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Information About The Different Computer Battery Types In Your Computer

Information About The Different Computer Battery Types

Battery is a vital hardware component in our computers, particularly in laptops. Needless to say, without them there probably wouldn’t have been any growth of the laptop market. Their capability to work without power cords and that too for hours together is very beneficial. But how often do you spare a thought for batteries? So, in this article OnlineCmag provides you few electrifying facts which will get your minds charged about batteries for sure.

Computer Battery Types, Computer Battery Types, Computer Battery Types,Information About The Different Computer Battery Types

 

What are the different computer battery types?

Well there are actually three different battery types that are present in computers. These three batteries are completely different from each other. Even the tasks each of them perform is in no relation with the other. So, they are:

  • CMOS Battery
  • Bridge Battery
  • Main Battery

The Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor chip usually abbreviated as CMOS chip is powered by the CMOS battery. The CMOS battery, unlike the other battery types is present in each and every computer. They are small in size (coin-sized) and generally the lifetime of the motherboard (say 10 years). The actual function of this CMOS battery is to power the CMOS chip which stores the clock settings and hardware settings.

NOTE: If you observe your system time not being updated the next time you turn on your computer, it is because your CMOS battery is dead.

The Bridge battery is not part of every computer. It is only limited to the laptops and that too not in all of them. So as the name suggests, it is an auxiliary power source which keeps laptop alive when the main battery is replaced. It is not as big or powerful as main battery but can take care of the power requirements in that short span of time. Most people know it by the name, backup battery.

The Main battery is the ultimate alternative source that makes laptops portable. It has the capacity to store charge and supply it to the components whenever required. These are made of several distinct battery technologies and here are a few popular technologies among the lot:

  • Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)
  • Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
  • Lithium Ion (Li-ion)
  • Lithium Ion Polymer (Li-ion polymer)

Most of the present laptops are equipped with Lithium ion and Lithium Polymer batteries.  The yesterdays’ Nickel Cadmium batteries were radioactive and had problems with their disposal and hence not environment friendly. Then came the Nickel Metal Hydride batteries which were much better but expensive and require high levels of maintenance. The Lithium batteries proved to have several advantages over the earlier battery technologies; you can go through all the other pros and cons of the different types of laptop batteries here.

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Things You Never Knew About The Recycle Bin

Things You Never Knew About The Recycle Bin

Microsoft introduced the ‘Recycle Bin’ in 1995. It was well appreciated by all because of a unique option it provided. Once you have deleted a file and want it back; you don’t have to worry you can restore all those 1’s and 0’s to the exact same location. Well many of us are very well aware of this. The common misconception follows thereafter.

What if you delete the contents of the recycle bin?

Things You Never Knew About The Recycle Bin

What most of us think happens:

If there is that secretive or unwanted file you want to remove from your computer, you simply delete it and then clear the recycle bin. In some cases you directly delete if it’s too big for the recycle bin (or) using shift+Delete.

Though you feel you have achieved your purpose, you actually didn’t do……

Because, this is what actually happens:    

Once the file is cleared from the recycle bin or directly deleted, it is not gone. Your hard disk drive still holds on to it. Those 1’s and 0’s you want to get rid of have only got hidden from your notice but are still there. This is because the computer only makes the operating system forget about the file by deleting the reference in the file table. But physically they haven’t moved an inch from where they were in the hard drive.

Why does this happen anyway….

It is all part of the user experience. This is the reason why deleting a file is lot easier than adding one into your computer. To be clearer, here is the process that takes place: While deleting, the computer only deletes its address and this is lot easier. Later on while you pile on more and more data on to your hard drive, the computer slowly overwrites the earlier set of bits with the newer ones.

What if you want to delete a file with virus?

Sorry to say but you can’t get rid of any viruses simply by deleting the files you suspect. It is because of the very nature of the recycle bin. So instead of trying to delete files and making them more unrecognizable, you should try using some of the standard methods. Also remember that simply quick formatting your drive isn’t of no use either.

 

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Few Interesting Facts About Formatting Your Hard Drive

Few Interesting Facts About Formatting Your Hard Drive

Formatting has become a very common phenomenon in Hard Drives. While most of us know about it in detail, we help you recollect few of the interesting facts about formatting your hard drives.

Few Interesting Facts About Formatting Your Hard Drive

Here are 6 interesting facts about formatting your hard drive :

Meaning: Formatting a drive means preparing the chosen partition to be used by an operating system by setting up a file system (like NTFS or FAT32).

Stages (or) Process Involved:

There are three different stages or processes which are a part of formatting your hard drive. They are:

  • Low Level Formatting
  • Partitioning
  • High Level formatting

In any new computer, the second stage occurs while installing the operating system. The third stage is almost the opposite of the first stage and can be controlled by the user unlike low level formatting which is done in the factory itself.

What is low level formatting?

