Week 2: PC Teardown & Hardware Fundamentals

Class Logistics & House-Keeping

• Recording started; class runs in 50-minute blocks with 10-minute breaks to ensure focus and prevent fatigue.

• Working from CompTIA A+ Study Guide – Chapter 2, focusing on fundamental hardware components and assembly procedures.

• Bring the following to every lab session:

  • Dell Pro Tower QCT-1255 PC kit: This is your primary hardware for hands-on exercises.

  • Full PC tool kit (magnetic screwdriver, anti-static bits): Essential for safely manipulating small screws and components without losing them or causing damage.

  • ESD (anti-static) wrist strap: Critical for safely discharging static electricity from your body to prevent damage to sensitive electronic components.

  • Smartphone (for step-by-step photos): Used for documenting your progress and components' original placements (a "parts map") for reassembly.

  • Thermal paste (needed for reseating heat-sink tomorrow): Essential for efficient heat transfer from the CPU to the heat sink, preventing overheating.

  • 16 GB CIAT flash drive (used in OS-install lab): Required for installing the operating system (Windows 11) and other necessary software.

• Submit ALL answers when you re-upload a hands-on quiz; partial resubmissions score zero on unanswered items to encourage thoroughness.

• APA writing reminder: inline citation + reference list are now graded (announcement posted 19 Jul 08:00). Tip: draft discussion posts in Word for spell- and grammar-check first to ensure academic integrity and clarity.

Safety & Preparation

• ESD protection is mandatory. If you did not receive a strap, ground yourself constantly by touching a bare metal part of the PC chassis before handling components, or wait until a strap arrives (strongly recommended). Static discharge beyond 3000 ext{V} can cause irreparable damage to sensitive components like RAM or the CPU.

• Power down AND unplug PC before opening case: Always disconnect from the power source to prevent electrical shock or damage to components during installation/removal.

• Treat parts “like raw eggs”: Components such as RAM edges and M.2 contacts are extremely fragile. Improper handling can bend pins, scratch traces, or cause microscopic cracks, leading to component failure.

• Keep a parts map: Take a photo before removing anything, note specific screw locations, and set components label-side up on a clean, anti-static desk. This aids in accurate reassembly and component identification.

• Screws: Use finger-tightening for most screws, and be aware that spring-loaded heat-sink posts can pop off if not handled carefully, potentially damaging the CPU or socket.

• Never take CIAT hardware to a 3rd-party shop; the instructor must verify bad parts. This ensures proper tracking and warranty procedures for school-issued equipment.

Hands-On Exercise 3 — Part 1

1 – Initial Power-On Test

• Connect monitor, keyboard, mouse, power. Verify white power LED & Windows install screen to confirm basic system POST (Power-On Self-Test) and initial boot success. Then hard-shut-down by holding the power switch for several seconds. This initial test confirms the system is functional before disassembly, ensuring any future issues are not pre-existing.

2 – Remove Side Panel

1. Loosen two rear thumb screws, typically on the back of the chassis. These are designed for tool-less removal.

2. Pull the blue release tab; slide the panel toward the rear and lift it away from the chassis. This mechanism secures the side panel.

3. Strap in with ESD clip to bare metal: Attach your ESD wrist strap to an unpainted metal part of the PC chassis to ensure constant grounding while working inside, preventing electrostatic discharge.

3 – Remove Heat-Sink & CPU Fan

1. Depress 2 blue fan-cowl clips; lift the plastic shroud. These clips secure the fan assembly to the heat sink.

2. Loosen 4 spring screws diagonally (e.g., top-left, bottom-right, then top-right, bottom-left). This ensures even pressure release and prevents warping of the heat sink or CPU socket board.

3. Unplug the 4-pin CPU-FAN header (labelled “CPU_FAN”) from the motherboard. This provides power and speed control to the fan, and must be disconnected before removal.

4. Lift the heat-sink straight up; turn paste-side up on the desk. This prevents thermal paste from contaminating your work surface or other components and protects the heat sink's contact surface.

4 – Remove RAM (2 × 8 GB DDR5 UDIMM)

• Depress both slot latches simultaneously on either end of the DIMM slot. The module will pop up slightly. Grasp the module by its edges and lift it straight out. Avoid touching the gold contacts, as oils and dirt can interfere with electrical conductivity and cause issues.

• UDIMM (Unbuffered Dual In-line Memory Module) refers to standard memory modules without a register, commonly found in desktop PCs.

