Marina C's CSC231 2014 Page

Marina Cheng's Lab Report

On 10/7/14 I took a PC apart. The lab instructions are available here.

Demolition

Steps taken and discoveries:

The case of the computer before we open it up:

The make of the computer we took apart was Dell, and the model number was DCNE.



The inside of the case:

The parts visible when we removed the cover were the power source, motherboard, RAM, power cable, CD rom, and data cable.



The motherboard:

The motherboard is at the "bottom" of the PC when you remove the cover. The lines on the board that you see are the buses that transmit data between the processor and the hardware. There is a crystal on the motherboard. There is also a small battery on the motherboard. It is for powering the real time-clock and storing the BIOS setting.



The hard disk:

The hard disk is below the DVD drive, and it holds 160 Gigabytes. Inside of the hard disk, there is a platter that looks like a CD, spindle, a read/write head, and an actuator arm, among others.


This is the hard disk before we took it apart:




This is the back of the hard disk:




We took apart the hard disk. This is the inside of the hard disk:






The RAM:

The RAM (Random Access Memory) is next to the CD rom and connected to the motherboard There is 2 GB of RAM in the PC we took apart. Samsung made it. There were 2 RAMs in the PC that we took apart. The RAM stores data and one can directly access the memory. The computer can quickly access the data since it is accessed randomly. When power is removed, the information stored in the RAM is lost.



The crystal:

The crystal gives its frequency to the processor. The crystal is on the motherboard in a location between the battery and the processor. It is there to give its frequency to the processor.



The processor:

The processor is below the cooling system, and it is securely placed in a socket on the motherboard. The brand is Intel 2005 2.4 GHz, and the model number is 36600. It performs basic operations instructed by programs like logical and arithmetic operations. It interprets and executes commands from hardware and software and is the "brain" of the computer. The processor produces a lot of heat, so a heat sink covers it to cool it.

One face of the processor that we removed from the motherboard:



The other face of the processor that we removed from the motherboard (with it's model number showing):



This is an image of the processor still on the motherboard and before we removed the thermal paste covering the processor:



The processor viewed in relation to it's position on the motherboard:



The cooling system for the processor:

The cooling system allows the excess heat produced by the PC to exit the system, preventing overheating. The cooling system was above the processor in our PC as the processor releases a lot of heat. As the processor is an integral part of the PC it must be able to cool down.

This heat sink is a part of the cooling system.



This fan is also a part of the cooling system.



The CD-Rom drive:

The CD/DVD player/burner is on top of the hard drive and next to the motherboard. It is a DVD drive.



This is a side view of the hard drive. We know that it is a DVD drive as it has the DVD logo on it.






The power-supply:

The power supply is in a corner of the PC, across from the DVD and the hard drive. It can output 280 watts of power, and it converts the power for the PC.



The cabling system:

These are cables for data transfer and power.



Questions

• Question 1 - What is the make and model number of the computer you are taking apart?

Make: Dell; Model number: DCNE

• Question 2 - What are the parts visible when you remove the cover?

Power source, motherboard, RAM, power cable, CD rom, and data cable

• Question 3 - Where is the processor? What brand and model number is it? Remove it from the motherboard!

Below the cooling system; Intel 2005 2.4 GHz; model number 36600

• Question 4 - Where is the RAM (Random Access Memory)? How much RAM is in the PC you're taking apart? What company makes it?

Next to the CD rom and connected to the motherboard; 2 GB; Samsung

• Question 5 - Where is the CD/DVD player/burner? Is it a CD or DVD drive?

On top of the hard drive and next to the motherboard; DVD drive

• Question 6 - Where is the power supply? How many watts of power can it output?

In a corner of the PC and across from the DVD drive and the hard drive; 280 watts

• Question 7 - What are all the cables for?

Data transfer and power

• Question 8 - Where is the hard disk? How many Gigabytes of data does it hold?

Below the DVD drive; 160 Gigabytes

• Optional Question 9 - What is inside the hard disk?

A platter that looks like a CD, spindle, read/write head, and actuator arm, among others.

• Question 10 - Where is the motherboard? What are the lines you see on the board?
• At the "bottom" of the PC when you remove the cover; The lines on the board are the buses that transmit data between the processor and the hardware.
• Question 11 - On the motherboard is a crystal. Where is it? What is it for?

In a location between the battery and the processor; to give its frequency to the processor

• Question 12 - You may find a small battery on the motherboard. What is it for?

Powering the real time-clock and storing the BIOS setting