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General discussion

How do I learn it all?

Nov 20, 2004 3:31PM PST

I wanna learn everything I can about the inner workings of a computer system. Can anyone refer me to a website?

Discussion is locked

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Re: How do I learn it all?
Nov 21, 2004 5:50AM PST

What kinds of things do you want to learn? How to build one, how to repair one, how all the hardware installs inside the case or the software that installs the drivers for each? Most times if you ask specific questions here about what you want to know, you will get more specific answers......otherwise, it's like walking into a library without any knowledge on how the dewey decimal system works in order to view the microfish to locate what you want. Eventually you will figure it out, but the road can twist and turn before you get there with all the variables....when it's easier to 'go as the crow flies' and get to the same point faster.

TONI

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Re: How do I learn it all?
Nov 21, 2004 6:27AM PST

I wanna learn everything I can about the "inner workings" of a computer system. Can anyone refer me to a website? Is that not specific? I guess the best answer for that is a website that explains the function of each part extreemly well. I already have the basic idea of how a processor work by its name, but I wanna go deeper to find out things about it like what the bus does and how important chache is. You get what I mean? Does such a website exist?

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Now that the .com bubble has burst
Nov 21, 2004 7:20AM PST

it is getting to be very difficult to get full tutorials on any subject free. Do a Google search and the first few pages and all you see are services that you can pay for or very limited info. Can find info one item at a time each from some website somewhere. Maybe start with a book.

Why not tell us what you know about the CPU and how it works and what aspects of its working is the type of info that you want re the other things. From that we may be able to steer you to help. It will give us some idea of how you address things, what your background knowledge is.

Do you understand basic binary info and boolean algebra, digital techniques??? Do you know what a discrete digital signal is, a coded signal, the various codes, a multi- bit bus, what the signal looks like and how the data gets clocked?

Do you know volatile vs non volatile memory? The various other methods of storing digital data??

Do you want the history of these tecnologies or just what is in use today??

Mobo manuals show a basic block diagram of a computer system.

You can go to both AMD's and Intel's website and download techinical documents, white papers, design documents.

Do you have any concept of what the various chips on a mobo may do? Are you familiar with the functions of the chipsets that talk to the CPU do? Most chipsets have two chips [Northbridge and Southbridge for AMD, MCH and IOCH for Intel] but the new nvidia 4 is a single chip as were some of the SIS "chipsets".

Not trying to be a wise ****, butknowing every from an unknown starting point is hard to address, and of course "everything" is something approaches in the asymptote.

AND BTW if you post nasty replies as the one to Toni, you might as well forget getting any help. The "is not that specific" is crap.

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How stuff works.
Nov 21, 2004 7:30AM PST