systems to alert the computer about a power outage. Refer to Chapter 13 for information on how a USB cable works.
The idea behind a UPS isn’t to keep computing while the power is out.
Instead, the UPS is designed to keep your basic computer components — the console and monitor — up and running just long enough for you to save your work and properly shut down the computer. That way, you never lose anything from an unexpected power outage.
Figure 3-2:
Hooking up
a UPS.
Chapter 3: PC Setup
39
✓
Ignore what it says on the box: A UPS gives you maybe five minutes of computer power. Most often, you get only two minutes of power.
✓
Some UPS systems also have non-battery-backed-up sockets so that you
can plug everything into the UPS directly. Just be sure to plug the moni-
tor and console into the battery-backed-up sockets.
✓ I also recommend plugging any external hard drives into the UPS’s
battery-backed-up sockets.
✓
Leave the UPS on all the time. Turn it off only when the power is out and the computer has been properly shut down.
✓
In addition to providing emergency power, a UPS provides higher levels
of electrical protection for your equipment. Many models offer surge,
spike, and dip protection, which keep your PC running smoothly despite
any nasties the power company may throw your way.
✓
Also see Chapter 13 for information on having your computer shut down
automatically when the power goes out.
Using the UPS (a short play)
Interior upscale kitchen. A thunderclap is heard. The lights flicker and then go out. ROGER , 40ish and nerdy, is left sitting in the dark, his computer still on. The UPS beeps once every few seconds. FELICIA rushes in. She is pretentious but not insufferably so.
FELICIA: The power is out! The brioche I put in the toaster oven is ruined! Did you lose that urgent doodle you were creating in Paint?
ROGER: No, darling, I’m still working on it. See? Our UPS has kept the computer console and monitor turned on despite the power outage.
FELICIA: Oh! That explains the beeping.
ROGER: Yes, the UPS beeps when the power has gone out. It does that just in case I don’t notice the pitch darkness.
FELICIA: Well, hurry up and print your doodle!
ROGER: Not now, sugarplum! Printing can wait, which is why I didn’t connect the printer to the UPS. It’s as powerless as the toaster oven.
FELICIA: What can you do? Hurry! The UPS battery won’t last forever!
ROGER: Relax, gentle spouse. I shall save to disk, thus. ( He presses Ctrl+S
on the keyboard. ) Now I may shut down the computer, assured with the knowledge that my urgent doodle is safely stored on the PC’s mass storage system. There. ( He turns off the computer and monitor. He shuts off the UPS and the beeping ceases. ) Now we can weather the storm with peace of mind.
40 Part I: Hello, PC!
Two hours later, after the power is back on, FELICIA and ROGER are
sipping wine.
FELICIA: Honey, you certainly demonstrated your Ivy League pedigree with the way you used that UPS.
ROGER: Well, I’m just thankful I read Dan Gookin’s book PCs For Dummies, from Wiley Publishing, Inc. I think I shall buy more of his books.
FELICIA: Who knew that we could find such happiness, thanks to a
computer book?
They canoodle.
Chapter 4
On and Off
In This Chapter
▶ Starting your PC
▶ Introducing Windows
▶ Locating the various shutdown commands
▶ Turning the computer off
▶ Exploring various non-shutdown options
▶ Restarting Windows
▶ Keeping the PC on all the time
N o doubt about it: Evil computers cannot be turned off. To prove it, I
turn to the canon of Star Trek, Episode 53: When Scotty tried to turn off the malevolent M5 computer, it actually killed the crewman trying to pull the plug. Nope, you just can’t turn off an evil computer.
Your PC isn’t evil. If it were, you could use Captain Kirk’s infallible logic to reason the computer into committing suicide. I regret to tell you, however, that this book doesn’t have information on arguing a computer to death.
That’s because your PC has a power button, which is used to turn the com-
puter both on and off. Although that might sound confusing, this chapter
helps clear up the issue.
Turn On Your PC
You turn on the computer this way:
1. Turn on everything but the console.
Everything includes only those items you intend to use, primarily the
monitor. If you’re not using the scanner or printer, you don’t need to
turn them on until you need them.
2. Turn on the console last.
42 Part I: Hello, PC!
Or, if everything is plugged into a power strip, just turn on the power strip.
If the console and monitor are plugged into a UPS (which should be kept
turned on all the time) and everything else is plugged into a power strip, do this:
1. Turn on the power strip, which turns on all the computer’s external devices, or peripherals.
2. Press the monitor’s power button to turn it on.
3. Press the console’s power button to turn it on.
Success is indicated by your computer system coming to life; you can hear the fan whine, and various lights on the console, keyboard, and other devices may flash at you or glow softly. The scanner and printer may whir and grind their servos. Your computing day is at hand.
✓ By turning on the console last, you allow time for the other devices in the computer system to initialize and get ready for work. That way, the
console recognizes them faster than when those gizmos are turned on
after the console is up and running.
✓
Not all computer devices have their own on–off switches. For example,
some USB devices — scanners and disk drives — use the USB port’s
power. To turn off these devices, you unplug the USB cable, although
that’s not necessary unless the device is behaving improperly.
✓
Some devices can be left on all the time. For example, the printer may
have a special low-power mode that allows you to keep it on all the time
while using little energy. It’s often better to keep these devices on than to turn them on or off several times a day.
✓
The largest button on the front of the monitor turns it on. Other moni-
tors may have power buttons that aren’t physical buttons at all but
rather a sweet spot you touch. That sweet spot is often labeled with the
universal power button symbol, shown in the margin.
✓ When something doesn’t turn on, check to see whether it’s plugged in.
Confirm that all the cables are properly connected, at both ends.
✓
For times when Windows fails to start smoothly, or whenever the com-
puter goes hinky, consider checking out my book Troubleshooting & Maintaining Your PC All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley).
✓ Pay no attention to these other terms that refer to the process of starting a computer: boot, cold start, cycle power, hard start, power on,
power up, reboot, reset, restart, soft boot, warm boot.
Chapter 4: On and Off
43
Windows, Ahoy!
Starting a computer is a hardware thing. But it’s software that makes the computer useful. The software that runs the computer directly is called an operating system. On most PCs, that operating system is Windows. So, after starting your computer’s hardware, the next thing you have to deal with
is Windows.
The first step to using Windows is to identify yourself. That process is called signing in, logging in, or loggin on, depending on the version of Windows installed and on which side of the Mississippi you live. The signing-in process is part of the computer’s security. It’s a good thing.
In Windows, you identify yourself by choosing your account picture or typing your account name. Then you type a password. Figure 4-1 illustrates the
common sign-in or login screen.
Figure 4-1:
You log in
to Windows
here.
If everything goes well, you’re logged in! The next step is to start using your computer, which is covered in Part III.
✓
You log in by using an account name, which might be your own name, a
nickname, some kind of computer superhero name, or something totally
odd, like User117.
✓
In Windows 8, you can sign in using your Microsoft Live e-mail address.
By doing so, you help coordinate the stuff on your computer with files
and such saved on the Internet.
✓
If you sign into Windows 8 using your Microsoft Live e-mail address, use
that e-mail account’s password as your Windows password.
✓
The password is designed to ensure that you are who you say you are
when you log into the computer.
44 Part I: Hello, PC!
✓
Both the account name and password were set up when Windows was
first configured on your computer. You probably forgot when you did
that, but you did do it. If you’re using Windows at a large, impersonal
organization, the account setup and password were probably preset
for you.
✓
When you goof up typing your password, try again.
✓
In Windows 8, you can also use a picture password or type a PIN (per-
sonal identification number) to log in. No one uses that flakey option, so I shan’t describe it further.
✓ Mind the Caps Lock key on the keyboard! Your password is case sensitive, which means that the computer sees uppercase and lowercase letters differently.
Turn Off the Computer
Nothing is more satisfying than turning off a computer by ripping its power cord from the wall. I’ve done it several times myself. Each time is met with a brief, mirthful smile. Although yanking out the cord works, it’s not the best way to turn off a computer.
Finding the shutdown options
Options for turning off your computer are found in a special location in
Windows. That location is the Shutdown menu. The Shutdown menu’s loca-
tion varies, depending on which version of Windows burdens your PC. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Windows won’t relocate the Shutdown
menu once you find it.
Windows 8 shutdown options
Shutdown options in Windows 8 are found in two places. Some of the options are accessed from the Settings charm. The rest are accessed by clicking your account picture on the Start screen.