Low level formatting can only be done once and that too by the manufacturer. Before low level formatting, the disk is completely clean and empty. Through low level formatting, tracks which include one or more blocks (called sectors) are formed. It is in these blocks the data can be stored. The indexing link called NTFS (New Technology File System) is created which manages the data on hard drive. All this comes under basic medium preparation.

What is partitioning?

Partitioning is the process which is done at the user end mostly the first time a computer is used. Through this process, the entire hard drive is made to access by operating system. The hard drive is then divided into several regions or partitions. Each of these partitions then has a separate file system.

What is high level formatting?

The high level formatting simply erases the data present in the particular partition of the drive. It is a faster operation and hence is also called the quick formatting. It scans for any defects in the drive and also installs a boot sector which contains a new file system.

Actually the data is not erased, but the indexing links are deleted. So the computer is clueless about the presence of these items and simply believes they are gone. Hence data recovery tools can help restore any such data (before they are over-written).

Hence formatting your hard drive is not same as deleting. And even after formatting your data isn’t ever clean like the first time you used it.   

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What Is Disk Defragmentation And How Does It Work

 What Is Disk defragmentation And How Does It Work ?

If you have ever heard disk defragmentation helps improves your computer performance, you heard it right! It can optimize your drives to help your computer run effectively. But what is disk defragmentation? Why fragmentation is to be kept in check? In this article OnlineCmag helps you understand these concepts clearly with examples.

 What Is Disk defragmentation And How Does It Work ?

What is disk fragmentation?

Fragmentation is a natural process that occurs in the computer’s hard disk drives. If you have gone through the earlier articles on hard disk drives you can understand how data is stored in hard drives. Initially when the hard drive is fresh and new, there are no issues of fragmentation. The operating system always manages to store a file in a contiguous set of clusters. But with time things change, there is a point when there are no contiguous locations to store files of large sizes. Even the modifications made to existing files can’t be stored alongside the original file. So the operating system stores the files at hand in distinct locations. Which means the source file is fragmented and stored in different blocks. So now if the file is to be opened, the operating system has to look into different locations and load the file from them. This process becomes more and more complex with the size of the files. The below example shows fragmentation of files,

FILE1FILE2FILE3FILE4FILE1FILE3FILE5

So in this example you can see the parts of FILE1 and FILE3 being saved in two distinct locations away from the original files. Hence the time the operating system takes to load these files is much more than that for FILE2 or FILE4 or FILE5.

How can you prevent fragmentation?

Fragmentation is really an issue which can make the best processors look pretty average. Though it is not much considered it really is a serious issue. But unfortunately there is no such possibility to prevent fragmentation. It is a very natural process for all the hard disk drives. In some ways it is useful because moving all the files to create a contiguous gap is not a fast process. But there is one alternative you have at hand and it is Disk Defragmentation.

What is disk defragmentation?

Disk defragmentation is the process in which all the files in the hard drives are organized into contiguous locations. After disk defragmentation the difference is clearly visible because the work of the operating system in loading files is cut down to a large extent.

There are two ways in which you can perform disk defragmentation. They are:

  • Using a disk defragmenter

Disk defragmenters are software which are precisely developed for disk defragmentation. They physically reassemble all the files into contiguous clusters. They are also known to consolidate free space, so that the files stored in future are placed in contiguous clusters by the operating system.

  • Using a spare hard drive

This is a very easy method but all you need is a spare hard disk drive. Simply what you need to do is to copy all the contents from the drive into the spare hard drive. Delete all the content in the original drive and copy the contents back into the original drive from the spare drive that’s it! The data that is copied is arranged in a orderly fashion thus eliminating fragmentation.

Also note that this technique can be used with any operating system.

 

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‘Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers’: This Is How!

'Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers': This Is How!

The laptop market ever since their introduction has always been on the rise. A reason for this being the fast pace the world has got into. They are compact, comfortable and creative. But ever thought about what gives them the 3C attributes? Here OnlineCmag explains you how the not-so-different from desktop computers are actually different from them.

 

How Laptops are different from desktop computers?

 

Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers,Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers,Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers,Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers,Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers ,Laptops Are Different From Desktop Computers

 

 

First of all, the fact is laptops are not-so-different from desktop computers as they are built up with the same components. The CPU, Hard disk drive, input-output ports, motherboard, sound card, keyboard, mouse, and screen are even used in laptop computers. But the difference is that all of them concise and form an integrated system. This is not observed in case of desktop computers. Though all the several components work together they are not necessarily close together like in case of laptops.

 

What makes the difference possible?

