COMPUTER

COMPONENTS
AND DEVICES
WHAT IS A COMPUTER
SYSTEM?
 COMPUTER SYSTEM
• is a special subsystem of an
organization's overall information
system.
• It is an integrated assembly of devices,
centered on at least one processing
mechanism utilizing digital electronics,
which are used to input, process, store,
and output data and information.
 COMPUTER
• is an electronic machine, operating
under the control of instructions stored
in its own memory, that can be
programmed to accept data (input),
process it into useful information
(output), and store it away in a
secondary storage device (store) for
safekeeping or later reuse.
• The processing of input
into output is directed
by the software but
performed by the
hardware
computer hardware components
 Computer system hardware
components include devices that
perform the functions of input,
processing, data storage; output
and communication.
 Input devices
• Input devices allow you to enter data or
commands in a form that the computer
can use; they send the data or
commands to the processing unit.
Commonly-used input devices include
keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner,
digital camera, and PC camera.
 Output devices
• Output devices show people the
processed data--information --in
understandable and useful form.
Four commonly used output
devices are a printer, a monitor,
speakers, and a portable media
player.
 Processing devices
• Processing devices are the
computer electronic circuitry
housed in the system unit. The
circuitry in the system unit is part
of a circuit board called the
motherboard.
 Two major components on the
motherboard
• The processor/central processing unit (CPU)
has electronic circuitry that
manipulates input data into the
information people want. Computer
instructions are actually are executed
in the central processing unit.
• Memory  is a series of
electronic elements that
temporarily holds data and
program instructions while
they are being processed by
the CPU. Both the processor
and memory consist of chips.
• A chip is an electronic
device that contains
many microscopic
pathways designed to
carry electrical
current.
 Storage devices

• means secondary storage that

can store data and programs
outside the computer
• Storage devices hold data,
information, and programs
permanently.
• These devices supplement
memory (also called primary
storage) that can hold data
and programs only
temporarily. Common storage
devices include a hard disk,
USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs,
and memory cards.
• A drive is a device that reads from
and writes onto a storage medium.
• A storage medium is the physical
material on which data, information,
and program are stored.
• Some portable devices, such as
digital cameras, use memory cards as
the storage media.
 Communications devices
• Communications devices provide connections
between the computer and communications
networks, and enable computer users to
communicate and to exchange data, information,
and programs with other computers.
• transmit these items over transmission media such
as cables, telephone lines, satellites, and cellular
radio
• A widely used communications device is a modem.
• A widely used communications device is a modem.
 The System Unit

• The system unit is a box-like

case that houses the
processor, memory and other
electronic components of the
computer that are used to
process data.
some of the components inside the system
unit
• The memory device is a
package that holds temporarily
data and program instructions
during processing.
• An expansion card is a circuit
board that adds devices or
capabilities to the computer.
• A computer chip is a small piece of semi
conducting material, usually silicon, on
which one or more integrated circuits are
etched.
• The various chips have standard-sized pin
connectors that allow them to be attached
to the motherboard and, there, to a
common electrical path, called bus, that
enables data flow between the various
system components.
•
• An integrated circuit (IC) contains many
microscopic pathways capable of carrying
electrical current.
• integrated circuit can contain millions of
elements such as resistors, capacitors, and
transistors. Transistors act as electronic
switches that may or may not allow current to
pass through
• The motherboard in the system unit
contains many different types of chips. A
miniaturized central processing unit can
be etched on a chip, then the term
computer on a chip.
• A central processing unit on a chip is
called a microprocessor. On a personal
computer, the central processing unit
(CPU) usually is contained on a single
chip.
• A variety of chip packages exist. One type,
called a dual inline package (DIP), consists of
two parallel rows of pints that attach the
chip package to the circuit board.
• A pin grid array (PGA) package holds a
larger number of pins because the pins are
mounted on the surface of the package.
• A flip chip-PGA (FC-PGA) package is a
higher-performance PGA packaging that
places the chip on the opposite side of the
pins.
• A single edge contact (SEC)
• cartridge connects to the Some common
chip packages motherboard on one of its
edges.

