UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGIES (CoICT)
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGENEERING

CS173: BUSINESS COMPUTER

COMMUNICATION

Instructor:
Dr. Herrieth Machiwa

1
 Course Introduction
 This course has a total of 8 credits (2hrs lecture + 1hr
tutorial).
 There will be at least two tests (Test 1 and Test 2).
Plus some assignments. This will make a total of 40%
marks of course work
 The University Examination carries a total of 60%
marks.

2
 Course Lecture hours

Lectures
Thursday 09:00 – 11:00 hrs. (D01 Luhanga hall)

Tutorial
Wednesday 12:00 – 13:00 hrs. (B302)

3
 MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO BASIC
COMPUTER CONCEPTS

- Communication: the process of transmitting

data/information between two or more devices through a
media.
- Computer: the media used to enhance the transfer of
information.
 Therefore, Business computer communication refers to
the act of transferring computerized business related
information between two or more devices.
Some examples:- Businessman needs some goods for his
store. Communication between him and the wholesale
shop or manufacturer.
4 - Company advert for recruiting people.
 MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO BASIC
COMPUTER CONCEPTS

 Business Communication according to William G. Scott

is defined as: “a process which involves the transmission
and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for
the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplish
organizational goals”.

 The important four aspects from the definition:

- The sender’s ability to transmit his own ideas accurately.
- The receiver’s ability to get exactly the same idea as were
transmitted i.e. accurate replication.
- The feedback or the receiver’s response.
5 - Eliciting action which will help to achieve the goals.
 MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO BASIC
COMPUTER CONCEPTS

 The process of communication involves a series of

stages:
1. An idea arises in the mind of the sender, which he wants
to share.
2. The sender encodes the idea in the form of a ‘message’.
3. The sender chooses some medium / channel to put
across the message.
4. The receiver receives the message.
5. The receiver decodes – absorbs, understands, interprets
the message.
6. The receiver sends feedback or his response.
6
 What is a computer
 A Computer is an electronic device that accepts input,
processes the data and instructions, produces output from the
processing (that is useful and meaningful) and stores the results
for future use.
OR
 A Computer is a device or set of devices that work under
the control of a stored program, automatically accepts and
processes data to provide information.
 Computers process data to create information.
- Data is a collection of raw unprocessed facts, figures, and
symbols.
- Information is data that is organized, meaningful, and useful.
7
 What is a Computer?

8
 INTRODUCTION TO BASIC COMPUTER
CONCEPTS

 There are many kinds of computers designed to do

many different things. For instances, supercomputers,
mainframe computers, personal computers and
handheld computers.

 The most popular type of computer - and the one we will

be discussing here - is the personal computer or PC.
- a microcomputer designed for use by a single user at a
time.
- microcomputer uses a single chip (microprocessor) for
its central processing unit (CPU)
9
 Types of Computers
 Personal computers (PCs)
 Desktop computers, Laptop computers (or notebook)
Tablet PCs, Cell phones

 Handheld computers
 MP3 players, Tablets, Cell phones

 Mainframe computers

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 Supercomputers
 Types of Computers

 Personal computer

- A personal computer (PC) is a small computer

(microcomputer) designed for use by one person at a
time.

- Designed to meet the computer needs of an individual.

- Provides access to a wide variety of computing

applications, such as word processing, photo editing,
internet and e-mail.
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 Types of Computers

Laptop
Desktop Computer

Tablet PC

12 Smartphone
 Types of Computers

 Handheld computers

- A computer that fits into a pocket, runs on batteries,

and is used while holding it in your hand.

- Also called a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

• Typically used as an appointment book, address book,

calculator, and notepad.

13
 Types of Computers
 Supercomputers

• The largest, expensive, fastest and most powerful

computers that can process a large amount of data, and
do a great amount of computation.

• Are useful for applications involving very large databases

or that require a great amount of intense scientific
calculations, that would be practically impossible for any
other computers.
14
 Types of Computers
 Supercomputers

• Are used for areas related to science, engineering,

education, aerospace and others.

• Solving complex tasks such as weather forecasting,

climate research, oil and gas exploration, molecular
modeling (computing the structures and properties of
chemical compounds) and scientific simulations such as
simulation of airplanes in wind tunnels.

15
 Types of Computers
 Mainframe Computer

• A high-performance computer used for large information

processing jobs, and in handling a large variety of tasks
including data processing, warehousing, and more.

