations on them. These include most types of ROM and a type of flash memory called NOR-Flash.Integrated-circuit RAM chips came into the market in the late 1960s, with the first commercially available DRAM chip, the Intel 1103, introduced in October 1970.[2]

SOUND PORTAn audio port on a computer is any receptacle or jack to which an audio device such as speakers, headphones or a microphone can be connected. All laptops and some desktops have built-in speakers, but for better sound or privacy, you will need to connect external audio through one of the portsThere are many possible sources of sound on a computer, including music CDs, online videos and games. Regardless of the source, all sounds start as digital audio numbers in a file. Between the source file and the speaker, the audio must be converted to an analog format. Microphones capture an analog audio signal, which is converted to digital. The conversions happen inside or outside the computer, depending on the port type.

NETWORK PORTA network port is a number that identifies one side of a connection between two computers. Computers use port numbers to determine to which process or application a message should be delivered. As network addresses are like street address, port numbers are like suite or room numbers. Any program may use any port, though some port numbers have a standard use and some programs may be limited in which ports they can use for security reasons. Firewalls often block access to ports based on the network address and port of the source or destination computer, or the program using the port (if the firewall is running on the same computer).

USB PORTShort for Universal Serial Bus, an external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps. A single USB port can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards. USB also supports Plug-and-Play installation and hot plugging.Starting in 1996, a few computer manufacturers started including USB support in their new machines. It wasn't until the release of the best-selling iMac in 1998 that USB became widespread. It is expected to completely replace serial and parallel ports.

IDE CABLES Short for Integrated Drive Electronics or IBM Disc Electronics, IDE is more commonly known as ATA or Parallel ATA (PATA). It is a standard interface for IBM compatible hard drives and CD or DVD drives. IDE is different than SCSI and Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI) because its controllers are on each drive, meaning the drive can connect directly to the motherboard or controller. IDE and its updated successor, Enhanced IDE (EIDE), are common drive interfaces found in IBM compatible computers. Below is a picture of the IDE connector on the back of a hard drive, a picture of what an IDE cable looks like, and the IDE channels it connects to on the motherboard. Alternatively referred to as IDLE, IDE is short for Integrated Development Environment, and are visual tools that allow programmers to develop programs more efficiently. Commonly, an IDE may have a compiler, debugger, text editor, and other integrated tools. Smalltalk was the first programming language to have a first true IDE.

CAPACITORA capacitor (originally known as a condenser) is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy electrostatically in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors (plates) separated by a dielectric (i.e. an insulator that can store energy by becoming polarized). The conductors can be thin films, foils or sintered beads of metal or conductive electrolyte, etc. The nonconducting dielectric acts to increase the capacitor's charge capacity. A dielectric can be glass, ceramic, plastic film, air, vacuum, paper, mica, oxide layer etc. Capacitors are widely used as parts of electrical circuits in many common electrical devices. Unlike a resistor, an ideal capacitor does not dissipate energy. Instead, a capacitor stores energy in the form of an electrostatic field between its plates.

CMOS BATTERYCMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) is the term usually used to describe the small amount of memory on a computer motherboard that stores the BIOS settings.The CMOS is usually powered by a CR2032 cell battery, referred to as the CMOS battery.Buy a New CR2032 Cell Battery at Amazon Most CMOS batteries will last the lifetime of a motherboard, up to 10 years in most cases, but will sometimes need to be replaced.Incorrect or slow system date and time and loss of BIOS settings are major signs of a dead or dying CMOS battery. Replacing them is as easy as swapping out the dead one for a new one

PCI SLOTShort for Peripheral Component Interconnect, PCI was introduced by Intel in 1992. The PCI bus came in both 32-bit (133MBps) and 64-bit versions and was used to attach hardware to a computer. Although commonly used in computers from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, PCI has since been replaced with PCI Express.Revisions came in 1993 to version 2.0, and in 1995 to PCI 2.1; as an expansion to the ISA bus. Unlike ISA and other earlier expansion cards, PCI follows the PnP specification and therefore did not require any jumpers or dip switches. The picture below shows an example of what PCI slots look like on a motherboard. As you can see, there are three PCI slots: PCI4, PCI5, and PCI6.

AGP SLOTShort for Accelerated Graphics Port, AGP is an advanced port designed for Video cards and 3D accelerators. Designed by Intel and introduced in August of 1997, AGP introduces a dedicated point-to-point channel that allows the graphics controller direct access to the system memory. Below is an illustration of what the AGP slot may look like on your motherboard.The AGP channel is 32-bits wide and runs at 66 MHz, which is a total bandwidth of 266 MBps and much greater than the PCI bandwidth of up to 133 MBps. AGP also supports two optional faster modes, with a throughput of 533 MBps and 1.07 GBps. It also allows 3-D textures to be stored in main memory rather than video memory.Each computer with AGP support will either have one AGP slot or on-board AGP video. If you needed more than one video card in the computer, you can have one AGP video card and one PCI video card or use a motherboard that supports SLI.AGP is available in three different versions, the original AGP version mentioned above, AGP 2.0 that was introduced in May of 1998, and AGP 3.0 (AGP 8x) that was introduced in November of 2000. AGP 2.0 added 4x signaling and was capable of operating at 1.5V and AGP 3.0 was capable of double the transfer speeds.