 This difference is brought about by several design aspects. The components used in laptops are smaller and more complex. Due to this reason, laptops are usually smaller than the most compact towers of desktop computers. Hence they cost a little higher than desktop computers. So this is how laptops handle all the differences:

 

  • Processors of Laptops:

The processor or CPU is the brain of computers. Usually, it produces a lot of heat. Due to this, desktop computers employ cooling systems: air cooling and liquid cooling. But it is not possible for laptops to adopt these methods because of the space constraint. So the processors run at lower voltages and clock speeds in laptops. Hence the power consumption is drastically reduced and thereby the heat.

 

  • The Slow-down mode:

Generally the thing is that, the CPU doesn’t have to work at constant speeds all the time. If it does, the problem is it could drain all the battery making the laptop completely electricity dependent. So manufacturers have taken care to include programs to mind the tasks at hand and modulate speeds accordingly. Even these are made to run at lower clock speeds primarily to improve battery performance.

 

  • The Screen and Graphics of Laptops:

If you have ever noticed, the size of all the components in laptops primarily depends on the size of the screen. The motherboard of a 15” laptop can’t be used for a 10” laptop and so on. So the smaller the screen gets, the more compact the computer becomes.

Also there is absence of a graphic processing unit (GPU) and hence the additional heat it produces is cut-off. The motherboard itself is built with integrated graphics and if you take a closer look, you can observe the difference in graphics in a desktop computer and a laptop. This generally is the main reason why gamers prefer desktop computers to laptops. (Note that you may not observe the difference while using simple applications)

 

  • Memory of Laptops:

As mentioned earlier, due to battery issues there is a little compromise on the processor capabilities. But the memory of laptop handles these drawbacks. The memory is very close to the CPU and there by the data access rate are higher than compared to desktop computers.

 

  • Storage in Laptops:

Even in laptops, the internal hard disk drive takes care of the storage. It stores all the applications, operating systems and settings. The storage space was initially lower than that of the desktop computers but with introduction of SSDs it’s no longer an issue. But these drives spin at much lower speeds thereby reducing power consumption and heat.

 

  • Laptop Heat Sinks and Fans:

Though most of the components are made to consume less power, heat is always produced. It may not be as high as in case of desktop computers but due to much lower spacing between components, even this heat is to be properly taken care. As a preventive measure, the CPU is generally located closer to the edges in laptops, but this method is not good enough. Hence laptops are built with small fans, heat sinks and in high-end models, liquid coolants.

 

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Here Are All the Pros and Cons In Liquid Cooling Your Computer

liquid cooling

Liquid Cooling is a technique through which heat from the components can be discarded; thereby preventing any damage to other components.

It is certainly more effective than the Air Cooling (with help of fans) which is more popular. In this article we discuss with you the pros and cons in liquid cooling.

If you are new to this concept, you can get more information about what exactly liquid cooling is from the article – Liquid Cooling: What is it??

Some of the Pros in Liquid Cooling

1. The use of fans could cool components to a certain extent. But the liquid cooling technique enables you to completely suck the heat out of the components to which the water blocks are attached to. Hence the degree to which components are cooled is much larger in this case.

2. For those who love overclocking their chips and testing the limits of your computers, heat would never be a problem in the future.

3. If you stop whatever you are doing and concentrate, you can hear the sound made by the fan. As the number of fans increases, the more will the sound output. With help of a liquid cooling system you can get rid of that entire nuisance.

4. It’s not only about the noise; it’s also about the space consumed. Setting up more fans means, obviously increasing the size of the case. But a small self contained liquid cooling system you don’t have to go for big cases.

5. The aesthetic appeal these tubes bring to the interior of your case is amazing. You would just want to leave the case open for how attractive it looks.

Cons With Liquid Cooling

1. The high cost is surely a bit of a concern. Instead of investing in a liquid cooling system, you could get yourself high end CPU coolers.

2. Also you have to be double careful about the quality of the cooling system you are purchasing. You can’t simply buy one and end up killing all your components due to a leak or crack.

3. The maintenance is also something which needs to be very well taken care of. Without regular maintenance you really could get into trouble.

4. The designing aspect is also a real head-ache. You need to clearly have an idea about the dimensions of each and every chip, and PCB. Only then can the water blocks function correctly and fit into your case without any issues.

5. The other big downside is the installation part. Especially for a newbie, it isn’t all that easy. You’ll certainly acknowledge the comfort levels in installing the fan and heat sink setup!

6. The other major drawback is that you must be perfectly aware of how much of a installation space you have. And if by chance it gets a little congested, you are in big trouble.

These are some of the pros and cons in liquid cooling your computer. So we conclude that though it is much efficient than air cooling, the various limitations it suffers are to be eliminated for large scale usage.

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‘Liquid Cooling’: What is it And Here’s How It Is Possible

'Liquid Cooling': What is it And Here's How It Is Possible

Most of the computer components work with electricity; so heat evolution is a very common phenomenon. But the levels of heat being emitted must always be in check, or it could possibly damage several precious internal components and connections.

