With the widespread use of industrial PCs, more and more people are beginning to learn about their basic configurations in order to better maintain and manage these critical devices. To help you understand how to check your industrial PC configuration, this article will provide some useful information and steps.
Understanding the basic concepts of industrial computer configuration
Before reviewing the configuration of an industrial PC, we need to understand some basic concepts. Here are some related terms:
• CPU (Central Processing Unit): A hardware component that performs computing tasks and is the core component of an industrial control computer.
RAM (Random Access Memory): This is a temporary storage area for ongoing computational tasks and can be accessed by the CPU.
• Hard drive: A device for long-term data storage, typically used to store operating systems, applications, and user data.
• GPU: A hardware component dedicated to graphics processing, typically used for displaying videos and playing games.
Understanding these basic concepts will help you better comprehend the configuration of industrial control computers.
Use commands to view the industrial control computer configuration.
In Windows operating systems, we can use the command line to view system configuration. Below are some commonly used commands:
• ipconfig: Displays the status of the current computer's IP address, DNS server, and network adapter.
• systeminfo: Provides detailed system information, including computer name, operating system version, physical memory, processor, etc.
• tasklist: Displays all currently running processes.
• netstat: View the status of all network connections established with processes running on the computer.
• Ping: Tests whether the network connection is normal.
The above commands can be run by opening a command prompt or PowerShell window and typing them in.
Use system information to view configuration.
System Information is a tool included with the Windows operating system that provides detailed information about your computer's hardware and software configuration. You can open it by following these steps:
• Click the Start menu, and then select "All Programs".
• In the "All Programs" menu, find and click "Attachments".
• In the “Accessories” menu, find and click “System Tools”.
• In the “System Tools” menu, find and click “System Information”.
System information provides a wealth of information about the status of computer hardware and software, including CPU, RAM, hard drive, monitor, etc.
Understand the special configuration of industrial PCs
Unlike regular desktop or laptop computers, industrial PCs have specific configuration requirements to support the operation of industrial equipment. Below are some key industrial PC configurations:
• Power consumption in high and low temperature environments: Industrial development environments are often more dangerous than those of conventional computers, so industrial control computers need to support higher temperature and humidity ranges to avoid equipment damage or economic losses.
• Security Configuration: Depending on the application scenario of the equipment, the industrial control computer needs to be configured with additional security features to ensure the confidentiality of the equipment, such as fire protection and intrusion protection.
• Shock, vibration and dust protection: The factory environment is relatively harsh, so the industrial control computer needs to be equipped with dust protection capabilities and features to protect against mechanical vibration and shock.
When reviewing the configuration of an industrial PC, these special configurations require extra attention.
Check industrial computer firmware status
Besides pure software configuration, industrial PCs also include hardware firmware, such as BIOS and UEFI, which are fundamental to the computer's boot process and directly affect PC performance and functionality. Checking the firmware status is crucial. Here's how to check the firmware status of an industrial PC:
• Press the appropriate function key during the power-on self-test: usually F2, DEL or ESC, to open the BIOS firmware configuration interface.
• Check the PCIe and USB names and versions in the BIOS.
• You can usually refer to the industrial PC manufacturer's website for more information such as firmware upgrade logs and platform details.
in conclusion:
Checking the configuration of an industrial PC is both important and simple. By understanding the differences between devices of interest, and using command-line tools, system tools, and firmware configuration interfaces, you can quickly understand the basic configuration of any industrial PC. This knowledge will be extremely helpful in applications such as handling archived data, protecting intellectual property, the automotive industry, logistics control, traffic signals, oil and gas pipelines, and natural gas storage tanks.
