COMPUTING

FUNDAMENTALS
[CSC110]

Lecture No. 03
Operation and Components of
Computer Systems

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

BAHRIA SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING
Data and Information

Digital and Analog Computers

Computer Technology
Computers – Kinds of computers

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

▪ Data is unorganized and unrefined facts
▪ Data is an individual unit that contains
raw materials which do not carry any
specific meaning.
▪ Data doesn’t depend on information.
▪ It is measured in bits and bytes.
▪ Raw data alone is insufficient for decision
making
▪ An example of data is a student’s test
DATA
score

▪ Information comprises processed, organized

data presented in a meaningful context
▪ Information is a group of data that collectively
carries a logical meaning.
▪ Information depends on data.
▪ Information is measured in meaningful units
INFORMATION like time, quantity, etc.
▪ Information is sufficient for decision making
▪ The average score of a class is the information
derived from the given data.
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
 DIGITAL COMPUTERS ▪ Discrete values and process discrete data.
▪ Speed of digital computers is more than the
analog computers.
▪ Very big memory it can store large amount of
data.
▪ Performance is comparatively high.
▪ Continuous values and process continuous
▪ Speed of processing is very high.
data.
▪ Easy to use
▪ Speed of analog computers is less than the
▪ Power consumption is low.
digital computers.
▪ Used for general purpose devices.
▪ Very low or limited memory and it can store
▪ Example includes Digital laptop, digital
less amount of data
camera, digital watches etc.
▪ Performance is comparatively low.
▪ Speed of processing is not so high.
▪ Difficult to use
▪ Power consumption is high.
▪ Used for special purpose devices.
▪ Examples includes analog clock and
thermometer etc. ANALOG COMPUTERS

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 KINDS OF
COMPUTERS

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

MAINFRAME & SUPER
COMPUTERS

▪ Mainframe Computer
It is high capacity and costly computer. It is
largely used by big organizations where many
people can use it simultaneously.

▪ Supercomputer
This category of computer is the fastest and
very expensive. A typical supercomputer can
solve up to ten trillion individual calculations per
second.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 WORKSTATION &
PERSONAL COMPUTERS

▪ Workstation Computer
The computer of this category is a high-end and
expensive one. It is exclusively made for
complex work purpose.

▪ Personal Computer (PC)

It is a low-capacity computer developed for
single users.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

APPLE/LAPTOP/TABLET/
SMARTPHONE

▪ Apple Macintosh (Mac)

It is a sort of personal computer manufactured by Apple
company.
▪ Laptop Computer (notebook)
It is a handy computer that can be easily carried
anywhere.
▪ Tablet and Smartphone
Modern technology has advanced further. It has helped
develop computers that are pocket-friendly. Tablets and
smartphones are the best examples of such computer.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGIES

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 Basic Operations of a Computer System
INPUT PROCESSING STORAGE OUTPUT

These four operations are part of an information processing cycle.

E.g., a computer can perform a mathematical operation on two numbers, or a logical

operation such as comparing two numbers.

In addition, Communication may be considered a 5th operation

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
 COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER SYSTEM

HARDWARE SOFTWARE DATA USER

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER SYSTEM
Hardware
▪ Mechanical devices in
the computer
▪ Anything that can be
touched
Data
▪ Pieces of information
▪ Computer organize
and present data

Software
▪ Tell the computer what to do
▪ Also called a program Users
▪ Thousands of programs exist
▪ People operating the
▪ Majority of people who computer
purchase computers do so ▪ Most important part
because of software. They want ▪ Tell the computer what to
to email, or type letters. Nearly do
every reason given to purchase
a computer is based on
software needs.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
INPUT DEVICES
Any hardware component which allows user to enter
data and instructions into a computer. Used to enter information into the computer and for giving
commands.A standard computer keyboard is called a QWERTY
keyboard
Some other input devices include:

