Introduction to ICT (CSC101)
Components of System Unit
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The System Unit
• The system unit is
a case that
contains electronic
components of the
computer used to
process data
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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
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The System Unit
• The motherboard is the main circuit board of the
system unit
– A computer chip contains integrated circuits (IC)
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Processor
• The processor, also called the central processing
unit (CPU), interprets and carries out the basic
instructions that operate a computer
– Multi-core processor is a single chip with two or more
separate processor cores as a separate processor
– Contain a Control Unit and an Arithmetic Logic Unit
(ALU)
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Processor
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Processor
• The control unit is the component of the
processor that directs and coordinates most of
the operations in the computer
– 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
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Processor – Machine Cycle
• For every instruction, a processor repeats a set of
four basic operations, which comprise a machine
cycle
1. Fetch
2. Decode
3. Execute
4. Store
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Processor – Pipelining
• Most current personal
computers support
pipelining
– Processor begins
fetching a second
instruction before it
completes the machine
cycle for the first
instruction
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Processor
The processor contains registers, that temporarily hold data
and instructions
• Registers are part of Processor
• Processor have many different type of registers
• Register function includes; storing location, storing instruction, storing data
and storing results of a calculation
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)
• Giga = Billion, Hertz = one cycle per second
• Faster the clock speed, more instructions can be executed per second
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Dual Core and Multi-Core Processors
• Dual-Core Processor is a single
chip that contains two separate
processors
• Multi-Core Processor is a chip
with two or more separate
processors
– Implements multiprocessing into a
single physical package
– Quad-Core Processor contains four
(4) cores 11
Moore’s Law
• Number of transistors
and resistors placed on
computer chips would
double every year
– With a proportional
increase in computing
power and decrease in
cost
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Processor
• A processor chip
generates heat that could
cause the chip to burn up
• Require additional cooling
– Heat sinks
– Liquid cooling technology
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Processor
• Parallel processing uses multiple processors
simultaneously to execute a single program or task
– Massively parallel processing involves hundreds or thousands of
processors
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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
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Data Representation
• ASCII (American
Standard Code for
Information
Interchange) is the most
widely used coding
scheme to represent
data
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Memory
• Each location in memory has an address
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Memory
• Each location in memory has an address
• Byte is the basic storage unit in memory
• Memory size is measured in kilobytes (KB or K),
megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), or terabytes (TB)
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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
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Memory – RAM
• RAM (Random Access Memory) is also called main
memory
• Consists of memory chips that can be read from
and written to by the processor and other devices
• When you turn on computer
– Certain Operating System files are loaded into RAM
from a storage device such as a hard disk
• Saving is the process of copying data, instructions
and information from RAM to a storage device
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Memory
• Three basic types of RAM chips exist:
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) Static RAM (SRAM) Magnetoresistive
• re-energized constantly • No need to re-energize RAM (MRAM)
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Memory
• RAM chips usually reside on a memory module
and are inserted into memory slots
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Memory
• Types of Memory Modules
– SIMM (Single Inline Memory Module)
• Has pins on the opposite side of circuit board
• Typically holds SDRAM chips
– DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module)
• Has pins on the both sides of circuit boards
• Typically holds SDRAM chips
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Memory
• The amount of RAM necessary in a computer
often depends on the types of software you plan
to use
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Memory
• Memory cache speeds the processes of the computer
because it stores frequently used instructions and data
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Memory
Read-only memory (ROM) refers to memory chips
storing permanent data and instructions
• Firmware contain permanently written data, instructions or
information
A PROM (programmable read-only memory) chip is a
blank ROM chip that can be written to permanently
• EEPROM can be erased
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Memory
• Flash memory can be erased electronically and rewritten
– CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
technology provides high speeds and consumes little
power
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Memory
• Access time is the amount of time it takes the
processor to read from memory
– Measured in nanoseconds
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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
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Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards
• With Plug and Play, the computer automatically
can configure adapter cards and other peripherals
as you install them
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Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards
• Removable flash memory includes:
– Memory cards, USB flash drives, and PC
Cards/ExpressCard modules
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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
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Ports and Connectors
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Ports and Connectors
• On a notebook computer, the ports are on the
back, front, and/or sides
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Ports and Connectors
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Ports and Connectors
• 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
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