Monday Lecture Chapter 6

Technology in ActionTechnology in Action

Chapter 6

Evaluating Your System: Understanding and

Assessing Hardware

Chapter Six ObjectivesChapter Six Objectives

• Buy or Upgrade• CPU function• Memory• Storage devices• Video• Sound• Ports• Reliability of system

To Buy or Upgrade?To Buy or Upgrade?

Consider:• Moore’s Law

– 18 months• Double the number of transistors

• Other advances in hardware– Storage

– Memory

– Peripherals

What Is Your Ideal Computer?What Is Your Ideal Computer?

Your Computer Uses:• Entertainment

• Educational

• Business

Ideal ComputerIdeal Computer

Some Possible Uses:• Word processing

• Digital photo work

• E-mail

• Spreadsheets

• Home financeMatch Components

to Your Needs:CPURAM

StorageOther

Match Components to Your Needs:

CPURAM

StorageOther

TrainingTraining

• Plan on training

• Sources– Classes– Online newsgroups– Manufacturers and publishers– Built-in tutorials

Assessing Your Hardware – Assessing Your Hardware – The SubsystemsThe Subsystems

• CPU

• RAM

• Storage

• Video

• Audio

• Ports

Central Processing UnitCentral Processing Unit

• Two major parts• Control unit

• ALU (arithmetic logic unit)

• Machine cycle• Clock speed

CPU UsageCPU Usage

CPU usage

CPU usage

Windows XP

Task Manager

Windows XP

Task Manager

Upgrading Your CPUUpgrading Your CPU

• Expense

• Speed

• Compatibility

• Method– Chip-for-chip– Piggybacking– Daughter board

Installing heatsink over

CPU

Random Access MemoryRandom Access Memory

• RAM

• Temporary storage

• Fast

• Memory cards

• Types of RAM

memorymemorymemorymemory

Random Access MemoryRandom Access Memory

• Installed RAM

• Task Manager– Performance tab

• Kernel memory

• RAM needs

memorymemorymemorymemory

System Performance and RAMSystem Performance and RAM

• Memory bound

• Virtual memory

• Page file page file usage

memorymemorymemorymemory

Adding RAMAdding RAM

• Limited

• Easy to do

memorymemorymemorymemory

Additional RAMAdditional RAM

Considerations:Type

Amount

Maximum you need

Maximum allowable

Total slots

Total open slots

memorymemorymemorymemory

StorageStorage

• Hard disk drive

• Floppy disk drive

• Zip disk drive

• CD drive

• DVD drive

storagestoragestoragestorage

Hard Disk Drive Hard Disk Drive

Compared to other storage:Large, economical

Fast data access

Fast data transfer rate

storagestoragestoragestorage

Hard Disk DriveHard Disk Drive

Considerations:Current capacity

Needed capacity

Software storage examples• Windows XP – 1.5 GB

• Word – 265 MB

• Internet Explorer – 75 MB

storagestoragestoragestorage

Portable StoragePortable Storage

• Floppy

• CD

• DVD

• Flash memory

• Zip

CapacitiesCapacities

Storage Media Capacity

Floppy disk 1.44 MB

Zip disk 100 to 750 MB

CD 700 MB

DVD 9.4 GB

Flash memory 16 MB to 1 GB

storagestoragestoragestorage

Floppy and Zip DisksFloppy and Zip Disks

• Portable

• Magnetized particles of iron oxide

• Organized by tracks and sectors

CDs and DVDsCDs and DVDs

• Pits burned into disk

• Pits and non-pits translated to ones (1) and zeroes (0)

CDs and DVDsCDs and DVDs

Types and needsCD-R

CD-RW

DVD-ROM

DVD-R

CD-ROM

DVD-RW

storagestoragestoragestorage

Possible Storage UpgradesPossible Storage Upgrades

• Hard drive– Internal

– External

• CD, DVD

• Zip drive

• Flash card

storagestoragestoragestorage

Video SubsystemVideo Subsystem

• Video card (video adapter)– VRAM– Screen refresh rates

• Monitor– CRT vs. LCD– Size

Screen Resolution – Tradeoffs Screen Resolution – Tradeoffs

Comparison of two screen resolutions

800 x 600 pixels

1024 x 768 pixels

Screen Resolution – Changing Screen Resolution – Changing

Audio SubsystemAudio Subsystem

Speakers:Amplified

Not amplified

Subwoofer

Audio SubsystemAudio Subsystem

Sound card:Expansion card

3D sound card

Surround sound • Dolby Digital 5.1

Card identification

Input and output jacks

Port ReviewPort Review

Types: Serial

Parallel

USB 1.2 and 2.0

FireWire

Ethernet

Evaluating System ReliabilityEvaluating System Reliability

First, routine file maintenance:Disk defragmentation

Edit startup folder

Remove temporary Internet files

Disk DefragmentationDisk Defragmentation

System CrashSystem Crash

• Double-check hardware and software installations

• With error code, check Microsoft Knowledge Base

• Ensure enough RAM

• Software updates

After EvaluationAfter Evaluation

Buy or Upgrade?• CPU• Memory• Storage• Video• Sound• Ports• System reliability

Evaluating Your System Evaluating Your System Topic SummaryTopic Summary

• Upgrade or buy new

• CPU function and evaluation

• Memory

• Storage devices

• Video output

• Sound quality