There is no shortage of information about every aspect of computers and computering in books and on the Internet. This information is scattered throughout the 'net and often very technical. Seldom do I find a site that explains the most basic fundamentals like: Can I open my computer case? What will I find inside my computer case? Can I replace parts myself?, and etc. Well, this site isn't going to provide you with an education but it may help you get started with some of the most basic info.
I've been studying and working with electronics since about 1957. I hate to admit it now but I'm one of those guys who thought that transistors would never replace vacuum tubes, ha. That kind of thinking really dates me. But w e live and learn. I didn't know anything about computers until the mid 1990's. I came into the computer world bringing a lot of electronics baggage that I had learned in the 1960's and 1970's such as rebuilding broken circuit boards or finding a bad discrete (individual) component like one single transistor or diode out of dozens and replacing that bad one. I thought working on a computer would be like working on a radio transmitter/receiver, TV or VCR. I soon revised my thinking. I found that replacing a bad circuit board or drive with a new one cost so little that trying to diagnose and repair a failing one is totally impractical.
I had some junker computers that people had given me 8086, 286, 386's. I removed typical circuit boards and began diagramming. I soon found that computer circuit boards are next to impossible to diagram because of their multi-layer construction and generous use of unfamiliar integrated circuits. Next, I searched for diagrams and parts descriptions such as those that are available for other electronic equipment. I went to all my usual sources and found none; I went to new sources and found none. Then I found that the name on the computer case has nothing to do with who makes the parts and communicating with tech service of the computer 'maker' to find the brand name of components is a dead end. It took several telephone calls to confirm that.
Your computer's 'maker' is actually an 'assembler'.
The parts that make up the smallest to the
largest circuit boards come from dozens of manufacturers, each specializing in some aspect of the end result and technicians scattered throughout the world put these particular components together do a certain job. Another company buys the finished parts, assembles them, adds software and sells them as a complete computer. That's not a different procedure from thousands of companies that assemble and market all kinds of goods. One big difference is (if you have the time and patience to study) that you can buy the same parts, assemble them yourself, add software and operate your own creation or start your own computer brand. Try that with an automobile or automatic washing machine, ha.
This Website is authored by Howard D. Dickens (Doug) and constructed using Web Studio.
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This site is a work in progress. New pages may be added, existing subjects may be expanded.
Original site posted on November 17, 2004.
October 11, 2007. In the time that has passed since I wrote this article, many new hardware devices have come on the market - and they may not appear on this site. But the basic information here still applies.