5 – Remove M.2 NVMe SSD

1. Unscrew the tiny retention screw (a magnetic bit helps considerably, as these screws are very small). This screw secures the M.2 drive to the motherboard.

2. Slide the drive out at a 30° angle. This angle is standard for M.2 installation/removal, aligning with the slot's design.

3. Do not touch the gray thermal pad under the SSD. This pad facilitates heat transfer from the NVMe drive to the motherboard or a dedicated heat spread, ensuring optimal performance and longevity.

6 – Remove CPU (AM5)

1. Push the retention lever down & away from the socket (note the high tension). This lever applies pressure to secure the CPU in its LGA (Land Grid Array) socket.

2. Lift the load-plate; grasp the CPU by its edges; place it upside-down on the heat-sink paste. Placing it on the heat sink's paste side (which is now upward) keeps the valuable thermal paste clean and off your work surface, while also protecting the CPU's delicate underside.

3. Never touch socket pins. The AM5 socket uses an LGA design, meaning the pins are on the motherboard socket, not the CPU. Bending or damaging these pins can render the motherboard unusable.

7 – Remove 360 W 80+ Platinum Power Supply

1. Under the PSU, remove 3 Phillips screws that secure it to the chassis.

2. Detach the 8-pin EPS (Expanded Power Supply) and 4-pin ATX CPU 1 cables from the motherboard. These supply power specifically to the CPU; label checking confirms correct cable identification.

3. Release cable clips or ties; slide the PSU out. Ensure all cables are disconnected and freed from clips to allow smooth removal.

8 – Photograph Empty Chassis

• Requirement: show bare motherboard with ALL above parts removed; upload to Canvas. This serves as proof of successful disassembly and proper component removal, aiding in troubleshooting if issues arise during reassembly.

Component Handling Cheat-Sheet

• CPU upside-down on heat-sink keeps paste off the desk & protects pins: This is a practical tip to maintain cleanliness and prevent damage to the CPU's delicate contact points.

• RAM & M.2 stored in anti-static bag or clean desk area, contacts up: Anti-static bags protect against ESD, and keeping contacts up prevents contamination and physical damage.

• Keep M.2 screw separate (smallest screw in kit) and ideally secured in a labeled compartment or magnetic mat to prevent loss due to its minuscule size.

Dell Support Site Investigation (Quiz Q2–Q3)

1. Dell → Support → enter service tag (sticker above power button – e.g., ST: 6455V94). The service tag is a unique identifier for your specific system, allowing access to precise specifications, drivers, and warranty information.

2. Quick Links → View Product Specs to access detailed hardware configurations.

3. Key data captured:

   • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500G, 6 cores (12 threads), up to 5.0\text{ GHz} boost clock, L3 = 16\text{ MB} cache, integrated Radeon 740 M GPU. This identifies the processor model, core count (indicating multitasking capability), max clock speed, cache size (affecting performance), and the integrated graphics solution.

   • Socket: AM5 (LGA-style; pins in socket). This specifies the physical interface for the CPU, noting it's a Land Grid Array socket where pins are on the motherboard.

   • TDP (Thermal Design Power): 65\text{ W}. Represents the maximum heat generated by the CPU under a typical workload, important for selecting appropriate cooling solutions.

   • Memory: DDR5 4000 \rightarrow 4800\text{ MT/s} dual-channel. Identifies the RAM type (DDR5) and effective data transfer rate in MegaTransfers per second (MT/s), significantly faster than DDR4, and indicates dual-channel support for increased memory bandwidth.

4. Generation: 8 000-series ⇒ 8th gen Ryzen (first digit of 8500). This convention helps identify the processor's architecture generation and associated features.

5. Save webpage screenshot for upload: Documentation of your findings.

Motherboard & I/O Port Audit (Quiz Q5–Q6)

• USB 3.2 Gen1 (5 Gbps): Previously known as USB 3.0 or USB 3.1 Gen1, offers data transfer speeds up to 5 Gigabits per second.

Motherboard internals:

• 1 × M.2 (NVMe) storage slot: A high-speed interface for NVMe Solid-State Drives, offering significantly faster storage performance than SATA.

• 1 × M.2 E-key Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module pre-installed: The E-key form factor is typically used for wireless communication modules, indicating integrated wireless capabilities.

• 3 × PCIe slots (1 × 16 + 2 × 1): PCI Express (PCIe) slots are used for expansion cards. PCIe \text{ x16} is typically for high-bandwidth devices like graphics cards, while PCIe \text{ x1} slots are for lower-bandwidth devices like network cards or sound cards.

