Computer Hardware - Guide to the PC Hardware

Upgrading computer memory involves increasing the RAM of your computer, so the first thing you have to figure out is the type of RAM the system uses, how it’s configured, and how many RAM slots you have available. A memory upgrade usually requires that you first check the computer’s user manual, or the manual for the motherboard. Find out if the memory is parity or non-parity. You can also check the website of your computer to find out the memory you need for computer memory upgrades.

Now, find out what the speed of the PC memory is. When dealing with computer memory, you have to know this information. Next, does your computer use single in-line memory modules (SIMMs) or dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs)? When conducting an upgrade, it’s also key to figure out if the computer uses regular, FPM, EDO, or Synch DRAM. How many pins are on the motherboard? 30, 72, or 168?

Computer memory upgrades require that you remove the cover from the computer so that you can determine the number of open RAM slots available. See if you can find between two and eight parallel sockets of the same size on the main circuit board. In most cases a minimum of two sockets contain RAM memory. You’ll recognize RAM because it looks like ruler-shaped circuit boards with chips on one or both sides.

Buy more memory to match the specifications you currently have for your computer. There are plenty of guides online that will give you the detailed ins and outs of how to install the RAM memory specifically - it’s not very difficult and almost anyone can do it if they learn how. There’s no point in purchasing a whole new computer if all you have to do is carry out a computer memory upgrade. Also, if you don’t want to do this all on your own it’s possible to hire a computer expert to make the installation for you.

Take note that in most cases you have to install SIMMS in pairs.

A great tip is that you can check how much PC memory you have installed in your computer currently, before carrying out upgrades, by checking your My Computer properties in Windows, or selecting About This Macintosh from the Apple menu (depending on which computer system you own).

Installing new computer memory is different when it comes to laptop memory for one main reason - with laptop memory you can’t open the computer yourself, so you’ll have to have the upgrade installed by a professional or purchase a new computer. Notebook memory and desktop memory differ in this way. Again, notebook memory is inaccessible to the general public, while desktop memory can be installed by anyone with a basic knowledge of computers.

However you carry out these upgrades, make sure you know what you’re doing beforehand. If you can’t complete the process independently, consider having the memory installed by someone with more experience with computers.

To learn more about Upgrading Computer Memory, check out the Free Consumer Review Web Site.

Computer memory is an area which cannot be compromised in any case, it is what stores all the information on your computer. Your computer would be nothing but a box without reliable memory in it. Computer memory cards need to be good quality. Most people prefer getting a dependable brand name. If you have a PC you probably know about the different types of memory cards. But there is more to understand about it.

An association known as Personal Computer Memory Card International Association looks after the features and promotion of computer memory cards all over the world. According to the association, the memory cards can be defined in relation to two standards known as personal card standard and Express Card standard. You are going to learn about both standards.

Today, every other person has a personal laptop. In the laptop memory, personal card standard has a major role to play. It provides a platform and infrastructure to all applications and operating system of the notebook computers. There are different types of personal cards, let’s say type1, type2, type3, and so on. All these different cards use a similar row attaching interface. All interfaces are 84mm long and 53mm in breadth. After getting any type of the memory cards, it is better to explore the Card Information Structure present in it. However, this is present in all types of cards and needs to be checked out before installation into the computer system. This section tells about the type of the computer memory card, power supply sources, power saving sources, manufacturer and the model number of the card and other important information.

Another standard for the memory cards are Express Cards. It is a hardware device that is successfully replacing the personal cards. These hardware memory cards are pluggable and can accept the wireless cards as well as the memory card readers. These cards are readily available for every model of notebook computer since 2005. The Express card supports the two main factors and have wider bandwidth in comparison to personal computer memory cards. More than this, they use an interface controller as well which is rarely used by PC cards.

