The components of a computer

Types of computer
Computers can be categorised
into four types
 Microcomputers

- desktop, laptop, notebook and palmtop personal

computers (PCs)
- used in businesses, schools/colleges and homes
- cost from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand
 Minicomputers

- often used as multi-user systems, with 100’s of

workstations or
terminals attached to a central minicomputer,
e.g. EPOS.
- cost from £10,000 to about £150,000.
 Mainframe computers

- used by large organisations which may have 1000’s

of terminals, often remote
- cost ££ hundreds of thousands
 Supercomputers
- largest category of computer used mostly by
 CPU

 Controls the transmission of data from input

devices to memory

 Processes the data held in main memory

 Controls the transmission of information from

main memory to output devices
 How CPUs work?

A microprocessor -- also known as a CPU

or central processing unit -- is a complete
computation engine that is fabricated on a
single chip.
• Using its ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit), a
microprocessor can perform mathematical
operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication
and division. Modern microprocessors contain complete
floating point processors that can perform extremely
sophisticated operations on large floating point
numbers.
• A microprocessor can move data from one
memory location to another.
• A microprocessor can make decisions and jump to
a new set of instructions based on those decisions.
 Clock Speed
To synchronize the steps of the fetch-decode
execute cycle, all processors have an internal
clock which generates regularly timed pulses.

All activities of the fetch-decode-execute

Cycle must begin on a clock pulse.
 Word Size
 The number of bits that the CPU can
process simultaneously. Normally groups
of 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 bit words are processed
as a unit during input, output and logic
instructions.

 Word size is a major factor in determining

the speed of a processor.
 Bus Size
 Buses are the lines along which data is
transmitted. This data can be in the form of
data and instructions as well the addresses
of the data and the instructions.

 The width of a data bus determines how

many bits can be transmitted
simultaneously and the maximum address
which can be referenced.
 Bus Size con’t
 For 8 bits 28 – 1 = 255
 i.e. 0 to 255 which is 256 locations.
 An address bus (that may be 8, 16 or 32 bits wide)
that sends an address to memory

 A data bus (that may be 8, 16 or 32 bits wide) that

can send data to memory or receive data from
memory

 An RD (read) and WR (write) line to tell the memory

whether it wants to set or get the addressed location

 A clock line that lets a clock pulse sequence the

processor

 A reset line that resets the program counter to zero

(or whatever) and restarts execution
 Instruction Set
 Instructions in machine language are in the
form of binary codes, with each different
processor using different codes for the
instruction set supported by its hardware.
The instruction set for a typical computer
includes the following types of instructions:
 Data Transfer
 Arithmetic Operations
 Logical Operations
 Test and Branch Instructions
 Main memory

 Instructions and data are held in main memory,

which is divided into millions of individually-
addressable storage units called bytes.
 One byte can hold one character, or it can be
used to hold a code representing, for example, a
tiny part of a picture, a sound, or part of a
computer program instruction.
 The total number of bytes in main memory is
referred to as the computer’s memory size.
Computer memory sizes are measured as follows:
 1 Kilobyte (Kb) = 1000 bytes (to be
exact, 1024 bytes)
1 Megabyte (Mb) = 1,000,000 (1 million)
bytes
1 Gigabyte (Gb) = 1,000,000,000 (1 billion)
bytes
 Random Access Memory (RAM)

 ‘Ordinary’ memory

 Used for storing programs which are currently

running and data which is being processed.

 This type of memory is volatile - it loses all its

contents as soon as the machine is switched off.
 Read Only Memory (ROM)

 Non-volatile, with contents permanently etched

into the memory chip at the manufacturing stage

 Used for example to hold the bootstrap loader,

the program which runs as soon as the computer
is switched on and instructs it to load the
operating system from disk into memory.
 PROM
 Short for programmable read-only memory, a
memory chip on which data can be written only
once. Once a program has been written onto a
PROM, it remains there forever. Unlike RAM,
PROMs retain their contents when the computer is
turned off. The difference between a PROM and a
ROM (read-only memory) is that a PROM is
manufactured as blank memory, whereas a ROM
is programmed during the manufacturing process.
 To write data onto a PROM chip, you need a
special device called a PROM programmer or
PROM burner. The process of programming a
PROM is sometimes called burning the PROM.

 An EPROM (erasable programmable read-only

memory) is a special type of PROM that can be
erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light. Once it is
erased, it can be reprogrammed. An EEPROM is
similar to a PROM, but requires only electricity to
be erased.
 What is an EPROM?
 EPROM(Erasable Programmable Read
Only Memory) can be programmed and
erased enabling them to be re-used.
Erasure is accomplished using an UV
(Ultra Violet) light source that shines
through a quartz erasing window in the
EPROM package.
 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 a PROM programmer or
PROM burner.