MOTHER BOARDA Motherboard (sometimes alternatively known as the mainboard, system board, planar board or logic board,[1] or colloquially, a mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) found in computers and other expandable systems. It holds and allows communication between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals. Unlike a backplane, a motherboard contains significant sub-systems such as the processor and other components.Motherboard specifically refers to a PCB with expansion capability and as the name suggests, this board is often referred to as the "mother" of all components attached to it, which often include sound cards, video cards, network cards, hard drives, or other forms of persistent storage; TV tuner cards, cards providing extra USB or FireWire slots and a variety of other custom components (the term mainboard is applied to devices with a single board and no additional expansions or capability, such as controlling boards in televisions, washing machines and other embedded systems)

IC'SAn integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small plate ("chip") of semiconductor material, normally silicon. This can be made much smaller than a discrete circuit made from independent electronic components. ICs can be made very compact, having up to several billion transistors and other electronic components in an area the size of a fingernail. The width of each conducting line in a circuit can be made smaller and smaller as the technology advances; in 2008 it dropped below 100 nanometers,[1] and has now been reduced to tens of nanometers.[2]ICs were made possible by experimental discoveries showing that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized integrated circuits in place of designs using discrete transistorsICs have two main advantages over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit by photolithography rather than being constructed one transistor at a time. Furthermore, packaged ICs use much less material than discrete circuits. Performance is high because the IC's components switch quickly and consume little power (compared to their discrete counterparts) as a result of the small size and close proximity of the components. As of 2012, typical chip areas range from a few square millimeters to around 450 mm2, with up to 9 million transistors per mm2.Integrated circuits are used in virtually all electronic equipment today and have revolutionized the world of electronics. Computers, mobile phones, and other digital home appliances are now inextricable parts of the structure of modern societies, made possible by the low cost of integrated circuits

POWER CORDSA power cord, line cord, or mains cable is a cable that temporarily connects an appliance to the mains electricity supply via a wall socket or extension cord. The terms are generally used for cables using a power plug to connect to a single-phase alternating current power source at the local line voltage(generally 100 to 240 volts, depending on the location). The terms power cable, mains lead, flex or kettle lead are also used. A lamp cord (also known as a zip cord) is a light-weight, ungrounded, single-insulated two-wire cord used for small loads such as a table or floor lamp.A cord set includes connectors molded to the cord at each end (see Appliance coupler). Cord sets are detachable from both the power supply and the electrical equipment, and consist of a flexible cord with electrical connectors at either end, one male, and one female. One end of the cord set is attached to a molded electrical plug; the other is typically a molded electrical receptacle to prevent the possibility of having an exposed live prong or pin which would cause electric shock. The female connector attaches to the piece of equipment or appliance while the male plug connects to the electrical receptacle or outlet.

MOUSE PORT A dedicated socket in the computer for a mouse. Today, mice plug into the USB port, but in the past, mice plugged into a PS/2 connector, which is a 6-pin Mini-DIN socket. On the first desktop PCs, the mouse connected via the serial port, but the PS/2 port was subsequently used. On a Macintosh, the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connector was used. See PC input/output and USB.

KEYBOARD PORTThe PS/2 connector is a 6-pin mini-DIN connector used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987. The PS/2 mouse connector generally replaced the older DE-9 RS-232 "serial mouse" connector, while the PS/2 keyboard connector replaced the larger 5-pin/180 DIN connector used in the IBM PC/AT design. The PS/2 designs on keyboard and mouse interfaces are electrically similar and employ the same communication protocol. However, a given system's keyboard and mouse port may not be interchangeable since the two devices use a different set of commands

SERIAL PORTIn computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time (in contrast to a parallel port).[1] Throughout most of the history of personal computers, data was transferred through serial ports to devices such as modems, terminals and various peripherals.While such interfaces as Ethernet, FireWire, and USB all send data as a serial stream, the term "serial port" usually identifies hardware more or less compliant to the RS-232 standard, intended to interface with a modem or with a similar communication device.Modern computers without serial ports may require serial-to-USB converters to allow compatibility with RS 232 serial devices. Serial ports are still used in applications such as industrial automation systems, scientific instruments, point of sale systems and some industrial and consumer products. Server computers may use a serial port as a control console for diagnostics. Network equipment (such as routers and switches) often use serial console for configuration. Serial ports are still used in these areas as they are simple, cheap and their console functions are highly standardized and widespread. A serial port requires very little supporting software from the host system.

PARALLEL PORTA parallel port is a type of interface found on computers (personal and otherwise) for connecting peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port. It was an industry de facto standard for many years, and was finally standardized as IEEE 1284 in the late 1990s, which defined the Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) and Extended Capability Port (ECP) bi-directional versions. Today, the parallel port interface is seeing decreasing use because of the rise of Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices, along with network printing using Ethernet. The parallel port interface was originally known as the Parallel Printer Adapter on IBM PC-compatible computers. It was primarily designed to operate a line printer that used IBM's 8-bit extended ASCII character set to print text, but could also be used to adapt other peripherals. Graphical printers, along with a host of other devices, have been designed to communicate with the system.