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Computer Hardware Basics

Computer Hardware Basics. CIS 110. Is This Greek to You?. From a Dell advertisement:. CPU. Central Processing Unit, now all in one microprocessor. Three Types of Tasks: Move data between various parts of system. Perform arithmetic operations. Perform logical comparisons for decisions.

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Computer Hardware Basics

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  1. Computer Hardware Basics CIS 110

  2. Is This Greek to You? From a Dell advertisement:

  3. CPU • Central Processing Unit, now all in one microprocessor. • Three Types of Tasks: • Move data between various parts of system. • Perform arithmetic operations. • Perform logical comparisons for decisions. • #1,2 done by Control Unit(CU), #3 by Arithmetic-Logic Unit (ALU). • Other units for subtasks.

  4. Compatibility • Instruction Set – the set of available operations and the way they are encoded in binary. • Software must be written with those same kind of machine-level instructions to run. • Intel and AMD are both x86 compatible. • Macintosh PowerPC chip is not. • Backwards compatible: as new features added, are old instructions still supported? • Wintel • Hardware compatibility?

  5. CPU Performance • Clock speed is most obvious indicator, 3GHz is faster all else being equal. • Clock sets the pace and synchronizes components. Think metronome, drummer in marching band. • Other differences in architecture affect amount of work done per ‘tick” of clock.Intel <> AMD! • Benchmarks – real world performance. • Cache memory, Parallel Processors

  6. Prefixes

  7. Main Memory • Some form of RAM – Random Access Memory, freely read/write • Storage capacity in Bytes – most 256 or 512 megabytes (MB) (Mb is megabits) • Also speed issues • DRAM • SDRAM • DDR double data rate • Speed comes at price of volatility.

  8. Specialized Memory • Other type is ROM – Read Only Memory • Contents cannot be changed. Data “locked” in at manufacture. • Is non-volatile – data not lost when power is lost. • Used in PCs mainly for BIOS, Basic Input Output System, startup instructions for PC. • Does NOT neatly fit our primary/secondary model. • Flash – specialized type that can be erased in special mode.

  9. Disk Drives • Hard disk contains dormant programs, data. • Processor cannot use contents directly, must copy into memory first. • Much, MUCH slower compared to processor and main memory. • Larger/faster disk normally does not make machine much faster as a whole. • Installing s/w just copies from CD to HD.

  10. How It Works: Running a Program • Instructions of the program are loaded into memory from the disk. • Processor fetches first instruction. • Decoded and Executed: • Data moved by Control Unit • Small ultra-fast storage onboard CPU: registers • Arithmetic & Logic operations on ALU • Writeback results to memory, other device. • Fetch next instruction until terminate.

  11. How It Works: “Booting” the PC • System power-on. • BIOS instructions executed • Check h/w configuration has not changed. • Self-test of h/w POST beeps • Access boot sector of hard drive. • Load Operating System kernel into memory. • Pass execution (and control) to O/S.

  12. BIOS ScreenAccess by <Del> during boot…

  13. Motherboard • Mobo connects CPU & RAM with all other system components. • CPU and RAM installed in sockets or slots. • External devices plugged into ports at rear. • Adapter boards installed into internal slots on a bus.

  14. Real Motherboard

  15. A micro-ATX ASUS motherboard for AMD Athlon CPU

  16. More on Motherboards • Motherboard choice depends on CPU choice – and vice-versa. • Cheaper? Less chance for future upgrades. • Cheaper mobo more likely to have integrated video, audio – but very basic. • Motherboard form factor – size & shape, mounting. • Case & power supply • Drive bays, etc.

  17. Inside a PC Case

  18. System Performance • Role of CPU cache... Reduce # fetches from RAM • More cache = more performance at same clockspeed -- Celeron versus Pentium • Disk space can be used as virtual memory if RAM is low – but big performance hit. • Adding more memory means fewer trips to SLOW hard disk. • Win XP: 128MB (yuck), 256(ok…), 512(cool!), 1024, 1 GB – little gain for most

  19. Which is faster? Why?

  20. Consumer Issues • How fast is fast enough – for you? • What to upgrade? • Usually more memory first. • Faster 3D video card for gamers? • Faster CPU, RAM depend on motherboard. • Upgrade or buy a whole new system? • Desktop versus Laptops • What is sacrificed to gain portability?

  21. Buzzwords • Over-clocking • “Modding”

  22. A Reminder… We have focused on PCs,but…these fundamental issues apply to all computers.

  23. Putting It Together • As a computer-shopping consumer you should now be able to better understand and compare the specs for different PCs • Go to Dell.com and examine low-end and high-end PCs.

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