Computer Basics

Mr. Jay Fuletra

Asst. Prof.
CE/IT Department
SOE, R K University
What is Computer?
• An electronic device that receives,
processes, and store data, and produces a
result (output).
Computer Operations

Input Processing Output

External Storage
What Happens During The IPOS Cycle?
• INPUT –
when information is entered into the computer; the computer receives
information
• PROCESSING –
when the computer processes the information that has been entered
• OUTPUT –
when information leaves the computer
• STORAGE –
when information is stored to be used later
Types of Computers
• Supercomputer: most powerful
▫ Used to do things like predict hurricanes and navigate
satellites
• Mainframes and minicomputers: used by
business and government to process large
amounts of information
• Personal computers: smaller and less powerful
than the other types of computers
Parts of a Computer
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• Microphone
• Scanner
• Webcam
Parts of a Computer
• Monitor

• Printer

• Speaker/Headphone
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Central Processing Unit (CPU) – known as the
heart or “brain” of the computer and is
responsible for processing the information that
has been entered into the computer.

• Also referred to as the processor.

• Two major brands are Intel and AMD.
CPU - Clock Speed
• Number of “cycles” per second computer can
operate
• Measured in megahertz (MHz)
• One MHz = 1 million cycles per second
• One gigahertz(GHz)=1 billion cycles
• Current speeds 2-4 GHz
Word Size
• Number of bits that can be processed by a processor in a
single instruction is called its word size. Word size
determines the amount of RAM that can be accessed at
one go.
• Currently most microprocessors use 32-bit or 64-bit
architecture.
Instruction Set
• A command given to a digital machine to perform an
operation on a piece of data is called an instruction.
• Basic set of machine level instructions that a
microprocessor is designed to execute is called
its instruction set.
Internal Memory - RAM
• RAM - Random Access Memory
• Very important in determining capabilities of
the computer system
Internal Memory - ROM
• ROM - Read Only Memory
▫ Can read info Stored in ROM
▫ Can not write new info into ROM

• Used for “internal workings” of computer

Hard Drives
• Hard Disk Drive: used to store data inside of the computer.
▫ that holds a large amount of information in a form the
computer can understand.
▫ When you run a program or open a file, the computer
copies some of the data from the hard drive onto
the RAM. When you save a file, the data is copied
back to the hard drive. The faster the hard drive, the
faster your computer can start up and load
programs.
HDD AND SSD
Memory Measurements
• 1 byte (B) = 8 bits
• 1 Kilobytes (KB) = 1024 bytes
• 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1024 KB
• 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1024 MB
• 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1024 GB
• 1 Exabyte (EB) = 1024 PB
• 1 Zettabyte = 1024 EB
• 1 Yottabyte (YB) = 1024 ZB
Motherboard
• The motherboard is the computer's main circuit
board.
• It's a thin plate that holds the CPU, memory, connectors
for the hard drive and optical drives, expansion cards to
control the video and audio, and connections to your
computer's ports (such as USB ports).
• The motherboard connects directly or indirectly to every
part of the computer.
Motherboard
Expansion cards
• Most computers have expansion slots on the motherboard that
allow you to add various types of expansion cards. These are
sometimes called PCI (peripheral component interconnect)
cards. You may never need to add any PCI cards because most
motherboards have built-in video, sound, network, and other
capabilities.
• However, if you want to boost the performance of your computer or
update the capabilities of an older computer, you can always add
one or more cards.
Video card
• The video card is responsible for what you see on the
monitor. Most computers have a GPU (graphics
processing unit) built into the motherboard instead of
having a separate video card.
• If you like playing graphics-intensive games, you can add
a faster video card to one of the expansion slots to get
better performance.
Video card
Network card
• The network card allows your computer to
communicate over a network and access the Internet.
• It can either connect with an Ethernet cable or through
a wireless connection (often called Wi-Fi).
• Many motherboards have built-in network connections,
and a network card can also be added to an expansion
slot.
Network card
Software
OPERATING SYSTEM
• An operating system is the most important
software that runs on a computer.
• It manages the computer's memory and processes, as well
as all of its software and hardware.
• It also allows you to communicate with the computer
without knowing how to speak the computer's language.
• Without an operating system, a computer is useless.
• Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface,
or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI lets you use your mouse to
click icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly
displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text.
Operating System Software Tasks
• Boots (starts up) the computer
• Formats disks
• Creates folders
• Saves and retrieves files
• Moves and copies files
Booting
• Booting takes place in three steps −
1. Switching on power supply
2. Loading operating system into computer’s main memory
3. Keeping all applications in a state of readiness in case needed by
the user
• The first program or set of instructions that run when the
computer is switched on is called BIOS or Basic Input Output
System. BIOS is a firmware, i.e. a piece of software
permanently programmed into the hardware.
Software Viruses
• Illegal code added to a program
• May spread to many computers
▫ Copy files from one computer to another
▫ Download files by internet
▫ E-mail attachments
• Virus may be relatively harmless
▫ Writes “You’ve been stoned” on screen
• Virus may also be very damaging
▫ Erases everything on hard drive
Data Representation
• ASCII (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange): the most popular and widely used
standardized coding system
• Byte: eight bits or combinations of ones and
zeros represent a character.
Networks
• Is a group of computers and associated devices that are
linked together to facilitate sharing information.
• Can also be used to share data and devices such as
printers.
• A typical network has the following three components:
 Server
 Workstation
 Communication channel
LAN
• Connects devices within a limited area (home or a small
group of offices)
• Commonly includes computers and shared resources
(printers and scanners)
WAN
• Is a network that connects devices in geographically
separated areas.
• Is used to connect networks across different countries.
• The Internet is an example of a WAN.