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Note: Question No. 1 is of short answer type and is compulsory for all the students. It
carries 5 Marks. (Word limits 50-100)
Section-A
computer's CPU (central processing unit). The term "accumulator" is rarely used in reference to contemporary CPUs,
having been replaced around the turn of the millennium by the term "register." In a modern computers, any register
The most elementary use for an accumulator is adding a sequence of numbers. The numerical value in the
accumulator increases as each number is added, exactly as it happens in a simple desktop calculator (but much
faster, of course). Once the sum has been determined, it is written to the main memory or to another register.
Section-B
Note: Answer any two questions. Each question carries 5 marks (Word limits 500)
Q.1. What is IC? Explain the different generations of IC.
Q.2. What is difference between hardwired and microprogrammed implementation of control
unit?
Q.3. What is meant by addressing mode? Explain at least five different addressing modes with an
example.
The operation field of an instruction specifies the operation to be performed. This operation will be executed on some data which is stored in
computer registers or the main memory. The way any operand is selected during the program execution is dependent on the addressing
mode of the instruction. The purpose of using addressing modes is as follows:
1. To give the programming versatility to the user.
2. To reduce the number of bits in addressing field of instruction.
Register Mode
In this mode the operand is stored in the register and this register is present in CPU. The instruction has the address of the Register where
the operand is stored.
For Example: ADD R1, 4000 - In this the 4000 is effective address of operand.
NOTE: Effective Address is the location where operand is present.
Note: Question No. 1 is of short answer type and is compulsory for all the students. It
carries 5 Marks. (Word limits 50-100)
Section-A
specialized buffer which stores data from the top down. As new requests come in, they "push down" the older ones.
The most recently entered request always resides at the top of the stack, and the program always takes requests
A stack (also called a pushdown stack) operates in a last-in/first-out sense. When a new data item is entered or
"pushed" onto the top of a stack, the stack pointer increments to the next physical memory address, and the new item
is copied to that address. When a data item is "pulled" or "popped" from the top of a stack, the item is copied from the
address of the stack pointer, and the stack pointer decrements to the next available item at the top of the stack.
Note: Answer any two questions. Each question carries 5 marks (Word limits 500)
Q.1. Describes the I/O cards in personal computers.
EPROM
Acronym for erasable programmable read-only memory, and pronounced ee-prom, EPROM is a special type of memory that retains its contents until it is exposed to ultraviolet
light. The ultraviolet light clears its contents, making it possible to reprogram the memory. To write to and erase an EPROM, you need a special device called
An EPROM differs from a PROM in that a PROM can be written to only once and cannot be erased. EPROMs are used widely in personal computers because they enable the
manufacturer to change the contents of the PROM before the computer is actually shipped. This means that bugscan be removed and new versions installed shortly before
delivery.
Cache
Cache memory provides faster data storage and access by storing instances of programs and data routinely accessed by the
processor. Thus, when a processor requests data that already has an instance in the cache memory, it does not need to go to the
main memory or the hard disk to fetch the data.
Cache memory can be primary or secondary cache memory, with primary cache memory directly integrated into (or closest to) the
processor. In addition to hardware-based cache, cache memory also can be a disk cache, where a reserved portion on a disk stores
and provides access to frequently accessed data/applications from the disk.
Virtual Memory
Computers have a finite amount of RAM so memory can run out, especially when multiple programs run at the same
time. A system using virtual memory can load larger programs or multiple programs running at the same time,
allowing each one to operate as if it has infinite memory and without having to purchase more RAM.
As part of the process of copying virtual memory into physical memory, the OS divides memory into pagefiles or swap
files that contain a fixed number of addresses. Each page is stored on a disk and when the page is needed, the OS
copies it from the disk to main memory and translates the virtual addresses into real addresses.
Among the primary benefits of virtual memory is its ability to handle twice as many addresses as main memory. It uses software
to consume more memory by using the HDD as temporary storage while memory management units translate virtual memory
addresses to physical addresses via the central processing unit. Programs use virtual addresses to store instructions and data;
when a program is executed, the virtual addresses are converted into actual memory addresses.
Main Memory
Main memory refers to physical memory that is internal to the computer. The word main is used to distinguish it from external mass storage devices such as disk drives. Other
terms used to mean main memory include RAM and primary storage.
The computer can manipulate only data that is in main memory. Therefore, every program you execute and every file you accessmust be copied from a storage device into main
memory. The amount of main memory on a computer is crucial because it determines how many programs can be executed at one time and how much data can be readily
available to a program.
Because computers often have too little main memory to hold all the data they need, computer engineers invented a technique called swapping, in which portions of data are
copied into main memory as they are needed. Swapping occurs when there is no room in memory for needed data. When one portion of data is copied into memory, an equal-
Address bus
A15-A8, it carries the most significant 8-bits of memory/IO address.
Data bus
AD7-AD0, it carries the least significant 8-bit address and data bus.
WR − This signal indicates that the data on the data bus is to be written into a selected memory or IO location.
ALE − It is a positive going pulse generated when a new operation is started by the microprocessor. When the pulse
goes high, it indicates address. When the pulse goes down it indicates data.
Three status signals are IO/M, S0 & S1.
IO/M
This signal is used to differentiate between IO and Memory operations, i.e.
when it is high indicates IO operation and when it is low then it indicates
memory operation.
S1 & S0
These signals are used to identify the type of current operation.
Power supply
There are 2 power supply signals − VCC & VSS. VCC indicates +5v power
supply and VSS indicates ground signal.
Clock signals
There are 3 clock signals, i.e. X1, X2, CLK OUT.
X1, X2 − A crystal (RC, LC N/W) is connected at these two pins and is used to set frequency of the internal clock
generator. This frequency is internally divided by 2.
CLK OUT − This signal is used as the system clock for devices connected with the microprocessor.
RESET IN − This signal is used to reset the microprocessor by setting the program counter to zero.
RESET OUT − This signal is used to reset all the connected devices when the microprocessor is reset.
READY − This signal indicates that the device is ready to send or receive data. If READY is low, then the CPU has to wait
for READY to go high.
HOLD − This signal indicates that another master is requesting the use of the address and data buses.
HLDA (HOLD Acknowledge) − It indicates that the CPU has received the HOLD request and it will relinquish the bus in
the next clock cycle. HLDA is set to low after the HOLD signal is removed.
SID (Serial input data line) − The data on this line is loaded into accumulator whenever a RIM instruction is executed.