CSS: Computer Hardware Components

In order to pass the CSS Exam from TESDA, we should be knowledgeable about the components of a computer system and their functions.

In this blog, we will tackle these components As Fast and As Simple As Possible.

1. The CPU. The CPU - Central Processing Unit, commonly called processor is where all of the functions, tasks, and computations occur. Although it is the powerhouse center, it cannot do these processes alone. It needs other components to do its tasks. 

The two prominent manufacturers of CPUs are Intel and AMD.

2. The Motherboard. The motherboard is the framework of the computer system. It is the component in which all of the other components are connected and inserted. In the motherboard also resides the data busses. Data busses are pathways on the motherboard that allows the transfer of instructions from one component to another. External components such as monitors, speakers, microphones and USBs also connect to the motherboard.

You will also see the Northbridge and the Southbridge in the motherboard. The Northbridge controls the data pathways and communication of the heavily used components of the system; the memory, cpu, video. The Southbridge, on the other hand, controls communication on the "not so important" and minimal components of the system; the usb, serial ports, BIOS, audio et cetera.

3. The Memory or RAM. The memory does not control anything. It serves as the storage of all the functions, applications, services, programs, features, instructions that are being utilized by the CPU. It is in the memory where our Operating System is loaded. 

To have an idea of the memory's function, imagine this scenario.

Your computer has 1 gigabyte of memory. When the Operating System is loaded, it occupies let's say, about 100 Megabytes. You then opened a few web browsers, lots of websites (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter), and you also opened PC applications such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Photoshop et cetera. You will then notice slowness on your computer depending on how occupied your memory is. If you've reached the maximum of 1 Gigabyte, some systems tend to see the BSOD - Blue Screen of Death error. This is the result of memory overload wherein the memory has to offload a few programs or functions to accommodate to the ones being currently used by the processor.

4. The Hard Disk Drive. The HDD is our non volatile storage. Contrast to the memory being volatile (it loses all data on power loss), the HDD retains all that is saved permanently. When we first install our Operating System, it is saved in the HDD, a recovery partition is also created amounting to 100 to 300MB. This allows for system recovery in case of errors. 

The HDD is also where we save our files; music, videos, documents, pictures et cetera. When you install an application, it is also installed in the hard disk drive.

The newer version of the HDD is the SSD or Solid State Drive. They both function as storage but instead of using disk platters, SSDs use Integrated Circuits and memory organized as disk drives.

Now, these are only the main components of the computer system. There are still quite a few that contributes to the total functioning of the system.