Unit 1 The CPU

1.6 Summary
In this unit, you have studied about the different essentials of CPU. We discussed about the BUSes and
processor modes. You have also identified the different concepts of modern CPU like CISC vs. RISC
comparison of circuit size and die size; importance of cooling the processor, system clocks; packing the
processor; and features of architectural performance. This unit has also explained the evolution of Intel CPU
and different Intel processors like Intel 8088/8086, Pentium Pro processor, MMX technology, Pentium II, core
2 processor and AMD processors. Apart from this we have discussed the description of system memory; the
meaning of CPU overclocking, overclocking requirements and its potential pitfalls; how to overclock the Intel
processors. With this knowledge you must be able to overclock your CPU.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Control BUS is used to control and coordinate the CPU Operations.
2. Protected Mode is used in multi-tasking machines.
3. Control BUS is also called as Timing and control BUS.

4. RISC chips have faster CPU performance than CISC. True

5. Multiprocessing is a technique of running more than one process in a system.

6. MMX is an extension that supports Multimedia applications.

7. 8088 use 8 bit BUS while the 8086 uses 16 bit BUS for data transfer 8. The speed specification of clock
multiplier of the 8088/86 processor is 1.0.
9. The motherboard interface of 8088/86 packaging is DIP Socket.
10. The two types of Intel 386 are DX & SX.
11. State whether the following statements are true or false.
a. Pentium is the first superscalar processor. True
b. The use of speculative executive will not reduce pipeline stall time in the RISC core in sixth generation
processor False
12. Which are the three major steps in overclocking? Change in BUS speed, Change the multiplier, Change the
voltage supply.
13. Overclocking the Intel Celeron depends on Motherboard Characteristics.
14. FSB Stands for Front Side BUS.

1.8 Terminal Questions

1. What are the different essentials of the CPU?
2. Compare CISC with RISC CPUs.
3. List out the different features of Architectural Performance.
4. Differentiate between the various Intel Micro Processors.
5. List out the important features of MMX Technology.
6. Explain in brief the different issues in overclocking - success and failure.
7. Describe the three major steps in overclocking.
8. How will you overclock Intel Processors?
 Unit 2 The Memory
2.6 Summary
The Memory is the brain of any system. Memory is in the form of arrays of individual storage elements which
are arranged into rows and columns. The organization structure is the important aspect before starting to learn
memory. Memory is mounted on a package which are of many types like Dual Inline Package, Single Inline
Package, Small-Outline “J” lead, Thin, Small-Outline Package, and Chip Scale Package. Modular approach is
the best way of organizing a system. In memory you find three types of modules. Using these memory modules
you can enhance or add the different extended slots. These memory modules are SIMM, DIMM, and RIMM.
Whenever there is upgradation of new memory there must be a proficient compatibility with the old memory.
The new system comes with facility to overcome the inherent limitations of the old memory by different ways
of its use and hardware and software selection. The use of computer memory is classified as following types:
Conventional, Extended, and Expanded memory.
The importance of memory has become specialized to that level that it has become very difficult to track the
memory options and understand the architecture. Therefore many things are taken care of which include
memory speed, wait states etc. Advancement in the memory lead to specific memory types such as EDO RAM,
BEDO, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc. You might face a lot of problem when you select and install a memory.
These can be solved by trouble shooting it. Troubleshooting a memory is a form of solving the problems
incurred in the memory and correcting the faults and failures.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. What do row and column represent? Address and data bits
2. The communication between the outside world and memory is through Signals.
3. Which of the three set of signals are needed to operate the memory chip? Control lines 4. What are the
different types of memory modules? SIMM, DIMM & RIMM 5. State whether the following statements are
true or false:
a. RIMM is responsible for reducing the high heat energy generated by RDRAM chips with the help of long
heat sink. True
b. SIMM works by keeping all the electric signals separate. False
6. Upper Memory area is one of the key factors to enable free space for conventional memory.
7. The memory above first megabyte is called Extended Memory.

