blog 5, Explain the following terms to your mother

Explain the following terms to your mother (she is not very computer literate)

The processor frequency is the speed at which the central processor operates internally. It is measured in Milihertz (MHz), which is 1,000,000 beats per second, or Gigahertz (GHz), which is 1,000,000,000 beats per second, and faster is better. It is figures by multiplying the multiplier by the bus frequency. The multiplier is figured by the ratio of the speed (frequency) of the central processor operates internally with its external speed. For instance: If the central processor’s internal speed is 10 times that of its external speed, the multiplier is 10.
The word size is the largest amount of information, measured in bits; the central processor can process at one time. The word size used by today’s processors is generally 32 bits; however there are some very advanced and more capable processors that can operate a 64 bit word size. The processor with the larger word size would be faster and more capable than one with a smaller word size.
Overclocking is when the computer user or administrator speeds the central processor frequency up beyond the manufacturer’s recommendation. The manufacturer recommends a top frequency because running the central processor faster can cause overheating, which can result in damage to your computer. The higher speed may also be unstable.

The data path is the part of the system bus that communicates with the central processor. The word size is limited by the data path; however the data path may b larger than the word size. For instance you can run a 32 bit word size on a 64 bit data path.

SRAM is a static memory cache. It is much faster than the rest of the memory in a computer’s system, due to it’s retaining its memory without having to be constantly refreshed, and the very limited amount of memory it uses. SRAM is used to store data that the central processor is going to be using immediately, saving the central processor from having to search the entire RAM store every time it performs an operation. This greatly improves the speed of the central processor.
An SRAM cache actually on the central processor chip is called the primary cache, or level one cache.

An SRAM cache outside the central processor is called an external cache, or a level two cache. A level 2 cache may, or may not, be inside the central processor housing. A memory cache is an SRAM.

Blog 4, Curtis Klein

Find the power supply Powerstax plc. Tell me any information you understand about it, but tell me in laymans terms (pretend I am your mom wanting to know). Also tell me where I could purchase it and see ifyou can find out the approximate cost. What types of power supplies do they have, how many different series? How are they rated? You may need to do a little research for this information.
How helpful would this website be if you needed information about your power supply?

Powerstax plc. has a very high rating overall: 4 out of 5 stars according to the Power Supplies Manufacturer database, also getting 4 out of 5 stars for customer satisfaction. Their products may be purchased online, over the phone or in person at one of their distributors. A full list of distributors is available at http://www.powerstaxplc.com/sales/sales-partners-north-america/ , however the closest location to Reno is at:
E Purchasing Solutions Inc.
48521 Warm Springs Blvd. Suite 313
Fremont, CA 94539
Phone (Toll Free): 866-413-0012
Phone: 510-413-0012
Fax: 510-413-0013
E-mail: sales@epurchasingsolutions.com
www.epurchasingsolutions.com
Powerstax plc. has 13 different power supplies that can be used with wall (AC) power, along with many other types of power supplies and power products that have more specialized uses. They are rated at up to 1450W and have a 5W/in3 power density. Or, as I would say to my mother; “They carry the power supply you need, we just have to find the right one”. Although it is difficult to get the prices, I located a website, http://www.peaktopeakpower.com/ac-dc-power-supplies , that does have prices listed. They range from $14.00 and up. I was surprised at how cheap they are, but that is the quoted price (plus S&H of course). The other websites will only send prices upon a specific quote request, and powerstaxplc.com does not list any prices at all. So far they none of the distributors or powerstaxplc have not answered any of my phone calls.
This website, along with their distributor’s websites, would be very helpful in finding the correct power supply needed. They give a lot of detail about their power supplies, however if you do not already know what you need, this website will probably be of little use in determining your needs. Due to the fact that they do not post their prices in an easily comparable form, and that their customer service departments are not very responsive, I get the feeling that dealing with them could become a very frustrating experience.

Answers to questions 1-8 of "Real Problems, Real Solutions"

Below are the answers to questions 1-8 of "Real Problems, Real Solutions":

1. What is the system bus called? What is the system bus frequency?.
The system bus called the Memory and its frequency is 1600 MHz.

2. What is the frequency for the processor?
The frequency for the processor is 2.66 GHz.

3. What is the brand of the processor?
The brand of the processor is Intel

4. How much RAM is installed?
There is 8MB of RAM installed.

5. What type of expansion slot is used for the video card?
A PCI slot is used for the video card.

6. What type of interface does the hard drive use?
The hard drive uses SATA2 as its interface.

7. How much data can the hard drive store?
The hard drive can store 1 TB of data.

8. What is the brand of the motherboard?
ASUS is the brand of the motherboard.

Note: All of the questions were copied directly from A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 7th Edition, by Jean Andrews.