To access the Sleep, Shutdown, and Restart commands, follow these steps:
1. Summon the charms bar.
Move the mouse to the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Select the Settings charm.
3. Click or touch the Power icon.
The three shutdown commands appear in a pop-up menu.
Chapter 4: On and Off
45
To access the Lock, Sign Out, and Switch User commands, obey these directions:
1. Display the Start screen.
Press the Windows key to instantly summon the Start screen.
2. Click your account picture.
The Lock and Sign Out commands appear on a pop-up menu. Other user
names appear in the list as well; choosing one from the menu is how you
switch users.
Details on when to use these commands are offered in sections strewn
throughout the latter part of this chapter.
The Windows 7 and Windows Vista Shutdown menu
Back in the olden days, when Windows 7 and its older sister Windows Vista ruled the PC planet, all shutdown options were kept in one place. That place was the Shutdown menu, located on the Start button’s menu, as shown in
Figure 4-2.
Figure 4-2:
Where the
Shutdown
menu lurks
in Windows 7
and
Windows
Vista.
46 Part I: Hello, PC!
Regarding that bonus power button
(the secret one)
Some PC cases have a true on–off switch in labeled | and O, for on and off, respectively. Use addition to a power button. You can find the on–
this button rather than the power button only in
off switch on the back of the console, usually times of dire emergency. Also note that the on–
near the place where the power cord connects off switch must be in the on position for you to to the PC’s power supply. The switch is often use the power button to turn on your computer.
Access the Windows 7 or Windows Vista Shutdown menu by popping up the
Start button menu and clicking the Shutdown menu button’s triangle (refer to Figure 4-2). Be careful not to click the button(s) next to that menu button, as they do things other than display the Shutdown menu.
If you’re still clinging to Windows XP, you’ll find shutdown options by clicking the Shutdown button on the Start button menu. You can then use the
Turn Off Computer dialog box to choose various shutdown options.
Turning the darn thing off
The proper way to turn off your PC is to choose the Shutdown command.
That command goes through all the proper steps of putting various programs to bed, tucking them in nicely, and then turning off the computer. Yes, it really does turn off all by itself.
In Windows 8, follow these steps to shut down the PC:
1. Summon the charms bar.
2. Select the Settings charm.
3. Click or touch the Power icon.
4. Choose the Shut Down command.
The computer turns itself off.
In Windows 7, follow these steps:
1. Pop-up the Start button menu.
2. Click the Shutdown command button.
Refer to Figure 4-2 for that button’s location.
Chapter 4: On and Off
47
In Windows Vista, obey these steps to use the Shutdown command:
1. Pop-up the Start button menu.
2. Click the triangle button in the lower-right corner of the Start
button menu.
The Shutdown menu is displayed, as shown on the right in Figure 4-2.
3. Choose the Shut Down command.
In Windows XP, you can still use these directions to turn off your ancient PC:
1. Pop-up up the Start button menu.
2. Choose the Shut Down command.
3. In the Turn Off Computer dialog box, click the Turn Off button.
For all versions of Windows: You may be warned about unsaved files or documents before the shutdown process can be completed. In those cases, cancel the shutdown process; click the Cancel button. Save your stuff. Then shut down the computer again.
✓
After the console turns itself off, go ahead and turn off the other com-
ponents in your computer system: monitor and scanner and any other
external devices. Or, if you have a power strip, simply flip its switch to turn off everything.
✓
It’s convenient to flip the power strip button with your foot. It’s classy to do so with your toe through a hole in your sock.
✓
The computer may also shut down when you press the console’s power
button. That button can, however, be reprogrammed to do things other
than issue the Shutdown command. In some cases, pressing the power
button does nothing. See Chapter 13 for information on changing the
power button’s function.
✓ In dire times of panic, you can press and hold the console’s power
button for about three or four seconds, and the computer turns off.
Although this trick is a handy one to know, you should use it only when
the methods mentioned in this section fail to work.
Reviewing other shutdown options
Windows offers several ways to end your computer day, none of which
involve the use of artillery. Here’s the gamut of options other than shutting down your PC:
48 Part I: Hello, PC!
Don’t end your computer day: This choice is the one the computer prefers and the one you will invariably make after the computer has full control over your mind. It’s digital demonic possession, and you’ll need a pagan priest and an unblemished goat to rid yourself of the scourge. Seriously: One option for turning the computer off is not to turn it off ever. See the later section
“Should You Leave the Computer On All the Time?”
Log off: When several people have accounts on the same computer, you can sign out or log off to keep the computer on, toasty, and ready for someone else to use it. To do so, choose the Log Off option found on the various Shutdown menus. In Windows XP, choose the Log Off button at the bottom
of the Start menu, and then click the Log Off button in the Log Off Windows window that appears.
Lock the computer: When you lock the computer, you’re directing Windows to display the initial logon screen, similar to the ones shown in Figure 4-1.
You prevent anyone from seeing what you’re doing, as well as keep out
anyone who doesn’t have an account on your PC.
To lock the computer, press the Win+L key combination, where Win is the
Windows key on the computer keyboard and L is the L key. The computer
is locked.
Switch users: The Switch User command allows you to temporarily log out so that another user on the same computer can log in. This option is faster than logging out because it doesn’t require you to save your stuff or close your programs. When you return (log in again), all your stuff is waiting for you just as you left it.
In Windows 8, choose a user to switch to from your account picture’s menu on the Start screen. The Switch users command is found on the Shutdown
menu in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. In Windows XP, choose the Log Out
command from the Start button menu, and then click the Switch User button in the Log Off Windows dialog box.
Put the computer to sleep: Sleep mode is an energy-saving way to not quite turn off the PC. In Sleep mode, Windows saves what you’re doing and then
puts the computer into a special low-power mode. The computer isn’t exactly off, and it restores itself quickly, much faster than either hibernation or a complete shutdown.
The Sleep command is found on the Shutdown menu for Windows 8, 7, and
Vista. To put the computer to sleep in Windows XP, click the Shut Down
button at the bottom of the Start button menu. In the Turn Off Computer
dialog box, click the Stand By button.
Chapter 4: On and Off
49
To wake the computer from its slumber, you can wiggle the mouse or press a key on the keyboard. Be patient! Sometimes the PC takes a few seconds to
wake up.
Put the computer in hibernation: The most dramatic way to save power and not-quite-exactly turn off the PC is to use the Hibernate command. It saves all the computer’s memory — everything the system is doing — and then turns
off the computer. (It’s turned off, not just sleeping). When you turn on the computer again, things return to the way they were. So hibernation not only saves electricity but also provides a faster way to turn the computer off and then on again.
The Hibernation command may need to be activated before it’s visible on the Shutdown menu. See Chapter 13.
In Windows XP, you can enter Hibernation mode by choosing Shut Down
from the Start button menu. When the Turn Off Computer dialog box
appears, press the Shift key, which reveals the Hibernate button. Click
that button.
Restart the computer: You need to reset or restart Windows in two
instances. First, Windows may direct you to restart after you install something new or change some setting. Second, restarting is a good idea whenever something strange happens. For some reason, a restart clears the computer’s head like a good nose blow, and things return to normal.
The Restart command is found on the various Shutdown menus. In Windows
XP, restart by popping up the Start button menu and clicking the Shut Down button. Click the Restart button in the Turn Off Computer dialog box.
Here are some things to consider when using these sundry shutdown
commands:
✓
Logging yourself off does not turn off the PC.
✓ When you’re the only person who has an account on the computer, log-
ging off is an utter waste of time. A better option is to lock the computer; press Win+L.
✓
Lock the computer whenever you need to step away for a bit.
✓ In Win+L, I’m assuming that the L stands for lock.
✓
Sleep mode was once known as Stand By mode. Sometimes the term
Suspend was used instead. Oh, and Snooze. That, too.
✓
Sleep mode is part of the computer’s power management features. See
Chapter 13 for more information.
✓
Windows may initiate a restart on its own, such as after an update. If
you’re lucky, a prompt is displayed, allowing you to click a button to
restart the computer.
50 Part I: Hello, PC!
Should You Leave the Computer
On All the Time?
I’ve been writing about computers for more than 20 years, and this issue has yet to be settled: Should your computer — like the refrigerator or a lava lamp — be left on all the time? Does it waste electricity? Will we ever know the truth? Of course not! But people have opinions.
“I want to leave my computer off all the time”
It’s an excellent solution, but one that renders nearly all of this book
unnecessary.
