Discovering Computers 2011: Living in A Digital World

Discovering
Computers 2011
Living in a Digital World
Objectives Overview
Differentiate among various Describe the control unit

Identify chips, adapter
styles of system units on and arithmetic logic unit
cards, and other
desktop computers, components of a processor,
components of a
notebook computers, and and explain the four steps in
motherboard
mobile devices a machine cycle
Identify characteristics of
various personal computer Define a bit and describe Explain how program
processors on the market how a series of bits instructions transfer in and
today, and describe the represents data out of memory
ways processors are cooled
See Page 209 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 2

for Detailed Objectives Chapter 4
Objectives Overview
Differentiate between a port and

Describe the purpose and types
a connector, and explain the
of expansion slots and adapter
Differentiate among the various differences among a USB port,
cards, and differentiate among
types of memory FireWire port, Bluetooth port,
slots for various removable flash
SCSI port, eSATA port, IrDA port,
memory devices
serial port, and MIDI port
Explain the purpose of a power Understand how to clean a

Describe the types of buses in a
supply and describe how it keeps system unit on a computer or
computer
cool mobile device
See Page 209 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 3

for Detailed Objectives Chapter 4
The System Unit
• The system unit is a case that contains electronic

components of the computer used to process data
Page 210 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 4

Figure 4-1 Chapter 4
The System Unit
• The inside of the system unit on a desktop

personal computer includes:
Drive bay(s)
Power supply
Sound card
Video card
Processor
Memory
System Unit
• Adapter cards are circuit boards that provide

connections and functions not built into the
motherboard
– Sound card, VGA card, Network card
• Devices outside the system unit often attach to ports
on the system unit by a connector on a cable
• A drive bay holds one or more disk drives
• The power supply converts electricity from a power
cord plugged in a wall outlet into a form that can be
used by the computer
Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 6
Chapter 4
The System Unit
• The motherboard is the main circuit board of the

system unit

Motherboard
• A computer chip contains integrated circuits

• An integrated circuit contains many microscopic
pathways capable of carrying electrical current
• Each integrated circuit can contain millions of
elements such as resistors, capacitors, and
transistors
– A transistor, for example, can act as an electronic
switch that opens or closes the circuit for electrical
charges.
Chapter 4
Processor
• The processor, also called the central processing

unit (CPU), interprets and carries out the basic
instructions that operate a computer
– Contain a control unit and an arithmetic logic unit
(ALU)
Multi-core Dual-core Quad-core

processor processor processor

Chapter 4
Processor
• A processor core, or simply core, contains the

circuitry necessary to execute instructions
• Multi-core Processor: Is a single chip with two or
more separate processor cores
– Dual-core Processor
• Is a chip that contains two separate processor cores
– Quad-core Processor
• Is a chip with four separate processor cores

Chapter 4
Processor

Processor
• The control unit is the component of the

processor that directs and coordinates most of
the operations in the computer
– It interprets each instruction issued by a program and
then initiates the appropriate action to carry out the
instruction
• The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs
arithmetic, comparison, and other operations
Click to view Web Link,
click Chapter 4, Click Web
Link from left navigation,
then click Control Unit
below Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Processor
• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

four basic operations, which comprise a machine
cycle

Machine Cycle
• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

four basic operations, which comprise a machine
cycle
– Fetching is the process of obtaining a program
instruction or data item from memory
– decoding refers to the process of translating the
instruction into signals the computer can execute
– Executing is the process of carrying out the commands
– Storing means writing the result to memory
Chapter 4
Machine Cycle
• In some computers, the processor fetches,

decodes, executes, and stores only one instruction
at a time
• Today’s personal computers support a concept
called pipelining

Chapter 4
Machine Cycle – Processor
• Most current personal

computers support
pipelining
– Processor begins
fetching a second
instruction before it
completes the machine
cycle for the first
instruction
Pages 215 – 216 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 16

Processor
The processor contains registers, that

temporarily hold data and instructions
The system clock controls the timing

of all computer operations
• The pace of the system clock is called the clock
speed, and is measured in gigahertz (GHz)
Chapter 4
Registers
• Registers are part of the processor

• Processors have many different types of registers,
each with a specific storage function
• Register functions include
– Storing the location from where an instruction was
fetched
– Storing an instruction while the control unit decodes it
– Storing data while the ALU computes it
– Storing the results of a calculation