In order to get more details and information about these two products of International Association of Computer Memory Cards, you can explore the different websites online. In Express memory cards, there are several models available to you by different companies. Some of them are equipped with integrated antenna while others contain broadband modem with it. So, according to your desire and personal needs of your computer, you can pick any one of the computer memory cards.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer, used laptops, used Computer memory cards software.

Old Internal Hard Drive Converted Into a Useful External Hard Drive?

Everyone needs more storage space sooner or later, whether it’s an external or internal hard drive and you’ve probably replaced that hard drive inside your computer for a larger capacity drive. But, what do you do now with the old drive lying around collecting dust? You can easily turn that old tired hard drive into an external harddrive without spending very much money. This type of hard drive can be extremely useful for transporting large files, adding extra storage space, or can serve as a back-up drive for your important data. It can also be a great tool for IT professionals who require software and tools handy to troubleshoot computer problems out in the field.

Choosing the Right External Hard Drive Enclosure

Before we begin, we need to determine the type of external drive enclosure that we need. The most important factor is choosing an enclosure that works with your old hard drive. Is your drive an IDE drive, or is it a SATA drive? If you have an older hard drive, it will most likely be an IDE drive; however some of the newer drives have a SATA interface. Simply double-check your drive’s interface before you make a purchase. The next step when looking for an external hard drive enclosure is what type of cable to use. Is your current hardware mostly USB or FireWire? Most PC users will have USB ports on the back of their computers. However, some Mac users maybe prefer to use their hard drive with a FireWire connection. And then there are some who would like the increased transfer speeds provided by the eSATA interface. Keep in mind that in order to use eSATA, your PC must have an external eSATA port.

Other factors to consider while choosing an external hard drive enclosure can be merely aesthetic reasons as opposed to users requiring more functional features. Some enclosures come built in with “back-up” buttons that can be used to automatically launch software, or extra LED lights that help indicate drive activity. Others come with fancy paint or body designs to give you some style. Some external enclosures are also made of aluminum to help dissipate heat. The possibilities are endless.

Connecting Your Newly Converted External Hard Drive

Connecting your old hard drive to your new external hard drive enclosure is pretty simple. You will most likely not need anything other than a screwdriver. If you have an IDE drive, check that the jumpers on the back of the drive are set to the correct master/slave/cable-select setting according to your new enclosure’s instructions. From here, it’s simply a matter of securing the drive to the chassis, plugging in the power cables, and connecting the interface cables. Now you can close up the enclosure.

Last Step - Connecting to your PC

Most external enclosures will come with an external power supply and a data cable. Simply hook up the power supply to your new external hard drive enclosure, and connect the provided data cable from the enclosure to an available port on your PC. If the enclosure requires drivers to be installed, you should insert the CD and install it at this point. Your computer should automatically detect your new drive and assign it a drive letter. Double check that the drive is functioning properly by transferring some sample files back and forth. If all is well, then you have successfully turned an old hard drive into an external drive.

Jim Hedgecoth is an expert computer hardware storage device writer and frequent contributor to I/O Magic Corporation. I/O Magic is a leading Internet retailer offering data storage solutions such as portable hard drives, external DVD drives and USB hard drives.

Have I Backed Up My Portable Hard Drive?

The most important thing to consider when formatting your portable hard drive is whether you’ve backed up your data! Any other choice you make, short of dropping it in a garbage disposal, can be changed later on, but if you fail to perform a backup before you format, all information on the drive will be lost. Make sure to copy all of your files onto another drive before you start. This is not a consideration if you are formatting a new hard drive, as it is empty. Otherwise, always remember: BACK IT UP!

What Types of Computers Am I Going To Be Using?

One of the main benefits of a portable hard drive is its ability to be moved from one computer to another. This advantage needs to be considered when deciding how to best format your drive, because different types of computers support different file systems.

