continued from part 2
The Central Processor Unit (CPU) is the personal computer's main microchip so is at the heart of every system.
If you've ever heard a computer nerd say "garbage in, garbage out" he or she was referring to the basic function of the processor which handles the information input and output. How fast depends on the specifications of the make and model.
The Intel Pentium Dual Core E540 2.7GHz-1.7GHz central processing unit is compatible with the Gigabyte S-Series GA-G41M-ES2H motherboard installed in the SilverStone GD05 Grandia series SST-GD05B console last week.
Not so long ago the standard microchip could process 32 bits of data simultaneously and nearly all software was built to run with a 32 bit operating system like Windows XP, Windows Vista or Linux Ubuntu. That all changed last October when Microsoft began offering its newest operating system, Windows 7, in both 32 bit and the faster 64 bit versions which, depending on the console's configuration, allows more memory to be used. Need A Nerd warns that a 64 bit processor can be significantly faster than a 32 bit processor but it doesn't automatically mean it will be.
Central processor units were recently given extra power with the introduction of dual core and quad core variants. A dual core processor has two processing cores and is, therefore, twice as powerful as a standard single cored processor of the same specifications. There are four processing cores in a quad core processor, which gives it four times the processing power of a single core processor of the same specifications.
Before installing the Intel Pentium Dual Core E540 2.7GHz-1.7GHz it was necessary to unplug the power cord, preventing the possibility of the processor being damaged by a stray electrical surge.
Raising the central processing unit socket lever with my right hand, which was earthed to the console using an antistatic wrist band, I then lifted the metal load plate being careful not to touch, and thus damage, the socket contacts. The protective socket cover was hard to remove from the load plate, but once I had it off it was time to install the central processing unit.
I opened the central processor unit's cardboard box to find a sealed antistatic bag. Ensuring I was still earthed I unsealed the bag and removed plastic packaging which the central processor unit sat recessed in.
The central processor unit connects to the motherboard via hundreds of tiny pins and it is necessary to line the first pin on the CPU up with the first pin on the mother board before dropping it in, replacing the load plate and pushing the central processing unit lever back into its locked position. The first pins are marked by a tiny triangle.
Central processor units can get very hot, so they come with their own cooler fan. Instead of using the supplied Intel fan, we opted for an Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro. After much fiddling about it was necessary to attach the unit, with the fan removed, to the mounting plate. Once the mounting plate was attached to the motherboard using the computer industry's equivalent of four raw plugs it was time to reattach the fan.
The final step was to plug the fan's power cable into the motherboard.
Alternatively Need A Nerd recommends a more powerful Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz central processor unit but it requires a core i5 Motherboard.
Computer memory, more technically known as Random Access Memory (RAM), is the place where the central processing unit works and where software runs. Like a blackboard (or whiteboard in a modern classroom) which is wiped at the end of the day, a computer's RAM is purged when the power is switched off, clearing it for the next time the machine is powered up. RAM comes in memory modules which slot into the motherboard's memory sockets and, in the case of the Gigabyte S-Series GA-G41M-ES2H motherboard only Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) RAM is compatible.
DIMM DDR2 memory sockets will not accept DIMM DDR or DIMM DDR3 RAM memory modules as they have differing numbers of connecting pins, it is therefore essential to make sure the right form of RAM is used.
Memory modules come in various sizes, so it is important to install enough for the intended purpose. Need a Nerd recommends 4GB for a media centre which could be called on to record one Free View channel while another is being watched.
Two 2MB memory modules of RAM were required. Two Kingston DIMM DDR2 2GB memory modules were chosen and came with a lifetime guarantee!
Before slotting the first memory module into a memory socket it is necessary to ensure I was again earthed to the console via an anti static wrist band. Once that was secure the I used my fingers to spread open the white retaining clips at each end of the socket to receive a memory module.
The memory modules came packaged in a plastic case. Like the motherboard and central processor unit, the memory module can be damaged by static electricity and needs handling correctly. It's fine to touch it by the green circuit board, but touching the gold connectors is an absolute no no.
Pushing the first memory module into place was a cinch, and the second one followed suit easily too.
Need A Nerd recommends two Kingston 4GB DDR2 memory modules, for faster operation, taking more advantage of a 64 bit version of Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system.
source:waikato-times continue to part 4