“I want to leave my computer on all the time”
I say ye s. If you use your computer often, such as for a home business, or you find yourself turning it on and off several times during the day, just leave it on all the time.
The only time I ever turn off my computers is when I’ll be away for longer than a weekend. Even then, I just hibernate the PC rather than turn it off.
Does my method waste electricity? Perhaps, but most computers have Sleep
mode and save energy when they’re not being used. Modern PCs don’t use
that much electricity, and having a PC on all the time doesn’t raise your electric bill grotesquely, not like a Jacuzzi or a Tesla coil does.
Also, computers enjoy being on all the time. Having that fan whirring keeps the console’s innards at a constant temperature, which avoids some of the problems that turning the system off (cooling) and on (heating) again cause.
✓
If you use your PC only once a day (during the evening for e-mail, chat,
and the Internet, for example), turning it off for the rest of the day is fine.
✓
Most businesses leave their computers on all the time, though a
medium-size business can save thousands of dollars a year by shutting
down their computers overnight. Just a thought.
✓
Whatever you do with your PC, always turn off the monitor when you’re away. Some monitors can sleep just like PCs, but if they don’t, turning
them off saves electricity.
✓ If you leave your computer on all the time, don’t put it under a dust
cover. You’ll suffocate the thing.
Part II
The Nerd’s-Eye
View
In this part . . .
F or a moment, dare to pretend that you’re a computer
nerd. Now imagine that you’re looking at a computer.
Of course, you see only the hardware, but that hardware
beckons you, drawing your attention like a siren lures the
captain of a storm-tossed ship into a rocky shoal. Indeed,
computer hardware can be alluring; it can entice you,
seduce you, overwhelm you with its sweet-smelling,
throbbing plastic beauty. Oh, my!
Okay! You can stop pretending that you’re a computer
nerd now.
This part of the book discusses the true guts of your com-
puter system: its hardware. Although software rules the
PC roost, it’s the hardware that sets the tone for what the
software does. By discovering what computer hardware is
and how it fits into the big picture, you get more from
your PC. And, yes, it’s entirely possible to do that without
ever becoming a computer nerd.
Chapter 5
Deep Inside the Console
In This Chapter
▶ Studying the console’s insides
▶ Examining the motherboard
▶ Understanding the processor
▶ Checking the time
▶ Knowing about the chipset
▶ Supplying the console with power
Y ou have absolutely no reason to open up the computer console case
and peer inside. Just as you probably don’t venture under the hood of
your car, or probe around the interior of the furnace, or look inside a cat.
You can find professionals who are better equipped to deal with such chores.
Let them do it.
Then again, you may have a faint recollection of the terms motherboard, processor, power supply, and so on. It’s possible to use your computer for eons and never really understand or relate to those terms. I’m guessing, however, that you want more from your PC investment than to simply gloss over such specifics. This chapter explains what’s what inside the PC’s console, and why you should bother to know those details.
Console Guts
When humanoid robots revealed themselves on 1960s TV shows, they dis-
played their innards as a clutch of wires and blinking lights. The display was believable because, well, you figured a robot’s guts would just be an impressive, complex, tangled nest of electronics no one could understand. The same thing applies to your computer’s guts — until you know what’s what.
54 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Looking under the hood
Buried in your PC’s bosom is a maze of mysterious technology, from large
metal boxes to tiny pointed and dangerous raw electronics. There’s no need to remove the PC’s cover to witness such madness, however, because I provide a safe and lovely illustration of what you’d see inside the console, shown in Figure 5-1.
The figure illustrates the PC’s internals as though you’re looking inside a typical mini-tower console. The front of the computer is on the left. What you don’t see in Figure 5-1 are the miles of cables that festoon the console’s interior space. Also missing is a thin layer of dust and perhaps some pet hair.
Of all the things wonderful and terrifying inside the console’s tummy, three are worthy in the big picture:
✓
The power supply
✓
The disk drive cage
✓
The motherboard
The power supply feeds the console that all-important stuff called electricity.
You can read more about the power supply in the later section “The Source of PC Power.”
Figure 5-1:
A peek
inside the
console.
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console
55
The disk drive cage is a contraption used to house internal hard drives, an optical drive, plus maybe a media card reader. The cage also has room for even more computer storage — the so-called future expansion — usually
right behind some knockout panels on the console’s front.
Finally, the motherboard is the computer’s main circuitry board. It’s important, as are its many important residents, so I talk about it later in this chapter, starting with the section “The Mother of All Boards.”
Going inside the console
(not recommended)
There is no sane reason to open your PC’s case. Nope. I’ve owned computers for years without ever popping their hoods. Even when it’s a necessary task, such as when performing an upgrade or rescuing a LEGO, I highly recommend that you have someone else do it.
You would probably expect that paragraph would be the end of the topic, but no. I continue writing not because I believe you to be insane, but rather that the console is made easily accessible for a reason; everything inside the PC’s case is modular. Individual pieces can be replaced or even upgraded without having to toss out the entire console. Modularity is one of the keys to the PC’s success as a computer system.
Open the case
If you were going to open the PC’s console, which I’m still not recommending, you’d probably follow these general steps:
1. Start drinking heavily.
This step is optional. It’s probably best to be slightly sober and perhaps a bit paranoid when you venture inside a computer.
2. Turn off the computer.
Refer to Chapter 4.
3. There is no Step 3.
4. Unplug the console; remove the power cord.
Turning off the console isn’t enough: You need to unplug the power
cord. Heck, hide the power cord in another room.
5. Move the console out from the wall or locate it in a place where you have room to work.
You can unplug some cables if they restrict access to the console, or
when replacing an expansion card that has cables attached.
6. Open the console’s case.
56 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
That last step isn’t as easy as it sounds. There’s no universal way to open a computer console: Some computer cases require a screwdriver and the
removal of several screws. Other cases may just pop up, slide off, or swing open. Someone who is good with tools can figure out the operation in a jiffy.
And, by “good with tools,” I don’t mean good with a blowtorch or the jaws of life. Above all, don’t force the console open; there is an easy way, if you can find it.
Work inside
Typically, you open the case to do one of three things: add memory, add an expansion card, or replace the PC’s battery. Later chapters don’t describe any of these options.
Use Figure 5-1 as a general reference for finding things inside the console.
Don’t be too surprised at the abundance of twisted and tangled cables.
While you work in the console, try to keep one hand touching the case or, preferably, something metal, such as the disk drive cage. That way, your electric potential is the same as the console’s and you reduce the chances of generating static electricity — which can damage your computer.
Never plug in the console when the case is open. If you need to test something, close up the case!
Close up the case
When you finish doing whatever motivated you to open the console, close it up! Heed these cautious steps:
1. Check to ensure that all wires and cables have been properly
reconnected.
2. Confirm that no tools or parts are left loose inside the case.
3. Reattach the lid or console cover.
4. Reattach the power cord to the console.
5. Turn on the computer.
6. Pray that it still works.
That last step is optional in case you don’t believe in a higher, divine being.
But why risk it now?
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console
57
The Mother of All Boards
The largest circuitry board, the motherboard, is where the computer’s most important electronics dwell. The motherboard is home to the following
essential PC components, some of which are illustrated earlier in this chapter (refer to Figure 5-1):
✓
Processor
✓
Chipset
✓
Memory
✓
Battery
✓
Expansion slots
✓
I/O connectors
✓
Electronic goobers
Many of these items have their own sections elsewhere in this chapter. Refer to them for more information. Computer memory is a big deal, so it’s covered exclusively in Chapter 6. Expansion slots are covered in Chapter 10.
The I/O connectors are simply places on the motherboard where various internal options plug in and communicate with the rest of the computer
system. For example, on the motherboard, you find an I/O connector where
the internal storage devices plug in and an I/O power connector for electricity from the power supply.
The electronic goobers are those miscellaneous pieces of technology that
engineers put on the motherboard to justify their paychecks.
The Processor Rules
It’s a common mistake for folks to refer to the computer’s processor as its brain. That’s not true. Software is the brain in a computer; it controls all the hardware, which means that it also controls the processor.
✓
The processor is your PC’s main chip. Just about everything else on the
motherboard exists to serve the processor.
✓ Another term for a processor is CPU. CPU stands for central processing unit.
✓
Processors run very hot and therefore require special cooling. If you
ever look inside the PC console, you’ll notice that the processor wears a tiny fan as a hat. That keeps the processor cool — and stylish.
