Author Topic: What's inside a Computer???  (Read 4106 times)

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Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« on: December 15, 2005, 02:23:00 PM »
Hi:

Can any of you give a simple overview of what is inside our computer. I know there is a motherboard, but beyond that I know nothing elese.

Can one explain this like the inside of a car??

Liane, the Zoo Mama

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

JimB

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2006, 12:07:00 PM »
Where would we like to start? We could start with the hard drive/s. Or is everyone already familiar with what these do and what they look like?
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2006, 10:07:00 AM »
Hi Jim:

Please let us start with the hard drives? Even if we have a basic understanding it sure might give us more insight.

Liane, the Zoo Mama

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

JimB

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2006, 11:51:00 AM »
If you've never been inside your computer this is what a hard drive looks like...
   

While brands and model numbers will change all drives for the most part look like this. This is where all software is stored. Inside there is a stack of magnetic platters (kind of like a stack of pancakes) In between these platters there is something called a "head". If you could see them it would remind you of a minature record player. The "heads" would be the arm that you move on to the record.

These platters spin around at a very high rate of speed and the heads more or less float just barely off the surface. It is through these heads that your data (software) passes through and is written on the platter/s. This is also where "Windows" is stored.

Without a hard drive a computer would be almost useless.

If something doesn't make sense... please feel free to ask.  :)

[This message has been edited by JimB (edited 03-21-2006).]

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2006, 02:54:00 PM »
Hi Jim:

That is fantastic.

Is everything you type, move or do anything all stored there?  

Is this where the memory is and how much memory you have?

What is the motherboard?

Liane, the Zoo Mama

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

JimB

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2006, 05:51:00 AM »
     
quote:
Is everything you type, move or do anything all stored there?

Is this where the memory is and how much memory you have?


The quick answer to both of these questions is "no". There is a big difference memory which normally called "ram" and hard drive storage or space.

The difference is this. RAM is only a temporary storage space. Everything in ram disappears when the computer is reset or turned off. Also a big difference is what it looks like. Ram looks like this            

Everything you type, copy, paste, etc... is only temporarily stored in ram unless you tell your computer to "save" the information. At this point what is in ram will be saved to your hard drive.

Consider ram (memory) to be a temporary holding tank of information until you decided what you want to keep permanently.

Most computers today are shipped with memory sizes of 128mb to 1gb (1000mb=1gb). If you have an older (3 years or greater) computer you probably have 32mb, 64mb or 128mb. Sometimes depending on your computer you can watch your computer test this memory. When you first turn on your computer it will count up some numbers very fast. This is your memory.

[This message has been edited by JimB (edited 03-24-2006).]

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2006, 05:11:00 AM »
I have according to my system 256.0 MB of Ram. It says I have 39% free right now.

Should I be concerned with the 39%?

If it is a concern what should I do?

Also, what is cookies? What does it do and why do we have it?

Thanks so much for sharing. This is most helpful and I appreciate your time in giving us this information.

Liane, the Zoo Mama  

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

JimB

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2006, 06:07:00 AM »
Sister Liane, the 39% free is either talking about system resources or it is talking about hard drive space. I doubt it is talking about your ram and here is why....

Anything that is stored in your ram (256mb) disappears when you turn your computer off. It is only a temporary storage area.

How did you go about getting that information about the 39%.

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2006, 07:42:00 AM »
Hi Jim:

I start at start, go to settings, then click Control Panel and the Systems and the on that page I click Performance.

That tells me my Ram, System Resources which says 39%, File System and Virtual Memory is 32-bit and says my system, etc.

Liane, the Zoo Mama
 

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

JimB

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2006, 09:01:00 AM »
Ahhh... ok, so we are talking about system resources. This is different than RAM. System rescources has to do with a combination of your RAM & hard drive space.

If you are only using 39% then you are fine.

However, if there is only 39% free, you might be able to speed up your computer by getting that to a larger number. However, doing that is not always an easy and straight forward process.

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Liane H

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What's inside a Computer???
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2006, 09:05:00 AM »
Well it is fast enough for me. I just loaded up the current Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird e-mail. Now the setting up of the e-mail.

Interesting.

Will write more later.

Liane, the Zoo Mama

Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.