8. Cycle time is the minimum amount of time needed between the accesses.

9. What are the different types of Memory? EDO RAM, BEDO, SRAM, SDRAM, DRAM, DDRSDRAM,
EDRAM
10. State whether the following statements are true or false:
a. The system that uses more than one wait state for accessing will have very high performance. False
b. The use of wait states will help in supporting the old systems to perform its processes. True
11. What are the different architectures of the memory that are found in the system? Paged memory, interleaved
memory, memory cache, shadow memory
12. In buying the memory the cost is related to SDRAMs, memory hard drive and memory.
13. The amount of memory that is enough to fit the bit width of the data bus is called Memory bank.
14. Troubleshooting memory is a form of solving the problems incurred in the memory and correcting the faults
and failures.
15. What are the three difficult processes in installing a new socket when it is unsuccessful? First remove the
motherboard, detach the damage socket and fix the new socket
16. Epoxy can be used if the socket breaks or cracks.
17. Contact corrosion can occur when the memory module contacts the metal and socket does not contact.

2.8 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the organization of memory.
2. Describe the different types of memory modules.
3. What are the different considerations to be kept in mind while upgrading/installing memory?
4. How do you select a memory?
5. How will you troubleshoot memory?
 Unit 3 The Motherboard
3.5 Summary
Motherboard being the heart of any PC provides the system resources and supports many important components
of CPU and handles memory. There is always an immediate need for upgrading motherboard. Therefore,
modular motherboards are used for upgradation. There are different slots and sockets which are used in
different PCs to connect various components into the motherboard. In modern motherboards there is an absence
of chips or some cases very negligible. Expansion devices are used to give the motherboard the added features.
The memory size must be adoptable by the motherboard. When you upgrade a motherboard you can include
additional RAM, and upgrade a CPU. You should consider many factors like dimensions and mounting; feature
comparison; CPU and slot locations; cost; traditional upgrades; daughter card upgrades; processor card, etc.
When you want to upgrade you must undertake pre and post upgradation preparation which involves,
electrostatic protections, downloading CMOS settings, physical preparation of the system cabinet, removing the
original motherboard, installing and reassembling the motherboard and finally testing the motherboard for
working conditions. In every installation there is always a scope for errors. When any such error occurs you
must check for various components for their performance. Also you need to take a decision whether to replace
the components or the motherboard itself with a new piece. In this unit you studied the various inspecting points
before starting the motherboard repair. By now you would have got the knowledge of how to identify the
problem in the motherboard and to troubleshoot the same.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Motherboard can be called as active back plane.
2. What are the different designated sockets used in the motherboard? Socket 7, socket 8, slot 1, slot 2, socket
360, slot A, socket A, socket 432.
3. Additional components are connected to motherboard with the help of Expansion slots. 4. What is the main
difference between old and modern computers? Less chips 5. State whether the following statements are true
or false:
a. Motherboard has only one 1.5 V AGP slot True
b. RIMM offers high access memory speed True
c. Form factor directly contributes to the performance of the motherboard False
d. BTX defines In-line airflow. True

6. Number of I/O ports determines the features of expandability.

7. How will you remove the extra heat produced by the processors? With the help of sink
8. Why is it always better to go in for new motherboards rather than changing one or more components in the
old one? New motherboards give good support with respect to cache, space & RAM availability.
9. State whether the following statements are true or false:
a. CMOS settings needs to be loaded on the new motherboard’s CMOS. True
b. You need not worry about screw driver blades since they are very small. False
c. Labelling the things inside the PC create confusion. False
d. We must always use non-conductor between mother board and any metal attached to it. True
e. If the motherboard does not fit gently inside the system then you need to apply force to fix it. False 10. Why
do you think replacing the motherboard is better than replacing the components in the motherboard? New
motherboards are readily available in the market and spare components are difficult to obtain

3.7 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the classification of sockets and slots. Refer Section 3.2.1. Sockets and slots
 2. What are the points to be kept in mind while upgrading motherboard? Refer section 3.3.1.
Considerations
3. How do you perform upgrading? Refer Section 3.3.2. Performing the upgradation
4. What is the use of trouble shooting motherboard? Refer Section 3.4. Troubleshooting
5. What are the basic points to be taken care of while troubleshooting a motherboard? Refer Section 3.4.
Troubleshooting