There are three major file systems to choose from: FAT32, NTFS, and HFS+

The following is a guideline to choose a file system that is compatible with all the different systems you will be using:

Windows 9x/ME - FAT32 (yes), NTFS (No), HFS+ (no)

Windows 2000 XP/Vista - FAT32 (yes), NTFS (yes), HFS+ (no)

Mac OS X - FAT32 (yes), NTFS (no), HFS+ (yes)

Linux - FAT32 (yes), NTFS (yes), HFS+ (yes)

As you can see, some file systems are more portable than others. If you need to move files across many platforms, the FAT32 file system is your best choice. On the other hand, if you are only going to be using one type, you’ll probably want to choose a file system that is specifically tailored to that type of system, due to performance and security issues.

What Kinds of Files Am I Going To Be Storing On My Portable Hard Drive?

You may decide to format in FAT32 because it is compatible across all the major platforms. Before you decide, you need to think about the types of files that you will be storing on your portable hard drive. FAT32 is very portable, but it has one major limitation: it can’t hold files that are larger than 4GB. Because of this limitation, you may need to go with NTFS or HFS+ if you will be storing large files, such as video or backup image files.

Do I Need File Security?

Another thing to consider when preparing to format your portable hard drive is whether or not you need to secure your data. If your data is of a particularly sensitive or personal nature, you may want to choose a file system that provides file level security. If you use file level security only people with permission can access your files. NTFS & HFS+ both provide file level security, while FAT32 does not.

Should I Partition My Portable Hard Drive?

You may find yourself in a situation where you want to have two different file systems on the same drive. For instance, you may need to store large files, but still want to be able to use your portable hard drive on an older Windows machine. If this is the case for you, you may want to partition your hard drive into two or more parts and format one partition as FAT32 and the other as NTFS.

Jim Hedgecoth is a veteran freelance writer who writes about computer storage hardware devices such as USB Hard Drives, Blu Ray Drives and other related products. He’s a frequent contributor to I/O Magic Corporation, a leading Internet retailer offering data storage solutions.

We would be lost without our computers. Businesses are able to operate, keep track of their inventory and order new supplies all through the use of computers. Personal computers keep track of our finances, allow us to surf the World Wide Web and provide ways to relax us through the use of video games.

Computer memory is the most vital component that makes your pc run. Did you not know that? Do not feel bad because most computer users know just enough about their personal and work computers to know when something goes wrong.

You can get ahead of the pack by this article. You can learn what computer memory is and how it affects the performance of your business or personal pc/laptop.

How can I tell how much RAM I have on my computer?

If you do not automatically know… what is wrong with you? That is a joke of course. Most people do not know the technical aspects of their computer right off hand. Most never need to know as long as it is working correctly but there is a way to find out very quickly.

Simply find the My Computer or Computer icon on your desktop and right click once. A window will pop up, scroll to the bottom where it reads “Properties.” Left click on Properties and a window will pop up with all of your technical information. You can look under “System” to find your processor speed and your memory.

What is volatile storage?

Volatile storage is any storage or items that were temporarily stored that will be cleared when you power down your computer. RAM is cleared each time you power your computer down and volatile storage acts in the same manner. It is the opposite of non-volatile storage where information is permanently saved to the hard drive of your desktop or laptop computer.

What is Random and Sequential Access?

Random access is the ability of the pc to draw on different storage randomly. The data does not have to travel a set path in order to be stored or accessed. Sequential access is the direct opposite. There must be a set data path in order for the computer to be able to access the information it needs in order to run properly.

Can the information found in a computer memory be changed?

Yes, information found in a computer’s memory can be changed. RAM is deleted and cleared whenever you restart your pc. Long term storage can be deleted and changed to meet your specifications. If you do not know how to change your data, you can always seek out message boards specializing in data storage.

Can different computers use the same memory?

As long as the computer has the same base components, it can use different memory module options. Some computers on a network may be able to be connected together so that they can use a larger RAM database. The database would have to be pretty large for more than one computer to be connected and all of them using the RAM.

Enrich your knowledge further about the computer memory from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our discount computer memory blog where a free gift awaits you.

