Operating System (OS)

An Operating system (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a vital component of the system software in a computer system. Application programs usually require an operating system to function.

                OPERATING SYSTEM FLOW CHART:


There are many operating system providers. They are,
1. Microsoft windows
2. Unix
3. Linux
4. Apple Macintosh.


WINDOWS:  Windows is released by the Microsoft corporation. It is the popular operating system, because it is easy to use. Older versions namely Window DOS are command based operating system.
There are many versions in windows operating system. They are,

1. Windows DOS
2. Windows NT
3. Windows 95 & 98 in 9x group
4. Windows 2000
5. Windows server 2003
6. Windows XP
7. Windows Vista
8. Windows 7  and
9. Windows 8 (Recently released).

For more details visit Microsoft Website.


UNIX: Unix is a trademark family of operating system originally developed at Bell Laboratories.
There are many versions of Unix. To know more information and to download www.opengroup.org.
Older versions of Unix are command based operating system.

LINUX: Linux is an open standards UNIX derivative originally developed and released by a Finnish computer science student named Linus Torvalds. There are many Linux Distributers namely,
1.Red Hat Linux
2.Mandriva Linux
3.Debian
4.Gentoo
5.Ubuntu etc.

To download: Search in Google for various distributers Websites.


APPLE MACINTOSH: Apple computing, Inc. markets the proprietary Macintosh Operating System with its Own graphical user interface design.
There are many versions of Macintosh. They are,
1. Mac OS X Tiger
2. Mac OS X
3. Mac OS X Mountain Lion.

For more details visit Apple website.

                        
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Webcams

A Camera that is used to send periodic images or continuous frames to a website for display.
Webcam software usually captures the image as JPEG or MPEG files and uploads them to web server. Webcam images can also be accessed using some instant messaging software and by some video applications. Some corporations use webcams as a security measure. Webcam also used to video chat using some special messaging software and internet. Generally webcams are fixed at top of the monitor. In Portable Computer like Laptops, Webcam is very small that permanently fixed or(in build) at the top centre of the display and it is connected internally. Webcam in normal Desktop Computers or connected by using FireWire or USB Cable. Some times webcam driver software also needed.

                  DESKTOP COMPUTER WEBCAM

                    INBUILD LAPTOP  WEBCAM

 

BioMetric Devices

Biometrics  is an automated method of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic, such as retina pattern , fingerprints or voice recognition. Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of high secure identification and personal verification solutions. Using these input devices ensures the security of a user's data.

     BIOMETRIC RETINA PATTERN SCANNER

    BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINT SCANNER

 

 

 BIOMETRIC VOICE RECOGNITION DEVICE

 

Touch Pad

A Touch Pad is a small, touch-sensitive pad where you run your finger across the surface to send electronic signal to the computer to control pointer drawn on the screen. Touch Pad can have buttons like mouse or the Touch Pad can be configured to detect finger taps on its surface and process those signals like a button click.

        WIRELESS TOUCH PAD

 Touch Pad also support many function like mouse, They are given below,

       FUNCTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS IN TOUCH PAD

Digital Camera

What is Digital Camera?
                  
ANSWER:                                     
                    A Digital Camera that uses electronic signals to capture and store photographic images and video images. The resulting files are often  stored on embedded memory cards, removable memory cards, or optical disks. Connecting the digital camera or its removable memory card to a pc enables you to save, manipulate, print and otherwise work with the images. Nowadays digital camera also have microphone to record voice when take video. The digital camera also has play video and image facility by having small screen on the rear of the camera.
The digital camera transfer photos or video to computer by  means of USB cable or FireWire cable.
The cable that connect camera to computer is generally included with camera when you buy.

                                                 
                 DIGITAL CAMERA FRONT VIEW

 

 

 

               REAR VIEW OF DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

Microphone

Microphone (Mic) is a input device that provides audio input to computer or to any other device.

Microphone typically have a 1/8 inch connector built into the attached cable.
Users use microphone to complete task such as making phone calls via the internet and to dictate to the computer using voice recognition software. For such users, The higher the quality of the microphone. The better they will be able to accomplish these tasks. Microphone should connect in pink color -coded port in the sound card.