• It is a large expensive computer capable of

simultaneously processing data for hundreds or
thousands of users.

• Used to store, manage, and process large amounts of

data that need to be reliable, secure, and centralized.
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 Types of Computers
Mainframe Computer

•They are primarily used in institutions e.g., financial

institutions, research, academics, health care, library, large
businesses e.t.c.

•Useful for tasks related to census recording, transaction

processing, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise
resource planning, e-business and e-commerce.

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 Types of Computers

Mainframe Computer Supercomputer

•Both mainframe computers and supercomputers need to be placed in

large air-conditioned rooms because of their large size they tend to
generate a lot of heat. Otherwise, they would overheat the room and
burn themselves up.
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 Supercomputer Vs Mainframe Computer

Supercomputers Mainframe computers

Used for large and complex Used as a storage for large database
mathematical computations i.e. mainly and serve as a maximum number of
focus on problems which are limited by users simultaneously.
calculation speed.
Speed is more than Mainframe Speed is comparatively less than
computers. Can execute billions of supercomputers. Millions of instructions
instructions within a second. are executed simultaneously.
The largest and costly computers. Smaller and less costly than
supercomputers.
Are mostly purpose-built for one or a Are built to handle a large variety of
few specific institutional tasks. tasks.
Can have a processing speed in the Can have a processing speed in the
19 range of 100 to 900 MIPS (Million range of 3-4 MIPS to as high as 100
 BASIC COMPUTER OPERATIONS

Basically, a computer performs five major operations or functions

irrespective of their size and make.

These are:
I. It accepts data or instructions by way of input
II. It can process data as required by the user
III. It gives results in the form of output, and
IV. It controls all operations inside a computer
V. It stores data.

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 INPUT

 This is the process of entering data and programs into the

computer system.

 The data or instructions you type into the computer are called
input

 Input is any data or instructions entered into the memory of a

computer. It may be data, commands, user response etc.
- Whatever is input into the computer, has to be changed into
machine language (binary numbers 0s and 1s) in which
computer understand.
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 INPUT

Input Types:

 Data is the raw facts given to the computer. Data is a

collection of unorganized items that can include words,
numbers, pictures, sounds, and video.

 Programs: A program is a series of instructions that tells

a computer how to perform the tasks necessary to
process data into information

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 Input Types

 Commands: A command is an instruction given to a

computer program by using special codes or key words
that the user inputs to perform a task, like RUN
"ACCOUNTS".
- These can be selected from a menu of commands like
"Open" on the File menu, “Login” in e-mail. They may
also be chosen by clicking on a command button.

 User response is an instruction issued by users to the

computer by responding to a question posed by a
computer program to the computer's question.
- For instances, choosing OK, YES, or NO or by typing in
23 text, for example the name of a file.
 PROCESSING

 Processing refers to the way that a computer manipulates

data.

 A computer processes data in a device called the Central

Processing Unit (CPU).

 The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and

instructions from the memory and makes all sorts of
calculations based on the instructions given and the type
of data provided. It is then sent back to the storage unit.
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 OUTPUT

 The result of the computer processing your input is

referred to as output and also referred to as Information.

 An output is the process of producing results from the data

for getting useful information. Again the output is also
stored inside the computer for further processing.

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 OUTPUT

Forms of Output

 Computer has two forms of outputs, hardcopy and

softcopy.

 Hardcopy is an information that has been recorded into

tangible medium i.e. you can touch it while a Softcopy is an
output that is displayed on a computer screen or produced in
a voice form.

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 CONTROL

 The manner how instructions are executed and the

above operations are performed.

 Controlling of all operations like input, processing and

output are performed by Control Unit.
- It takes care of step by step processing of all operations
inside the computer.

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 STORAGE

 Data has to be fed into the system before the actual

processing starts.

 It is because the processing speed of Central

Processing Unit (CPU) is so fast that the data has to be
provided to CPU with the same speed.

 Therefore the data is first stored in the storage unit for

faster access and processing.

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 STORAGE

 This storage unit or the primary storage of the

computer system is designed to do the above
functionality. It provides space for storing data and
instructions.

The storage unit performs the following major functions:

 All data and instructions are stored here before and
after processing.

 Intermediate results of processing are also stored here.

29
 What makes a computer powerful?

Computers are powerful for a variety of reasons. They

operate with amazing speed, reliability, and accuracy.
Computers can store huge amounts of data and information.

Also, computers allow users to communicate with other

users or computers.

