Hardware Support Chapter 1
Step 1: planning and Organizing Your Work and gathering Your tools - answersWhen
you first begin to learn how to work inside a computer case, make it a point to practice
good organization skills. If you keep your notes, tools, screws, and computer parts well
organized, your work goes more smoothly and is more fun.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) - answersis another name for static electricity, which can
damage chips and destroy motherboards, even though it might not be felt or seen with
the naked eye.
An ESD strap, which protects computer components from ESD, can clip to the side of
the computer case and eliminate ESD between you and the case - answersHere is a list
of essential tools:
1.) An ESD strap (also called a ground bracelet) 2.)Flathead screwdriver
3.) Phillips-head or crosshead screwdriver
Notes - answersIt's important to know how to stay safe when working inside computers.
Before opening a computer case
and using the tools described in this section, be sure to read Appendix A. As you work
inside a computer, follow all the safety guidelines discussed in this appendix.
Step 2: Opening the Case - answersBefore we discuss the parts inside a desktop case,
let's take a quick look at the outside of the case and the ports and switches on it.
chassis - answersA computer case for any type of computer is sometimes called the
chassis, and it houses the
power supply, motherboard, processor, memory modules, expansion cards, hard drive,
optical drive, and other drives.
tower case - answersA tower case (see Figure 1-4) sits upright; it can be as high as two
feet and has room for several drives
desktop case - answerslies flat and sometimes serves double-duty as a monitor stand.
important - answersDon't lay a tower case on its side when the computer is in use
because the CD or DVD drive might not work properly. For the same reason, if a
desktop case is designed to lie flat, don't set it on its end when the computer is in use.
A+ Exam Tip - answersThe A+ Core 1 exam expects you to know how to identify the
ports shown in Table 1-1.
Ports - answers
, VGA (Video Graphics Array) port - answersalso called a dB-15 port, dB15 port, hd15
port, or de15 port, is a 15-pin, d-shaped, female port that transmits analog video.
analog - answersmeans a continuous signal with infinite variations as compared with
digital
digital - answerswhich is a series of binary values—1s and 0s
DVI (Digital Video Interface) port - answerstransmits digital or analog video
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port - answerstransmits digital video and
audio (not analog transmissions) and is often used to connect to home theater
equipment.
DisplayPort - answerstransmits digital video and audio (not analog transmissions) and is
slowly replacing Vga and dVI ports on personal computers.
thunderbolt 3 port - answerstransmits video, data, and power on the same port and
cable and is popular with apple computers. the port is shaped the same as the uSB-C
port and is compatible with uSB-C devices. up to six peripherals (for example, monitors
and external hard drives daisy-chained together) can use the same thunderbolt port.
audio ports - answersalso called sound ports, for a microphone, audio in, audio out, and
stereo audio out. these types of audio ports can transmit analog or digital data. If you
have one audio cable to connect to a speaker or earbuds, plug it into the lime-green
sound port in the middle of the three ports. the microphone uses the pink port.
SPDIF (Sony-Philips digital Interface) sound port - answersconnects to an external
home theater audio system, providing digital audio output and the best signal quality.
SpdIF ports always carry digital audio and can work with electrical or optical cable.
When connected to a fiber-optic cable, the port is called an optical connector.
optical connector. - answersA connector used with a fiber-optic cable.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) port - answersis a multipurpose I/O port that comes in
several sizes and is used by many different devices, including printers, mice,
keyboards, scanners, external hard drives, and flash drives. Some uSB ports are faster
than others. hi-Speed uSB 2.0 is faster than regular uSB, and Super-Speed uSB 3.0 is
faster than uSB 2.0.
external SATA (eSATA) port - answersis used by an external hard drive or other device
using the eSata interface.
PS/2 port - answersalso called a mini-dIn port, is a round 6-pin port used by a keyboard
or mouse. the ports look alike but are not interchangeable. On a desktop, the purple
Step 1: planning and Organizing Your Work and gathering Your tools - answersWhen
you first begin to learn how to work inside a computer case, make it a point to practice
good organization skills. If you keep your notes, tools, screws, and computer parts well
organized, your work goes more smoothly and is more fun.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) - answersis another name for static electricity, which can
damage chips and destroy motherboards, even though it might not be felt or seen with
the naked eye.
An ESD strap, which protects computer components from ESD, can clip to the side of
the computer case and eliminate ESD between you and the case - answersHere is a list
of essential tools:
1.) An ESD strap (also called a ground bracelet) 2.)Flathead screwdriver
3.) Phillips-head or crosshead screwdriver
Notes - answersIt's important to know how to stay safe when working inside computers.
Before opening a computer case
and using the tools described in this section, be sure to read Appendix A. As you work
inside a computer, follow all the safety guidelines discussed in this appendix.
Step 2: Opening the Case - answersBefore we discuss the parts inside a desktop case,
let's take a quick look at the outside of the case and the ports and switches on it.
chassis - answersA computer case for any type of computer is sometimes called the
chassis, and it houses the
power supply, motherboard, processor, memory modules, expansion cards, hard drive,
optical drive, and other drives.
tower case - answersA tower case (see Figure 1-4) sits upright; it can be as high as two
feet and has room for several drives
desktop case - answerslies flat and sometimes serves double-duty as a monitor stand.
important - answersDon't lay a tower case on its side when the computer is in use
because the CD or DVD drive might not work properly. For the same reason, if a
desktop case is designed to lie flat, don't set it on its end when the computer is in use.
A+ Exam Tip - answersThe A+ Core 1 exam expects you to know how to identify the
ports shown in Table 1-1.
Ports - answers
, VGA (Video Graphics Array) port - answersalso called a dB-15 port, dB15 port, hd15
port, or de15 port, is a 15-pin, d-shaped, female port that transmits analog video.
analog - answersmeans a continuous signal with infinite variations as compared with
digital
digital - answerswhich is a series of binary values—1s and 0s
DVI (Digital Video Interface) port - answerstransmits digital or analog video
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port - answerstransmits digital video and
audio (not analog transmissions) and is often used to connect to home theater
equipment.
DisplayPort - answerstransmits digital video and audio (not analog transmissions) and is
slowly replacing Vga and dVI ports on personal computers.
thunderbolt 3 port - answerstransmits video, data, and power on the same port and
cable and is popular with apple computers. the port is shaped the same as the uSB-C
port and is compatible with uSB-C devices. up to six peripherals (for example, monitors
and external hard drives daisy-chained together) can use the same thunderbolt port.
audio ports - answersalso called sound ports, for a microphone, audio in, audio out, and
stereo audio out. these types of audio ports can transmit analog or digital data. If you
have one audio cable to connect to a speaker or earbuds, plug it into the lime-green
sound port in the middle of the three ports. the microphone uses the pink port.
SPDIF (Sony-Philips digital Interface) sound port - answersconnects to an external
home theater audio system, providing digital audio output and the best signal quality.
SpdIF ports always carry digital audio and can work with electrical or optical cable.
When connected to a fiber-optic cable, the port is called an optical connector.
optical connector. - answersA connector used with a fiber-optic cable.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) port - answersis a multipurpose I/O port that comes in
several sizes and is used by many different devices, including printers, mice,
keyboards, scanners, external hard drives, and flash drives. Some uSB ports are faster
than others. hi-Speed uSB 2.0 is faster than regular uSB, and Super-Speed uSB 3.0 is
faster than uSB 2.0.
external SATA (eSATA) port - answersis used by an external hard drive or other device
using the eSata interface.
PS/2 port - answersalso called a mini-dIn port, is a round 6-pin port used by a keyboard
or mouse. the ports look alike but are not interchangeable. On a desktop, the purple