Lights travel in optical fibers need a continuous, non-disruptive path in order to travel a long distance without too big signal loss. But in a hundreds of kilometers fiber link, the light signals need to be amplified, cross-connected, added or dropped and many other processing. In these connections, two fibers are connected together as a standard practice. This connection can be done with connectors and splicing.

Splicing is the practice of joining two fibers together without using connectors. Two types of fiber splices exist: fusion splicing and mechanical splicing. Splicing may be made during installation or repair.

Splices generally have lower loss and better mechanical integrity than connectors, while connectors make system configuration much more flexible. So typically, splices are used to connect fiber cables in outdoor applications and connectors terminate fiber cables inside buildings.

:: Fusion Splicing

Fusion splicing is to use high temperature heat generated by electric arc and fuse two glass fibers together (end to end with fiber core aligned precisely). The tips of two fibers are butted together and heated so they melt together. This is normally done with a fusion splicer, which mechanically aligns the two fiber ends, then applies a spark across the fiber tips to fuse them together.

:: Mechanical Splicing

Mechanical splicing uses mechanical fixtures to join two fibers together end to end(again, fiber cores are aligned precisely). Mechanical splicing join two fiber ends either by clamping them within a structure or by gluing them together.

Single mode fiber requires much tighter tolerances than multimode fibers for splicing. So special equipment are often required for single mode mechanical splices. This makes single mode fiber mechanical splicing much more expensive than multimode fiber mechanical splicing.

:: The advantages of mechanical splicing

Mechanical splicing doesn’t need costly capital equipment to work, but it does require higher consumable costs. So for organizations that don’t make a lot of splicing, mechanical splicing is the best choice. It is also best suited for emergency repairs.

:: Types of mechanical splicing

1. Capillary type

In capillary type mechanical splicing, two fibers are inserted into a thin capillary tube. The tube has a inner diameter that matches the fiber’s cladding diameter. (The fibers must first have coatings removed and cladding exposed and cleaned). These two fiber ends are pushed inwards until they meet. Index matching gels are often inserted in the center to reduce back reflections. The fibers are then held in place with compression or friction.

2. Ribbon V-Groove type

For multiple fiber cables such as ribbon fibers, capillary type doesn’t work anymore. Instead, fiber ribbon is put in a V-shaped groove array, with each fiber place in its own v-groove. Two ribbon fibers are butted together in this V-groove array and then a cover plate is applied on top. This V-groove splice is extremely useful in multifiber splicing.

3. Elastomeric type

Elastomeric splice is for lab testing or emergency fiber repairs. Very like aforementioned V-groove type, it has a single fiber v-groove but the v-groove is made of flexible plastic. First an index matching gel is injected into the hole, then one fiber is inserted until it reaches about halfway. The other fiber is then inserted from the other end until it meet the first one.

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic technologies and products. Learn even more about mode conditioning cable, mode conditioning fiber and mode conditioning patch cord on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site.

The computer has been one of the most amazing and fruitful discoveries man has ever made. It has revolutionized the way man does his things. The way he eats, drinks, sleeps and even thinks. And computer itself has evolved over the years. From the Eniac I to the hand-held palmtops in executives’ hands today, computer has changed with the technology. And it has changed our lives too.

The latest addition to this revolution of technical upgrading of computers is the dual-core processor technology. It refers to the CPU (Central Processing Unit- the brains of the computer) that possesses two independent and complete execution cores for each of its two processors. The concerned CPU contains two combined processors along with their cache memories and their respective controllers integrated into a singular circuit (commonly known as a silicon chip).

The dual-core process computer is suited to multitasking and handling miscellaneous tasks (often unrelated to each other). Because its CPU has two completely independent execution cores and both have independent interfaces to the front bus, it has excellent capacity to execute several programs and tasks simultaneously. Similarly, dual-core process computers may have more processor cores which is actually named as a multi-core process computer. These are highly efficient machines to conduct intensive tasks of computing or program execution at the same instance of time.