1. Speed - Most computers carry out billions of operations in a

single second. The world's fastest computer can perform
trillions of operations in one second.

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 What makes a computer powerful?

2. Reliability and Consistency - The electronic components in

modern computers are dependable because they have a
low failure rate. The high reliability of components enables
the computer to produce consistent results.

3. Accuracy - Computers process large amounts of data and

generate error-free results provided the data input is
correctly and the instructions work properly. If data is
inaccurate, the resulting output will be incorrect.

4. Storage - Many computers store enormous amounts of

data and make this data available for processing anytime it
31 is needed.
 COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM

 The components of a Computer system fall into two

categories; Software and hardware.

 Computer hardware is the term used to describe the

physical components of the system; the system unit
(system box), monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.

 Computer software is the term used to describe the set

of instructions (computer programs) that define the
actions the computer performs (tells the computer what
32 to do).
 Computer Software

 A personal computer has something installed on it called

software.

 Software is a set of computer programs (instructions)

that determine the computer behavior and the actions it
performs.
- Usually the instructions are written in a language such
that the machine can understand. Such languages is
what is know as programming languages.

33
 Computer Software

 The most common type of software found on any

personal computer is the Operating System, which
provides a user interface and some basic commands so
users can actually do something on a computer.

 There are two main classifications of software that all

programs fit under namely an application software and
system software.

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 Computer Software

35
 Application Software

 Application Software: This is a program designed for end-

users to perform a special task. It is a set of computer
programs that helps a person carry out a task. It enables you
to perform specific computer tasks, such as document
production, spreadsheet calculations, and database
management.

- Document processing software

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 Application Software

- Presentation software

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 Application Software

– Web site creation and management software

– Spreadsheet software
– Database management software

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 System Software

System software:
System software manages the fundamental operations of
your computer.
These are software programs that control the computer
system.
System software includes the Operating systems (OS),
BIOS and Device drivers.
It behaves like a firmware, interpreting user commands
to be performed by the machine.

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 The need for System Software

 System to hide the hardware details of I/O devices from

the programmer and allow access to I/O

 Software to detect and manage errors

 Hardware errors (e.g. device not ready)
 Application software errors ( e.g. divide by zero)

 Mechanism to allow communication between

applications and computers.
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 Components of a computer system

 The figure below shows an abstract view of the components of

a computer system. The Operating system (OS) provides
interface between the users and the hardware, the OS tells the
hardware what to do according to user commands

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 COMPUTER HARDWARE

 Hardware is everything physically present in a computer:

the keyboard, mouse, the screen, and the case where the
actual computer resides all constitute hardware.
 The term hardware refers to the computer’s physical
components.
 Hardware needs software to work: The term software,
or program, refers to the set of instructions that directs the
hardware to accomplish a task.
 A PC processes data that is in digital (binary) form, which
means it is in one of two states: positive (on), 1 and non-
42 positive (off), 0.
 Examples of hardware

43
 Computer Hardware

44
 Computer Hardware

 Inside the system case, there's even more hardware that

makes up a basic computer.
 The Central Processing Unit (CPU) resides on a circuit
board called the motherboard and can be loosely
described as the "brain" of the computer.
 Other chips work with the CPU; for example, to keep
track of things, the computer has memory chips called
RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory.
 Memory/RAM is an area of a computer that holds data
that is waiting to be processed, stored, or output.
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 PARTS OF A COMPUTER HARDWARE

 Computer Hardware is used for four basic functions:

input, output, processing, and storage
 An input device is a component, such as a mouse or
keyboard, which allows the user to enter in data and
issue command.
 An output device is a component, such as a monitor or
printer, which displays the results of processing data.
 The processing device is used to process data
 A storage device is used to store data either
temporarily or permanent.
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 INPUT DEVICES

 Input devices are necessary to convert our information or data into

a form which can be understood by the computer.

Keyboard

 The keyboard is an input device that allows the

user to enter data into the computer
 The keyboard has a lot of keys that contain
different characters that a user may need.
Moreover there are other keys with special
purposes, e.g. function keys, backspace, delete,
insert, control, alternate, and arrow keys.

