Figure 240 in Software

Paint PDF-417 2d barcode in Software Figure 240

big slab of copper or aluminum that helps draw heat away from the processor The fan then blows the heat out into the case You can usually remove this cooling device if you need to replace it, although some CPU manufacturers have sold CPUs with a fan permanently attached CPUs have a make and model, just like automobiles do When talking about a particular car, for example, most people speak in terms of a Ford Taurus SHO or a Toyota Camry LE When they talk about CPUs, people say Intel Core 2 or AMD Athlon XP Over the years, there have been only a few major CPU manufacturers, just as there are only a few major auto manufacturers The two most common makes of CPUs used in PCs are AMD and Intel Although only a few manufacturers of CPUs have existed, those manufacturers have made hundreds of models of CPUs Some of the more common models made over the last few years have names such as Celeron, Athlon XP, Pentium 4, and Core 2 Finally, CPUs come in different packages The package defines how the CPU looks physically and how it connects to the computer The predominant package type is called pin grid array (PGA) Every package type has lots of variations 3, Understanding CPUs, goes into great detail on CPUs, but for now remember that every CPU has a make, a model, and a package type

Random access memory (RAM) stores programs and data currently being used by the CPU The maximum amount of programs and data that a piece of RAM can store is measured in units called bytes Modern PCs have many millions, even billions, of bytes of RAM, so RAM is measured in units called megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB) An average PC will have from 256 MB to 2 GB of RAM, although you may see PCs with far more or far less RAM Each piece of RAM is called a stick One common type of stick found in today s 39

Some parts of your PC are much more sensitive to ESD than others Your CPU and RAM are very sensitive to ESD If you touch the metal parts of your CPU or RAM and you have even the tiniest amount of charge, it can destroy them

PC is called a dual inline memory module (DIMM) Figure 241 shows two examples of DIMMs used in PCs Your PC takes only one type of DIMM, and you must know the type so you can add or replace RAM when needed 4, Understanding RAM, covers everything you need to know to work comfortably with RAM

You can compare a motherboard to the chassis of an automobile In a car, everything connects to the chassis either directly or indirectly In a PC, everything connects to the motherboard either directly or indirectly A motherboard is a thin, flat piece of circuit board, usually green or gold, and often slightly larger than a typical piece of notebook paper (see Figure 242) A motherboard contains a number of special sockets that accept various PC components The CPU and RAM, for example, plug directly into

Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ Guide: Essentials (Exam 220-601)

the motherboard Other devices, such as floppy drives, hard drives, CD and DVD drives, connect to the motherboard sockets through short cables Motherboards also provide onboard connectors for external devices such as mice, printers, joysticks, and keyboards All motherboards use multipurpose expansion slots that enable you to add adapter cards Different types of expansion slots exist for different types of cards (see Figure 243)

The power supply , as its name implies, provides the necessary electrical power to make the PC operate The power supply takes standard (in the United States) 110-volt AC power and converts it into 12-volt, 5-volt, and 33-volt DC power Most power supplies are Figure 243 Expansion slots about the size of a shoebox cut in half and are usually a gray or metallic color (see Figure 244) A number of connectors lead out of the power supply Every power supply provides special connectors to power the motherboard and a number of other general-use connectors that provide power to any device that needs electricity Figure 245 shows both the motherboard power and typical general-use connectors Check out 8, Understanding PC Power, for more information