• 3 × SATA 3 (6\text{ Gb/s}) headers: Serial ATA (SATA) headers are used for connecting traditional HDDs, SSDs, and optical drives, providing data transfer speeds up to 6 Gigabits per second.

Power Supply Facts (Quiz Q7)

• Rated 360\text{ W}_\text{max}, 80 Plus Platinum: This indicates the maximum power output and a high efficiency rating (Platinum), meaning it converts at least 90% of electricity into usable power at 20% load, 92% at 50% load, and 89% at 100% load, reducing wasted energy as heat.

• Non-modular; fixed cable bundle: All power cables are permanently attached to the PSU, which can lead to more cable clutter inside the case compared to modular PSUs.

• Input selector preset 115\text{ V}. This switch (less common on modern PSUs) selects between voltage inputs (e.g., 115\text{ V} for North America or 230\text{ V} for other regions). It is critical to have this set correctly for your region.

• Provides 8-pin EPS + 4-pin ATX CPU 1; no 6-pin PCIe or SATA power used in this build: The EPS connector powers the CPU, while the 4-pin ATX CPU 1 is an auxiliary CPU power connector sometimes found on motherboards. The absence of 6-pin PCIe (for dedicated graphics cards) and SATA power (for SATA drives) implies this specific build configuration relies on integrated graphics and possibly an M.2 NVMe SSD for storage, which does not use SATA power.

• Photo of rating label required: For documentation of specifications and certifications.

Re-Assembly Highlights (Part 2)

1. CPU: Match the golden triangle on the CPU to the arrow or triangle on the socket; drop the CPU in gently without force, then close the load-plate. Precise alignment prevents bent pins and ensures proper electrical connection.

2. Apply a pea-sized dot of thermal paste (approximately 5\text{ mm} diameter) to the center of the CPU's integrated heat spreader (IHS). This small amount is sufficient to spread evenly under pressure and fill microscopic imperfections between the CPU and heat sink, maximizing heat transfer.

3. Seat the heat-sink, aligning it carefully with the CPU. Tighten screws in an X-pattern (diagonally) to ensure even pressure distribution across the CPU's surface. Reconnect the 4-pin fan header to the motherboard, ensuring the CPU fan receives power and its speed can be controlled.

4. RAM: DDR5 DIMM A1 & B1 (slot 1 & 2) for dual channel → press evenly until latches click. For optimal performance, RAM should be installed in specific slots (often labeled A1/B1 or matching colors) to enable dual-channel mode, which doubles the memory bandwidth.

5. Photo proof: fan re-installed & RAM seated: Visual confirmation of correct installation steps.

6. Remaining tomorrow: insert PSU & SSD, image Windows 11 from CIAT USB, finalists building setup. These steps complete the hardware assembly and initiate the operating system installation.

Expansion Cards & Interfaces (Lecture Portion)

Types & Functionality

• Video / Graphics (GPU) – Dedicated rendering hardware designed to handle complex graphical computations, offloading this task from the CPU. Essential for gaming, CAD (Computer-Aided Design), video editing, and advanced display configurations. GPUs typically connect via the PCIe\text{ x16} slot.

• Multimedia – Includes sound cards and video-capture cards. Sound cards improve audio quality beyond integrated motherboard audio, often supporting higher fidelity output and specialized audio processing. Video-capture cards allow for recording or streaming video from external sources, crucial for content creation and live streaming setups.

• NICs (Network Interface Cards) – Provide network access via Ethernet (wired, offering stable and fast connections, often 1\text{ GbE} or 10\text{ GbE}) or Wi-Fi (wireless, requiring antennas for signal reception, supporting standards like 802.11\text{ac} or 802.11\text{ax} for high speeds). They are essential for connecting a computer to a local network or the internet.

• I/O Extenders – Such as USB expansion cards, Thunderbolt cards, or eSATA cards. These add extra ports to a system, expanding connectivity options for peripherals, external storage, or high-bandwidth devices. For example, a USB 3.0 card provides additional high-speed USB ports if the motherboard lacks enough.

Typical Bus Connections

• PCIe\text{ x1} → Commonly used for lower-bandwidth expansion cards like NICs, sound cards, or additional USB cards. The "x1" denotes a single PCI Express lane.

• PCIe\text{ x16} → The primary slot for high-bandwidth devices, predominantly graphics processing units (GPUs), utilizing 16 PCI Express lanes for maximum data throughput.