58 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Understanding the processor’s role
Despite its importance, what the processor does is rather simple: First
it does basic math — addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.
Second, and most important, the processor can fetch and put information to and from memory. Finally, it can do basic input/output (I/O). That doesn’t seem impressive, yet the key to the processor’s success is that, unlike your typical brooding teenager, the processor does things very fast.
Try to imagine the processor as a combination adding machine and traffic
cop, though the traffic is traveling up to 64 lanes wide and at the speed of light.
Naming PC processors
Once upon a time, computer processors were named after famous numbers,
like 386 and 8088. The trend now is toward processor names, but not human names, like John or Mary, or even dog names like Rover or Abednego. No,
now processors are named after potential science fiction heroes, pharmaceu-ticals, or sounds made by a baby rhinoceros in distress.
Seriously, the primary processor found in a typical PC is the Intel Core. It is commonly known as Core and has various last names, such as Duo or i7. In
fact, you can find a whole lineup of Core processors. Listing them all is pointless in that new variations come out all the time.
✓
Before the Intel Core, the most popular processor in a PC was named
Pentium. Some people mistakenly refer to the Core processors as
Pentium, but such a faux pas carries no social penalty.
✓
Intel (the company) developed the Intel Core (the processor). Other
processor companies exist and make various Core-like processors with
various, insignificant names. Truth be told, outside a courtroom, little
difference exists between Intel and non-Intel processors. As far as your
PC’s software is concerned, the processor is the same no matter who
made it.
Measuring processor speed
Beyond the name, the truly important yardstick used to judge a processor is its speed, measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billions of cycles per second. The higher that value, the faster the processor.
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console
59
Typical processor speeds range between 2.0 GHz (slower) and 4.0 GHz
(faster). Yep, faster processors cost more. Lots more.
Sadly, speed isn’t a realistic gauge of how fast a processor does its processing. Speed is a relative measurement when it comes to computers. So
although a Core i7 running at 2.4 GHz is technically slower than a Core i7 running at 3.0 GHz, you probably wouldn’t notice the difference between the two.
Discovering your PC’s processor
You may not know which processor spins busy inside your PCs thorax, but
Windows does! The System window shows a technical inventory, similar to
the one shown in Figure 5-2. To summon that window, press Win+Break on
your keyboard (that’s the Windows key plus the key labeled Break or
Pause Break).
Figure 5-2:
The System
window.
In Figure 5-2, the Windows 8 PC sports an Intel Core 2 Duo PC, running at 1.60
GHz. The Windows 7 system uses a Core 2 Quad CPU. It runs at 2.40GHz.
Other information shown in the System window includes the total amount of memory (RAM) available in the computer. The computers shown in Figure 5-2
feature 1GB and 3GB of RAM, respectively. All that information jibes with what I paid for, so my dealer is off the hook.
✓
Not every System window displays information as complete as is shown
in Figure 5-2. When Windows doesn’t know, it may say something vague,
as in “x86 Family.”
✓
See Chapter 6 for more information on computer memory.
60 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Your Computer Is Also a Timepiece
All PCs come equipped with internal clocks. Don’t look for a dial, and don’t bother leaning into the console to hear the thing going “tick-tock.” Trust me: The clock exists. Specifically, clock circuitry exists somewhere on the
motherboard.
The amazing thing is that the PC keeps track of the time even when you
unplug it. That’s because the motherboard sports a teensy battery (refer to Figure 5-1). That battery helps the computer hardware keep track of the date and time all the time.
✓
Computers, like humans, need clocks to keep track of time. Computers
use clocks for scheduling, to timestamp information and events and gen-
erally to prevent everything from happening all at once.
✓
Here’s a secret: Computers make lousy clocks. A typical PC loses about
a minute or two of time every day. Why? Who knows! Fortunately, the
clock is set automatically when your computer is connected to the
Internet. See the later section “Using the Internet to set the clock.”
✓
On the positive side, the computer’s clock is well aware of daylight sav-
ings time: Windows automatically jumps the clock forward or backward,
and does so without having to know the little ditty “Spring forward, fall back.” Or is it the other way around? Whatever — the computer knows
and obeys.
Viewing the date and time
Windows reads the PC’s hardware clock and displays a software clock for
you. In Windows 8, you can see the date and time displayed on the lock
screen or when the charms bar (right side of the screen) appears. Otherwise, the date-and-time display shows up in the notification area on the desktop, usually in the lower-right corner of the screen. To see a pop-up clock and calendar, click that time display once.
Setting the clock
The PC’s clock is most likely set automatically, unless your computer isn’t on speaking terms with the Internet. In that instance, you can set the date and time on your computer by obeying these steps:
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console
61
1. Right-click the time display in the notification area on the taskbar.
If you don’t see the desktop, press the Win+D keyboard shortcut.
2. From the pop-up menu, choose the command Adjust Date/Time.
The Date and Time dialog box appears.
3. Click the Change Date and Time button.
The Date and Time Settings dialog box appears.
4. Manipulate the controls in the Date and Time Properties dialog box to change or set the date or time.
5. Click OK when you’re done.
6. Before you leave, click the Change time Zone button to ensure that your proper time zone is selected. Click OK when you’re done.
7. Close the Date and Time dialog box.
You can also have the computer automatically set time by using something
called a time server on the Internet. That’s covered later in this — oh! Why, it’s covered next.
Using the Internet to set the clock
One way to tame the wild computer clock is to have the computer itself automatically synchronize the time with one of the many worldwide time servers.
A time server is a computer designed to cough up accurate time information for any computer that checks in on the Internet.
Your PC should be configured to automatically set itself to Internet time. To confirm that option, or to set up Internet time, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the mouse on the date-and-time display in the taskbar’s notification area.
Use the Win+D keyboard shortcut to visit the desktop and access the
taskbar.
2. Choose the command Adjust Date/Time from the pop-up menu.
The Date and Time dialog box shows up.
3. Click the Internet Time tab in the Date and Time Properties dialog box.
If you see the text telling you that the computer is set to automatically synchronize on a scheduled basis, you’re set. Skip to Step 7.
4. Click the Change Settings button.
The Internet Time Settings dialog box appears.
62 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
5. Click to place a check mark by the option Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server.
6. Click the Update Now button to ensure that everything works.
When a problem occurs, choose another time server from the Server
drop-down list and try again.
7. Click OK to close the Internet Time Settings dialog box.
8. Click OK to close the Date and Time dialog box.
On Internet time, Windows automatically adjusts the PC’s clock whenever
you’re connected to the Internet. There’s nothing else you need to do — ever!
About the PC’s Battery
Your PC has an internal battery, which is found clinging to the motherboard.
The battery’s primary purpose is to help the PC’s internal clock keep time even when the computer is turned off or unplugged.
A typical PC battery lasts for about six years, possibly more. You’ll know when it dies because the computer’s date and time go screwy, or perhaps
the PC even has a message telling you that the motherboard’s battery needs replacing. You can get a replacement at any Radio Shack.
✓
Yes, you have to open the console’s case to get at the battery. Don’t
expect it to be easy to find, either!
✓
The motherboard’s battery is in addition to any other batteries in the
computer, such as the main battery used to power a laptop.
The Chipset
Rather than refer to the galaxy of computer chips on the PC’s motherboard as The Galaxy of Chips on the PC’s Motherboard, computer scientists have
devised a single descriptive term. All those chips constitute the chipset.
The chipset is what makes up your computer’s personality. It contains instructions for operating the basic computer hardware: keyboard, mouse, networking interface, sound, video, and whatever else I can’t think of right now.
Different chipsets are available depending on which types of features the computer offers. For example, some motherboards come with advanced
graphics in the chipset or maybe wireless networking. The chipset isn’t anything you can change, though it was probably referred to in that raft of technical information you didn’t read when you first bought the PC.
Chapter 5: Deep Inside the Console
63
✓
Different PCs use different chipsets, depending on which company man-
ufactured the motherboard.
✓ An older term for the chipset, particularly the main ROM chip in a PC,
is BIOS, which stands for Basic Input/Output System. There’s a BIOS for the keyboard and mouse, one for the video system, one for the network,
and so on. Altogether, they make up the chipset.