4 Buses

4.9 Summary
Bus has been the little passive interrupt which has the capability to be an agent for communication between
CPU, memory and various components of the computer. Bus is divided into three types of Bus, address Bus,
data Bus and control Bus. It is a backbone of the network allowing the data to pass through various computers
and network. These are the electric wires which help in transferring the data. There are various types of Buses
based on the type of its use such as expansion Bus, local Bus, internal and external Bus, unidirectional and
bidirectional Bus. The Bus architecture is divided into 3 major types like ISA, PCI and AGP. The other kinds of
Buses are FSB and DIB which are responsible for connecting the various components to motherboard. Industry
Standard Architecture which are not in use were used to connect the system with video cards, sound cards,
networking cards, etc. This is bigger in size than the PCI and is black in colour. ISA Buses were also referred as
PC Buses. ISA has its two versions namely 8-bit ISA and 16-bit ISA.
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) is a high speed, intelligent Bus. PCI supports many features like,
linear burst low access latency, Bus mastering, etc.
AGP is best suited for 3D applications. AGP’s performance is directly proportional to the bandwidth; its
bandwidth is twice than that of PCI. The important feature of AGP specification is that a 32-bit AGP will easily
fit into PCI configuration. It can process multiple request rather than waiting for a long time for the new
instruction and making the CPU sit idle. Bus is queued by signals.
FSB stands for Front Sided Bus and used to connect CPU to the computer system and CPU with the various
other components of the system. FSB is two directional flows of data, i.e. means various components send and
receives the data from the processor.
DIB which stands for Dual integrated Bus enables the data flow simultaneously or in parallel processing
method rather than queuing up in a single sequential method and waiting for a long time to complete one
instruction and CPU going to idle state.
Troubleshooting with respect to Bus is done at POST boards and rectified using LED lights.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Buses is the electric wire that is used to answer the question of linking and communication between
different components.
2. State whether the following statements are true or false:
a. Control Bus is the one which carries data between the different components
of the computer. False
b. Local Bus is used to directly connect the data transfer to CPU. True 3. Buses
are measured in terms of Clock speed and measured by MHz
4. Expansion Buses are used to connect peripherals.
5. The three major types of Buses are ISA, PCI and AGP.
6. ISA Buses are also called as PC Buses.
7. The two versions of ISA are 8-bit and 16-bit.
8. 8-bit ISA was used by PC/XT Bus.
9. 8-bit ISA consists of 62 pins out of which of 20 and 8 are address and data liens respectively.
10. 16-bit Bus consists of extra 8 bits, 5 interrupts and 4 DMA channels.
11. The speed is increased from 4.77MHz to 8.33MHz.
12. PCI is a high speed intelligent Buses
13. State whether the following statements are true or false.
a. In VL architecture the performance of the Bus is independent of CPU speed.
False
b. PCI gave automatic configuration property to switch and jumper-less peripherals.
True
c. Linear bursts helps in increasing the performance rate of PCI when compare to Bus which do
not have linear burst capability by almost double the time. True
14. Access time is the time taken by the CPU to permit the request access by peripheral for its control.
15. Interrupt ReQuest (IRQ) is the technique which holds the signal dynamically and wherever there is a
requirement it can be reassigned.
16. FSB derives the Bus clock of the PCI.
17. FSB stands for Front Sided Bus.
18. AGP Port is applicable for 3D applications.
19. State whether the following statements are true or false
a. Performance of AGP is directly proportional to the bandwidth True
b. The bandwidth capability of AGP is 4 times greater than PCI True
c. RBF# indicates the pre-requested low priority read data can be readily accepted by the master.
True
d. GNT# indicates that the whenever there is data keying from the core program to ensure that
whether master is ready to accept the data False
20. AGP is used on ATX and NLX machines.
21. FSB is also called as Processor bus.
22. The chipset consists of two processors namely Northbridge and Southbridge.
23. The state of CPU that it performs faster than FSB for the activity and waits for FSB to send the new
instructions is called idle state.
24. DIB connects Level-2 cache, CPU and Memory.
25. DIB allows single sequential method for processing. false
26. Troubleshooting of Buses can be done at POST Board.
27. LED lights is used to find the faulty Buses.
28. CLOCK signal can be adjusted between 0 Hz to 33 MHz

