Computer Hardware & Networking& Server

Configurations
(H7E3 04)
UNIT 01
Introduction to Computer Hardware, PC Components and
Functionalities

Lecturer: Thilina Rajakaruna

BEng(SEng), SCQF Level 7(EQF 5)(SEng), SCQF Level 8(EQF 5)(SEng), PgDip(Edu)
Basic Components of a Computer System

Total computer system consist of four main parts.

1.Hardware 2.Software
3.Liveware 4.Firmware
1. Hardware

The physical devices of a computer system that can

be touched or tangible are called computer
hardware.

example: - Ram, Monitor, System Unit, Keyboard,

Mouse, VGA Card, Sata Cable etc…
2. Software

A set of instructions (programs)that drive the

hardware of a computer system.

example: - Windows 7, Apple Snow Leopard,

Ubuntu, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft
Office Word, MS Paint, VLC Player etc….
3. Liveware

The person who operates the hardware through the

software

example:- Data Entry Operator, Programmer,

Network Engineer, Graphic Designer,
Network Administrator, Web Engineer
etc….
4. Firmware

Also software which is stored inside the hardware

example:- Boot strap program (which is loaded at

the start up)
What is a Computer? What is a Computer?
A computer is a device that accepts information (in
the form of digitalized data) and manipulates it for
some result based on a program or sequence of
instructions on how the data is to be processed.
Complex computers also include the means for
storing data (including the program, which is also a
form of data) for some necessary duration. A
program may be invariable and built into the
computer (and called logic circuitry as it is
on microprocessors) or different programs may be
provided to the computer (loaded into its storage
and then started by an administrator or user).
Today's computers have both kinds of programming.
A computer is an electronic
device that manipulates
information, or data. It has the
ability to store, retrieve, and
process data.
Input Process Output

Storage
How Its Functions
A computer is an electronic machine that
processes information — in other words,
an information processor: it takes in raw
information (or data) at one end, stores it until it's
ready to work on it, chews and crunches it for a
bit, then spits out the results at the other end. All
these processes have a name. Taking in
information is called input, storing information is
better known as memory (or storage), chewing
information is also known as processing, and
spitting out results is called output.
 Input Process Output

Raw Material Process Product

Input Process Output

Data Process Information

A computer can process data, pictures, sound and
graphics. They can solve highly complicated
problems quickly and accurately. A computer
performs basically five major computer operations or
functions irrespective of their size and make. These
are

1) it accepts data or instructions by way of input,

2) it stores data,
3) it can process data as required by the user,
4) it gives results in the form of output
5) it controls all operations inside a computer.
Four Basic Functions of a Computer

➢ Receive Input

➢ Process Information

➢ Produce Output

➢ Store Information
 Storage Device

Input Device Processor (CPU)

Output Device

Memory
Input

Transferring of information into the system. This may

be through a user input device - i.e. keyboard,
mouse, scanner etc... Or though previously loaded
software/program, cd etc.
Output

Output is the exact opposite of input. Output is the

function that allows a computer to display
information, from the system, for the user. This can
be accomplished through the monitor (or other
graphical display), printer, speakers etc.
Processing

This is where the computer actually does the 'work' -

manipulating and controlling data over the entire
system.
Storage

Most computers are able to store data both

temporarily (in order to process), but also long-term
(permanently). Storage takes place on hard-drives
or external storage devices.
Evolution of the computer
• The history of computer development is often in
reference to the different generations of
computing devices. Each of the five generations
of computers is characterized by a major
technological development that fundamentally
changed the way computers operate. Most
developments resulted in increasingly smaller,
cheaper and more powerful and efficient
computing devices.
Difference Engine Charles Babbage
First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry
and magnetic drums for memory, and were often
enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very
expensive to operate and in addition to using a
great deal of electricity, the first computers
generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause
of malfunctions.
• First generation computers relied on machine
language, the lowest-level programming language
understood by computers, to perform operations,
and they could only solve one problem at a time,
and it could take days or weeks to set-up a new
problem. Input was based on punched cards and
paper tape, and output was displayed on
printouts.

• The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples

of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC
was the first commercial computer delivered to a
business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
Vacuum Tube
ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer)
• The first electronic general-purpose Digital
computer, ENIAC (Electronic Numerical
Integrator And Computer), was developed by
Army Ordnance to compute World War II ballistic
firing tables. It weighed 30 tons and used 200
kilowatts of electric power.
Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors
• Transistors replace vacuum tubes and ushered in
the second generation of computers. The
transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see
widespread use in computers until the late 1950s.
The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube,
allowing computers to become smaller, faster,
cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable
than their first-generation predecessors.
• Though the transistor still generated a great deal
of heat that subjected the computer to damage,
it was a fast improvement over the vacuum tube.
Second-generation computers still relied on
punched cards for input and printouts for output.
• Second-generation computers moved from
cryptic binary machine language to symbolic,
or assembly, languages, which allowed
programmers to specify instructions in
words. languages were also being developed at
this time, such as early versions
of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first
computers that stored their instructions in their
memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to
magnetic core technology.

• The first computers of this generation were

developed for the atomic energy industry.
 Third Generation (1964-1971)
Integrated Circuits
• The development of the integrated circuit was
the hallmark of the third generation of
computers. Transistors were miniaturized and
placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors,
which drastically increased the speed and
efficiency of computers.
• Instead of punched cards and printouts, users
interacted with third generation computers
through keyboards and
monitors and interfaced with an operating system,
which allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time with a central
program that monitored the memory. Computers
for the first time became accessible to a mass
audience because they were smaller and cheaper
than their predecessors.
• Ada, Basic, C, C++, Java, Pascal, Smalltalk Languages are used
in this generation.it called as “High Level Languages”.
 Fourth Generation (1971-Present)
Microprocessors
• The microprocessor brought the fourth generation
of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits
were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the
first generation filled an entire room could now fit
in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip,
developed in 1971, located all the components of
the computer—from the central processing
unit and memory to input/output controls—on a
single chip.
• In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the
home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the
Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the
realm of desktop computers and into many areas
of life as more and more everyday products began
to use microprocessors.
• As these small computers became more powerful,
they could be linked together to form networks,
which eventually led to the development of the
Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the
development of GUIs,
the mouse and handheld devices.

• This generation Computers use “Very High Level

Languages”
• Example: - Maple, Mathematica, Postscript, SPSS,
SQL, MySQL etc…
Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond)
Artificial Intelligence
• Fifth generation computing devices, based
on artificial intelligence, are still in development,
though there are some applications, such
as voice recognition, that are being used today.
The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and
molecular and nanotechnology will radically
change the face of computers in years to come.
The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond to natural
language (Ex-Prolog) input and are capable of
learning and self-organization.
Summary ….
➢1940 – 1956 : First Generation – Vacuum Tubes

➢1956 – 1963 : Second Generation – Transistors

➢1964 – 1971 : Third Generation – Integrated Circuits

➢1972 – Present: Fourth Generation – Microprocessors

➢Present - Beyond: Fifth Generation – Artificial

Intelligence
Contact Me ...

Email : thilina.jiat@gmail.com
THANK YOU