The Pentium dual-core process computer is the most preferred brand of computer in the market. It has x86-architectured microprocessors integrated onto its circuit. The 32-bit Yonah processors are a base for mobile computers while the 64-bit Allendale processors are maintained for the desktop computers. Both have absolutely different architecture as far as microprocessor technical build is concerned.

By early 2007, Intel decided to launch dual-core process computers in the field of notebooks or laptops too. This was a very important and vital decision as there were no other rivals in this phase if the market of computer architecture. Intel had only decided to launch the dual-core process computer system applying to notebooks on the behest of notebook or laptop manufacturers. The first processors to appear in notebooks using the dual-core process computer technology were the Pentium T2060, T2080 and a 32-bit Pentium M based on the Yonah core with a 1 MB L2 cache, instead of the usual 2MB cache memory.

Intel had forced a return of the Pentium brand to the market arena on 2006 with a host of low-cost single core Conroe-L core architecture processors with a 1 MB cache. These were numbered ‘1′ to distinguish them from dual core process computer cores that had been labeled with the digit ‘2′.

More recently, on June 3, 2007, Intel released desktop dual-core processors from the Pentium brand. They were named as E2140 and E2160. September 2007 saw the late release of a better and updated model named E2180. These processors support the Intel64 extensions, because of their Allendale derived Core architecture. The power of these dual-core process computers was very imminent as most companies` demands exceeded supply over these multi-processor machines.

Dual-core process computer systems have taken over the world of computing today. As of its multi-tasking ability, it has gained world-wide acclaim due to its efficient, quick and yet superior quality program execution and task completion abilities. Heavier programs and complex games may be run with these dual-core process computer systems at the regular pace of conventional single-core processor systems did with light programs on the execution chart.

The age of computers had begun a long time back. But the age of sleek and efficient computing with the help of razor-edge technology has just begun with the dual-core process computer systems.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil

Mouse is a very useful accessory in a computer system. It helps to select a particular item in the computer system with ease. There are various types of mouse in the market nowadays. Mechanical, optical, laser, inertial, 3D, double etc are few examples.

An optical mouse uses photodiodes and LED (light emitting diode) technology that is usually present under the mouse, to detect the movements, than moving any of its inner parts, as in a mechanical mouse. The latest technology optical mouse uses an optoelectronic sensor that takes continuous images as the mouse moves. With the cost of computing components decreasing with time, it has become possible to pack the mouse with more powerful image processing chips that have many special functions.

This helped the mouse to detect the movement at any surface, unlike mechanical mouse that need a soft and an even ground to perform. This further led to translating the motion of the mouse to the motion of the pointer on the screen, thus ruling out the need of a mouse pad. This led to the increase in the use of such mouse as it became more user - friendly and easy to use.

Optical computer mouse illumines the surface on which it works. This is done with the help of LED. The image processing area of the chip helps in the shifting from one frame to the other. This is then translated into motion with the help of an optical flow-estimation algorithm.

The laser mouse is another type of mouse that makes use of an infrared laser instead of LED to light the surface under it. This helps in increasing the image resolution and thus can point more accurately and at a much faster rate. This type of mouse also has a power usage that allows it to be more efficient than the other mouse types.

With technology improving at a faster rate, the computer mouse has emerged as a wonderful accessory that has not one but many advantages on its side. Using the right type of mouse for the correct requirement will help in being cost effective as well.

You can visit exclusive Computer Mouse Reviews website to read reviews and find best buys on Optical Mouse, Creative, Kingston and Wireless Mouse.

Everyday some new invention occurs in the field of computers. Because of these inventions, there are leaps and bounds of advancement in the computer world. This advancement is based on its advanced technologies and highly featured devices. Computers are aided with different scientific technologies that also enhance its performance.