• Legacy AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) → An older, now obsolete, dedicated slot for graphics cards, superseded by PCIe due to its higher bandwidth and versatility.

• eSATA brackets → External SATA brackets can convert internal SATA ports to external ones, allowing for direct connection of eSATA external drives.

Installation & Configuration Steps

1. Power off + unplug: Always ensure the system is completely powered down and disconnected from the power source to prevent electrical shock or damage to components during installation.

2. Insert card straight into the correct slot; secure bracket: Align the card carefully with the PCIe slot and push it down firmly and evenly until it is fully seated. Secure the card's metal bracket to the chassis with a screw, providing physical support and grounding.

3. Attach auxiliary power if required: High-power cards, especially GPUs, often require additional power connectors (e.g., 6-pin or 8-pin PCIe power) directly from the PSU to meet their power demands.

4. Boot → OS Plug-and-Play; else install drivers via Device Manager or vendor site: Modern operating systems often automatically detect and install basic drivers for new hardware (Plug-and-Play). If not, you'll need to manually install specific drivers downloaded from the card manufacturer's website or via Windows Device Manager to unlock full functionality.

5. Verify resources (IRQ, DMA) & use vendor utility for fine-tuning: Use Windows Device Manager (under "View ► Resources by Type") to check for any Interrupt Request (IRQ) or Direct Memory Access (DMA) conflicts that could prevent the card from functioning correctly. Specialized vendor utilities can also provide advanced settings and monitoring for the card.

Storage Technologies

Spinning HDDs (Hard Disk Drives)

• Platters: Rigid, magnetic disks inside the drive where data is stored.

• Read/write heads: Small electromagnetic heads that float just above the platters to read and write data.

• Tracks: Concentric circles on the platters where data is physically laid out.

• Sectors: Smallest addressable unit of data on a track.

• Cylinders: Vertical stacks of tracks across multiple platters.

• Clusters: Groups of sectors, the smallest unit of disk space allocated by the operating system.

• Speeds: Measured in Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), indicating how fast the platters spin. Common speeds include 5 400 RPM (slower, quieter, often found in external drives), 7 200 RPM (standard for desktops), 10 000 RPM, 12 000 RPM, and 15 000 RPM (higher speeds for enterprise/server applications, offering faster data access).

• Sizes: 3.5 in (standard for desktop computers) & 2.5 in (smaller form factor, typically used in laptops and external enclosures).

Solid-State Drives (SSD)

• NAND flash: The type of non-volatile memory used in SSDs, which retains data without power.

• No moving parts: This characteristic makes SSDs inherently more durable, shock-proof, silent, cooler, and consume lower power compared to HDDs.

• Higher cost / GB; finite write endurance: SSDs generally have a higher price per gigabyte than HDDs. They also have a finite number of write cycles (write endurance), meaning a limit to how many times data can be written to a cell before it degrades, though modern SSDs have very long lifespans (measured in TBW - Terabytes Written).

• Interfaces:

  • SATA III (6\text{ Gb/s limit}): A common interface for internal drives, offering data transfer speeds up to 6 Gigabits per second. While faster than HDDs, it's a bottleneck for high-performance SSDs.

  • PCIe lanes directly (add-in cards): Some SSDs utilize PCIe lanes directly, allowing much higher bandwidth than SATA. These often come as expansion cards.

  • NVMe protocol over PCIe (fastest latency): Non-Volatile Memory Express is a logical device interface specification designed for accessing non-volatile storage media attached via a PCIe bus. It significantly reduces latency and allows for far greater parallelism and throughput than SATA, making it the fastest standard for consumer SSDs.

• Form factors: mSATA (mini-SATA, a smaller version of SATA SSD), M.2 (common sizes like 2280 – 22mm width, 80mm length), U.2 (enterprise-grade form factor), add-in card (SSDs that look like PCIe expansion cards).

Removable Media

• USB flash drives: Portable, hot-swappable storage devices for quick data transfer and backups.

• SD/micro-SD, CompactFlash, mini-SD, XD-Picture: Various flash memory card formats commonly used in cameras, smartphones, and other portable devices.

• Hot-swappable, used for firmware flashing, quick backups: Removable media can be inserted and removed while the system is running, useful for quick data transfers, system recovery, or updating device firmware.

• Optical: CD-R/RW (CD-Recordable/Rewritable, typically 700\text{ MB} capacity), DVD ±R SL (Digital Versatile Disc Recordable Single Layer, 4.7\text{ GB}, used for movies and data), DL (Dual Layer, 8.5\text{ GB}, higher capacity), BD-R (Blu-ray Disc Recordable, 25/50 GB for high-definition video and large data archiving).

