Chapter 4 The Components of the System Unit

The System Unit

Box-like case that contains computers electronic components Sometimes called the chassis Processor Memory module Expansion cards o Sound card o Modem card o Video card o Network interface card

What are common components inside the system unit?

Ports and Connectors Main circuit board in system unit Contains chips, integrated circuits, and transistors Also called system board single edge contact (SEC) cartridge dual inline package (DIP) flip chip-PGA (FC-PGA) package pin grid array (PGA

What is the motherboard?

What chip packages are available?

Central Processing Unit

What is the central processing unit (CPU) ?

Interprets and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer Also called the processor Control Unit Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU) Directs and coordinates operations in computer Control unit repeats four basic operations: 1

What are the components of the CPU?

What is the control unit?

Fetch - obtain program instruction or data item from memory Decode - translate instruction into commands Execute - carry out command Store - write result to memory

What is a machine cycle?

Four operations of the CPU comprise a machine cycle Also called instruction cycle

Instruction time (i-time) - time taken to fetch and decode Execution time (e-time) - time taken to execute and store

An example of a machine cycle

Student enters math problem (100 x 52) into computers memory Result in memory displays on monitors screen According to how many millions of instructions per second (MIPS) it can process CISC (complex instruction set computing) o Supports large number of instructions o CPU executes complex instructions more quickly

How is the CPUs speed measured?

What are two designs used for the CPU?

RISC (reduced instruction set computing) o Supports smaller number of instructions o CPU executes simple instructions more quickly

What is the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) ?

CPU component that performs execution part of the machine cycle o Arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) o Comparison (greater than, equal to, or less than) o Logical (AND, OR, NOT)

What is pipelining?

CPU begins executing second instruction before completing first instruction Results in faster processing Temporary storage area that holds data and instructions o Stores location from where instruction was fetched o Stores instruction while it is being decoded 2

What is a register?

o Stores data while ALU processes it o Stores results of calculation What is the system clock?

Synchronizes all computer operations Each tick is clock cycle MHz megahertz (millions) GHz gigahertz (billions) Single processor chip found in personal computers Intel - PC AMD - PC Motorola - Mac Chip that assists processor in performing specific tasks One type is a floating-point coprocessor, also known as a math or numeric coprocessor Using multiple processors simultaneously to execute program faster Requires special software to divide problem and bring results together

What is a microprocessor?

How do personal computer processors compare?

What is a coprocessor?

What is parallel processing?

Data Representation
How do computers represent data?

Most computers are digital Recognize only two discrete states: on or off Number system with two unique digits: 0 and 1 Eight bits grouped together 256 characters ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange EBCDIC - Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code Unicode - coding scheme capable of representing all worlds languages Step 1: Press letter T 3

What is the binary system?

What is a byte?

What are three popular coding systems to represent data?

How is a character sent from keyboard to computer?

Step 2: Electronic signal for letter T sent to system unit Step 3: Signal changed to its ASCII code (01010100) and stored in memory Step 4: After processing, binary code for letter T is converted to image on output device

Memory
What is memory?

Temporary storage area for operating system, application programs, and data Consists of one or more chips on motherboard Each byte stored in unique address By number of bytes available o KB o MB o GB o TB

How is memory measured?

What are two types of system unit memory?

volatile memory o Loses its contents when computer's power is turned off nonvolatile memory o Does NOT lose its contents when computers power is turned off

What is random access memory (RAM)?

Memory chips that can be read from and written to by processor Most RAM is volatile The more RAM a computer has, the faster it operates Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
o o

What are two basic types of RAM chips?

Most common type Also called main memory Used for special applications such as cache Faster and more reliable than DRAM chips

Static RAM (SRAM)

o o

How much RAM is needed?

Software package usually indicates RAM requirements 4

How much RAM is needed?

Depends on type of applications you intend to run on your computer Helps speed computer processes by storing frequently used instructions and data Also called memory cache, cache store, or RAM cache L1 cache built in processor L2 and L3 cache not built in processor L2 advanced transfer cache most common Memory chips that contain data, instructions, or information that is recorded permanently Data can only be read; cannot be modified in ROM ROM is nonvolatile Contents not lost when computer is turned off o BIOS (basic input/output system) o Stored on ROM

What is cache

What is read-only memory (ROM)?

Sequence of instructions computer follows to load operating system and other files when you turn on the computer

Types of ROM

Firmware ROM chips manufactured with permanently written data, instructions, or information PROM (programmable read-only memory) o Blank ROM on which you can place items permanently EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) o Type of PROM containing microcode programmer can erase

What is flash memory?

Nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and reprogrammed Used with handheld computers and digital cameras, cellular phones, and automobile Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor memory Stores information about the computer o type of disk drives o keyboard o monitor o current time and date 5

What is CMOS?

Uses battery to retain information when computer is turned off Speed at which processor can access data from memory directly Measured in nanoseconds (ns), which is one billionth of a second It takes 1/10 of a second to blink your eye; a computer can perform up to 10 million operations in same amount of time

What is memory access time?

Expansion Slots and Expansion Cards

What is an expansion slot?

An opening, or socket, where circuit board is inserted into motherboard Expansion card inserted in expansion slot

How are expansion cards used? What is Plug and Play?

Computer automatically can configure cards and other devices as you install them Credit card-sized device used to add capabilities to notebook computers PCMCIA - Personal Computer Memory Card International Association Uses include modem, additional memory, and storage o Memory Type I o Modem Type II o Hard Drive Type III

What is a PC card?

What is a flash memory card?

Adds memory to handheld computers, digital music players, cellular telephones, and similar devices

Ports
What is a port?

Connects external devices to system unit o keyboard port o USB port o serial port o monitor port o game port o network port o mouse port 6

o parallel port o speaker port o microphone port What are different types of connectors? What is a serial port?

Transmits one bit of data at a time Used to connect slow-speed devices, such as mouse, keyboard, mode Connects devices that can transfer more than one bit at a time, such as a printer Connector that supports newer peripherals and plug and play Can connect 127 devices Other popular ports include 1394, MIDI, SCSI, and IrDA

What is a parallel port?

What is a universal serial bus port (USB) ?

Buses
What is a bus?

Channel that allows devices inside computer to communicate with each other On the motherboard System bus connects processor and RAM Bus width determines number of bits transmitted at one time Word size determines number of bits processor can interpret and execute at a given time o Usually same as bus width

What is an expansion bus?

Allows processor to communicate with peripherals o ISA most common, slowest o Local Bus high-speed, connects higher speed devices o AGP designed by Intel to improve 3-D graphics

Bays
What is a bay?

Open area inside system unit used to install additional equipment

Power Supply
What is a power supply?

Converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) 7

Some peripheral devices have AC adapter

Mobile Computers
What is a mobile computer?

Notebook, which weighs between 2.5 and 8 pounds, or handheld Keyboard/mouse port IrDA port Serial port Parallel Port Video port USB port An IrDA port allows the handheld computer to communicate wirelessly with other computers or devices Handheld computers also can rest in a cradle, so you can transfer data to your desktop computer

What ports are on a notebook computer?

How is data transferred from a handheld computer?

Putting It All Together

What are suggested processor, clock speed, and RAM requirements based on the needs of various types of users?

Pentium 4 or Itanium or Athlon 1 GHz or higher 256 MB RAM