Popping in for a look-see

[kayden azagthoth]

Please don't laugh at this question...

I've had my computer for 10 months and I have been itching with curiosity about what's inside. I mean, I would like to pop the case off and look inside at the 'guts'. I have no intentions whatsoever to take anything apart, pull wires, or unplug anything inside. I just want to look and go "ooooh, aaahhh". The only time I have looked inside was when the ol' cable guy came by to install my nic card. Now that card is still there...but not in use...sniff http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif Even then, I didn't have much of a chance to gaze because like most service guys, he was in a rush.

Soooo, I just want to know if there is any danger in my unplugging every wire attached to my tower (monitor, printer, power supply..ya know) and sliding the ol case out and popping the side off her to look inside at my guts? I realize I shouldn't touch things inside, especially if I am on carpet because even a static electricity shock on my board could fry something...at least that's what I read somewhere.

Maybe while I'm in there...what could I look for? I know this sounds like a stupid question again but is there anything I could do safely besides 'just look' once I am inside?

[sleddog]

Hi kayden, how's Halifax today? We're almost neighbours!

There's no harm in looking around, but as you say, watch out for static electricity. If you're have a dry cold winter and wearing woolly socks & sweaters like me it's a particular problem. Just remember to ground yourself before touching anything inside. I just touch the screw that holds the plastic plate on an electrical outlet (but this doesn't work if it's all painted over -- give it a scrape first). Some days the static electricity is so bad it's painful http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Things to look for? Well to begin, just get familiar with all the components, trace the wires & cables and see where they go, get out your motherboard manual and identify the various connections and features. Being familiart with what's in there and how it all connects together can really help if some day you have problems. I once got a desperate long-distance phone call from someone whose computer wouldn't boot and he needed it then and there for a work presentation. Turned out the harddrive connector had slipped loose while the machine was travelling. No-one in the room had the basic knowledge to remove the cover and push the connector back on....

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sleddog (http://www.sleddog.f2s.com)
Pulling for a SmartLabrador (http://www.labradorit.nf.ca/smartlabrador/)

[kayden azagthoth]

Cool Sleddog! The weather here is nice today. It's sunny and about -3 or so. I think we're supposed to have some snow tonight...but only about 10 cm or so.

Thanks for the boost too. I thought it would be okay to look inside and get to know my computer a little more intimately. I'll just make sure like you said to ground myself before going on in there.

BTW, this is a little off topic here but...I used to have cable Internet but had to give it up until I started getting a better cash flow. I think I will be re-subscribing to my cable ISP but my NIC card they gave me is almost a year old. Do you think it'll be fine or should I ask if there is a newer one that I should get instead. I have no idea what the card is other than I think it's called an Ethernet card. Maybe if I look inside I can see the name of it. Well, I'm sure that card will suffice anyhow...I'm just curious is all.

[kayden azagthoth]

Okay, I just finished popping into the guts of my computer and it was pretty cool. There was a lot of things in there that I didn't understand but I kept looking at my motherboard manual and I figured a few things out anyhow:

~I have 3 slots for RAM and only one is used (that's my 128M stick)
~I have 5 PCI slots and 3 are used. One is my soundcard, one is my modem and one is my NIC card for my old cable connection. What else can be put in the remaining 2 slots?
~I have one AGP slot and it's currently housing my video card.
~I have 2 ISA slots but there is nothing in them. What are these slots used for?
~There is a lot of dust in there too. I seen two fans (one by the power source and one that was right on the board where my socket 7 is). Would it be cool to buy a can of that compressed air to spray that dust out? I mean, it's dusty but I'm a neat person anyhow so it's probably not as dusty in there as it could be.
~There was also two sets of wires coming from my power source with white connectors on the end that aren't plugged into anything. At first I thought, "uh-oh" and then I thought, "well, maybe they are for things that I don't have". Any ideas what those wires are? I know it's probably a little vague saying "wires with white connectors".

All in all, it was a cool venture and at least my curiosity has been saited...for now http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

[sleddog]

~I have 3 slots for RAM and only one is used (that's my 128M stick)

So you can esily upgrade if/when you need to.

~I have 5 PCI slots and 3 are used. One is my soundcard, one is my modem and one is my NIC card for my old cable connection. What else can be put in the remaining 2 slots?

Those are the commonest ones... If you were connected to an internal network as well as to the Internet via cable you'd need to have a 2nd NIC in there. There are other interface cards for other purposes, I just can't of any right now http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

~I have one AGP slot and it's currently housing my video card.
~I have 2 ISA slots but there is nothing in them. What are these slots used for?

ISA is an older type of interface, pretty much superceded now by PCI -- which is faster. ISA NIC cards are still fairly common. One or two ISA slots are provided on newer motherboards for backwards compatibility. For example, if someone was upgrading the motherboard they could use their existing ISA soundcard or NIC.

~There is a lot of dust in there too. I seen two fans (one by the power source and one that was right on the board where my socket 7 is). Would it be cool to buy a can of that compressed air to spray that dust out? I mean, it's dusty but I'm a neat person anyhow so it's probably not as dusty in there as it could be.

A little dust is no problem but a thick buildup will inhibit airflow and cause your system to run hotter. My systems are in a dusty basement, so I clean them up fairly frequently -- every few months. I use a small shopvac with a plastic end and a 1" soft-bristled paintbrush. Keep the shopvac away from the delicate motherboard and cards -- you don't want to suck up some vital part http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Use the paintbrush to loosen the dust and let the vacuum carry it away.

~There was also two sets of wires coming from my power source with white connectors on the end that aren't plugged into anything. At first I thought, "uh-oh" and then I thought, "well, maybe they are for things that I don't have". Any ideas what those wires are? I know it's probably a little vague saying "wires with white connectors".

These are standard power connectors for drives -- so you can add another harddrive, a DVD, etc.