1. Computers: Information Technology in Perspective
Larry Long & Nancy Long
Copyright 2002 Prentice Hall, Inc.

2. Inside the Computer
Chapter 3

3. Computer System Components
Hardware
Computer System Components
INPUT
STORAGE
Peripherals
PROCESS
Chips
RAM
OUTPUT
Softcopy
Hardcopy

4. Software Programs System Software
Manage, maintain & control system resources
Application Software
Performs specific task for user

5. What Can Computers Do? Input/Output operations Processing operations
Reads input
Writes output
Processing operations
Math (computation)
Decision making (logic)
Photo courtesy of Imation Corporation

6. Computer Systems Types
Handheld Computers
Thin Client Computers
Server Computers
Supercomputers
Notebook PCs
Desktop PCs
Workstations
Computing Power is the key!
Personal Computers

7. Personal Computers Wintel PC Platform = Windows 98/2000/2003/XP/Vista
IBM PC introduced in 1981
Wintel PC Platform
= Windows 98/2000/2003/XP/Vista
+ Intel (or compatible) processor chip
Mac Platform
= Mac OS X / Linux
+ Motorola PowerPC chip/ Intel
Personal Computers
Linux on PC

8. Desktop PCs Configuration System unit Motherboard Keyboard
Point-and-draw device
Monitor
Printer
Hard disk
Floppy disk drive
Optical disk drive
Microphone
Speakers
System unit
Tower
Desktop

9. PC System Unit Storage Motherboard Devices Processor RAM Expansion
Cards
Storage
Devices
Hard
Drive
Floppy
CD-ROM/
DVD Drive

10. Motherboard Electronic circuit board Provides communication among:
Microprocessor
Chipset
Memory chips
Expansion boards
Bus
Device controllers

11. Memory Types
RAM
Cache
ROM
PROM
Flash

12. RAM Random Access Memory Solid-state electronic circuitry
Holds current data and programs at a RAM address
Temporary or volatile storage

13. RAM Types SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM) RDRAM (Rambus DRAM)
Can synchronize itself with the processor
RDRAM (Rambus DRAM)
Newer and more expensive
6 times faster than SDRAM
Physical installation
SIMMs: 32-bit data path to CPU (single)
DIMMs: 64-bit data path to CPU (dual)
RIMMs: faster RDRAM chips (use to upgrade)

14. Cache Memory Faster and more costly than RAM
Much smaller capacity than RAM
Holds next likely instructions
Increases system throughput

15. ROM Read Only Memory Permanent; user cannot change
Loads Operating System during boot process
PROM

16. Boot process
BIOS (basic input output system) is read; the CPU is initialised
display driver starts
memory test (POST)
hardware checks are performed: mass memory and I/O ports
BIOS gives instructions how to load the operating system into the memory (RAM);
parts of operating system are loaded from disk to RAM; (OS could be selected)
additional software modules e.g. device drivers are loaded from the disk C: and device connections are checked;
the operating system command processor starts;

17. Bootstrap
Bootstrap:Program in ROMRun by the CPU when power is turned on
Transfers operating system from mass storage to main memory
Executes jump to operating system
Bootstrap:Program in ROM
Run by the CPU when power is turned on

18. Memory: RAM Hard disk Processor Save Device drivers Windows OS MsWord
Text file
MS Word
Load to memory
Device drivers
and others
Text file
OS kernel
Save
Data files
Processor

19. Flash Memory
BIOS
Type of PROM, can be easily changed by user, Non-volatile
Upgrade by downloading software from the Web or disk
No longer need to replace chips or circuit boards
Memory device
numerous uses for cameras, keychain memories, USB
memory sticks

20. Microprocessor Components
Control Unit
Read/Interpret program instructions
Direct the operation of internal components
Control flow of programs/data to RAM
Decoder
Program Register
Instruction Register
ALU
Accumulator

21. ALU Arithmetic and Logic Unit
Arithmetic and Logic Unit performs all computations and logical operations
2 + 2 = 4
1 AND 0 is NOT TRUE
2 + 2 < 5

22. What Happens Inside Control flow Data flow Instruction flow Control
Unit
Arithmetic
Logic Unit
Data flow
Instruction flow
Input
Unit
Output
Unit
Main memory

23. Instruction Cycle = I-time + E-time
Fetch Instruction
Everything is translated to Machine Language
Instruction
Time
Place result in memory
Decode Instruction
Execution
Time
Pipelining
Execute Instruction

