(^22) PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide
Not counting the millions of transistors crammed into a computer’s microprocessor,
there are literally thousands of interacting parts in a computer. All of these parts must be
coordinated, controlled, and managed so that the computer’s actions fulfill the desire of
its user. However, the PC is much more than just hardware. In order for the computer to
accomplish something useful and of value, it must also have software to instruct the
hardware on what to do, data to be processed, and a person to either develop the instruc-
tions or enter the data (and to place value on the output). If any one of these components
is missing, nothing of value or use can happen. Without hardware, software is useless
and vice versa. Without data, what is there to do? And without a person, who enters the
data or views the output?
As important as each of these components is, this is not the beginner’s guide to soft-
ware, people, or data. In this book, you will find an in-depth introduction and guide to
the hardware of the personal computer. The focus in this book is on explaining how,
when, and why components, parts, and features are used, as well as some tips on what to
do when they don’t work correctly or need to be replaced or updated.
IN THIS BOOK ...
The contents of this book are structured so that you can focus on a particular group of the
parts of the PC.Figure 1-21. A microcomputer’s motherboard. Photo courtesy of Iwill USA