 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 bugs can be removed and
new versions installed shortly before delivery.
 What is an EEPROM?
Pronounced double-ee-prom or e-e-prom, short
for electrically erasable programmable read-
only memory. EEPROM is a special type of
PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an
electrical charge. Like other types of PROM,
EEPROM retains its contents even when the
power is turned off. Also like other types of
ROM, EEPROM is not as fast as RAM. EEPROM
is similar to flash memory (sometimes called
flash EEPROM). The principal difference is that
EEPROM requires data to be written or erased
one byte at a time whereas flash memory allows
data to be written or erased in blocks. This
 What is a Flash EPROM?
 A flash EPROM is similar to an EEPROM
except that flash EPROMs are erased all at
once while a regular EEROMs can erase one
byte at a time. In- circuit writing and erasing is
possible because no special voltages are
required. To accomplish in-circuit operation,
you have to write special application software
routines. Flash EPROMs are also called
nonvolatile memory..
 Cache Memory

 Very fast memory used to improve the

speed of a computer, doubling it in some
cases
 Acts as an intermediate store between
the CPU and main memory
 Stores the most frequently or recently
used instructions and data for rapid
retrieval
 Generally between 1Kb and 512Kb
 Much more expensive than normal RAM
Memory Cache speeds up a computer
by storing data the computer has
recently used. There are 2 types :
Internal & External
External Cache
If the computer cannot
find what it needs in
the Internal Cache, it
looks in the external
cache. This is usually
located on the
Motherboard. In some
CPU chips the External
cache is built in.
Internal Cache
When the computer
needs data it first
looks in the Internal
cache. This is
located on the CPU
chip and provides
Virtual memory

Space on a hard disk

used to temporarily store
data and swap it in and
out of RAM as needed.
 Motherboard
This is the main circuit board that all of the other
internal components connect to.
The CPU and memory are usually on the
motherboard. Other systems may be found directly
on the motherboard or connected to it through a
secondary connection.
For example, a sound card can be built into the
motherboard or connected through PCI (Peripheral
Component Interface).
 Auxiliary Storage

 Hard disks
- all standalone PCs have in-built hard disk
- typical capacity for Pentium PC is >= 40
Gb
- used for storing software including the
operating system,
other systems software, application
programs and data
 Floppy disks

- thin sheet of mylar plastic in hard 3½” casing

- capacity 1.44Mb
 CD-ROM

- holds about 700Mb

 Zip disks
Power supply
An electrical transformer regulates the electricity used by
the computer.

Hard disk
This is large-capacity permanent storage used to hold
information such as programs and documents.

Operating system
This is the basic software that allows the user to interface
with the computer.
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) Controller
This is the primary interface for the hard drive, CD-
ROM and floppy disk drive.

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Bus

The most common way to connect additional
components to the computer, PCI uses a series of
slots on the motherboard that PCI cards plug into.

SCSI
Pronounced "scuzzy," the small computer system
interface is a method of adding additional devices, such
as hard drives or scanners, to the computer.
 AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port is a very high-speed
connection used by the graphics card to interface
with the computer.

Sound card
This is used by the computer to record and play audio
by converting analog sound into digital information
and back again.

Graphics card - This translates image data from the

computer into a format that can be displayed by the
monitor.
 Parallel Port

USB Ports Serial Ports

SERIAL PORT
Considered to be one of the most basic external
connections to a computer, the serial port has been an
integral part of most computers for more than 20 years.
Although many of the newer systems have done away
with the serial port completely in favor of USB
connections, most modems still use the serial port, as
do some printers, PDAs and digital cameras. Few
computers have more than two serial ports.
 Parallel Ports
If you have a printer connected to your computer, there is
a good chance that it uses the parallel port. While USB is
becoming increasingly popular, the parallel port is still a
commonly used interface for printers. Parallel ports can be
used to connect a host of popular computer peripherals:
• Printers
• Scanners
• CD burners
• External hard drives
• Iomega Zip removable drives
• Network adapters
• Tape backup drives
 Universal Serial Bus (USB) Ports
The goal of USB is to end all of these headaches. The Universal
Serial Bus gives you a single, standardized, easy-to-use way to
connect up to 127 devices to a computer.
Just about every peripheral made now comes in a USB version. A
sample list of USB devices that you can buy today includes:
Printers Scanners Mice Joysticks Flight yokes
Digital cameras Webcams Scientific data acquisition devices
Modems Speakers Telephones Video phones
Storage devices such as Zip drives Network connections
Connecting a USB device to a computer is simple -- you find the
USB connector on the back of your machine and plug the USB
connector into it.
 A typical "B" connection
The rectangular socket is a typical USB socket
on the back of a PC.

A typical USB connector,

called an "A" connection
 Input and output devices

 Input devices
- Keyboard
- mouse
- barcode readers
- Scanners

 Output devices
- printer
- plotter
- VDU
Can you name some others?