47
 Example of keyboard

48
 Keyboard

 Function Keys
Function keys, F1 through F12, are typically located at the
top of the keyboard. Some software programs utilize
these keys to execute different functions. In most
programs, the F1 key will provide the user with help.
Other keys include F3 ……. F12
 Control Key (CTRL)
The control key is located in the bottom left-hand and
bottom right-hand corners of the keyboard. It is often
paired with other keys on the keyboard to access specific
commands and functions/ activate special options in a
49
program.
 Keyboard

 Escape Key (ESC)

The Escape (ESC) key often allows you to cancel or back
out of an action in a program
 Alternate Key (ALT)
The alternate key is located on the right-hand and left-
hand sides of the space bar. It is often paired with other
keys to access menus or execute commands.
 Backspace Key
The backspace key is located in the upper right-hand
section of the keyboard and is used in word processing to
50 delete one letter or space to the left.
 Keyboard

 Delete Key
The delete key is located in the group of six keys above
the arrow keys on the right-hand side of the keyboard. It
is used in word processing to delete one letter or space
to the right. It can also be used to delete objects or files
within the computer.
 Arrow Keys
The arrow keys are located on the right-hand side of the
keyboard and are used in word processing to move the
cursor up, down, left, or right. They can also be used to
51 navigate through lists of files on the computer.
 Mouse

 The mouse, much like the keyboard, is

an input device. There are typically
two buttons on a mouse, and several
clicking techniques that can be utilized
to interact with the computer. It can be
difficult to know when, how, and where
to click.
 Next slide shows a list of clicking
techniques to help clear the confusion.
52
 Mouse

 Click
Use the left mouse button to click one time. This technique is mainly
used to select objects and to navigate through menus.
 Double-Click
Use the left mouse button to click two times quickly. This technique
is used to open objects (icons, programs, etc).
 Right-Click
Use the right mouse button to click one time. This technique is used
to access short cut menus in Windows 95 and other software
programs.
 Click and Drag
Use the left mouse button to click and hold down. Move the mouse
cursor to a new location and release the left mouse button. This
53 technique is used to move or select objects.
 Other Input Devices
- Pointing device
Controls the pointer
Trackball
Touch pad
Pointing stick Trackball Scanner
- Scanner
- Touch Screen
- Pen Input

Pen Input
Pointing stick

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 OUTPUT DEVICES

 The mostly known (popular) output devices are

VDU/monitor(s) and printer(s).

 Visual Display Unit: It is also called the monitor. After

keyboard has been used to input data, then monitor is used
to display the input data and to receive massages from the
computer.
 A monitor has its own box which is

separated from the main computer system

and is connected to the computer by cable.
55
 Monitor

The monitor is an essential output device that displays the

most information as to what is happening inside the
computer.

 Hardware manufacturers rate a monitor according to the

viewable size of its screen and by the number of pixels used
to display the screen.

A pixel is a dot or unit of color that is the smallest unit of

display on a monitor. Modern color monitors typically have
56 millions of pixels, which make up the screen.
 Monitor

 Monitors are very much like television sets.

- Television sets receive signals from antennae or cable
and they translate those signals into understandable
pictures and sounds.
- Monitors receive information from the CPU and they
translate the information into a comprehensible picture
and words.

 Adjusting the color, tint, position, and size are common

functions available on most models of monitors, though
the location of these controls may vary from monitor to
monitor. These controls will most likely be found on the
front of the monitor
57
 Printer

A printer produces hard copies from

softcopy stored in a computer. A
computer printer, or more commonly a
printer, produces a hard copy
(permanent human-readable text and/or
graphics) of documents stored in
electronic form, usually on physical print
media such as paper transparencies.
Many printers are primarily used as
computer peripherals, and are attached
by a printer cable to a computer which
58 serves as a document source..
 PROCESSING DEVICES

What Goes On Inside the Computer?

 The primary hardware which is responsible for
processing is Central Processing Unit (CPU).

 The Central Processing Unit

The human element in computing is involved with data
input and information output, but the controlling activities
of the computer lies in between.

59
 PROCESSING DEVICES

 The CPU is a highly complex, extensive set of electrical

circuits. It executes the stored program instructions that
accept the input, process the data, and produce the
output

 The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of the

computer.
- The CPU gives all of the instructions to all of the other parts of the
computer.
- It is the most important and the most expensive part of the computer.
CPUs are described by two numbers that determine how efficient
60 and fast the brain will run.
 The Central Processing Unit

 The faster the processor, the more expensive the

computer. Which processor should you select?

The best-known and most widely used CPU at the

moment is the ‘Intel Pentium’ processor.

