Three Ways Settings Can Be Stored on a Motherboard

When setting hardware configurations, you can configure the motherboard in three different ways: DIP switches, jumpers, and CMOS. Storing configuration information by physically setting DIP switches or jumpers on the motherboard or peripheral devices is inconvenient, because it often requires you to open the computer case to make a change. However, many older and some newer motherboards require that you set certain configurations using DIP switches and jumpers, as outlined below.
Setup Data Stored by DIP Switches
Many older computers and a few newer ones store setup data using DIP switches on the motherboard, as shown in the figure below. A DIP (dual inline package) switch has an ON position and an OFF position. ON represents binary 1 and OFF represents binary 0. If you add or remove equipment, you can communicate that to the computer by changing a DIP switch setting. When you change a DIP switch setting, use a pointed instrument such as a ballpoint pen to push the switch. Don�t use a graphite pencil, because graphite conducts electricity. Pieces of graphite dropped into the switch can damage it.
Setup Data Stored by Jumpers
Most motherboards use at least one set of jumpers, such as the set shown below. If two pins are not connected with a cover, the setting is considered OFF. If the cover is present, the setting is ON. If the cover is hanging on one pin, it is parked so you won't lose it. You can see all three situations shown below. A 6-pin jumper group on a circuit board (a) has no pins covered, (b) has a cover parked on one pin, and (c) is configured with two jumpers capped or covered.
A typical setting that uses jumpers is enabling or disabling keyboard power-up. (With this feature enabled, you can press a key to power up the system.) You change the jumper setting by removing the computer case, finding the correct jumper, and then either placing a metal cover over the jumper or removing the cover already there. The figure below shows a diagram of a motherboard with the keyboard power-up jumper. For older motherboards, typical uses of jumpers were to indicate the presence of cache memory or to communicate the type and speed of the CPU present.

Setup Data Stored in CMOS RAM
Computers today store most configuration information in a CMOS RAM chip, which also is called the real-time clock/nonvolatile RAM (RTC/NVRAM) chip, which retains the data even when the computer is turned off. (There are actually many CMOS chips on a motherboard, used for various purposes.)
On older computers (mostly IBM 286 PCs built in the 1980s), changes are made to the CMOS setup data using a setup program stored on a floppy disk. One major disadvantage of this method, besides the chance that you might lose or misplace the disk, is that the disk drive must be working before you can change the setup. An advantage of this method is that you cannot unintentionally change the setup. If you have an older computer and you do not have the floppy disk with the setup program, check the Web site of the motherboard manufacturer or the BIOS manufacturer for a replacement disk.



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Converting Bianary

A way the computer converts to another form is through the monitor. It first converts it to letters we can read and then we look on the monitor and we can understand what the computer is saying or doing.










Another form is through the printer it sends the information to the printer in binary form then the printer reads it and converts it the data to letter form where we can read it and prints it onto paper.














The best way i like to have binary transfer data is through sound. The computer sends the binary codes through the earphones or speakers and then the operator can hear what the computer is send for example music.
















The fourth way for binary to convert into another form is through a modem. When you dial up you hear the sound of it dialing up, after that the modem turns the 1s and 0s to sounds while the other side the sound turns it back to 1s and 0s.














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Bianary

The binary numeral system, or base-2 number system, is a numeral system that represents numeric values using two symbols, usually 0 and 1. Computers use binary because i correlats well with electronic swithcing: off=0, on=1. Before binary computers people would use anolog computers. Anolog computers are a form of computer that uses electrical, mechanical, or hydralic phenomina. Binary sorta reminds meusing the rest room, either you got to go, or you dont.

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What is Hex?

Hex is a short way of saying hexidecimal. It is another way to send information to the computer. It's another way of communicating with the computer other then bianary. It's like speaking another language in real life. For instance if I only speak chinese you have to speak chinese to me or else i won't understand.

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Computer Ports

In computer hardware, a port serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or devices. Physically, a port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects. Electronically, the several conductors making up the outlet provide a signal transfer between devices. Hardware ports may be physically male (unusual, since protruding pins easily break, a fate best left to inexpensive matching cable ends) or female (usual on equipment). Computer ports in common use cover a wide variety of shapes such as round (PS/2, etc.), rectangular (FireWire, etc.), square (telephone modem), trapezoidal (D-Sub—the old printer port was a DB-25), etc. There is some standardization to physical properties and function. For instance, most computers have a keyboard port (currently a round DIN-like outlet referred to as PS/2), into which the keyboard is connected.



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Expansion Slots

An expansion card (also expansion board, adapter card or accessory card) in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard to add additional functionality to a computer system. One edge of the expansion card holds the contacts that fit exactly into the slot. They establish the electrical contact between the electronics (mostly intergrated ciruits) on the card and on the motherboard.

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The four functions

The four main functions of a computer is input, storage, processing, and output.

input- the signal recieved by the units


output- the signal sent from the units

storage- basically computer memory
processing- converting from one form to another through a routine process


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the three functions of a harddrive

INPUT HARDWARE

• without instructions and info the comp doesn't know what to do
• putting data into the comp
• referred as data entry

PROCESSING AND STORAGE

• processor is where the work is
• recieves info
• stores it as memory
• made of two parts (cpu and and main storage)
  

OUTPUT

• sends the data saved back to the operator
• wouldn't know what the comp had done
• would be useless without this
• hard copys usually printed on paper through printer

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