• The central processing unit (CPU), also called

processor, interprets and carries out the basic
instructions that operate a computer.
• The CPU significantly impacts overall
computing power and manages most of a
computer's operations.
• A multi-core processor is a single-chip with
two or more separate processors. Two
common multi-core processors used today are
dual-core and quad-core. A dual-core
processor is a chip that contains tow separate
processors.
• a quad-core processor is a chip with four-
separate processors.
 Memory
• The CPU cannot process data on an input
device or disk directly; the data must first be
available in memory.
• A computer's memory in the system unit,
located physically close to the CPU (to
decrease access time), provides the CPU with
a working storage area for program
instructions, data and information.
• Memory is also known as
primary storage or internal
storage. Memory usually
consists of one or more chips
on the motherboard or some
other circuit board in the
computer.
•
 Memory stores three basic categories of
items
• (1) the operating system and other system
software that control or maintain the
computer and its devices;
• (2) application programs that carry our a
specific task such as word processing; and
• (3) the data being processed by the
application programs and resulting
information.
 Memory and storage sizes
• When application program
instructions and data are transferred
into memory from storage devices,
each of bytes is placed in a precise
location in memory, called an
address.
• This address is simply a unique
number identifying the location of
the byte in memory.
 The size of memory is measured by the
number of bytes available for use .
• A kilobyte of memory is equal to
exactly 1,024 bytes.
• A megabyte (MB) is equal to
approximately 1 million bytes. A
gigabyte (GB) equals approximately 1
billion bytes. A terabyte (TB) is equal
to approximately 1 trillion bytes.
 The system unit contains two types of
memory:
• volatile memory are lost when the computer
power is turned off.
• nonvolatile memory, the combination of
circuit states is fixed, and therefore the
contents of nonvolatile memory are not lost
when power is removed from the computer.
• RAM is the most common type of volatile
memory.
• Random Access Memory (RAM) is the memory chips
that are mounted directly on the motherboard or
mounted on peripheral cards that plug into the
motherboard. The RAM chips consist of millions of
switches that are sensitive to changes in electric
current. When the computer is powered on, certain
operating system files are loaded from a storage
device such as a hard disk into RAM. These files
remain in RAM as long as the computer is running. As
additional programs and data are requested, they are
read from storage into RAM. The processor acts upon
the data while it is in RAM. During the running time,
the contents of RAM may change as the program is
executed.
 Three basic types of RAM
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM) must be refreshed (or
recharged) constantly by the CPU or it loses its
contents. Many variations of DRAM chips
exist, most of which are faster than the basic
DRAM.
• Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), which is much
faster than DRAM because it is synchronized
to the system clock.
• Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM
chips are eve faster than SDRAM
chips because they transfer data
twice for each clock cycle, instead of
just once, and DDR2 and DDR3 are
even faster than DDR. Dual channel
SDRAM is faster than single channel
SDRAM because it delivers twice the
amount of data to the processor.
• Rambus DRAM (RDRAM) is
yet another type of DRAM that
is much faster than SDRAM
because it uses pipelining
techniques. Most personal
computers today use some
form of SDRAM chips or
RDRAM chips.
• Static RAM (SRAM) is faster and
more reliable than any form of
DRAM. The term static refers to
the fact that it does not have to be
re-energized as often as DRAM.
SRAM is much more expensive
than DRAM, thus it is usually used
for special purpose, such as used
in cache.
• A newer type of RAM, called magnetoresistive
RAM (MRAM), stores data using magnetic
charges instead of electrical charges.
Manufacturers claim that MRAM has greater
storage capacity, consumes less power, and
has faster access times than electronic RAM.
MRAM retains its contents after power is
removed from the computer, which could
prevent loss of data for users. As the cost of
MRAM declines, experts predict MRAM could
replace both DRAM and SRAM.
• RAM chips usually are packaged on a small
circuit board, called memory module, which is
inserted into the motherboard .
• Three types of memory modules are
SIMMs, DIMMs, and RIMMs. A single
inline memory module (SIMM) has
pins on opposite sides of the circuit
board that connect together to form
a single set of contacts.
• dual inline memory module (DIMM), the pins
on opposite sides of the circuit board do not
connect and thus form two sets of contacts.
SIMMs and DIMMs typically hold SDRAM
chips.
 ROM