                                                                   MICROPHONE

Speakers and Sub Woofers

Speakers and subwoofer is a type of output device which provide audio output or audio information. Subwoofer is also a part of costly sound system that gives BASS effect. E.g..2.1 ,5.1 and 7.1.
Speakers are connected to the line out port on the sound card. Some speakers sets permanently connected to each other. Others speakers sets are connected by the user to each other or to a subwoofer. A cable runs from one of the speakers to the line out port to connect both speakers to the computer. If the card it is color-coded, the speaker port will be green or lime. The port might be marked with line out, spkr, speaker, or have a marking indicating the direction of the audio (out).
The subwoofer get its power from wall outlet or UPS.

There are different types of sound system are,
a) 2.1 -Two speakers and one subwoofer
b) 5.1 -Five speakers and one subwoofer
c) 7.1 -Seven speakers and one subwoofer

Note:
           Normally 2.1 sound system can kept in the order of ,subwoofer at center and two speakers at two sides of system. Like wise 5.1 and 7.1 sound system subwoofer at center and speaker at each corners of the room to get  theatre effect. 

                                                           
                                                              2.1 SOUND SYSTEM

                                                                  5.1 SOUND SYSTEM

                                                                7.1 SOUND SYSTEM


 

Riser Card

What is Riser Card?

Answer: A Riser Card is a board that plugs into the motherboard and provides additional slots for adapter cards. It enables you to connect additional adapters to the system. Riser Cards can connect in PCI or ISA slot.

                                                                              RISER CARD

                  RISER CARD MOUNTED IN MOTHERBOARD
 

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides the power to computer when power fails or power cut for few minutes to save document and to shutdown.
It also stabilize the power from wall outlet to  the computer using through this UPS.
It can purchased from the computer shops and it can be sold in different prices according to the back up time.
It can provide stable current without voltage fluctuations by using small step up or step down  transformer or coil present in side the UPS.

People who having UPS should be maintain the UPS regularly, Because it contain battery that should not became empty. It should be charge electrically regularly. Common Charging time for Most of the Empty Battery is 10-12 Hrs. In other case, it can charged automatically by simply using computer.
The Life of the UPS battery is 3-4 Years. Depending up on regular maintenance. Other wise it can loose its life even in 18 Months. While changing the UPS battery buy good branded battery for best performance.

Note: Other electrical items like TV, Table Fan should not connect to the computer UPS.
If you use other appliances in computer UPS when power cut the battery became weak soon...

                                                                      UPS

                                                     RECHARGBLE UPS BATTERY 

System Bus

A System Bus is the wires, or traces on the motherboard that provide the main communication path between the CPU and memory.  You can see the traces or wires on the below image.

 

SYSTEM BUS

FireWire connections

A FireWire connection is a personal computer that provides a high speed interface for peripheral device that are designed to use IEEE 1394 standard. FireWire can support up to 63 device on one FireWire port. FireWire 400 transmits at 400 Mbps.
FireWire 800 transmits at 800 Mbps.

FireWire devices are,
1.FireWire Camera
2.FireWire Printer
3.FireWire Scanner etc..

                                                                FireWire 400 cable

                                                           FireWire 800 cable
 

SATA & PATA connection

PARELLEL ATA (PATA) connections:
                         A PATA connection is a drive connection standard that provides a parallel data channel from the drive controller to the disk drives. they are used to connect internal drives and system board.

                                                                             PATA cable




SERIAL ATA (SATA) connection:
                                                            A  SATA connection is a drive connection standard that enhances PATA by providing a serial data channel between drive controller and the disk drives.
SATA transfer speed are much higher than PATA for the same drive technologies.SATA connectors have four pins. SATA supports one device per channel.
Data transfer rates 150 MB/sec for SATA I and 300MB/sec for SATA II.

                                                                              SATA cable

 

Memory Card

Memory card is also a very small  portable device like a small SIM card.
This is Used in Mobile phones, Digital Camera, Video Camera PDA,Laptop, etc...to  listen music, watch video, to also record anything..
Micro SD is used in mobile phone..

There are many types of  memory card,
1.SD Memory
2.Micro SD
3.Compact Flash,etc..

                                                            SD MEMORY CARD

                                                     MICRO SD MEMORY CARD
 

Pen Drive

Pen Drive is the small portable drive that use to store the data,
mainly used for small data backup. The pen Drive is normally
in many storage capacities like 512MB, 1GB, 2GB,....32GB.
These capacities are affordable price for home users.
And there are also capacity above 32GB they are high cost.

There are main Pen Drive brands are,
1.Transcend
2.San Disk
3.HP
5.Sony
4.Kingston etc...

                                                                      USB Pen Drive 

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connection

A Universal serial Bus (USB) connection is a personal computer connection that enable you to connect multiple peripherals to a single port with high performance and minimal device configuration. USB connection supports two-way communications. It supports upto 127 devices per port. The USB connection has two types of USB connection. They are,
1. Type A- This ends connects to the computer
2. Type B- This ends connects to  the devices

                                                       TYPE-A USB CONNECTOR

                                                        TYPE-B USB CONNECTOR

Optical Discs

An optical disk is a personal computer storage device that stores data optically, rather than magnetically. The removable plastic disks have a reflective coating and require an optical drive to be read. In this storage, data is written(burn) by either pressing or burning with a laser to create pits(recessed areas) or lands (raised areas) in the reflective surface of the disc. A LASER in the optical drive then reads the data off the disc. The drive is generally have a 5.25-inch form factor. The Optical Drive is connected to the motherboard or system board by PATA cable or by SATA cable. The CD and DVD Writter and Reader are come under this type of drive.

Optical Drives are two types. They are,
1. Internal Optical Drives
2. External Optical Drives

                                                                  OPTICAL DISKS

 

                                                     INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE

                                                   EXTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE
 

HARD DISK (HDD)

Hard Disk drive (HDD) is a personal computer storage device that uses fixed media, which means that the disk is built into the drive and the drive remains in the computer unless you are performing an upgrade or a repair. Hard disk connected directly to the system board via one cable for data and one cable for power. The hard disk itself consist of several metal or hard plastic platters with a magnetic surface coating. Data stored magnetically and can be accessed directly. the data from HDD is connected to system board by PATA cable or SATA cable.

There are two types of hard drives. they are,
1.Internal  Hard disk
2.External hard disk

                                                           INTERNAL HAR DISK

                                                        EXTERNAL HARD DISK 

Adapter Cards

ADAPTER CARDS:
                                     It is a printed circuit board that you install into a slot on the computer's system board to expand the functionality of the computer. An adapter card is also known as an expansion card, add-in, add-in, add-on or simply a board. It is connected to system board by PCI Slot.
There are many types of expansion card, they are,
1.Video card
2.Sound card
3.NIC card or network card
4.Graphics Card. etc..

                                                                       PCI Slot

                                                             GRAPHIC CARD

                                                         NIC or NETWORK CARD

                                                                  SOUND CARD

 

Cooling System

COOLING SYSTEM:
                                      Cooling system is the system unit component that prevents damage to computer parts by dissipating the heat generated inside a computer chassis. The cooling system can contain fans and other device such as a heat sink that service the entire computer as well as individual components such as the power supply and CPU. The heat sink paste also applied between Processor and Processor fan.

Processor Fan

Heat sink

 

Memory (RAM)

Memory is the component that provides the electronic storage for the computer.
Memory is nothing else it is a RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM contains Memory chips it contain millions of transistor etched on one silver of a semiconductor when a transistor conducts electricity, it represents the binary number 1. when it does not, it represent the binary number 0.
So, it is called Volatile Memory.

Power Supplies

A power supplies is an internal computer component that converts AC power from an electrical outlet to the DC power needed by system components. The  power supply is metal box in the rear of the system  that is attached to the computer chassis and the system board.

The power supply contains a fan for cooling,becausing it generates a lot of heat. 

It is also called SMPS.