The Source of PC Power
Of all the goodies deep inside the console, one stands out as the least intelligent. That would be the PC’s power supply. Although it may not be smart or fast, it is a necessary piece of equipment. The power supply does the following wonderful things for Mr. Computer:
✓
Brings in electricity from the wall socket and converts the electricity
from wild AC current into mild DC current
✓
Provides electricity to the motherboard and everything living on it
✓
Provides juice to the internal mechanical disk drives
✓
Contains fans that help cool the inside of the console
✓
Contains or is directly connected to the PC’s power button
The power supply is also designed to take the brunt of the damage if your computer ever suffers from electrical peril, such as a lightning strike or power surge. In those instances, the power supply is designed to die, sacrific-ing itself for the good of your PC. Don’t panic! You can easily have the power supply replaced, at which point you might discover that the rest of your computer is still working fine.
✓
Thanks to the fan, the power supply is the noisiest part of any PC.
✓ Power supplies are rated in watts. The more internal hardware stuff your PC has — the more disk drives, memory, and expansion cards, for
example — the greater the number of watts the power supply should
provide. The typical PC has a power supply rated at 150 or 200 watts.
More powerful systems may require a power supply upward of 750 watts.
✓ One way to keep your power supply — and your computer — from
potentially going poof! (even in a lightning strike) is to invest in a surge protector, or UPS. Refer to Chapter 3 for details.
64 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Chapter 6
PC Memory
In This Chapter
▶ Understanding memory
▶ Using chips and dips (and DIMMs)
▶ Measuring memory quantity
▶ Discovering how much memory is in your PC
▶ Adding memory to your computer
▶ Understanding virtual memory
▶ Observing weird memory terms
M emories, like a PC full of RAM . . .
With plenty of memory installed in the console, your PC has ample elbow
room to handle a variety of tasks easily and swiftly. When the computer lacks enough memory, things get cramped worse than a tour bus overflowing with
sweaty-drunk PhDs returning from a binger at an all-you-can-eat kimchi bar.
But I digress. When it comes to PC memory, more is better.
What Is Computer Memory?
If your computer were a sport, memory would be the field on which competition would take place. Memory is where the action is.
Your computer needs memory because the processor has no storage. Well,
it has some storage, but not a lot. Basically, the processor works like an old-fashioned calculator but without the paper tape. Computer memory acts like that paper tape to help the processor store information and work on data.
Computer memory is often referred to as temporary storage. That’s because the memory chips require electricity to maintain their information. So, when you’re done creating something in memory, you must save that information 66 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
to long-term storage in the PC’s mass storage system. But for working on
things, creating stuff, and engaging in general computer activity, memory is where it’s at.
✓
All computers need memory.
✓
Memory is where the processor does its work.
✓
The more memory in your PC, the better. With more computer memory
on hand, you can work on larger documents, work graphics programs
without interminable delays, play games faster, edit video, and boast
about having all that memory to your friends.
✓
The term RAM is used interchangeably with the word memory. They’re the same thing.
✓
RAM stands for random access memory, in case you have been working any crossword puzzles lately.
✓
Incidentally, more acronyms exist for computer memory types than I
care to mention.
✓ Turning off the power makes the contents of memory go bye-bye. The memory chips themselves aren’t destroyed, but without electricity to
maintain their contents, the information stored on the chips is lost.
✓
Computer memory is fast. The processor can scan millions of bytes of memory — the equivalent of Shakespeare’s entire folio — in fractions
of a second, which is far less time than it took you to trudge through
Hamlet in the 11th grade.
✓
The PC’s mass storage system is for long-term storage. See Chapter 7.
✓
Memory is reusable. After creating something and saving it, the com-
puter allows that memory to be used again for something else.
✓ Yes, Mr. Smartypants, some types of computer memory do not require
electricity to maintain information. The problem is that this type of
memory isn’t fast enough. Only fast RAM, which requires electricity, is
best used as temporary storage in your PC.
Tasty Chocolate Memory Chips
Physically, memory dwells on the PC’s motherboard, sitting very close to the processor for fast access and ready dispatch. The memory itself resides on a tiny memory expansion card, or DIMM. On the DIMM, you find the actual memory chips.
DIMM stands for dual inline memory module, and it’s pronounced jaga-da-wawa.
Chapter 6: PC Memory
67
Boring details on RAM, ROM, and flash memory
RAM, or random access memory, refers to motherboard is in ROM (refer to Chapter 5). The memory that the processor can read from processor can access information stored on a and write to. When you create something in ROM chip, but unlike with RAM, the processor memory, it’s created in RAM. RAM is memory cannot change that information.
and vice versa.
Flash memory is a special type of memory that
ROM stands for read-only memory. The pro-
works like both RAM and ROM. Information
cessor can read from ROM, but it cannot write can be written to flash memory, like RAM, but to it or modify it. ROM is permanent, like some like ROM the information isn’t erased when the members of Congress. ROM chips contain spe-power is turned off. Sadly, flash memory isn’t
cial instructions or other information that the as fast as RAM, so don’t expect it to replace computer uses — important stuff that never standard computer memory anytime soon.
changes. For example, the chipset on the
No, I’m kidding. It’s pronounced “dim.”
A typical DIMM is illustrated in Figure 6-1, although in real life you’ll find chips on both sides. That’s why it’s a DIMM and not a SIMM, or single inline memory module.
Figure 6-1: A
semisweet
DIMM.
Each DIMM contains a given chunk of RAM, measured in megabytes or giga-
bytes using one of the magical memory quantities of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, or 512. See the later section “Memory One Byte at a Time” for information on megabytes and gigabytes. The later sidebar “The holy numbers of
computing” features scintillating information on why the memory quantities are measured in powers of two.
A DIMM is plugged into a slot on the motherboard, where it forms a bank of memory. So, a PC with 2GB of RAM may have four banks of 512MB DIMMs
installed or two banks of 1GB DIMMs. That’s all trivial, however. The only time you need to give a rip is when you want to upgrade memory. I’ll write more about that task later in the chapter.
68 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
✓
The most common type of memory chip installed in a PC is the DRAM,
which stands for dynamic random access memory. It’s pronounced
“dee-ram.”
✓
It’s gigabyte, not giggle-byte.
✓ Other types of memory chips exist, each with a name similar to DRAM,
such as EDORAM or BATTERINGRAM or DODGERAM. And then there’s
DDR2 and GDDR2 and WRAM and RAMA LAMA DING DONG. Most
of these are merely marketing terms, designed to make one type of
memory sound spiffier than another.
Memory One Byte at a Time
Computer memory is measured by the byte. So what is a byte?
A byte is a very tiny storage unit, like a small box. Into that box fits a single character. For example, the word cerumen is seven letters (characters) long so it requires seven bytes of storage. That’s seven bytes of computer memory, which isn’t a lot these days, thanks to inflation.
Individual bytes aren’t very useful. It’s only when you have lots of bytes that you can store interesting and wonderful things.
Back in the 1970s, having a few thousand bytes of computer storage was
really something! The Apollo lunar module computer had 2,048 bytes of memory. Today’s PCs demand millions of bytes just to run the operating system. That works because today’s PCs typically have billions of bytes of storage available.
Because the words million and billion represent values too large for the human mind to comprehend, and to keep things lively, computer scientists
use special terms to reference large quantities of computer storage. That jargon is shown in Table 6-1.
Table 6-1
Memory Quantities
Term
Abbreviation
About
Actual
Byte
1 byte
1 byte
Kilobyte
K or KB
1 thousand bytes
1,024 bytes
Megabyte
M or MB
1 million bytes
1,048,576 bytes
Gigabyte
G or GB
1 billion bytes
1,073,741,824 bytes
Terabyte
T or TB
1 trillion bytes
1,099,511,627,776 bytes
Chapter 6: PC Memory
69
The holy numbers of computing
Computer memory comes in given sizes. You binary counting base of song and legend. So, see the same numbers over and over:
computer memory, which is a binary-like thing,
1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, is measured in those same powers of two. RAM
and so on.
chips come in quantities of 256MB or 512MB,
for example, or maybe 2GB.
Each of these values represents a power of
two — a scary mathematical concept that you Note that, starting with 1024, the values take on can avoid while still enjoying a fruitful life. To a predictable pattern: 1024 bytes is really 1K; quickly review: 20 = 1, 21 = 2, 22 = 4, 23 = 8, and up 1024K is really 1M, and 1024M is 1G. So, really, to 210 = 1024 and more, until you get a nosebleed.
only the first 10 values, 1 through 512, are the
magical ones.
These specific values happen because com-
puters count by twos — 1s and 0s — the old Enough of that.