RAID Essentials (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)

Question recap: RAID 5 requires $\ge 3$ disks to function, as it needs at least two data disks and one parity disk.

Power Supplies & UPS

• Converts AC (Alternating Current) $\rightarrow$ DC (Direct Current): The primary function of a PSU is to convert the high-voltage AC current from the wall outlet into low-voltage DC current that computer components can use.

• Outputs +3.3, +5, +12, -12, +5\text{ Vsb}. These are the standard voltage rails provided by a PSU:

  • +3.3 \text{ V}: Used by RAM and motherboards.

  • +5 \text{ V}: Used by SSDs, USB ports, and some older components.

  • +12 \text{ V}: The most critical rail, powering the CPU, GPU, and motors in HDDs.

  • -12 \text{ V}: Used by some legacy components or specific circuits, less common in modern systems.

  • +5 \text{ Vsb} (Standby): Provides power to the motherboard even when the PC is off, enabling features like Wake-on-LAN or USB device charging.

• Connectors: ATX 20/24-pin (main motherboard power), EPS 8-pin CPU (dedicated CPU power), PCIe 6/8-pin (for graphics cards), SATA power (for SATA drives), Molex (for older peripherals like fans or optical drives).

• Modular vs. Non-modular cabling: Non-modular PSUs have all cables permanently attached. Modular PSUs allow you to detach unused cables, improving cable management and airflow. Semi-modular PSUs have essential cables fixed and others detachable.

• Redundant PSUs in servers: High-end servers often use two or more PSUs in a redundant configuration. If one fails, the others can seamlessly take over, ensuring continuous operation and high availability.

• UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): A battery-backed device that provides temporary power to equipment during outages. Benefits include:

  • Line-interactive: Provides voltage regulation and battery backup, switching to battery power when input voltage fluctuates beyond a safe range or completely drops.

  • Online: Offers constant power conversion, isolating equipment completely from incoming power fluctuations, providing the cleanest power and instantaneous battery backup without a transfer time.

  • Allows graceful shutdown during outages: Prevents data corruption and hardware damage that can occur from sudden power loss.

  • Also provides surge protection and power conditioning, protecting components from power spikes and irregularities.

Practical Tips & Best Practices

• Keep screws in labeled trays; magnetic parts mat helps: Organizing screws by type and location prevents loss and streamlines reassembly. A magnetic mat securely holds small metal parts.

• Always update BIOS before major hardware swap: Updating the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) ensures compatibility with newer processors or other major components and can fix known issues.

• Use Device Manager → “View ► Resources by Type” to solve IRQ conflicts: This tool in Windows helps identify resource conflicts (e.g., two devices trying to use the same Interrupt Request line), essential for troubleshooting hardware issues.

• For SSD longevity: enable TRIM, keep 10-20 % space free for wear leveling: TRIM command helps the OS communicate with the SSD to efficiently manage data and improve performance. Leaving free space allows the SSD's controller to perform wear leveling, distributing writes evenly across all NAND cells to extend drive lifespan.

• Document serial numbers & service tags for warranty/support: Essential for tracking assets, initiating warranty claims, and receiving technical support from manufacturers.

Lab Q&A Quick-Reference

1. Service Tag lookup $\rightarrow$ Dell specs + screenshot: Method for identifying specific system hardware configuration.

2. CPU facts: Ryzen 5 PRO 8500G, 6 Cores/12 Threads, 5\text{ GHz} max boost, 16\text{ MB} L3 cache, Radeon 740M integrated GPU. Detailed CPU specifications.

3. Ports tally: 7 USB total (combination of 2.0, 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, and USB-C), 3 display outputs (2 DisplayPort, 1 HDMI), 1 audio (3.5mm jack). Summary of available external connectivity.

4. Motherboard: 1 M.2 NVMe slot (for high-speed storage), 3 SATA headers (for traditional drives), 3 PCIe slots (1 x16, 2 x1 for expansion cards), Wi-Fi M.2 E-key (for wireless module). Overview of internal expansion capabilities.

5. PSU: 360 W max wattage, 80+ Platinum efficiency (high energy efficiency), non-modular cables, pre-set 115\text{ V} input selector. Key characteristics of the power supply.

6. Dual-channel RAM goes in slots 1 & 2 (both populated). Correct RAM installation for optimal memory performance.

(Next session: install PSU & SSD, image Windows 11, finalize build.)