Chapter 4
System clock
• The clock refers to a microchip that regulates the

timing and speed of all computer functions
• Within this chip is a crystal that vibrates at a
specific frequency when electricity is applied
• Each tick equates to a clock cycle
• The pace of the system clock, called the clock
speed, is measured by the number of ticks per
second

Chapter 4
System Clock
• Speed of computer is measured in Giga Hertz

– Giga is prefix means billion
– Hertz is one cycle per second
• one gigahertz (GHz) equals one billion ticks of the
system clock per second
• The faster the clock speed, the more instructions
the processor can execute per second

Chapter 4
Processor
• The leading
manufacturers of
personal computer
processor chips are Intel
and AMD

then click Multi-Core
Processors below Chapter 4
Processor
• Determine how you plan to use a new computer

before selecting a processor

Processor
• A processor chip
generates heat that
could cause the chip to
burn up
• Require additional
cooling
– Heat sinks
– Liquid cooling
technology
then click Liquid Cooling
below Chapter 4
Pages 219 - 220 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 23
Figures 4-9 – 4-10 Chapter 4
Processor
• Parallel processing uses multiple processors

simultaneously to execute a single program or task
– Massively parallel processing involves hundreds or thousands of
processors

Data Representation
Analog signals are continuous and vary in

strength and quality
Digital signals are in one of two states: on

or off
• Most computers are digital
• The binary system uses two unique digits (0 and 1)
• Bits and bytes
Chapter 4
Data Representation
A computer circuit represents Eight bits grouped together as a
the 0 or the 1 electronically by unit are called a byte. A byte
the presence or absence of an represents a single character in
electrical charge the computer

Data Representation
• ASCII (American Standard

Code for Information
Interchange) is the most
widely used coding
scheme to represent data
• The ASCII coding scheme
is sufficient for English
and Western European
languages NOT for Asian
Languages

Data Representation
• Unicode is a 16-bit coding scheme that has the

capacity of representing more than 65,000
characters and symbols
• Unicode coding scheme is capable of representing

almost all the world’s current written languages,
as well as classic and historical languages

Chapter 4
Data Representation
• Coding schemes make it possible for humans to

interact with a digital computer that processes
only bits

Chapter 4
Data Representation

Memory
• Memory consists of electronic components that

store instructions waiting to be executed by the
processor, data needed by those instructions, and
the results of processing the data
• Stores three basic categories of items:
Data being
The operating
Application processed and the
system and other
programs resulting
system software
information

Chapter 4
Memory
• Each location in memory has an address

• Memory size is measured in kilobytes (KB or K),
megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), or terabytes
(TB)

Memory
• The system unit contains two types of memory:
Volatile memory Nonvolatile memory
Loses its contents when Does not lose contents

power is turned off when power is removed
Examples include ROM,

Example includes RAM flash memory, and
CMOS

Chapter 4
Memory

Memory
• Three basic types of RAM chips exist:
Dynamic RAM
Static RAM (SRAM)
(DRAM)
Magnetoresistive
RAM (MRAM)

Memory
• RAM chips usually reside on a memory module

and are inserted into memory slots

Memory Modules
• RAM chips usually reside on a memory module
– Memory slots on the motherboard hold memory
modules
– Two types of memory modules
• SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module)
• DIMM (Double Inline Memory Module)

Chapter 4
Memory
• The amount of RAM necessary in a computer

often depends on the types of software you plan
to use

Memory
• Memory cache speeds the processes of the computer

because it stores frequently used instructions and data

then click Windows
ReadyBoost below Chapter 4
Memory Cache
• L1 cache is built directly in the processor chip.

– Usually has a very small capacity
– Ranging from 8 KB to 128 KB.
– The more common sizes for personal computers are 32 KB
or 64 KB.
• L2 cache is slightly slower than L1 cache but has a
much larger capacity, ranging from 64 KB to 16 MB.
– Current processors include advanced transfer cache (ATC),
a type of L2 cache built directly on the processor chip.
– Servers and workstations have from 12 MB to 16 MB of
advanced transfer cache
Chapter 4
Memory – Cache
• L3 cache is a cache on the motherboard that is

separate from the processor chip
– L3 cache exists only on computers that use L2
advanced transfer cache
– Personal computers often have up to 8 MB of L3 cache
– Servers and work stations have from 8 MB to 24 MB of
L3 cache