• Read-only memory (ROM) refers to memory

chips storing permanent data and instructions.
• the name read-only. ROM is usually
nonvolatile.
• The data, instructions, or information stored
on ROM chips often are recorded when the
chip is manufactured.
• ROM chips that contain
permanently written data,
instructions, or information
are called firmware.
Firmware can be read and
used, but cannot be
changed by user
• Programmable read-only memory (PROM) is a
blank ROM chip on which you can permanently
place data and programs.
• Once the data and instructions are
programmed into PROM chip, the chip
functions like a regular ROM and cannot be
erased or changed.
• A variation of the PROM chip, called electrically
erasable programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM) chip, allows a programmer to erase
the microcode with an electric signal.
Flash Memory
• Another type of nonvolatile memory is called
flash memory.
• Flash memory is a chip that keeps its memory
when the power is shut off.
• Flash memory chips also store data and
programs on many mobile computers and
devices, such as smart telephones, digital
cameras, pagers, PDAs, automotive devices,
portable media players, digital voice
recorders, and printers.
 CMOS
(complementary metal-oxide semiconductor )
• it provides high speeds and consumes little
power.
• CMOS technology uses battery power to retain
information even when the power to the
computer is off.
• Battery-backed CMOS memory chips, for
example, can keep the calendar, date, and
time current even when the computer is off.
• . The flash memory chips that store a
computer's startup information often use
CMOS technology.
 Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards

• An expansion slot is a socket on the

motherboard that can hold an adapter card.
• An adapter card, also called expansion card, is
a circuit board that enhances functions of a
component of the system unit and/or
provides connections to
peripherals.
• A peripheral is a device that connects to the
system unit and is controlled by the processor
in the computer.
• An adapter card being inserted in an
expansion slot of peripherals are
modems, disk drives, printers, scanners, and
keyboards.
• A sound card is used to enhance
the sound-generating capabilities
of a personal computer.
• A video card, also called video
adapter or graphics card, converts
computer output into a video signal
that is sent through a cable to the
monitor, which displays an image on
the screen.
• Many computers support Plug and
Play, which refers to the computer's
capability to automatically configure
adapter cards and other peripherals
as you install them. Having Plug and
Play support means that a user can
plug in a new component turn on the
computer, and then use or play the
component without having to
configure the system manually.
Four widely used types of removable flash
memory devices:

• flash memory cards,

• USB flash drives,
• PC cards, and
• ExpressCard
• hot plugging, allows you
to insert and remove the
removable flash
memory and other
devices while the
computer is running.
• A flash memory card is a removable flash
memory device, which you inset and remove
from a slot in a computer, mobile device, or
card reader/writer.
• A USB flash drive is a flash memory storage
device that plugs in a USB port on a computer
or portable device. A special type of USB flash
drive, called a U3 smart drive, includes
preinstalled software accessed through a
Window-type interface.
• A PC Card is a thin, credit card-sized
removable flash memory device that
primarily is used today to enable
notebook computers to access the
Internet wirelessly. Express Card modules
are the next generation of PC Cards. An
Express Card module, which can be used
as a removable flash memory device,
adds memory, communications,
multimedia, and security capabilities to
computers.
 Other Components

• Buses
bus, allows the various devices inside and
attached to the system unit to communicate
with each other.
A PC Card slides in a PC Card slot
• Buses are used to transfer bits from input
devices to memory, from memory to
the CPU, from the CPU to memory, and from
memory to output or storage devices.
• All buses consist of two parts: a data bus and
an address bus.
• The data bus transfers actual data and

• the address bus transfers information about

bus.
Just as vehicles travel on a highway, bits travel on a memory.
• A bus is measured by its size. The size of a bus,
called the bus width, determines the number
of bits that can be transmitted at one time.
• The larger the number of bits handled by the
bus, the faster the computer transfers data.
• Every bus also has a clock speed. Just like the
processor, the clock speed for a bus is
measured in megahertz. The higher the bus
clock speed, the faster the transmission of
data, which results in applications running
faster.
 Two basic types of buses
• A system bus is part of the motherboard and
connects the CPU to main memory.
• An expansion bus allows the CPU to
communicate with peripheral devices.
Expansion buses commonly found in today's personal computers:

• An old and slowest expansion bus is the ISA

(Industry Standard Architecture) bus. A
mouse, modem card, sound card, and low-
speed network card are examples of devices
that connect to the ISA bus directly or through
an ISA bus expansion slot.
• The PCI (Peripheral Component
Interconnect) bus is a high-speed
expansion bus that connects higher
speed devices. Types of cards inserted
into a PCI bus expansion slot include
video cards, sound cards, SCSI cards,
and high-speed network cards. The PCI
bus transfers data about four times
faster than the ISA bus. Most current
personal computers have a PCI bus.
• The PCI Express (PCIe) bus is an
expansion bus that expands on and
doubles the speed of the original PCI
bus. Nearly all video cards today use
the PCI Express bus, as well as many
hard disks and network cards.
Experts predict the PCI Express bus
eventually will replace the PCI bus
completely.
• The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
is actually a bus designed by Intel to
improve the speed with which 3-D
graphics and video are transmitted.
When an AGP video card is inserted
in an AGP bus slot, the AGP bus
provides a faster, dedicated interface
between the video card and
memory. Newer processors support
AGP technology.
• The Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire
bus are buses that eliminate the need to
install expansion cards into expansion slots. In
a computer equipped with a USB, USB devices
are connected to each other outside the
system unit and then a single cable attaches to
the USB port. The USB port then connects to
USB, which connects to the PCI bus on the
motherboard. The USB hot plug feature allows
peripheral devices to be connected to or
removed from the USB port while the PC is
running.
 Ports and Connectors

• A port is the point at which a peripheral attaches

to or communicates with a system unit so that
the peripheral can send data to or receive
information from the computer.
• keyboard, monitor, printer, mouse, digital
camera, and microphone, often attaches by a
cable to a port on the system unit. Most of the
time, ports are located on the back of the system
unit, but they also can be placed on the front .
• A connector joins a cable to a port. A
connector at one end of a cable attaches to a
port on the system unit, and a connector at
the other end of the cable attaches to a port
on the peripheral.
• Most connectors are available in one of two
genders: male and female. Male connectors
have one or more exposed pins.
 The motherboard is designed with several port
options, including at least one serial port and parallel
port each, several USB ports, and a FireWire port.

• A serial port is a type of interface that

connects a device to the system unit by
transmitting data one bit at a time. It usually
used to connect devices that do not required
fast data transmission rates, such as a mouse
or keyboard.
• The COM port (short for communications port)
on the system unit is one type of serial port.
• Parallel ports allow the parallel transmission
of data; that is, several bits are transmitted
simultaneously. Figure also shows how 8-bit
bytes travel in parallel over 8 separate lines.
• These ports provide the interface for such
devices as high-speed printers, external
magnetic tape or disk backup units, and other
computers.
Two newer types of parallel ports,
the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port)
and the ECP (Extended Capabilities
Port), use the same connectors as
the Centronics port, but are more
than 10 times
• USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are used in
high-speed device interfaces. Up to 127
peripheral devices can be daisy-chained to a
single USB port. USB ports are ideal for digital
cameras, scanners, games controllers, MP3
music player, CD & DVD, removable hard disk,
PDA, smart phone, and high-speed modems.
• system units have six to eight USB ports.
• FireWire ports, also called IEEE 1394 port, are
similar to the USB port and can connect
multiple types of devices that require
faster data transmission speeds such as
• digital cameras,
• video USB and FireWire ports are replacing
traditional ports digital
• VCRs color printer, scanners, digital cameras,
and DVD drives to a single connector.
 There are five special-purpose ports
available:
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
ports connect the system unit to a musical
instrument, such as an electronic keyboard.
• The electronic music industry has adopted
MIDI as a standard to define how devices,
such as sound cards and synthesizers,
represent sounds electronically.
• A synthesizer, which can be a peripheral or a
chip, creates sound from digital instructions.
• An eSATA (external Serial Advanced
Technology Attachment) port, allows
you to connect an external SATA hard
disk to a computer. SATA hard disks
are popular because of their fast data
transmission speeds. eSATA
connections provide up to six times
faster data transmission speeds than
external hard disks attached to a
computer's USB or FireWire port.
• SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) ports
are special high-speed parallel port and
provide a parallel interface that enables faster
data transmission than serial and parallel
ports.
 Power Supply, Cooling Technology

• The power supply is the component of the

system unit that converts the wall outlet AC
power into DC power. Different motherboards
and computers require different wattages on
the power supply. If a power supply is not
providing the necessary power, the computer
will not function properly.
• Many newer computers have additional fans
near certain components in the system unit
such as the processor, hard disk, and ports.
• Processor chips generate quite a bit of heat,
which could cause the chip to burn up.
• A heat sink is a small ceramic or metal
component with fins on its surface that absorbs
and disperses heat produced by electrical
components such as a processor. Because a
heat sink consumes extra space, smaller device
called a heat pipe cools processors in notebook
computers.