61
 Components of a CPU

CPU consist of two parts namely the Control Unit and the
Arithmetic/Logic Unit
The Control Unit
The control Unit controls the whole computer system by performing the
following functions:
– Directs and coordinates all operation called for by the program
– Activates the appropriate circuits necessary for inputs and output
devices.
– Causes the entire computer system to operate in an automatic
manner.
 The control unit does not execute the instructions itself; rather, it
directs other parts of the system to do so. The CU must communicate
with both the ALU and memory
62
 Components of a CPU

- Memory holds data and

instructions temporarily at the time
the program is being executed.
- The CPU interacts closely
with memory,
referring to it for
both
instructions and
data.

63
 Components of a CPU

The Arithmetic/Logic Unit

 The ALU contains the electronic circuitry that executes all
Arithmetic and Logic operations, which are usually
comparing operations. The ALU is where all the
arithmetic and logical operations are carried out. There
are 4 types of arithmetic operations that the CPU can
perform: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and
Division.

64
 Components of a CPU

The ALU is able to compare numbers, letters, or special

characters and take alternative course of action.
Basically, the logical operations of the CPU test for 3
conditions:
Equal To - The CPU simply compares 2 values and tests for
equality..
Greater Than - The CPU will compare 2 values to see if value
a is greater than value b..
Less Than - The CPU compares 2 values to see if value a is
less than value b.
There are complex combinations of logic as well .

65
Arithmetic Operations

Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Logical Operations
 Evaluates conditions
 Makes comparisons
 Can compare
– Numbers
– Letters
– Special characters
 STORAGE DEVICES

Storage devices can be either temporary (primary) or permanent

(secondary)
Temporary (Primary) Storage Areas
Registers
A register is a single storage location within the CPU. It is unlike
memory, which is “outside” the CPU
Registers are temporary storage areas for instructions or data. It is
associated with the CPU, not memory
They can operate very rapidly to accept, hold and transfer
instructions or data used in performing arithmetic or logical
comparisons - all under the direction of the control unit of the CPU

68
Registers

Instruction register
Holds instruction currently being executed

Data register
Holds data waiting to be processed
Holds results from processing
Executing Programs

 CU gets an instruction and places it in memory

 CU decodes the instruction
 CU notifies the appropriate part of hardware to take action
 Control is transferred to the appropriate part of hardware
 Task is performed
 Control is returned to the CU
Machine Cycle

I-time (Instruction Time)

1. The control unit fetches (gets) the instruction from
memory.
2. The control unit decodes the instruction (decides what it
means) and directs that the necessary data be moved
from memory to the arithmetic/logic unit. These first two
steps together are called instruction time, or I-time.
Machine Cycle

E-time (Execution Time)

1. The arithmetic/logic unit executes the arithmetic or logical
instruction. That is, the ALU is given control and performs the
actual operation on the data.
2. The arithmetic/logic unit stores the result of this operation in
memory or in a register. Steps 3 and 4 together are called
execution time, or E-time.
The control unit eventually directs memory to release the result to
an output device or a secondary storage device. The combination
of I-time and E-time is called the machine cycle. Figure in the
next slide shows an instruction going through the machine cycle.
Machine Cycle
The Machine Cycle in Action
Special for Registers

Computers usually assign special roles to certain registers, including

these registers:

•An accumulator, which collects the result of computations.

•An address register, which keeps track of where a given instruction

or piece of data is stored in memory.
• Each storage location in memory is identified by an address, just as
each house on a street has an address.

•A storage register, which temporarily holds data taken from or about

to be sent to memory.
 Primary (Volatile) Storage Areas

Memory (RAM)
 Primary storage is also called internal storage or memory. It is used
to store programs and data currently being processed by CPU.
 If the power to the computer is turned off, all the circuits will turn off
and all data in primary storage will be lost.
 The data is lost forever. Because of this characteristics primary
storage is called volatile storage.
 This type of primary storage is called RANDOM ACCESS
MEMORY or RAM.
 RAM is the main type of primary storage used with computers and
it is volatile.