4.11 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the working of Bus connection. Refer Section 4.2. BUS
2. Bring out the different DMA channels with its specific functions Refer section 4.3.1, 8-bit Bus,
Table 4.2. DMA channel expansion
3. After the development of two versions of architecture of Buses, why was PCI Bus selected? Refer
Section 4.4, Peripheral component Interconnect
4. Explain the features supported by PCIBus? Refer Section 4.4.1, PCI configuration
5. List the different PCI signals along with their functions? Refer Section 4.4.3, PCI signal, table 4.1, the
functions of PCI signals
6. What are the characteristics of AGP? Refer Section 4.5, Accelerated Graphic Port
7. Explain the architecture of AGP along with its figure? Refer Section 4.5, structure of AGP
8. Compare between PCI and AGP? Refer Section 4.5.1, AGP vs PCI
9. How do you troubleshoot Bus problem? Refer Section 4.8, Troubleshooting
 Unit 5 CMOS

5.6 Summary
Complementary Metal Oxide semiconductors are known as CMOS RAM in short and also called as Very Low-
Power static RAM. BIOS read the attributes from the CMOS RAM to perform normal operation in the system.
Therefore, to have a proper system you should have correct CMOS settings. The information on date, time or
addresses are lost when the power goes off. BIOS require CMOS to carry out the basic input/output system
function, hardware devices and interfacing function. A battery is connected to PC to provide power to the
CMOS. This battery is called CMOS battery which helps in storing the date, time and system attributes until the
next time system is turn on.
Launch set up utility in the first place as the manufacturers; CMOS setup initiates hardly are consistent in
accessing the setup utilities, in most of the cases you only have to launch the setup in the beginning of the
configuration.
• You have studied the key sequences and their functions. If you forget any of the key combination or get
stuck during the configuration verify and use anyone of the key listed in the table shown earlier. This
will force the CMOS setup routine by causing configuration change. As the number of devices as well as
the key combinations increase a number of combinations come into existence. To get optimum solutions
we need to choose the right one with the help of following points like:
• Basic Check, System cache must be enabled, Wait states of RSM must be minimized, ROM shadowing
must be enabled, Power management must be enabled, Drive access must be optimized, Go with BIOS
defaults. These options give no guarantee to use available features of CMOS setup use. While
configuring the standard CMOS setup there are many entries found commonly in the CMOS standard
setup menu list. They are Date and time, Error halt-No errors, All errors, All, but keyboard, All, but disk,
Floppy drive A, Halt on, Hard disk C.

Troubleshooting and maintaining the CMOS involves maintenance the battery rather than maintain the CMOS
chip. Here you need to take care of CMOS of password of maintenance and battery maintenance.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. CMOS is a small and low-power RAM chip which was used to store the system’s setup parameters.
2. When the computer starts, BIOS read the parameters which are stored in the CMOS RAM.BIOS
3. CMOS RAM is also called as very low power static RAM.
4. CMOS RAM has Nickel cadmium battery.
5. CMOS battery helps in storing the date, time and system attributes until the next time system is turned
on.
6. In PC/AT, floppy disk was being used which contained the CMOS setup utility during booting of the
computer.
7. AMI BIOS used Del key at the time of POST.
8. Power management saves electricity and increases the use of many components.
9. Non AMI machines use CTCHIPZ utility to check and access the hidden settings.
10. By Shadowing the video and system RAM you can increase the performance of the system.
11. Cyl is the number of cylinders available in the hard disk.
12. Wpre is the setting which specifies where write pre-compensation begins in the cylinder.
13. State whether the following statements are true or false
a. “Clear password” is a jumper name. True
b. Circuit damage in the motherboard can be repaired. False
5.8 Terminal Questions
1. List the need of CMOS. Refer Section 5.2.1 the need of CMOS
2. Why is it difficult to select optimum combination? Refer Section 5.3 CMOS Optimization tactics
3. List the entries of CMOS standard menu list. Refer Section 5.4 Configuring the standard CMOS setup
4. What is a password? How do you manage password problem? Refer Section 5.5.1 CMOS password
troubleshooting
5. Explain CMOS battery maintenance. Refer Section 5.5.2 CMOS battery maintenance
 Unit 6 BIOS
6.7 Summary
BIOS stand for Basic Input Output System and are added on ROM chips to provide an interface between the
raw PC hardware and standardized operating system. In general BIOS contains three major sections like POST
(Power-On-Self-Test), Setup and System Routines. POST performs a low level diagnostic and reliability test of
all the main components of the system. When the POST encounters a problem then it stops and the CMOS
Setup will come up with an error message. System service routines are the functions that form the layer
between hardware and the operating system. Whenever there is necessity and a specific function has to be
carried out always see that the operating system is interfaced with Interrupts which are the small programs that
make the running application and take the control to required module.