Although it’s handy to say “kilobyte” rather than mouth out “1,024 bytes,” it’s difficult to visualize how much data that is. For comparison, think of a kilobyte (KB) as a page of text from a novel. That’s about 1,000 characters.
One megabyte (MB) of information is required to store one minute of music in your computer, a medium-resolution photograph, or as much text information in a complete encyclopedia.
The gigabyte (GB) is a huge amount of storage — 1 billion bytes. You can store about 30 minutes of high-quality video in a gigabyte.
The terabyte (TB) is 1 trillion bytes, or enough RAM to dim the lights when you start the PC. Although I can think of no individual item that requires 1TB
of storage, lots of 1GB items abound that fit happily into that 1TB of storage, which is why the term is needed.
A trilobite is an extinct arthropod that flourished in the oceans during the Paleozoic era. It has nothing to do with computer memory.
Other trivia:
✓
The term giga is Greek and means giant.
✓
The term tera is also Greek. It means monster!
✓
Your computer’s long-term mass storage media is also measured in
bytes; see Chapter 7.
✓
A PC running Windows 8 requires at least 1GB of memory to work well.
Having 2GB of memory is better.
70 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
✓ The PC’s processor can access and manipulate trillions and trillions of bytes of memory. Even so, because of various hardware and software
limitations, your computer can access only a given amount of RAM. The
exact value depends on the motherboard design as well as on the ver-
sion of Windows.
Memory Q&A
It doesn’t matter where I am — greeting people at church, gesturing to my fellow drivers on the freeway, or leaving detox — folks still stop and ask me questions about computer memory. Over the years, I’ve collected the questions and have distilled the answers in this section. They should help clear up any random access thoughts you may have about computer memory.
“How much memory is in my PC right now?”
You may not know how much RAM resides in your PC’s carcass, but the com-
puter knows! Summon the System window to find out: Press Win+Break on
the computer keyboard to summon the System window.
The amount of memory (RAM) appears right below the type of processor that lives in your PC. Looking at the value is about all you can do in the System window, so close that window when you’ve had enough.
“Do I have enough memory?”
If you have to keep on asking this question, the answer is no.
“Does my PC have enough memory?”
Knowing how much memory is in your PC is one thing, but knowing whether
that amount is sufficient enough is entirely different.
The amount of memory your PC needs depends on two things. The first, and
most important, is the memory requirement of the computer’s software.
Some programs, such as video-editing programs, require lots of memory. Just check the software’s box to see how much memory is needed. For example,
the Adobe Premier Pro video-editing program demands 2GB of RAM to run
properly.
Chapter 6: PC Memory
71
✓
Generally speaking, all PCs should have at least 1GB of RAM, which is
what you need, at minimum, to run Windows.
✓
Here’s one sure sign that your PC needs more memory: It slows to a
crawl, especially during memory-intensive operations, such as working
with graphics.
✓
Not enough memory? You can upgrade! See the upcoming section “Can I
add memory to my PC?”
“Can I test whether my PC
has enough memory?”
Your computer is designed to function even when it lacks a sufficient amount of memory. To test whether your PC has enough memory installed, make the
computer very busy, by loading and running several programs simultaneously. I’m talking about big programs, such as Photoshop or Word or Excel.
While all those programs are running, switch between them by pressing the Alt+Esc key combination.
If you can easily switch between several running programs by using Alt+Esc, your PC most likely has plenty of memory. But if you press Alt+Esc and the system slows down, you hear the hard drives rumbling, and it takes a bit
of time for the next program’s window to appear, your PC could use more
memory.
Close any programs you have opened.
“Can I add memory to my PC?”
You bet! The best thing you can do for your PC is to add memory. It’s like putting garlic in a salad. Bam! More memory provides an instant boost to the system.
Adding memory to your computer is LEGO-block simple. Well, expensive and
scary LEGO-block simple. Knowing how much memory and which type to buy
is the tough part. Because of that, I highly recommend that you have a dealer or computer expert do the work for you.
If you opt to perform your own PC memory upgrade, I can recommend
Crucial at www.crucial.com. The website uses special software to deter-
mine which type of memory you need and how much. You can then buy the
memory directly from the site.
72 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
“Will the computer ever run
out of memory?”
Nope. Unlike the hard drive, which can fill up just like a closet full of shoes and hats, your PC’s memory can never truly get full. At one time, back in the dark ages of computing, the “memory full” error was common. That doesn’t
happen now, thanks to something called virtual memory.
“What is virtual memory?”
Virtual memory is a fake-out. It lets the computer pretend that it has much more memory than it has physical RAM. It does that by swapping out vast
swaths of memory to mass storage (the hard drive). Because Windows man-
ages both memory and mass storage, it can keep track of things quite well, by swapping chunks of data back and forth. Et, voila! — you never see an “out of memory” error.
Alas, there’s trouble in paradise. One problem with virtual memory is that the swapping action slows things down. Although the swapping can happen
quickly and often without your noticing, when memory gets tight, virtual
memory takes over and things start moving more slowly.
✓
The solution to avoiding the use of virtual memory is to pack your PC
with as much RAM as it can hold.
✓
Windows never says that it’s “out of memory.” No, you just notice that
the hard drive is churning frequently as the memory is swapped into
and out of mass storage. Oh, and things tend to slow down dramatically.
✓ You have no reason to mess with the virtual memory settings in your
computer. Windows does an excellent job of managing them for you.
“What is video memory?”
Memory used by your PC’s video system is known as video memory.
Specifically, memory chips live on the display adapter expansion card. Those memory chips are used for the computer’s video output and help you see
higher resolutions, more colors, 3D graphics, bigger and uglier aliens, and girlie pictures that your husband downloads from the Internet late at night but says that he doesn’t.
Chapter 6: PC Memory
73
As with regular computer memory, you can upgrade video memory if your
PC’s display adapter has room. See Chapter 8 for more information on dis-
play adapters.
“What about shared video memory?”
Shared video memory is used on some computers to save money. What happens is that the PC lacks true video memory and instead borrows some main memory for use in displaying graphics. This strategy is fine for simple home computers but not nearly good enough to play cutting-edge games or to use photo-editing software.
74 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Chapter 7
Mass Storage
In This Chapter
▶ Understanding mass storage
▶ Recognizing the main storage device
▶ Working with removable storage
▶ Inserting and removing media
▶ Exploring external storage
▶ Using storage media in Windows
O utside of the computer realm, mass storage might refer to a file cabinet in Father Darby’s office. Or it could be something related to Einstein’s
Theory of Relativity. Maybe it explains what’s happening to my body’s mid-section? Those are all good speculations, but within the computer realm,
mass storage means something entirely different, something it takes an entire chapter to explain.
What Is Mass Storage?
All computer storage can be classified in two ways: temporary and long-term.
The work gets done in temporary storage. That’s computer memory, or RAM.
The work is saved in long-term storage. That’s mass storage.
Mass storage is permanent storage. It’s required for keeping information for the long term, like you’re supposed to keep your tax records but don’t because, well, what the government doesn’t know . . .
But mass storage is more than just a shoebox at the bottom of a closet. On your PC, mass storage is where the operating system is located, where all your PC programs are kept, and where you keep the stuff you create and save.
76 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
✓
All PCs require mass storage.
✓
Any time you use the Save command, you’re putting information into
mass storage. That information is transferred from computer memory
(RAM) to long-term storage.
✓
When you use the Open command, you’re taking information out of long-
term storage and copying it to computer memory. That’s because infor-
mation can only be examined, used, changed, or created in computer
memory.
✓
The computer’s operating system, Windows, is in charge of managing
both memory and mass storage.
✓
See Chapter 6 for information on computer memory, or temporary
storage.
Surveying the storage media landscape
In the olden days, mass storage was referred to as the computer’s “disk
drives.” Today, mass storage consists of more than just spinning disks,
although the term disk drive is still used.
Mass storage can be classified into two types: nonremovable and removable.
The nonremovable devices primarily dwell inside the PC console.
They include:
Hard disk drive: The hard drive is the computer’s traditional mass storage device.
Solid-state drive (SSD): An SSD is essentially a large-capacity media card, albeit one designed to serve as the computer’s primary mass storage
device. SSDs are fast but too expensive to be ubiquitous.
Pretty much every other type of mass storage available to a PC can be
removed:
Optical drive: An optical drive is used to access optical discs, CDs, and DVDs.