76
 Primary (Volatile) Storage Areas

The Use of Primary Storage (RAM)

Main Memory has several uses:
 To hold the input data when it is ready to be processed by
CPU.
 To hold Operating System (OS) which controls the
operation of the computer.
 Working storage – where computation are performed and
data is stored temporarily.
 Output area where the information is stored prior to output.
Both the input and output areas are buffer.
77  Application program area – where the user program is held.
 Primary (Volatile) Storage Areas

The Use of Primary Storage (RAM)

78
 Primary (Non-volatile) Storage Areas

 ROM – Many computers have another type of primary

storage called ROM – Read Only Memory.
 ROM is non-volatile storage. This means that when the
power to the computer is turned off, the content of the
ROM is not lost.
 ROM can store preset programs that are always put by
computer manufactures. When you turn on a PC, you will
usually see a reference on BIOS (Basic Input output
System). This is part of the ROM chip containing all the
programs needed to control the keyboard, monitor, disk drive
and so on.
79  There are different types of ROM, including PROM EPROM and
EEPROM.
 Primary (Non-volatile) Storage Areas

 PROM – Programmable Read Only Memory – In this

type of ROM, data or program can be stored once in
PROM but never changed.

 EPROM – Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory – In

this type of ROM, data or program can be erased by
removing the device and exposed it to ultraviolet light

 EEPROM – Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only

Memory – data or program can be completely erased using a
special device and new programs or new data can be stored
80 in it.
 RAM Vs ROM

81
Measuring Storage Capacity

KB – kilobyte GB – gigabyte
• 1024 bytes • Billion bytes
• Some diskettes • Hard disks
• Cache memory • CDs and DVDs
MB – megabyte TB – terabytes
• Million bytes • Trillion bytes
• RAM • Large hard disks
 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

 A storage device is the computer hardware that writes and/or

reads data to and from storage media.
 Any data or programs stored in secondary storage stays
there, even with the computer power turned off, unless
someone purposely erases them.
 Secondary storage is a permanent form of storage.
 Disk drives such as Hard drives, floppy disks, Zip drives,
flash and CD- ROMs are all examples of permanent storage.
 All computer data is stored in digital form, a series of 0’s and
1’s called bits, ‘bit’ is short for binary-digit.
 Eight bits grouped together is called a byte.

83
 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

Benefits of secondary storage

Capacity – Most of secondary storage device such as hard disk has
got a large storage capacity i.e. 500GB.
Reliability - Data in secondary storage is basically safe, since
secondary storage is physically reliable.
Convenience - With the help of a computer, authorized people can
locate and access data quickly.
Cost - It is less expensive to store data on tape or disk (the principal
means of secondary storage) than to buy and house filing cabinets

84
 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

Hard Drives
Hard disks are fixed inside a sealed unit (the
hard disk drive) that is permanently mounted in
the system unit. A hard drive stores data
magnetically and is a read/write storage
medium
Floppy Drives
A floppy drive can read from and write to a
floppy disk. Floppy disks are only capable of
storing 1.44 MB of data. The advantage is that
they are easily transportable between PC
floppy disk drives.
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 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

ZIP drives
A ZIP drive is a device that reads from and
writes to a Zip disk, which is a removable
magnetic medium that can store up to 750
MB

Portable Disk Drives

The bad news for floppy disks is that new
PC’s are unlikely to have a floppy disk drive
fitted. USB (Universal Serial Bus) portable
disk drives commonly known as flash disks
86 are now the norm.
 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

CD-ROM Drives
• CD-ROM (Compact Disk, Read Only Memory) disks are
used primarily for the distribution and installation of
commercial software.
• The disk is loaded into the CD-ROM drive and the
software installation process usually starts automatically.
• The drive can also be used for playing audio and visual
media; music, games and video.
• A CD-ROM disk stores approximately 700 Megabytes of
data. Nowadays CD-R (CD-Recordable) and CD-RW
87 (CD-Rewritable) disks are commonplace
 Secondary (Permanent) Storage Devices

CD-ROM drive

Floppy drive
Hard disk Drive

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 Primary Vs Secondary Storage Devices

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 Other devices

 The system Unit

The system unit is a case that contains electronic
components of the computer used
to process data. The case that houses the processor,
motherboard, internal hard and floppy disks, power
supply, and the expansion bus
System Unit

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 What are common components inside
the system unit?

power supply drive bays

processor

memory
ports

sound card

91 network card
Modem card
video card
 The Motherboard / System board

 Main circuit board in system unit, it contains adapter

cards, processor chips, and memory chips
 The motherboard is a Printed Circuit Board that all the
main internal components of the computer are
connected to.
 The lines on a circuit board are called traces and are
circuits, or paths, that enable data, instructions, and
power to move from one component to another
component on the board.
 This system of pathways used for communication and
transmission are collectively referred to as the bus.
 A protocol is a set of rules and standards used by any
two entities for communication purposes.
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 The Motherboard / System board

