Cant seem to get my head around hardware :(

So I'm taking an online course in computing and whilst I can retain all the operating elements and understand what does what and what to do in different situations, hardware elements like remembering what wire goes where etc just isn't registering with me.. can anyone recommend a decent book that literally spoon feeds you information and gives examples etc. Really worried what il do when I start on the comptia a+

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Waka Flocka Flame

cant seem to edit my post (possibly because I'm typing from my phone) also just any tips you have for remembering the hardware elements like the components on a motherboard.

MTciscoguy

Really it is not all that difficult, most of the board connections are labeled as to what plugs into them and most MB you buy new have an owners manual that has a map in it telling you where to hook everything up. If you buy a used board, you can download the owners manual, each type of memory only fits one way on a board spec'd out for that particular type of memory. Power cables only fit one way, as do SATA cables. It is really not difficult, tear an old computer apart and put it back together several times and you should get the hang of it, the best learning tool is yourself and repetition. Look up websites that have diagrams of various boards with the various connections highlighted. The internet is going to be your best resource because many websites include color images of just about anything you can think of.

If you are having troubles with wire colors have you ever been checked for color blindness? If you can't see colors correctly, that could cause some problems, but things are still labeled.

ccnxjr

Read more!

It's the pain that comes with learning anything genuinely new, sometimes it's just about buckling down and repeating the same tasks and re-reading material.
What can also help is reading explanations from different authors.
Then you can can compare/contrast the similarities and differences.
So, if you care to share the material that you're currently using, maybe we can suggest material written in a different style.
I'll kid you not, if your struggling with understanding the various IEEE standards (or any standards in general) it is dry, boring, hard work.
However, the more of them you read the easier it becomes, even if you don't understand at first.
In some instances if you read past a difficult topic, there might a chapter further along that puts it in perspective.
You can then revisit the problematic topic with a different perspective.

If your really really stuck, then it might be time to tuck your ego away and look at material that is geared toward younger audiences (as opposed to standard manual-style/by-the-numbers books).
( I kid you not, reading python material written for younger people helped put a few things in perspective for me).
They are generally chock full of analogies and exercises geared toward building confidence and breaking the material down into even smaller steps.
They also include a lot more visuals , that purposely use contrasting colors to underscore certain key differences.

nachodba

You might want to get ahold of an old computer that doesn't work or that someone is getting rid of and just open it up and take a look inside. Trace the connections from the drives to the motherboard, pop out the RAM and inspect it. Pretty much take it apart and rebuild it. While you have each piece removed, tell yourself what it is and what it's used for. It was a lot easier for me to understand the hardware end of A+ when I was doing break-fix work.

Waka Flocka Flame

I've managed to find my copy of the mike myers 801-802 book, never really looked at it but looks like it could be useful in addressing the hardware areas im concerned with, also you're probs right.. I need to actually look inside the pc so have ordered a refurb tower.

cyberguypr

Have you tried videos? I did a quick search and there's a zillion of these on Youtube.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctAVC2JwEwI

NetworkingStudent

Try the Carey Holzman videos

Computer Repair Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlgrBv7zqfLRBdFLCHk_og4m8iuUJevXU

Computer Building Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlgrBv7zqfLSv30OimQg92SjGuMapQSBl

Also, check this link too:

Computer Hardware or Software Trouble - Recognizing the Difference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDPdY2NFcWg&index=1&list=PLYqy2KdNTccNl4quqUAaIn7hNU-u1RxzJ

In all honesty I would study and obtain the A+ certification.

Have you thought about studying for this certification?

Studying for this cert will definitely help with identifying the parts of a computer.

You need to know hardware if you work in IT.

If you're working with a customer you need to be able to quickly identify if the problem is software or hardware related.

Identify the problem is part of the troubleshooting process and helps move toward a faster resolution.

I hope this helps

Binary Freak

Waka Flocka Flame wrote: »

cant seem to edit my post (possibly because I'm typing from my phone) also just any tips you have for remembering the hardware elements like the components on a motherboard.

Regarding the building of the physical machine, just follow the advice that others have given on this post. They will have indications as to what goes where. Even then everything only plugs into one spot on the motherboard. You can even look at videos. There's plenty of advice out there.

To remember the hardware elements and their functions just use an analogy and compare it with something such as a human anatomy. I think that'd do the trick until you can remember it without the analogy. I always done this with networking, only my basis for comparison was a road trip.

-Binary Freak

NetworkingStudent

How about a poster with all the hardware labeled?
Computer hardware poster 1.7 by Sonic840 on deviantART

MTciscoguy

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

How about a poster with all the hardware labeled?
Computer hardware poster 1.7 by Sonic840 on deviantART

Boy oh boy, after all these years, all that did was give me a headache! LMFAO

Disas_main

Well you just need to look more at images, thats how I had deal with analog circuits in school. The picture which
NetworkingStudent gave gives you really good overview of the things, just don't try to learn it at once and don't be afraid of it, also motivate your self, grate way is to learn something simple and then to show your self that you have learn it and you can learn the other things too.