24. Machine instructions Adding values stored in memory
Step 1: Get the value from memory location 6C and place it in a register. =LOAD
Step 2: Get the other value to be added from memory location 6D and place it in another register. =LOAD
Step 3: Activate the addition circuitry with the registers used in steps 1 and 2 as inputs with another register designated to store the result. =ADD
Step 4: Store the result in memory location 6E. =STORE
Step 5: Stop. =HALT
others: MOVE, OR, AND, ROTATE, JUMP

25. Machine language Code: Step 1: 156C LOAD Step 2: 166D LOAD
Step 3: ADD
Step 4: 306E STORE
Step 5: C000 HALT

26. Storage Capacity Byte – "one character" Kilobyte (KB) - 1024 bytes
Megabyte (MB) - about 1 million bytes
Gigabyte (GB) - about 1 billion bytes
Terabyte (TB) - about 1 trillion bytes

27. Describing the Processor
Word Size
64-bit for PCs
Processor Speed
MHz, MIPS, FLOPS
750 MHz to 4 GHz for PCs
RAM Capacity
up to 8 GB for PCs
Processor Personality

28. Expansion boards are made to fit a particular type of bus
Bus Types
ISA bus
PCI local bus
SCSI bus
USB bus (hot plug)
1394 bus (FireWire)
AGP bus
Expansion boards are made to fit a particular type of bus

29. Ports Parallel Serial Dedicated IrDA SCSI 1394 USB 8 bits at a time
Fast
Printers
Short distances
1 bit at a time
Slow
Mice/modems
Long distances
Parallel
Serial
Keyboard
Mouse
Round 5-pin connector
Dedicated
Infrared Light waves
Printers
Short distance
IrDA
Newest and fastest
Expensive
External hard drives
15 peripherals
Daisychained
SCSI
1394
High speed
Buy cable separately
USB
Bluetooth
Short distance

30. Evolving PC capacity Year Processor byte bits RAM OS Speed MHz 1981
Year
Processor
byte
bits
RAM OS
Speed
MHz
1981
i 8088 8
256 kB
PC DOS
4.77
1983
i80286 16
640 kB
DOS
6, 8
1988
i80386 32
2 MB
DOS/Win
16,33
1999
Pentium II, III
64 MB
Win 98
90, 450
2003
Pentium 4
256MB
Win XP
2.6GHz

31. Example PCs Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 2.1GHz processor
4GB DDR2 800MHz system memory
320GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive
14.1" WXGA 1280x800 X-Black LCD- display
DVD+/-RW drive
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS 256MB Graphics Card
1x Firewire, 3x USB 2.0
SD/MemoryStick card reader
ExpressCard/34
100/10 Ethernet, 56k modem, WLAN a/b/g/draft-n, Bluetooth EDR
Integrated web camera
AMD Athlon Dual Core QL GHz processor
4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM memory
320GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive
15.6" WXGA 1366 x 768 LED- display
ATI Radeon HD MB Graphics Card
6-cell battery, 4400 mAh
DVD+/-RW DL SuperMulti drive
Gigabit Ethernet, 56k modem, WLAN b/g/n
4x USB 2.0, HDMI
ExpressCard/54 extension slot
Integrated 5-in-1 card reader
Integrated web camera
Windows 7 Home Premium (FIN/SWE/UK) OS

32. Example PC: desktop Gateway DX4300-03
Processor Family: AMD Phenom quad-core X4 processor
RAM: 8 GB
Storage Capacity: 1000 GB
RAID: No
eight USB ports and one FireWire port
Primary Optical Drive: 
Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
a digital TV tuner
802.11b/g Wi-Fi card (rare for a tower)
HDMI port on the ATI Radeon HD 4650 graphics card.

33. Adding Peripherals Expansion Slot Peripheral plugs into port
Pins plug into slot
Courtesy of ATI
Technologies Inc.
Expansion Card

34. Adding Peripherals Common boards: Other boards:
AGP (accelerated graphics port)
Sound
Data/Voice/Fax modem
Cable modem
Other boards:
USB hub
Network interface card (NIC)
SCSI interface card
Video capture card
Surfing

35. Installation, preparation
You need: Expansion card, cable, connectors; software
Before installation, check
the compability from manuals of the device and system board,
capacity requirements,
empty slots
Take back-ups
If needed, update the OS and utilities (updates downloaded through internet)

36. Installation process Switch off the computer and disconnect power
Make sure you are grounded before opening the computer case
Insert the card firmly, and tighten screws
Close the case and connect cables
Installation of drivers (or Plug 'n Play) from the installation CD, possibly you'll need the OS CD as well
Updates from the net
Installation of applications
USB enables on the fly connection (hot plug)

37. Inside the Computer
The End