A memory card is the solid state electronic data storage device in computers. Not only in computers, but it is found in almost all of the electronic computerized devices. These devices are mobile computers, digital cameras, music players, video game consoles and other electronics. Let us continue our discussions on different memory cards and some of the speeds of these cards.

When they are found in some devices they offer power free storage, record ability, and small form factor. The cards that are in solid state use flash memory and those cards that are in the non solid state do not use flash memory. Flash memory cards are replaceable for the hard disks in USB drive and MP3 player etc.

Different cards do different jobs and have different speeds. Some common areas of application are digital cameras, in cell phones and in game consoles. PC cards are a different type. They are the first commercial cards that came out in 1990s. They are used most extensively in the industrial applications. In 1990, more of the cards were invented but with smaller formats than the PC cards. They include smart media, miniature card and compact flash. At the onset of 2000, a number of memory cards were invented. These are Memory stick, SD/MMC and xD picture cards. Since then, the trend seemed to be that the smaller card was preferred over the larger cards.

As a result, compact cards are considered as outdated. PDAs and cell phones are made with ultra small memory cards. It is observed that compact flash and smart media are more successful in digital cameras. Most PCs have a number of built in things like compact flash, memory stick, SD etc. Most of the gadgets that are digital support a number of cards to ensure the compatibility of the gadget.

The speed varies among different memory cards. While buying one for your electronic gadget or buying an electronic device that has them, the speed factor is very essential. The speed actually determines the rate of speed of capturing a picture and the speed of transferring it into the computer. Thus the speed of your device depends on the speed of the cards. The SQ flash memory card is one of the different cards that leave all the others behind in speed. A 1 GB SQ flash card would increase the reading speed to the 24 MB and the writing speed to 12 MB. It shows a wide gulf of difference in the speed of other memory cards.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer memory cards, used laptop memory cards, used different memory cards software.

Would you like to familiarize yourself with all the aspects of the computer memory? Yes! Then, did you know that there is a chip that controls the flow of data to and from the memory system of the computer. It is known as the computer memory controller, and is fixed either on the motherboard of the computer or to the Central Processing Unit.

The main task of the memory controller chip is to read, write and refresh the Random Access Memory by sending the current through the whole system. If there were no system of refreshing the RAM, the application might lose the entire data it has stored. In this sense, the presence of a memory controller is utterly important.

The Memory controller reads and writes the RAM through multiplexers and demultiplexers. They choose the right row, column and memory location for the data. These controllers work according to the bus width. The bus width of a system is constituted by the number of parallel lanes that communicate with the memory cell of the RAM.

Computer memory controllers have developed into a number of categories. These are Double data rate memory, Dual channel memory and fully buffered memory. The Double data rate memory controller is used to control the RAM which is in the form of a built-in circuit used in the computer. Here, the information is transferred in the flow of highs and lows of the memory clock of the computer. They are a little more comprehensive than that of a single rate controller as they allow almost twice the data to be transferred.

On the other hand, Dual channel memory controllers are used in the systems in which RAM is divided into two different buses. This permits two controllers to work in parallel directions. Fully buffered memory means the placement of a buffer memory device on every module of memory that uses a serial link to the data in place of a parallel link. With the help of this computer memory controller, several memory devices can be connected to a single board.

You will find quality but a very limited variety in computer memory controllers. Mostly, these are fixed in all laptop and desktop computers. A user need not fix them on his own. If you are going to use a computer service, it is important to check out its functioning and status as well. In this respect, you can seek the help of online websites as well as many of the reliable computer stores. For online help, you just need to click onto the Internet and explore the computer memory controller websites. You are allowed to share your concerns and problems with their staff and they will help you to come up with the relevant solution.

In case of some serious problem, they may send their staff to your home to take a close look at the memory controller. So, we have told you about the working of the computer memory controllers, now it is you who has to check out whether it is working accurately in your computer or not?

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer memory, used laptop memory, used Computer Memory Controllers software.