by Alden Smith
Finding all the answers to your computer questions can be a daunting task. Having them all in one place saves a lot of unnecessary searching, and having a series of FAQ's can be a blessing. In this series of computer articles on DIY, we attempt to answer all the computer FAQ's you might have. We will touch on everything from boot disks to computer parts. Let's get started.
What is a boot disk?
A boot disk is either a CD or floppy disk that allows you to boot the machine from their data. Floppy disks are probably the best, because you don't have to worry about getting the CD drive door open if there is computer trouble. The floppy is inserted, the machine turned on, and the computer BIOS will read the start up sequence from the floppy. Typically this will be done in a step by step process, allowing you to make decisions as to how your machine will be booted. They are often used as a trouble shooting medium when computers will not boot correctly
What is a USB connector?
A Universal Serial Bus, or USB connector is a port on the computer - either front or back - that allows you to "hot link" devices that use a USB connection. Not too many years ago, connecting a peripheral took a lot of time and effort. You had to often open the machine and insert a card, or use a serial or parallel port to attach such things as printers, modems, telephones, scanners and web cams. With the advent of USB connectors, you simply plug the connector into the computer port. The operating system, which must support USB, recognizes the device and asks for a driver disk. Installation is short and sweet. After a typical installation, the device can be plugged in and unplugged at will, without the machine being turned off. The USB cable is universal throughout the industry.
What is a motherboard?
The motherboard is the heart of the computer. The board supports all of the components necessary for the computer to run, such as the microprocessor, video card, graphics card and onboard RAM. The motherboard is also integrated with the connectors for your keyboard and mouse, and provides the ports necessary for USB connections, parallel ports and serial ports. Motherboards come in a lot of different flavors, dependent on price. This is a feature you want to question when buying a new computer - is the motherboard expandable if I wish to add more RAM, or a higher end video card?
What is Plug and Play?
Plug and Play is an ideal that allows computer hardware to be attached to a computer with the minimum of effort. The process is handled by the operating system, and allows new hardware to be recognized and initiate a sequence to add this hardware to your computer. Plug and Play is not all it is cracked up to be, however, and there are computer experts who say that plug and play is an impossibility. This is due to the fact that not all hardware can work on every system. Generally, though, it works with minimum effort on the end users part.
How do I change settings in my email account?
A lot of it depends on what email client you are using, but the guidelines are pretty much the same for all of them. Let's use Outlook Express, the default Windows email client, as an example:
- Launch the application
- From the Tools menu, click on "Accounts".
- Select the appropriate email account and click the
"Properties" button.
- Under "Account Properties" click the Servers tab.
- Here, you find the POP3 (Incoming) and SMTP
(Outgoing) settings. If, for example, your ISP
account has changed these parameters, you would
enter the new ones here. Be sure to write down
the old ones before making any changes.
What is an uninterrupted power supply?
One of the best lines of defense for your computer is an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). Nothing can harm a computer quicker than a power surge or a "spike" in a telephone line. Because you cannot depend on the power being constant at all times, a UPS protects the operating system in two ways. First, it provides a constant, steady voltage to run your computer. Secondly, if the power shuts off for any length of time, the battery in the UPS unit keeps the computer running for a limited time so that you can shut it down normally.
What is CMOS?
CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. This technology is used in computers to hold vital information for the BIOS to begin the start up sequence. The date, the time, and system configuration details are stored in the CMOS chip on the motherboard.
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