Media card: The media card reader accesses memory cards. This is the same storage type used by digital cameras and other portable gizmos.
Thumb drive: Thumb drives are solid-state mass storage devices, with similar electronics to media cards but designed as removable computer
storage.
Chapter 7: Mass Storage
77
Later sections in this chapter go into detail on these various forms of storage.
✓
Mass storage can be internal or external. Internal storage is mounted
inside the console. External storage is attached to the console, typically by using a USB cable.
✓
Storage media capacity is measured in bytes. Refer to Chapter 6
for more information on bytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and other
obnoxious terms.
Reviewing mass storage technical terms
The following terms may rear their ugly heads when dealing with mass storage. You have no sane reason to know this stuff, but here’s the short list anyway:
Media: The media is where information is recorded. Media is the disk in a disk drive or the CD or DVD in an optical drive. For a media card, media is the card itself, though some humans may insist that it’s the flash memory inside the media card. Nerds.
Drive: The drive mechanism reads the media. It spins the hard disk or optical disc so that information can be read from or written to the media. For a media card, the drive is the gizmo that accesses the information stored on the media card’s flash memory chip.
Interface: The interface is a general term applied to both the hardware and software used to transfer information between the storage media and the rest of the computer.
The most important thing to remember is that the media isn’t the drive; the drive reads the media. The confusion comes because some mass storage
devices, such as the hard drive or a thumb drive, combine both drive and
media.
✓
The current interface standard for internal mass storage (hard drives,
optical drives, and SSDs) is SATA, which stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment.
✓
Some internal storage, such as media card readers, uses USB as the
interface.
✓
For external storage, the interface standards include USB, IEEE, and
eSATA. See Chapter 10 for scintillating details.
78 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Your PCs Primary Storage Media
Of all the storage media available to your PC, one has to be the head honcho, the big cheese, the A-number-one. The PC’s primary storage media is where the operating system dwells, along with all the programs installed on the computer — and is also the media to which those programs prefer to save
the stuff you create.
✓
Your PC’s primary storage media is either the traditional hard drive or
the newer SSD.
✓
The primary storage media cannot be removed from the computer. It’s
fixed, as in “nonremovable,” not fixed as in “was broken but now
it’s not.”
✓
The PC’s primary storage media is known as drive C or the C drive.
See the section “Permanent Storage ABCs,” later in this chapter, for an
explanation.
✓ The primary storage media is also known as the boot disk. That’s the media from which the operating system is loaded when the computer
first starts.
✓
The operating system could also be loaded from an optical disc, provid-
ing that such a disc is inserted into an optical drive when the PC first
starts. A prompt appears on the screen, asking whether you want to
start (boot) the computer from the CD/DVD. Press the Enter key to do
so. Otherwise, the computer starts up as it normally would.
Understanding the Hard Drive
The traditional primary storage media on a PC is the hard drive, or hard
disk drive. For decades, hard drives have offered computer users copious
amounts of storage and fast access at a reasonable price.
Hard drives are measured by their capacity, and the standard computer unit of a byte is the yardstick. So much information can be stored on a hard drive that the bytes have to be counted by the billions, or gigabytes. A typical PC
hard drive can store between 120GB and 500GB of information — or more.
✓
The hard drive is simply a storage device. It isn’t everything inside the console.
✓
The primary hard drive dwells in the PC console. Most PCs also have
a second hard drive, and some have external hard drives.
✓
See the later section “External Storage” for information on external
hard drives.
Chapter 7: Mass Storage
79
Introducing the SSD
The big issue with hard drives is that they’re mechanical. Because they
spin, they can break. To fix that problem, the SSD, or solid-state drive, was developed.
The storage media on an SSD is similar to computer memory. It’s like a giant media card that you can use as the primary mass storage device in your PC.
Because the SSD is fully electronic, it’s also very fast.
Beyond being fast, other advantages of an SSD are that it uses less power and is quite reliable. The primary disadvantage to the SSD is price; the typical SSD costs about six times more than a comparable hard drive. Also, hard drives still have a higher storage capacity than your run-of-the-mill SSD.
✓
Currently, having an SSD in a desktop PC is something of a novelty. SSDs
are more commonly found on laptops, where their light weight and low
power can be an advantage worthy of a higher price.
✓
As far as use is concerned, you use an SSD just as you would a hard
drive. There’s only one caveat:
✓ SSDs don’t need defragmenting. Windows won’t even let you try to
defragment an SSD. However, if you could defragment an SSD, you might
shorten the device’s lifespan.
Removable Storage
If there were no such thing as removable mass storage on a PC, some hacker would invent it. Back in the early days, people seriously wanted to remove their PC’s hard drives. That desire is similar to pulling the engine from one car just so you can stick it in another car. Silly, but people wanted it.
To sate those removable storage desires, the typical PC comes with a host of drives into which you can plug and unplug various forms of removable
storage media. You can use that media to easily share your stuff with others, create safety copies, or just amaze your friends because you have a thumb drive that looks like SpongeBob SquarePants.
Exploring removable storage
Scientists have discovered three forms of removable PC storage:
✓
Optical drives, which use optical discs
✓
Media drives, which use memory cards
✓
Thumb drives, which use severed human digits
80 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
All about optical discs
An optical disc is circular plastic, about 5 ✓ A typical CD holds as much as 640MB of inches in diameter, and coated with a Mylar film
data or 80 minutes of music.
on which data is stored. All in all, it’s ho-hum —
so ho-hum that you can’t readily tell the dif-
✓ A DVD is capable of storing 4GB of informa-
ference between CD and DVD optical discs by
tion on one side of a disc, or 8GB on one
looking at them.
side of a dual-layer (DL) disc.
Other than its boring physical description, an ✓ A Blu-ray disc can store as much as 25GB
optical disc can be rated by its capacity. As you
on a single side of the disc or 50GB on a
would suspect, a DVD holds more information
dual-layer (DL) disc. Even so, Blu-ray discs
than a plain ol’ CD. Here are some stats:
are used mainly for videos.
✓ The British spelling of disc is used for his-
✓ DVD is an acronym for Digital Versatile Disc.
Or it may be Digital Video Disc. Whatever.
torical reasons, most likely because it was
part of some elaborate palindrome that has
✓ CD stands for Compact Disc.
long since been forgotten.
I’m just kidding on that last item: Thumb drives are their own storage gizmos.
The PC’s primary form of removable mass storage is its optical drive. The purpose of the optical drive is to let your PC access removable media in the form of optical discs, CDs, and DVDs. New software is often installed on your PC by using an optical disc.
I use the term media card to describe the various memory cards, sticks, and wafers commonly used with portable electronic devices. The cards themselves come in a variety of shapes and are referred to by a host of different names. Because the cards are used primarily by portable devices to store
media (pictures, music, video), the generic term media card seems apt.
Thumb drives get their name because of the shape. They use the same type of flash memory storage as media cards, but a thumb drive is designed to plug directly into a computer’s USB port.
✓
Removable media, such as optical discs, media cards, and thumb drives,
are used for regular PC storage, to help transfer files between comput-
ers and portable electronic gizmos, for backups, or for a bunch of other
interesting tasks.
✓
You can also use the PC’s optical drive to create, or burn, your own optical discs. It’s a big topic, so Chapter 19 is devoted to the subject.
✓
The typical PC has at least one optical drive installed.
✓
Optical drives are available that can read high-capacity Blu-ray discs,
but they’re not yet considered standard PC drives.
Chapter 7: Mass Storage
81
✓
If your PC lacks the capability to read media cards, you can add an
external media card reader by using a USB port. See Chapter 10.
Identifying removable storage drives
Although the media may be removable in removable storage, the drive that
reads the media is not. The drive is found lurking inside your PC console, with its face popping out in front for easy access.
Figure 7-1 illustrates the typical optical drive interface. It may be readily apparent on the front of the console or hidden behind a door or slide.
Figure 7-1:
An optical
drive’s
smiling face.
The key elements of the drive are the disc tray, which slides out to accept a disc, and the Eject button, which pops out the tray. Instead of a tray, some drives may have a slot into which you jam the disc.
To use the media card type of removable storage, your PC must come
equipped with a media card reader. The most common reader is the 19-in-1, which contains cubbyholes for all types of media cards, as shown in Figure 7-2.
Figure 7-2:
A media
card
reader’s
face.
82 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Optical drive tattoos
In addition to its button, light, and tray, the opti-
RW: The drive is capable of creating rewritable
cal drive might be adorned with various tattoos discs.
