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Basic Hardware – The Anatomy of a Computer

A Module of the CYC Course – Computer Basics

7-19-10

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Turning the computer on (when it’s off)

• Locate the On/Off button on the computer.

• If there’s no light lit next to the on/off button, press it.

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Turning the computer off (when it’s on)

• Click on “Start”• Select “Shut Down”

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Restart or Shut down?

• Choose restart to turn the computer off, then back on again.

• Choose shut down to turn it off completely.

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Hardware

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CPU – Central Processing Unit: The brains of the computer

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Hard Drive or Disk Drive

• This is a storage device similar to a file cabinet that holds important data on your PC so that you can retrieve it later.

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Peripherals

• These are pieces of computer hardware that help your computer do more things.

• Examples:– Keyboard– Mouse– Monitor– Printer– Scanner– Speakers– Digital Camera

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External Storage Devices

3.5 inch floppy disc

USB Flash Drive

Various capacities: 1GB, 4GB

CD & DVD

CD = 650MB

DVD = 4.7GB

1.44MB

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Operating Systems

Windows: Vista, XP, 2000, etc.

MACs: Leopard, OS X, OS, etc.

Open Source

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Software – can be installed on your computer or used online

•Internet Browsers

•Virus Software

•Office Products (document, presentation, spreadsheets)

•Graphic/Picture Editing Software & much more

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Review• Give an example of Internal Hardware.• What does CPU stand for? What does it do?• Why does a computer need a hard drive?• Give me an example of External Hardware.• What are some of the peripherals we

mentioned in class?• For more review, you have the crossword

puzzle handout.

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Sources

• This curriculum was partially adapted from a workshop created by N. Riesgraf for the Hibbing Public Library (MN). Funding provided by IRRRA Do I.T. Community Technology Awareness Program. Updated March 2004. Revised for Jacksonville Public Library Dec 2005 by Kate Holmes. Updated March 2004.

• This curriculum was partially adapted from a slide presentation entitled “The Computer” created by the Indian Prairie Public Library.

• Additional content created by Connect Your Community, a project of OneCommunity, funded by the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

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Creative Commons License

• This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0