▪ Trackball/ touchpad
▪ Joystick
▪
OPTICAL MOUSE: It is an BALL MOUSE: An input device
Scanner advanced computer pointing
device.It uses Light-Emitting
operated by rolling its ball across a
flat surface. The mouse is used to
▪ Digital camera Diode(LED) in place of the
traditional mouse
control the on- screen pointer by
pointing and clicking, double-

▪ Touch screen (Iphone, Tablet PC) ball.Movement is detected by

sensing changes in reflected
clicking, or dragging objects on the
screen.
light.
▪ Communication devices (as both input
and output

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Central Processing Unit

▪ Arithmetic Logic Unit

▪ Control Unit
▪ Main Memory Unit

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

MEMORY DEVICES
▪ Stores data or programs Primary Memory are of
Random Access Memory (RAM) two types
Volatile 1. RAM
Stores current data and programs 2. ROM
More RAM results in a faster system
Read Only Memory (ROM)
Permanent storage of programs
Holds the computer boot directions RAM:
Volatile Memory
▪ These are also small chips. These are called the primary storage or temporary
storage.
▪ Important: They hold data before processing, and information after processing—
before it is sent to an output or storage device.
▪ These days, modern OS require at least 128 MB of RAM (memory to hold 128
million characters of data).
▪ Like many other computer components, RAM is made up of chips mounted on a
ROM:
small circuit board.
▪ RAM has a tremendous impact on the speed and power of a computer. Non-volatile Memory

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

RAM(Random Access Memory)
▪ Major portion of the Primary Memory
▪ Memory that is used by the program in execution
▪ If the computer gets turned off, RAM will lose all the
data.

Static RAM & Dynamic RAM RAM: Volatile Memory

Static RAM Dynamic RAM

❑ The memory retains if power remains applied.
❑ Need continues Refreshing in order to maintain the
❑ Uses Flip Flop circuitry. data.

❑ Is faster/ more relaible ❑ It uses transistors and capacitors in circuits

❑ Slow and consumes more power

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

ROM (Read Only Memory)
▪ Memory which we can only read but cannot write on.
▪ Non-volatile.
▪ Used to store some firmware programs.

❑ PROM – Programmable Read Only Memory

❑ EPROM – Erasable and Programmable read
ROM: Non-volatile Memory
Only Memory.
❑ EEPROM – Electrically Erasable and
Programmable read Only Memory.

Secondary Memory

▪ Permanent memory of the system. Magnetic Disk & Optical Disk

▪ More storage capacity.
▪ It is the Backing Store. ▪ Data is stored using magnetized
spots called domains on the disk
Hard Disk & Floppy Disk

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

 Hard Disk Optical disk
▪ Read/Write Head is positioned close to the ▪ Read operation is done using low powered
disk. laser beam.
▪ Disk is attached to a spindle. ▪ A laser read the dots and then the data is
▪ Spindle is rotated by a motor. converted to an electrical signal .
▪ Speed of disk depends on the speed ▪ The output form of this devise is
of motor. in audio and visual format

❑ CD-ROM – Compact Disk-Read Only

Memory. CD – R – Compact Disk –
Recordable.
❑ CD-RW – Compact Disk – Rewritable
❑ DVD – ROM – Digital Versatile Disk – Read Only
Memory DVD – RAM - Digital Versatile Disk –
Random Access Memory

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

System Software

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Application Software

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

PROCESSING DEVICES
▪ Brains of the computer
▪ 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

It can be the most expensive hardware component of a BOSS/SUBORDINATE

PC. A processor chip (also called the central processing
unit or CPU) is a tiny piece of silicon that contains
millions of miniature electronic circuits.
The speed at which a chip processes information is
expressed usually in Mhz and GHz (that is millions and
billions of instruction cycles per second).
The interaction between a CPU and
secondary processors is much like the
interaction between a boss and
subordinate. The boss tells the
subordinate what to do but not
necessarily how to accomplish the task.
The subordinate only bothers the boss
when guidance or more data is needed.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

PROCESSING DEVICES

Compare celeron with P4 and dual core and quad

core.