There are specific types of features which help the BIOS in controlling and testing the various components of
the system. Some of the major areas that need support from BIOS are CPU, Chipset, Memory, drive, power
management, I2/O, PnP, Parallel port, etc.

BIOS will differ in its features depending on the manufacturers. Some of the prominent manufacturers of BIOS
are AMI, Award, Phoenix, etc. You also studied the various format used in BIOS code by various
manufacturers. Like the BIOS code, boot sequences also vary with manufacturers. You have discussed on the
shortcomings and compatibility issues of BIOS which threw light on device drivers, shadowing, direct control
and bugs. These issues and problems caused in BIOS can be rectified using the error messages which are
displayed during or after the completion of the POST. There are two types of error codes that are generated.
Beep code and POST code. Beep codes are formed by the speakers of the system and POST codes are single
byte hexadecimal characters. Whenever there is a problem in the system it is identified with the help of beep
code or POST code by referring to the manufacturer’s manual.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. BIOS is present in RAM that acts as an interface between computer hardware and
operating system.
2. BISO instructs the service routine to configure the hardware and RAM false 3. POST
stands for Power on self-test.
4. Which are the two types of routines? Setup routine and system routine
5. BIOS features depends on Manufacturer of the BIOS.
6. State whether the following statements are true or false.
a. BIOS should give support of parity and error checking and correction to memory. True
b. BISO supports ACPI specification for disk drives. False
c. I2/O support is responsible for allowing the dynamic assignment to the port and resources of I/O
devices. True
7. AAAA-BBBB-DDMMYY-Kx is the code format followed by AMI BIOS.
8. According to AMI BIOS in the code format A#-BBBB-CCCCCCDDDDDDDD- EEEEEE-FFFFFFFF-
G, EEEEEE represents DD/MM/YY format.
9. Load the BDA sequence loads the BIOS data area into conventional memory in AMI BIOS.
10. Interrupt vectors are initialized by Vector table.
11. BIOS shadowing is a process that copies the content of ROM into RAM memory which helps in
improving the speed of the system.
 12. BIOS bugs are accidental errors in BIOS codes
13. POST generates Beep code and POST code.

6.9 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the working of motherboard BIOS in detail. Refer Section 6.2, Motherboard BIOS
2. What are the features of BIOS? Refer Section 6.3, BIOS features
3. Given the code (2A6LGTJ10). Identify the chipset and BIOS manufacturer of this code.
Refer Section 6.3.2, BIOS features and also refer the manual for specification on Award BIOS.
4. List the boot sequence of Phoenix Technologies. Refer Section 6.4, BIOS and Boot sequences
5. How do you troubleshoot any problem in BIOS? Refer Section 6.6, Troubleshooting
 Unit 7 Power Supplies and Power Management

