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Computer Hardware
From USB connectors to motherboards, the HowStuffWorks Computer Hardware Channel will help you find explanations, reviews, videos and prices for the parts you need.
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What is the churning sound I hear from my hard drive whenever it is retrieving data?
Surely you've noticed the grinding noise that sometimes happens when you open a file on a computer. Is it normal? What causes it?
What does Alt+F4 do?
Will this keyboard combination shut your computer down or render it inoperable? It's not likely, but it's always better to ask.
What is the difference between a Pentium and a Celeron processor?
When you sort things out and compare the two chips side by side, it turns out that a Celeron and a Pentium 4 chip running at the same speed are different beasts. You should choose a chip based on how you use your computer.
How does a Zip drive store so much more data than a floppy drive?
The main thing that separates a Zip disk from a floppy disk is the magnetic coating used on the disk. How does this coating make such an impact on the disk's storage space?
How does a computers uninterruptible power supply work?
A computer can tolerate slight differences in power, but a significant deviation will cause the computer's power supply to fail. A UPS protects a computer against four different power problems.
Is it true that the Mac G4 processor is twice as fast as a Pentium III?
In this article we'll tell you which processor is faster and why. Learn how chip designers make use of transistors.
Why are there limits on CPU speed?
A microprocessor will perform without error when executed at or below the maximum indicated speed. Why can't they speed them up? There are two things that limit a chip's speed.
Why does my computer need a battery?
The RTC chip, or Real Time Clock, does more than keep your computer set to the correct date and time. Without it, you wouldn’t even be able to boot up.
Is it better to turn my computer off or leave it on all the time?
Several factors determine whether you should leave your computer on or off overnight. Networking, economic factors, and stressed-out components all play a part.
How USB Ports Work
You can find Universal Serial Bus connectors on just about every PC made today. But when it was introduced, USB was leaps and bounds ahead of the technologies it replaced. What makes this standard so useful?
How Caching Works
Caching increases the speed at which your computer pulls data from memory. Do you know how it speeds things up? How can a little cache go a really, really long way?
How Ethernet Works
Ethernet is one of the most common computer-networking components, and the standardization of this technology has created some of the easiest ways to connect a few computers with or without wires.
How Hard Disks Work
Nearly every desktop computer uses one or more hard-disk drives. Your hard disk holds all of the information available on your computer. Take a look inside this incredibly precise storage mechanism.
How Microprocessors Work
The microprocessor determines the processing power available for any application you run -- without it, there IS no computer. Learn all about this amazing, ever-shrinking technology that makes your computer compute.
How Web Servers Work
When you type a Web site address into your browser, Web servers are doing the work of getting you the page you request. Put our servers to use right here . . .
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