The faster processors are required if one’s running

software with spectacular graphics and sound such as
with new video games. It’s rare to find contemporary
processors that are rated in MHz, though one can find
old PCs to do comparatively simple tasks running Linux
or old versions of Windows. (Linux and Windows are
examples of OS, and we’d be covering them in more
detail later on in this course).

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

MOTHERBOARD
▪ Master circuit board /system board of the PC.

▪ Main circuit board in the computer.

▪ Big (usually) green circuit board to which everything
else---such as the keyboard, mouse, and printer---
attaches through connections (called ports) in the back
of the computer.
▪ The processor chip and memory chips are also
installed on the motherboard.
▪ Many other internal devices such as video and sound
card (are housed in their own circuit boards) and they
connect into the expansion slot of the mother board.

▪ The motherboard also has expansion slots---for

expanding the PC capabilities---which gives you places
to plug in additional circuit boards, such as those for
video, sound and communication (modem).

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

STORAGE DEVICES
Magnetic storage: Hard disks
USB disks, that are very common these days,
Non-volatile memory are examples of flash drives. They come in wide
variety of sizes, from a few hundred MB to a few
Whereas primary storage (or RAM) GB.
deals only with temporary storage,
secondary (or permanent) storage A zip disk drive is a storage device that stores
stores the data as long as one wants. data on removable floppy-disk cartridges with
70-170 times the capacity of a standard floppy
Examples include a floppy drive, hard (75-200 MB)
disk drive, and a CD/ DVD drive. If
one wants to store larger sized files,
The floppy drives is encased in plastic, but
ZIP-disk drive may be used.
the mylar disk is indeed flexible or floppy.
They can store 1.44 MB of data.
These drives are connected to the
motherboard by means of a ribbon
cable.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

STORAGE DEVICES Hard-disk drive is a storage device inside the
computer case that stores billions of characters
Magnetic storage: Hard disks of data on a non-removable disk platter.

Non-volatile memory

Optical storage: CD/ DVD

CD/ DVD drives: A CD (compact disk) or

DVD (digital video disk) is a storage device
that uses laser technology to read data from
optical disks.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Storage Devices
Difference between storage and memory:

1) There is more room in storage than in memory. (space)

2) Contents are retained in storage when computer is switched off, not in memory
(volatility)

3) Storage devices are slower than memory devices (speed)

4) Storage devices are much cheaper than memory devices (cost)

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

OUTPUT DEVICES

▪ The monitor is a display device that takes electronic

signals from the video card and forms an image using
points of colored lights on the screen.

▪ CRT (cathode-ray-tube) monitors vs LCDs

▪ Printers: there are various types of printers as we shall

discuss later. It has two connections, one which relays
signals from the computer , goes to the back of PC and
connects to the motherboard.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

▪ Data consists of facts or pieces of information that by themselves may not make sense to a person. A
computer’s primary job is to process these tiny pieces of data in various ways, converting them into
useful information.

▪ For example, you can think of the letters of an alphabet as data. Taken individually, they do not mean
a lot; however, when grouped into words, they make sense---that is, they become information.

▪ The computer reads and stores data of all kinds, whether words, numbers, images, sounds– in the
form of numbers. Consequently computer data is digital, meaning it has been reduced to bits or
numbers.

▪ Computer data is different from information, and also from programs. Like data, the instructions of a
program exists as strings of numbers so the computer can use them. Data is for people to use,
programs are for computers to use.

▪ Within the computer, data is organized into files. A file is simply data that has been given a name. A
file that the user can open and use is often called a document. A computer document can be a text
file, a group of numbers (such as a budget), a video clip (which includes images and sounds), or any
combination of these. Programs are organized into files as well; these programs contains the
instructions and data that a program needs in order to run and perform tasks.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Can computers think?
Even the most powerful supercomputers
require human interaction
!
Why?

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

1. Setting up the system
2. Installing software
3. Running programs
4. Managing files
5. Maintaining the system

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING