XP
Chapter 17
Upgrading and
Expanding your PC
Practical PC, 3e
Chapter 17
1
Upgrading and expanding
your PC
XP
• In this Chapter, you will learn:
– How to upgrade the processor in your PC
– What affect adding RAM can have on the PCs
performance
– How to add more hard disk capacity
– What other devices can be added or upgraded
– What can be upgraded on a notebook PC
– How to get technical support
– About expansion devices, ports, cards and slots
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Upgrading the processor in
your PC
XP
• When expanding a PC, you add components to
increase functionality, but when upgrading, you
replace a component with a new or better version.
• The motherboard provides only one specific slot
for the microprocessor.
• Sometimes upgrading the processor is not cost
effective and should be checked out carefully.
You often do not gain enough performance to
make it a good decision.
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Upgrading the processor in
your PC
XP
Two processor upgrades, a slot (left) and a Socket Connector
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Adding RAM to improve
performance
XP
• Adding RAM can improve performance by
providing faster data access and storage space for
programs while they are running.
• There is less data transfer from disk if there is
RAM space to hold it while it is being worked on.
• You can add RAM up to the limit of your
microprocessor.
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Adding RAM to improve
performance
XP
• Specifications to be considered when buying
RAM are:
– Speed – access time measured in nanoseconds (ns)
– Capacity – The amount of data each module can hold
measured in megabytes (MB)
– Package – RAM chips come packaged onto memory
modules which are either SIMMs, DIMMs or RIMMS
– Type – today's memory modules are usually a type of
DRAM (dynamic RAM) chips.
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Adding RAM to improve
performance
XP
Installing RAM
SIMM
DIMM
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Adding more hard drive
capacity
XP
• Today’s software operates more efficiently with at
least 300 MB of free space.
• If you want to supplement what your computer
currently has, you can add a second hard drive.
• The new drive would connect to the enhanced
integrated drive electronics (EIDE) slot on the
motherboard.
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Adding more hard drive
capacity
XP
• You can also connect to a small computer system
interface (SCSI) connection if there are no
available EIDE channels.
• You will also need a drive bay (shelf or
compartment) to attach the new drive to.
• If no other options are available, you have the
option of connecting an external hard drive unit
using a parallel or SCSI connection.
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Adding more hard drive
capacity
XP
EIDE connections
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XP
Adding or upgrading other devices
• Your PC contains a variety of ports that allow for
the connection of various external devices by
cable connections.
• New devices can be added to these ports by
simply plugging them in.
• The motherboard includes several expansion slots.
• Expansion cards such as modems or graphics
cards can be plugged into these slots.
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XP
Adding or upgrading other devices
• The PC motherboard contains several types of
slots:
– AGP (accelerated graphics port) – accommodates
special graphics cards for 3-D and accelerated graphics
– PCI (peripheral component interconnect) – high speed
data transfer for special sound, video or graphics cards.
– ISA (industry standard architecture) – older technology,
used for modems or other slower devices
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XP
Adding or upgrading other devices
Expansion slots in the PC
AGP slot
PCI slot
ISA slot
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XP
Upgrading a notebook PC
• Notebooks provide few upgrade options and
virtually no access to the motherboard.
• Notebooks typically have multifunctional ports,
slots or docking capabilities to add devices.
• The ports allow for such things as a mouse, fullsized keyboard, scanner, external monitor, etc.
• An infrared port also allows sending data to a
printer without a cable connection.
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XP
Upgrading a notebook PC
• Notebooks usually have PCMIA slots that allow
adding second hard drives, modems, CD-ROM
drives, cameras, more memory, etc.
• Docking stations contain ports and expansion slots
just like a PC.
• Docking the notebook gives you this increased
capability.
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XP
Upgrading a notebook PC
The array of ports on a notebook computer
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Hardware – Expansion devices, XP
ports, cards and slots
• Peripheral devices are the input, output and
storage devices connected to your computer.
• Internal devices, like CDR drives or modems are
inside the PCs case and use its power supply.
• External devices like printers or scanners have
their own case and power supply.
• Some devices have both internal and external
options.
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Hardware – Expansion devices, XP
ports, cards and slots
Today's PC connectors
4 DIMM slots
Slot connector
for processor
AGP slot
4 ISA slots
4 PCI slots
2 EIDE
connectors
2 Serial ports
Mouse port
1 Parallel port
Keyboard port
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USB connector
18
Hardware – Expansion devices, XP
ports, cards and slots
• Your PC has many types of ports, some device
specific, many used for a variety of different
devices.
• If you don’t have the needed external port, you
can often add ports on an expansion card.
• You should always make sure you have the correct
internal slot or external port available before you
buy a new device.
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Hardware – Expansion devices, XP
ports, cards and slots
• Once a device is installed, Window’s plug and
play software should automatically recognize it
and help you install it.
• Some devices are hot pluggable, capable of being
plugged in or unplugged while the system is
running.
• Internal devices are never hot pluggable.
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Hardware – Expansion devices, XP
ports, cards and slots
Expansion
device chart
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XP
Getting technical support
Getting help on the Internet
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XP
What do you think?
Upgrade, reuse, recycle, or landfill?
1.
If you did not have a computer, would you accept any free
computer as long as it ran some basic software?
2.
Do you think that your current school or business would
accept a donation of 100 five-year old computers?
3.
Do you believe that computer companies should take more
responsibility for recycling the products they make?
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XP
Chapter Summary
• You should now be able to:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Upgrade the processor in your PC
Add RAM to improve your PCs performance
Add another hard disk
Add or upgrade other devices as needed
Understand what is upgradeable on your notebook
Get technical support
About the basic types of expansion devices, ports,
cards, and slots
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