Chapter 4
Memory
Read-only memory (ROM) refers to memory chips

storing permanent data and instructions
• Firmware is the combination of persistent memory and program
code and data stored in it
A PROM (programmable read-only memory) chip is a

blank ROM chip that can be written to permanently
• EEPROM can be erased
then click ROM
below Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Memory
• Flash memory can be erased electronically and

rewritten
– CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)
technology provides high speeds and consumes little
power
– Used in RAM, Flash memory and other memory
– CMOS technology uses battery power to retain
information
– Flash memory chips that store a computer’s start-up
information often use CMOS technology

Memory

Chapter 4
Memory
• Access time is the amount of time it takes the

processor to read from memory
– Measured in nanoseconds
• Some manufacturers state access times in MHz
• For example, 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards
• An expansion slot is a
socket on the motherboard
that can hold an adapter
card
• An adapter card enhances
functions of a component of
the system unit and/or
provides connections to
peripherals
– Sound card and video card
then click Video Cards
below Chapter 4
• With Plug and Play, the computer automatically

can configure adapter cards and other peripherals
as you install them

• Removable flash memory includes:

– Memory cards, USB flash drives, and PC
Cards/ExpressCard modules

Ports and Connectors
A port is the point at which a peripheral attaches to or

communicates with a system unit (sometimes referred
to as a jack)
A connector joins a cable to a port

then click Digital Audio Port
below Chapter 4
Chapter 4

• On a notebook computer, the ports are on the

back, front, and/or sides


• A USB port can connect up to 127 different

peripherals together with a single connector
– You can attach multiple peripherals using a single USB
port with a USB hub

then click USB Ports
below Chapter 4
• Other types of ports include:

Firewire Bluetooth
SCSI port
port port
eSATA
IrDA port Serial port
port
MIDI port

Chapter 4
• FireWire port:
– A FireWire port allows you to connect up to 63 devices
together
– For devices which need faster communication
– E.g. digital video camera, printer, digital camera etc.
• SCSI (Small Computer System Interface):
– A special high-speed parallel port, called a SCSI port,
allows you to attach SCSI peripherals such as disk
drives and printers
Chapter 4
• eSata( external Serial Advance Technology Attachment)

– To connect hard disk to a computer
– SATA hard disks are popular because of their fast data
transmission speeds
• IrDA Port(Infra-red Data Association)
– Some devices can transmit data via infrared light
waves
– For these wireless devices to transmit signals to a
computer, both the computer and the device must
have an IrDA port
Chapter 4
• Serial Ports
– Is a type of interface that connects a device to the
system unit by transmitting data one bit at a time
• Some modems that connect the system unit to a telephone
line use a serial port because the telephone line expects the
data in a specific frequency
• MIDI(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) Port
– A special type of serial port that connects the system
unit to a musical instrument
– Such as Keyboard

Chapter 4
A Bluetooth wireless port A smart phone might
adapter converts a USB port into communicate with a notebook
a Bluetooth port computer using an IrDA port

• A port replicator is an
external device that
provides connections to
peripherals through ports
built into the device
• A docking station is an
external device that
attaches to a mobile
computer or device

then click Docking Station
below Chapter 4
Buses
• Buses are used to transfer bits from

– Input devices to memory
– Memory to the processor
– Processor to memory
– Memory to output or storage devices
• The size of a bus, called the bus width, determines
the number of bits that the computer can
transmit at one time
– A 32-bit bus can transmit 32 bits (4 bytes) at a time

Chapter 4
Buses
• A bus allows the various

devices both inside and
attached to the system
unit to communicate with
each other
– Data bus
– Address bus
• Word size is the number
of bits the processor can
interpret and execute at a
given time

Buses
• Every bus also has a clock speed

– A bus clock speed of 400, 533, 667, 800, 1066, 1333,
or 1600 MHz
• A computer has
– A system bus
• Front Side Bus – FSB: Connect processor to the main
memory
• Back side Bus – BSB : Connect processor to the cache
– A expansion bus
• Connect processor to communicate with peripherals

Chapter 4
Buses
• Expansion slots connect to expansion buses

• Common types of expansion buses include:
PCI Express Accelerated

PCI bus
bus Graphics Port
USB and
PC Card bus
FireWire bus
then click FireWire
below Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Buses
• The PCI bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect bus)

