Have you ever wondered what is inside your computer? It is fascinating how everything fits snuggly inside the computer box.Yes everything intermingles quite well and no, having big fingers is not really a deterrent.You could still build one.Like anything you too can learn how to put a computer together. And receive personal satisfaction at the same time.



This will show you what is inside your computer and this is what each part does.



Motherboard- The main part is your Motherboard. This is what everything else fits onto.



Hard drive-This is where all your information will be stored. Whichever brand of hard drive you decide on always ask the person to partition your hard drive into three or four partitions.



I will explain how and why I am suggesting this and how I have set my computer up.

Your main partition is the C: This is where you will load all your programs on without filling it up with all your other documents.

The next partition is D: For us we call this dads drive.Simply because we keep all of his photos separate on this one.



The next partition is E: This is where I save all my documents, letters, writing and everything of mine.



The next partition is F: This is your DVD or CD drive, and where you would play your DVD's.



Actually I have G:, H:, I:, J:, K: and L:I have done this so I can separate everything. We also have two DVD drives in our computer.As you can see in the picture we have also named each partition so we do not have to think about what is on each separate partition.



Reason for partitioning the hard drive



If you have your computer divided into at least two or three partitions you can have those formatted separately.You or a computer technician can copy your files from one drive to another. Format it, which will clean back to new again. Then put your information back onto a clean drive.Believe me it is amazing how much rubbish builds up on drives from time to time.This helps to keep your computer running smoother and quicker.



No, you would not do this just for something to do; it is only done when or if you have a problem.Like if you get a virus. If you have all your information on the C: you may lose it all. This way you can take your computer to a shop and he could format the C: partition and then reload all your programs and you will not lose any of your information as it is all safe on separate partitions.You will need to have the original disks for each of your programs for them to reload programs.



Yes I know they can save or mirror your drive in the computer shop.To me this is a much safer way and is strictly my personal opinion only and it allows me to format the extra drives without any hassles.


Ram- is short for random access memory. This is what makes your computer run faster.The more ram the quicker it will perform.



Graphics cards- virtually turn your data from your CPU into pictures. Without a graphic card you would not have a picture.



CPU- This is the actually heart of your computer. It is your computer processor.



Power Supply- This is the often the biggest piece in your computer and supplies the power to run your computer.



Sound cards- this allows you to hear your music or the action going on in the games you play.



Could you build your own computer?



Yes, although you need to learn the basics. DO NOT attempt to do it without receiving the basic instructions.Then why would you bother I can hear you asking?Because you can, and like anything it is a challenge.



When you go to a computer shop looking for a computer the average person would not really understand what to look for.That is why people become dissatisfied with the company.The companies are not all helpful. They do not explain the advantages of having a larger hard drive or why you need more ram.



Then when you get the computer home you find it has not even got a copy of the programs that are on the computer or why you would need them.Many companies do not supply the disks for the programs today; they are actually in your laptop.You can reprogram it within the laptop itself.



Before you think of building a brand new Computer



It would be a good idea to do a small course at your local tech or college.It will not cost you a fortune.Or if you know someone ask them to help you.



Suggestion before you start



Find some old computers and practice on them. Like I said earlier, ask someone for help first.You cannot be too careful. After all this has 240v power connected to it.And you need to learn what you can touch and what you cannot touch.



Use Caution.Do not attempt trying to build a computer without prior knowledge of what you are doing. Learn first then play around with older computers before building your own.



Our personal experience



We learned how to rebuild computers from a friend.We asked a company to donate their old computers to us, and my husband would pull them apart and make working computers from these.We used the good bits and pieces to rebuild better ones.Then I would load them up with programs and games, and then we donated them to people with disabilities that would not have been able to have a computer otherwise.



No they were not brilliant computers but it gave the kids something to play some games, and of course have some fun too. With a bit of practice you could also do something like this to benefit our community.




The above pictures are from Flickr.com