Internal Computer

Components
What Is a Computer?
● A computer is an electronic
device that accepts
information and instructions
from a user, manipulates
the information according
to the instructions, displays
the information in some
way, and stores the
information for retrieval
later
Types of Computers

● Personal computers (PCs)

● Desktop computers
● Notebook (laptop) computers
● Tablet PCs
● Handheld computers
● PDA (personal digital assistant)
● MP3 players
● Mainframe computers
● Supercomputers
Types of Computers
Computer Systems

● Includes computer hardware and software

● Hardware refers to the physical components of a
computer
● Software refers to the intangible components of a
computer system, particularly the programs, or lists of
instructions, the computer needs to perform a specific
task
● The design and construction of the hardware of a
particular computer is referred to as its
architecture or configuration
● The technical details about each component are
called specifications
Processing Hardware
● The motherboard is
the main electronic
component of the
computer
● Circuit board
● The microprocessor
is one of the most
important pieces of
processing hardware
on the motherboard
● Cards are removable
circuit boards
Input and Output

● The data or instructions you type into the

computer are called input
● The result of the computer processing
your input is referred to as output
● Peripheral devices accomplish input and
output functions
Input Devices

● You use an input device, such as a keyboard

or a mouse, to input data and issue
commands
● Keyboard
● Ergonomic
● Pointing device
● Controls the pointer
● Mouse
● Scroll wheel
● Trackball
● Touch pad
● Pointing stick
● Scanner
Output Devices

● Output devices show

you the results of
processing data
● Monitor
● Flat panel
● LCD
● CRT
● Printer
● Laser
● Inkjet
● Dot matrix
Data Representation
Primary Storage
● Primary storage is a category of computer storage,
often called main memory.
● Has three functions:
● Stores all or part of the program that is being executed.
● Stores the operating system programs that manage the
operation of the computer.
● Holds data that the program is using.
● Data and program are placed in primary storage
before processing, between processing steps and
after processing has ended prior to being returned to
secondary storage or released as output.
 Memory
● How is memory measured?
●
By number of bytes available for storage

Term Abbreviation Approximate Size

Kilobyte KB or K 1 thousand bytes

Megabyte MB 1 million bytes
Gigabyte GB 1 billion bytes
Terabyte TB 1 trillion bytes
● Modern primary storage devices include:
● Random access memory (RAM)
● is used for short-term storage of data or program
instructions. RAM is volatile. Its contents will be lost when
the computer’s electric supply is disrupted by a power
outage or when the computer turned off.
● Read-only memory (ROM)
● can only be read from. It cannot be written to. ROM chips
come from the manufacturer with programs already
burned in, or stored. ROM is used in general-purpose
computers to store important or frequently used
programs, such as computing routine for calculating the
square roots of numbers.
Memory
● What is random access memory (RAM)?

Memory chips that can be

read from and written
to by processor
Most RAM is
Also called
volatile, it is lost
main memory
when computer’s
or primary
power is
storage
turned off

The more RAM a

computer has, the
faster it responds
 Memory
How do program instructions transfer in and out of RAM
●

RAM Step 1. When you start the computer, certain

instructions interface operating system files are loaded into RAM from
the hard disk. The operating system displays the
user interface on the screen.
Operating system Operating system

Step 2. When you start a Web browser, the

program’s instructions are loaded into RAM from
the hard disk. The Web browser window is
instructions window
Web browser Web browser displayed on the screen.

Step 3. When you start a word processing

instructions program, the program’s instructions are loaded
program window into RAM from the hard disk. The word
processing program, along with the Web Browser
program
Word processing
Word processing and certain operating system instructions are in
RAM. The word processing program window is
displayed on the screen.
RAM
Step 4. When you quit a program, such as the
Web browser, its program instructions are
removed from RAM. The Web browser is no
longer displayed on the screen.

Web browser program Web browser window

instructions are removed is no longer displayed
from RAM on desktop
 Memory
● What is read-only memory (ROM)?
Memory chips that store Nonvolatile memory, it is not
permanent data lost when computer’s
and instructions power is turned off

Three types:

can write permanently

a programmer
chip onto which
Blank ROM
memory)—
read-only
(programmable
PROM
Network Interface Cards
Network Interface Cards -
Types
RJ45 LC BNC

Wired netcard Fiber optic Coaxial

Dongles
How the NIC transfers data
● The app you are using generates the data
you would like to send to another computer.
● Your NIC accepts the data from your
motherboard and transfers it to a small
buffer on the card.
● The NIC adds its address (set by the
manufacturer) plus the destination address
and the type of data to the buffer.
● Your NIC calculates the checksum, or CRC,
for the data in the buffer.
How the NIC transfers data
● The information is arranged into a frame.
● The NIC “listens” to the network for other
transmissions. If a transmission is heard, it will wait
until the transmission is complete.
● The NIC begins to serially transmit the frame over
the network.
● The receiving NIC calculates the checksum for the
received frame, then compares it to the checksum it
received.
● If there are no errors, the receiving station
acknowledges the received data.
 Translated into 5 steps
● The network application retrieves the data
being sent.
● The NIC puts the address of the other
computer onto the data.
● The NIC calculates for errors.
● The data is arranged into a packet and sent
over the network.
● The receiving card checks for errors, if there
are none, it acknowledges the data.
System Software
● System software
manages the
fundamental
operations of your
computer
● Operating system
● System resource
● Multitasking
● Utilities
● Programming Languages
Application Software

● Application software enables you to

perform specific computer tasks, such as
document production, spreadsheet
calculations, and database management
● Document production software
Application Software

● Web site creation and management software

● Spreadsheet software
● Database management software
Application Software
● Presentation software
 Application Software
● Photo editing software
● Multimedia authoring software
● Accounting software
● Information management software
 What is an Operating System (1)?
● A modern computer consists of:
● One or more processors
● Main memory

● Disks

● Printers

● Various input/output devices.

● Managing all these varied components

requires a layer of software – the
Operating System (OS).
What is an Operating System (2)?
● An Operating System is a program that acts
as an intermediary/interface between a user
of a computer and the computer hardware.
● OS goals:
● Control/execute user/application programs.
● Make the computer system convenient to use.
● Ease the solving of user problems.
● Use the computer hardware in an efficient
manner.
What is an operating system
(OS)?
Operating System Software

Software which manages the overall operation of the computer system

including:
● hardware (CPU, RAM, I/O)
● security
● system interface
● application interface
What is an operating system (OS)?
Where does the OS fit in?
Services provided by an OS
● Facilities for program creation
● editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers, etc.
● Program execution
● loading in memory, I/O and file initialization.
● Access to I/O and files
● deals with the specifics of I/O and file formats.
● System access
● resolves conflicts for resource contention.
● protection in access to resources and data.
Why are Operating Systems
Important?
● Important to understand and know how to
correctly use when writing user applications.
● Large and complex systems that have a high
economic impact and result in interesting
problems of management.
● Few actually involved in OS design and
implementation but nevertheless many general
techniques to be learned and applied.
● Combines concepts from many other areas of
Computer Science: Architecture, Languages,
Data Structures, Algorithms.
Hierarchical view of computer
system

A. Frank - P. Weisberg