Adapter cards
Processor chip

Memory chips

Memory slots

Expansion
slots for
adapter cards
Motherboard

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 The Motherboard / System board

 Other hardware (like sound, graphical cards) may be found directly

connected or connected via an expansion slot.
Sound card
 A sound card is a device that enables the playing and recording of
audio by converting analog sound to digital format and vice-versa.
Graphics card
 The graphics card is a device that translates image data from the
computer into a format that can be displayed on the computer
monitor/screen.
Expansion slots
 The PC motherboard contains (usually four) expansion slots that
allow extra hardware devices to be connected. The hardware printed
Circuit Board or card plugs into the expansion slot and is then
94 connected to the CPU by the system bus.
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

The PC motherboard contains (usually four) expansion slots that allow

extra hardware devices to be connected
The three most commonly used expansion card types are:
PCI (Peripheral component interconnect) expansion slot used for high-
speed devices like hard disks and network cards
AGP (accelerated graphics port) expansion slot used for a video card.
The AGP expansion slot connects AGP video cards to a motherboard.
Video expansion cards are also known as graphic expansion cards.
Connects memory and graphics card for faster video performance
ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) expansion slot used by older
and/or slow-speed devices like mouse, modem

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 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

PCI ISA

96
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

AGP expansion slot

97
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

Buses
• Bus is a channel that allows devices inside computer to
communicate with each other.
• It is an internal communication line that connects the
components housed in the PC system unit; disks, CPU,
memory, input/output ports, expansion slots, etc.
• It enables the different parts of the system to share data.
 System bus: Communication among processors, memory
and input/output devices
 Bus width determines number of bits transmitted at one
time
 Word size is the number of bits processor can interpret
and execute at a given time
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 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

 The fig below shows the system bus that connects

processor and memory (RAM)

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 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

BIOS (Basic input/output system)

 A special kind of program is required to enable the CPU to talk to
other devices.
 A ROM chip stores these programs.
 These programs are collectively known as the Basic Input/Output
Service (BIOS)
 The system BIOS is the lowest-level software in the computer; it
acts as an interface between the hardware (especially the chipset
and processor) and the operating system.
 The BIOS provides access to the system hardware and enables the
creation of the higher-level operating system (DOS, Windows etc.)
that you use to run your applications.
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 The Motherboard / System board Expansion slots

BIOS (Basic input/output system)

 The BIOS is also responsible for allowing you to control your
computer’s hardware settings, for booting up the machine when
you turn on the power or hit the reset button, and various other
system functions.

101
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

 CMOS is a chip that can maintain configuration

information as long as it has an electrical charge. It is
used on system boards to remember hardware
configuration information such as the presence of a
hard drive, floppy drive or CD-ROM drive.

102
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

CMOS battery
CMOS battery

103
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

Ports:
 A port is a socket, usually at the back of the PC, that
connects devices such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse
or printer.
These are several types of ports:
 Serial ports: connect devices like a modem that require
data to be passed to them in a serial format; in other
words, one bit at a time.
 Parallel ports pass data to the connected device, usually
a printer, one byte at a time.

104
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

 Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports: have in recent times

become the most popular type of external connection;
they are easy to use and extremely versatile.
 These days every external device manufactured will
almost certainly be USB connectable.

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 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

106
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

Modem
A modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) is a device that allows
computer information to be transmitted across the telephone
network
The Electrical System
 Power supply
The purpose of a power supply is to convert electricity from
110AC to either 5 or 12 volts for the system board and other
devices. Standard PC power supplies have two connectors for
the system board: one for the floppy drive and four connectors
for devices like hard drives and CD-ROMs (although these
numbers vary depending on the manufacturer).
107
 The Motherboard / System board Expansion
slots

Power supply

108
 The Desktop

 The desktop is the area on your screen which contains

pictures of programs that may be used on that computer.
These small pictures are called icons.
 When you move the arrow on the screen over the icon
(using the input device next to the keyboard called a
mouse), clicking on that icon (usually twice with the left
mouse button) brings up that program.

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 Additional Hints

 When you delete files or folders, the data is not totally

removed from the hard disk. Instead, the space on the
disk that was occupied by the deleted data is
"deallocated." After it is deallocated, the space is
available for use when new data is written to the disk.
Until the space is overwritten, it is possible to recover the
deleted data by using a low-level disk editor or data-
recovery software.

110