– High-speed expansion bus that connects higher speed
devices
– Cards which can be inserted into PCI slot: video card,
sound card, network card
• The PCI Express (PCIe) bus: Doubles the speed of
the original PCI bus
– Use to connect hard drives and network cards
– Used in notebooks and tablet PC
Chapter 4
Buses
• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

– Bus designed by Intel to improve the speed with which
3-D graphics and video transmit
– AGP bus provides a faster, dedicated interface
between the video card and memory
• The USB (universal serial bus) and FireWire bus
– Buses that eliminate the need to install cards in
expansion slots
– The USB port then connects to the USB, which
connects to the PCI bus on the motherboard
Chapter 4
Buses
• PC card bus
– The expansion bus for a PC Card is the PC Card bus
– With a PC Card inserted in a PC Card slot
• Data travels on the PC Card bus to the PCI bus

Chapter 4
Bays
• A bay is an opening
inside the system unit in
which you can install
additional equipment
– A drive bay typically
holds disk drives also
called internal bay
– External bay allows a
user to access openings
in the bay from outside
the system unit
Power Supply
The power supply converts the wall

outlet AC power into DC power
Some external peripherals have an AC

adapter, which is an external power
supply
Chapter 4
Putting It All Together
Home Small Office/ Mobile

Intel Core 2 Quad or Home Office Intel Core i7 Extreme or
Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core i7 or AMD Turion X2
AMD Sempron Intel Core i7 Extreme or
AMD Athlon X2 or AMD
Athlon II X2 Dual-Code Minimum RAM: 2 GB
Minimum RAM: 2 GB
Minimum RAM: 4 GB

Putting It All Together
Power Enterprise
Intel Itanium 2 or AMD Intel Core i7 or Intel
6-Core Opteron or Intel Core i7 Extreme or AMD
Quad Core Xeon Athlon X2 or AMD
Minimum RAM: 8 GB Athlon II X2 Dual-Core
Minimum RAM: 4 GB

Keeping Your Computer
or Mobile Device Clean
Clean your computer or mobile device once or twice a year
Turn off and unplug your computer or mobile device before

cleaning it
Use compressed air to blow away dust
Use an antistatic wipe to clean the exterior of the case and a

cleaning solution and soft cloth to clean the screen
Chapter 4
Video: The Leopard with a Time Machine
CLICK TO START

Chapter 4
Summary
Sequence of operations
How memory stores
Components of the that occur when a
data, instructions, and
system unit computer executes an
information
instruction
Comparison of various
How to clean the
personal computer
exterior and interior of
processors on the
a system unit
market today

Chapter 4
Discovering
Computers 2011
Living in a Digital World
Chapter 4 Complete

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in A Digital World

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Discovering

Differentiate among various Describe the control unit

See Page 209 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 2

Differentiate between a port and

Explain the purpose of a power Understand how to clean a

See Page 209 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 3

• The system unit is a case that contains electronic

Page 210 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 4

• The inside of the system unit on a desktop

• Adapter cards are circuit boards that provide

• The motherboard is the main circuit board of the

Page 212 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 7

• A computer chip contains integrated circuits

• The processor, also called the central processing

Multi-core Dual-core Quad-core

Page 213 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 9

• A processor core, or simply core, contains the

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 10

Page 213 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 11

• The control unit is the component of the

• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

Page 215 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 13

• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of

• In some computers, the processor fetches,

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 15

• Most current personal

Pages 215 – 216 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 16

The processor contains registers, that

The system clock controls the timing

• Registers are part of the processor

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 18

• The clock refers to a microchip that regulates the

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 19

• Speed of computer is measured in Giga Hertz

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 20

Click to view Web Link,

• Determine how you plan to use a new computer

Page 218 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 22

• Parallel processing uses multiple processors

Page 220 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 24

Analog signals are continuous and vary in

Digital signals are in one of two states: on

Page 221 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 26

• ASCII (American Standard

Page 221 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 27

• Unicode is a 16-bit coding scheme that has the

• Unicode coding scheme is capable of representing

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 28

• Coding schemes make it possible for humans to

Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 29

Page 222 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 30

• Memory consists of electronic components that

Page 223 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 31

• Each location in memory has an address

Page 223 Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World 32

• The system unit contains two types of memory:

Volatile memory Nonvolatile memory

Loses its contents when Does not lose contents

Examples include ROM,