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Computer Hardware : Maintenance
By: Gwendolyn A. Cuizon March 7, 2006
The two main parts of a computer are hardware and software. The third – input- is what the computer user provides by using the computer hardware and software.
The computer hardware is all-inclusive term used to describe the physical parts of the computer as distinguished from the data it contains. Computer hardware is composed of computer itself, monitor, keyboard, printer, mouse and speakers. Inside the computer are more computer hardware bits including the motherboard where one can find the main processing chips that make up the Central Processing Unit (CPU). It is the computer hardware’s task to process the commands it receives from the software and to perform tasks or calculations.
Every part of the computer hardware is assigned to perform a specific task or tasks. The four main functions of computer hardware are: input, processing, storage and output.
Input is getting information into a computer system. The keyboard is the most obvious computer hardware component. A mouse, modem, cd and floppy disks could also be essential computer hardware components to input.
Data processing takes place in the Central Processing Unit (CPU). To aid the CPU is another computer hardware part that processes the arithmetic. It is the co-processor and called the Numerical Processing Unit (NPU).
Storage or where information is stored in the computer. The two main components are RAM (Random Access Memory) and hard drive.
Output is where you retrieve data. There are a number of ways in doing so. One computer hardware part is the monitor. It shows information from the computer so it is an output device. The monitor and parts of the computer that run it are called video. Another computer hardware output device is printer.
Computer hardware can be preserved for prolong use. The greatest enemy to computer is heat. Heat not only wears out internal components and chips; it also lowers performance of the system. The top and rear of the monitor should be kept clean. Dusts should be cleared from the inside surfaces of your computer hardware system system at least twice a year. The more dust on your chips, the hotter they get. A mere .005 millimeters of dust or enough to barely see. That much can raise the internal temperature by 5%. It is enough to shorten the system by years! Hard drives are also designed to be mounted flat. Mounting the unit flat distributes the weight of disk of hard drive evenly. This reduces wear and promotes long life.
Allow your computer to breathe and keep it clean, inside out and it will be around for years!
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