(refer to Figure 7-1). Rather than be an empty
trend, each tattoo helps explain which types of DL: The DVD drive can read dual-layer discs.
disc the optical drive can read. Here’s a list of The label R DL means that it can also create the terms you might see:
dual-layer discs.
DVD: The drive can read both CD and DVD R: A single R indicates a drive that can create discs. The logo is shown earlier, in Figure 7-1.
optical discs. The R may be suffixed with a +
or – or the ± thing, which means that you can
Disc: The drive can read CDs. Even when the create discs in the + or – (or both) formats.
Compact Disc logo (refer to Figure 7-1) doesn’t
appear on a DVD drive, that DVD drive can still RAM: The DVD drive can read or create the read CDs.
antique DVD-RAM disc format.
Blu-ray Disc: The drive can read high-capacity
Blu-ray discs as well as DVDs and CDs.
The typical media card reader contains four slots, which, surprisingly, let you access as many as 19 types of media cards — hence the 19-in-1 name. The
reader is labeled, as shown in Figure 7-2, though you can pretty much figure out which card goes in which hole by its size.
The only other item of interest on both an optical drive and media card
reader is the light that blinks when the drive is in use. Don’t let the thing freak you out.
✓
The optical drive is represented by a single drive letter and icon in
Windows. Similarly, each hole in the media card reader is represented
by a drive letter. See the later section “Permanent Storage ABCs” for
more info.
✓
If your PC lacks an internal media card reader, you can buy an über
cheap external media card reader and easily attach it to your PC by
using a USB port.
✓
Some PCs sport single-media drives, such as a single SD memory card
slot. The slot is labeled according to which media card it eats.
✓ Optical drives feature a teensy hole (refer to Figure 7-1), which is used to eject a stubborn disc or to open the tray when the drive isn’t functioning or is turned off. You simply jab a bent paper clip into the hole, press, and the tray pops open or the disc pushes itself out.
Chapter 7: Mass Storage
83
Inserting removable media
The term removable implies the ability to both remove and insert media.
After all, once you get the media out, you’ll probably want to put it back in again at some point in the future.
Once inserted, the removable media is accessed on your computer system
just like any other mass storage. It’s given a drive letter, and the files and whatnot on that media are made instantly available for use.
Stick an optical disc into an optical drive
Generally speaking, the disc is always inserted label side up. On an all-in-one PC, the disk is inserted vertically, with the label facing toward you. Aside from that, how you stick the disc into the drive depends on how the drive eats discs:
Tray: Press the drive’s Eject button, which pops out the tray (often called a drink holder in computer humor). Drop the disc into the tray, label side up.
Gently nudge the tray back into the computer. The tray slides back in the rest of the way on its own.
Slide in: Push the disc (label side up) into the slot. A gremlin inside the drive eventually grabs the disc and pulls it in all the way.
What happens after you insert the disc depends on the disc’s content.
You may see a prompt to install software, play a movie, or play or import music — or sometimes you don’t see anything. In that case, to find out what to do next, you have to heed whatever directions came with the optical disc.
Some CDs and DVDs are shapes other than round. These discs work fine in the tray type of optical drive, but don’t insert them into the slide-in type of drive.
Insert a media card or thumb drive
To use a media card, just jab it into the proper card slot on the media card reader. Media cards are inserted label side up.
Likewise, to add a thumb drive to your PC’s storage system, plug the thumb drive into an available USB port. The drive plugs in only one way and odds are pretty good that your first attempt will be wrong, so just flip over the thumb drive and try it that way first.
Don’t force a media card into a slot! If the media card doesn’t fit into one slot, try another.
84 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Ejecting removable media
You cannot just yank media — even removable media — out of a computer.
Although nothing prevents you from being naughty and doing so, you run the risk of damaging the information stored on the media, not to mention having to endure a nasty warning message from Windows. That’s the worst part.
Follow these steps to properly and politely remove media:
1. Ensure that you’re done using the media.
Be sure that none of your programs or windows are accessing informa-
tion on the removable media — optical disc, media card, or thumb drive.
2. Press the Win+E keyboard shortcut.
Win is the Windows key. After pressing Win+E, you’ll see a Windows
Explorer window, which displays the Computer or My Computer
window. That window lists all your PC’s mass storage devices, including
removable media.
3. Click to select the removable media’s drive icon.
Just click once; you want to select the icon, not open it.
It’s not always obvious which icon in the Computer window represents
a media card or thumb drive. Sometimes, you can tell because the name
below the icon is something other than Removable Disk.
4. Click the Eject button on the toolbar.
5. Remove or detach the media card or thumb drive.
Optical drives spit out the disc automatically.
Store the media in a safe location when you’re not using it.
You may be tempted to eject an optical disc by punching the Eject button on the front of the drive. Don’t ever punch a computer! If Windows is using the drive, you may see an ugly error message on the screen when you try to eject a disc this way.
External Storage
Your PC’s mass storage isn’t limited to what’s available inside the console.
Using the smarts of the USB port, you can expand your computer system
externally. You can attach peripheral hard drives, optical drives, flash drives, or media card readers to your heart’s (and wallet’s) content. You can even use your PC to access storage on the Internet.
See Chapter 10 for specific information on using the USB port.
Chapter 7: Mass Storage
85
Adding external storage
To add another mass storage drive to your computer, simply plug it in. What can you add? An external hard drive, an optical drive, a media card reader —
you name it. The device attaches to the console by using a USB cable. If the device also requires power, plug the thing into the wall — or better, into a UPS. (See Chapter 3.)
Assuming that the device has power, works, and is properly connected,
Windows instantly recognizes it. The media is added to your computer sys-
tem’s mass storage inventory, showing up in the Computer window. You’re
ready to go.
✓
One of the most common and useful types of external storage to add
is an external hard drive. You may not need the extra storage for your
normal work, but it comes in handy for making a backup copy. See
Chapter 18.
✓
For technical information on setting up a hard drive, including
information on partitions and all that nonsense, refer to my book
Troubleshooting & Maintaining Your PC All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley). Look for it in the Long Title section of your favorite
book store.
✓ Although you can easily unplug any USB device from the PC at any
time, I don’t recommend doing so for external storage. For removing
the media, follow the directions earlier in this chapter in the section
“Ejecting removable media.” But see Chapter 10 for specific directions
on removing the storage device (drive) itself.
Exploring the cloud (Internet storage)
The Internet is brimming with opportunities to store your files, graphics, documents, music, porn, and whatever other digital information. You need
just two things to make Internet storage happen: A fast, broadband Internet connection, and access to an Internet-based storage system.
The weird part about all this: The term cloud is used to refer to Internet storage. What does it mean? Is it a real cloud? Is there a humidity issue? I have no idea.
With Windows 8, Microsoft has introduced a cloud-based storage system
called SkyDrive. Once you set it up, you can access the SkyDrive directly from certain Microsoft products, even from the Open or Save As screens.
Otherwise, you can visit your Internet files on the web at http://
86 Part II: The Nerd’s-Eye View
Google’s Internet storage solution is called Google Drive. Unlike SkyDrive, Google Drive maps right into your PC’s storage system, appearing as a folder
along with the rest of your digital stuff. Visit http://drive.google.com to
get started with a Google Drive.
Another Internet storage system is Dropbox. Like Google Drive, Dropbox
maps its Internet storage to a folder on your computer, which makes it easy to use. Visit www.dropbox.com/home for details.
✓
Files you copy to and from Internet storage are available to any other
computer, mobile device, or digital psychic who has Internet access.
That’s the whole point of cloud storage; your stuff is available wherever you can access the Internet.
✓
One drawback to cloud storage is limited storage capacity. That can be
addressed if you’re willing to pay for more Internet storage.
✓
The Windows SkyDrive can also be accessed from the Start screen in
Windows 8 by clicking or touching the SkyDrive tile.
✓
Both Google Drive and Dropbox are accessible through teensy-weensy
icons on the desktop’s notification area. Press Win+D to see the desktop
in Windows 8.
✓
See Chapter 16 for more information on folders. When you copy files
to an Internet folder on your PC, those files are synchronized with the
cloud. They’re available to you from any other computer with Internet
access — well, providing you log in to the cloud to access your files.
Permanent Storage ABCs
Windows displays all the computer’s permanent storage devices in one cen-
tral location, a place called the Computer window, shown in Figure 7-3.
Figure 7-3: