Computer hardware

Purchasing computer hardware can be quite confusing and scary.  Although there are a lot of places online to purchase hardware, not all will tell you what size you need, if you can use it and how to install it.  No, I'm not going to do all that either but I will point you into the right directions.  First of all ... what is computer hardware?  Answer:  Anything that is or is connected to your CPU and you can touch.  If you open up your case and look inside, you will see a whole bunch of stuff and most of it is plug and play. If you click here, it will open up a picture from wiki showing you the most common parts found inside your computer.  Did that scare you?  Well Wiki will explain each part to you if you click here. Now that you had a chance to check out what wiki said ... lets get back to the real reason I'm typing all this. You have a computer and you need to expand, replace or add on.  Well, first let me tell you, it won't be all that easy.  Not every computer can use the same stuff and you need to match the hardware up to your computer.  Do you know the specs on your computer?  Do you know where to find that info?  You can download Balarc Advisor or Everest (both free). Ready to make the purchase?  You can get info all over the web at forums or tech sites.  Here is a link to a few sites that offer help and advise. techsupportforum.com/ computing.net/ cnet.com/ Another thing ... if you purchase your parts from a reputable site via telephone, they are usually very helpful and will look up the items you need and compatibility.  Make sure they have a return policy. * Quick Note:  RAM  is important for computer processing. Make certain that if you upgrade your system, you upgrade your RAM.  Research SDR and DDR to find out which one is right for you.   Another important hardware is your hard drive.  It's very easy to install and if you intend to store a lot of files on your computer, you want the maximum size your computer can have use.   Link with hard driver  installation information.