But you don’t have to worry about it so much. Your desktop or laptop computer contains a fan to keep the electronic components cool. This is pretty much sufficient if your computer usage levels are low.

But people using high end hardware or who constantly push to achieve greater computing speeds are always at risk. But what can you do about it? Install more fans?

That’s not always possible. So here in this article we discuss with you the alternative with which computer manufacturers have come up: The Liquid Cooling Technology.

What exactly is Liquid Cooling?

In industries and automobiles, liquid cooling is a method employed to remove heat effectively from industrial equipment and the mechanical automotive parts (including the internal combustion engine).

The reason why liquid is used instead of air is the thermal conductivity (ability to transfer heat) of liquids. The thermal conductivity of liquids (like water) is nearly 25 times that of the air. Due to this reason, liquids are far better coolants than air.

However, as with everything there are also several pros and cons involved with liquid cooling too. You can check them out by following this link – Liquid  Cooling and its various Pros and Cons

How is Liquid Cooling possible in computers?

Though the very idea of liquid moving near any of those internal components may seem wrecking, but believe me that’s how it works. It may not be exactly in the same way you are figuring it out, so rest your imaginations as we explain you what exactly it means.

 

The liquid cooling system in order to gets its work done, depend on all these following components:

1. Water Blocks:

Since water cannot be made to flow directly onto the chips, we use water blocks. These are pieces of metal which are good conductors of heat (usually made of copper or aluminum).

Water blocks are attached directly onto the surface of the chips and sucks in all the heat. This heat is thus absorbed by water flowing in that particular channel.

Water blocks are specially designed for various components. These can be used to cool any component right from the CPU chips, GPUs to the motherboard.

2. Liquid Cooling Pump:

The pump is one of the most important parts of the liquid cooling system. It controls the flow of coolant (usually distilled water) through the tubes. Also takes care of the pressure required in different areas.

3. Radiators:

The radiator is designed specifically for dispelling heat into the atmosphere. The action of radiator in the liquid cooling system is same as that used in car’s heating system.

Along with these main parts, the combinations of several other parts make the entire system work effectively.

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Understanding the PCI Express Lanes and Their Bandwidth

PCI Express lanes , PCI Express lanes ,PCI Express lanes

The Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is the hardware interface known to connect components to your computer. If you don’t exactly know what a PCIe is, you can refer this article we have published earlier: Information on PCI Express. In this article we stick to explaining you about different connection speeds these PCI Express expansion slots offer you. We also cover details about the lanes architecture in the most simplest of ways.

Before understanding what connection speeds the PCIe are capable of, first let us understand the connection architecture and configurations (x1, x2, x4, x8 and x16).

PCI Express lanes , PCI Express lanes

What are PCI Express Lanes?

Basically the PCI Express doesn’t need any software changes or operating system changes from that of the PCI interface. You can understand why it is so after you go through the steps that are coordinated by the PCI Express.

Immediately after the computer is turned ON, the PCIe quickly identifies what devices are connected to the motherboard and creates a mapping of all the links. It also takes care about the width each device requires for functioning at capable speeds.  

All the above mentioned process which the PCIe undertakes is same as that of the PCI or PCI-X. Hence no software changes are required in the PCIe cards. And can carry out operations in a operating system independent strategy.

So PCI Express lanes are simply wired connections, completely and their functionality is completely hardware related. Each lane consists of two pairs of wires within it. One pair is to send and the other to receive data in the form of bits. These bits move in the form of packets across the lane. The number of lanes present depends on the type of configuration (the number of physical slots).

A x1 connection means that there are four wires involved within one lane. Each bit in the lane moves at the rate of one bit per cycle, into or away from the component attached.

A x2 connection contains 8 different wires in two lanes and can transmit two bits at once. This makes the x2 PCI Express slot twice as fast as the x1 slot. Similarly a x8 can transmit 8 bits at once and an x16 can transmit 16 bits in one cycle. So here you can see there is whatsoever no sharing of the data path at any stage and hence the PCIe is said to employ a serial connection interface. Now that you understood what difference the lanes bring to the PCIe, we can slide into the details of connection speeds.

PCI Express lanes , PCI Express lanes ,PCI Express lanes

What connection speeds are the PCI Express Cards capable of?

A PCI bus can manage speeds up to a maximum of 133 MB every second. Likewise a PCI-X bus with its different configurations could notch up transfer rates of 512 MB to 1 GB per second. The stats shown below will help you realize the difference in speeds the PCI Express brings to you (thanks to the highly optimized serial connection interface)

x1 connection:                        250 MB per second in each direction

x2  connection:                       500 MB per second in each direction

x4 connection:                        Up to 1000 MB per second

x8 connection:                        2 GB per second

x16 connection:                      More than 5 GB per second

All such high speeds can be achieved only using the PCI Express. Also note that these transfer speeds make the PCI Express replace all the earlier connection interfaces.