Look Inside the PC

Lecture 2
Looking Inside Computer
System
Most people believe that computers must
be extremely complicated devices, because
they perform such amazing tasks
Computer is a collection of parts, which
are categorized according to the kinds of
work they do
Glimpse inside a standard desktop
computer
How these components work together and
allow you to interact with the system
Parts of the Computer
System
Computer systems have four parts
◦ Hardware
◦ Software
◦ Data
◦ User
Hardware
Mechanical devices in the computer
Anything that can be touched physically
◦ e.g. printer, keyboard, PDA etc.
consists of interconnected electronic devices
that you can use to control the computer’s
operation, input, and output.
generic term device refers to any piece of
hardware
Software
Set of instructions that makes the computer
perform tasks
Tell the computer what to do
Also called a program
Thousands of programs exist
◦ Some for computer’s own use
◦ Some for the service of the user
Reason majority of the people would want to
purchase a computer
◦ E-mail, type letters, play games etc.
Data
Pieces of
information /
individual facts
By themselves do
not make much
sense
Computers organize
and present data
Users
People operating the computer

Most important part

Tell the computer what to do

◦ people still design, build, program, and repair
computer systems.
Task
Identify different application users and also
define their use cases.
Information Processing
Cycle
Converts data into information
Data
◦ The raw facts and figures that are processed into
information
Information
◦ Data that has been summarized or otherwise
manipulated for use in decision making

Processing /
Input Output
Computation
Steps to Process Data
Input
Processing
Output
Storage
Steps to Process Data
Input
◦ Computer accepts data from some source
Processing
◦ Computers processing components perform actions
on the data based on instructions from user or
program
Output
◦ Computer conveys result to user.
◦ Text, numbers, graphic, image, video, sound
◦ Optional
Storage
◦ Permanently store result on some medium Optional
Essential Computer
Hardware
Computers use the same basic hardware
Hardware categorized into four types
◦ Processor
◦ Memory
◦ Input and Output
◦ Storage
Processing Devices
Processing
◦ The procedure that transforms raw data into useful
information
To perform this transformation, the computer
uses two components:
◦ The Processor and
◦ Memory
Processor
Brain of the Computer
Processor chip
◦ A tiny piece of silicon that contains millions
of miniature electronic circuits.

Processor chip
How does everything
connect?
Motherboard
Main printed circuit
board in the computer
Everything connects to
the motherboard
Expansion slots -
“plugs” on the
motherboard for
expanding the PC’s
capabilities via
additional circuit
boards
Processor
Carries out instructions from the program
Manipulate the data
Most computers have several processors
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Secondary processors
Processors made of silicon and copper
Memory
memory is one or more sets of chips that
store data and/or program instructions,
either temporarily or permanently.
Memory is a critical processing component in
any computer
Two most important types
◦ Random access memory (RAM) and
◦ Read-Only memory (ROM).
work in very different ways and perform
distinct functions
Random Access Memory
Also known as RAM or memory
Represent primary storage or temporary storage.
Hold data before processing and information
after processing.
Volatile
More RAM results in a faster system
In MBs or GBs

RAM
Read Only Memory
Also called ROM
Nonvolatile
◦ Permanent storage of programs
Holds the computer boot directions
Typically in KBs

ROM
Input
Input hardware - devices that allow people
to put data into the computer in a form
that the computer can use
Allows the user to interact
Input devices accept data
Keyboard
Mouse
Other Input Devices
Mouse
Track ball or touch pad
Joystick
Scanners (2D, 3D)
Barcodes, QR codes
Digital Camera
Microphone
Touch Screen
Interactive White board
Digitizer
Output
Output devices return processed data to the
user or to another computer system.
Most common
◦ Display (Monitor, LCDs, LEDs)
◦ Printer (Inkjet, Laser, 3D printer)
◦ Plotters
◦ CAD and CAM
◦ Speakers and headphones
Other Devices
Sound Card
Coverts audio signal from
digital to analog and vice
versa
Both Input and Output
device
Video card
converts the processor’s
output information into a
video signal that can be
sent through a cable to
the monitor
Communication Devices
Modem
◦ a device that sends and
receives data over
telephone lines to and
from computers.

Network Interface
Cards (NIC)
◦ Controls the flow of data
on a network link
Storage Devices
Hold data and programs permanently
Electronic file cabinet
Difference between storage and memory
◦ More capacity in storage
◦ Contents are retained in storage even the power is
off
◦ Storage is much cheaper
◦ Access speed is slow

Types of Storage Devices

Magnetic storage
Optical storage
Solid State Storage
Old Magnetic Storage
Magnetic Tape
Floppy disk
◦ stores data on
removable
3.5-inch-diameter Magnetic Tape Storage Device
diskettes.
◦ Typical Capacity 1.4MB Floppy
Zip disk
Zip Disk disk

◦ stores data on
floppy-disk cartridges
with 70-170 times the
capacity of the
standard floppy
Hard disk drive
Storage device that stores billions of
characters of data on a non-removable
disk platter.
Capacity 500GB-2TB or even more in
PBs
 Optical Storage
CD (Compact Disk) drive
◦ a storage device that uses laser technology to
read data from optical disks.
◦ 700MB for CD
DVD
◦ 4.7 to 17 GB

Blue ray
◦ 100 GB
 Solid State Storage
Use electronic component to store data
Now available in GBs and TBs.
Storage Capacity
◦ 1 byte - 1 character of data.
◦ 1 kilobyte – 210 bytes/char; 1,024 characters.
◦ 1 megabyte - 220 bytes/char 1,048,576
characters.
◦ 1 gigabyte - more than 1 billion characters.
◦ 1 terabyte - more than 1 trillion characters.
◦ Petabyte etc.
Put all the hardware
together and…
Software Runs The Machine
Tells the computer what to do
Reason people purchase computers
Two types
◦ System software
◦ Application software
System Software
Most important software
controls the computer’s hardware
Operating system
◦ tells the computer how to use its own components.
● Windows XP
● Windows 10
● Linux
Network operating system (OS)
◦ allows computers to communicate and share data
across a network
● Windows Server 2003
Utility
◦ makes the computer system easier to use or performs
highly specialized functions.
● Norton Utilities
Application Software
Accomplishes a specific task
Most common type of software
◦ Word processors
◦ Spreadsheet
◦ Database Management
◦ Presentation
◦ Graphics
◦ Multimedia authoring
◦ Entertainment and Education
◦ Games
◦ Web Design tools and web browsers
Computer data
Fact with no meaning on its own
Stored using the binary number system
Data can be organized into files
◦ A file is simply a set of data that has been given a
name.
◦ A file that the user can open and use is often called
a document.
Computer Users
User’s Role depends on ability
Setup the system
Install software
Running the Programs
Manage files
Maintain the system
Tasks
How does software help a user interact with
computer hardware?
Write a short paragraph about how people
interact with a computer system. Who are the
different types of users, and what role do
they play in using the computer?
What is system software, and what does it do?
What is application software, and can you
name two examples?
Summary
Parts of the Computer System
◦ Hardware, Software, Data, People
Information Processing Cycle
◦ Input, Processing, Output, Storage
Computer Hardware
◦ Processor, Memory, Motherboard
◦ Input Devices Output devices
◦ Storage Devices
Computer Software
Computer Users