7.6 Summary
Power supply plays an important role in PC operation and its components. It converts AC into one or more
levels of DC that can be used by electronic devices inside the computer. Though you might not be willing to
give more importance to it, in reality any fault in the power supply can create severe problems in the stability
issues, data loss, and also result in damage to motherboard or drives. You can always prevent the use of power
by the system while in idle state. In this unit you have seen the working of the typical switching power supply
and got to know reliable guidelines for selecting and upgrading a power supply. Major power management
techniques for computers on Windows operating system were also reviewed. You also saw how to use those
schemes and to troubleshoot many of the power supply and power management problems.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Feedback loop is the path that leads to the initial energy generator point of the feedback signal to the
subsequent modification of that event.
2. AC line voltage is rectified and filtered by single chip regulator.
3. Duty cycle is the amount of time that a signal is “on” compared to overall cycle.
4. State whether the following statements are true or false
a. Switching power circuit components are large in size and difficult to pack inside. False
b. Switching power circuit acts as radio transmitter. True
5. The basic indication of power problem is that if there is any malfunction in the power supply then it will
not boot the PC.
6. What can be suspected when the PC freezes for no reason at all several times in an hour or several times
in a day? Power problem
7. What is the indication of gray color wire in the computer in power supply pin assignments? Power Ok
8. The important factors to be considered when choosing a power supply are Capacity or the new supply
and physical dimensions.
9. Operating system is responsible for supporting the controls and dialog needed for selecting the power
management scheme.
10. The three power saving modes are basic conservation, standby and Hibernate mode.
11. Hibernate is the mode that switches off the computer automatically when it is in idle state for a long
period.
12. State whether the following statements are true or false:
a. Fan blades must be clean to release excess of heat out of the system True
b. It is compulsory to use Y- adapter all over the system especially in connecting HDD. False

7.8 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the typical working of switching power supply with a neat diagram. Refer Section 7.2,
Switching regulations
2. How will you recognize a power problem? Refer Section 7.3.1, recognizing the problem
3. What are the different schemes in power management? Refer Section 7.4, Power management in
Windows OS
4. List the tips for troubleshooting switch power supply. Refer Section 7.5.1, Switch power supplies.
 Unit 8 Storage Devices
8.7 Summary
Disk Drives are the machine that reads and writes the data into the respective disks. The different types of disk
drives are hard drives, CD drives, DVD drives and the latest Blu-ray disk drives and Flash memory drive. The
hard drive is also known as hard disk drive or fixed disk drive. It is the main and largest storage device on the
computer. It is referred usually in the computer by C: drive. CD-ROM (Compact Disc, readonly-memory) is an
adaptation of the CD that is designed to store computer data in the form of text, graphics and stereo sound.
DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk that can hold program, data, audio and video. It is capable of providing
up to 17GB of external storage on your computer. Blu-Ray Disk is often referred shortly as BD. BD is the
advanced version of DVD which is made out of smaller pits and lands. Single Layer BD can store about more
than five times the DVD capacity (almost 25 billion bytes) and double layer BD can store up to 50 billion bytes.
The standard disk size is of 12 cm in size. The single layer Blu-ray disk can handle up to 25GB of data and dual
layer disk can handle up to 50GB of data. Flash Memory drive also called as USB flash is an external storage
device which can be used to read and write the flash memory. This device is less expensive, very reliable and
durable source of storage media. The flash drive is used for the same purpose like
CD-ROM and floppy disks. And in this unit we have discussed on the troubleshooting tips for various types of
disk drives.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. IDE standards for Integrated Drive Electronics
2. The two devices that are configured as master and save shares a single channel that called by a
specification.
3. CD-ROM is an adapter of the CD that is designed to store computer data in the form of text, graphics
and stereo sound.
4. EFM is a complex decoding process that convert sequence of pits and land into meaningful binary
information.
5. Low level device Driver allows programs to access the CD-ROM as the hardware level.
6. Auto insert allows the disk to automatically identify.
7. Access time is the time recorded by the drive to locate required information on the disk.
8. State whether the following statements are true/false.
a. MPEG-2 decoder is used to compress and decode movie data. True
b. Analog output is used for mixing in an auxiliary audio signal to the decoder card. False
c. Digital output jack is used to drive an external digital device. True 9. The data layer in
the Blu-ray disk is closer to the surface of the disk true
10. The two types of Blu-ray optical disk recorder are BD-R & BD-RE.
11. BDMV stands for Bleu-ray disk movie.
12. Male type-A USB connector is used to connect the flash drive to computer.

8.9 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the working of hard drive with a neat diagram. Refer section 8.2.1: The hard drive construction,
fig 8.1, typical diagram.
2. Describe the construction of CD-ROM Refer section 8.3.1: Basics of CD-ROM drive.
3. How to troubleshoot CD-ROM? Refer section 8.3.3: Troubleshooting.
4. Explain the DVD drive & decoder. Refer section 8.4.2: The DVD drive and decoder.
5. Provide the guidelines for DVD drive troubleshooting. Refer section 8.4.3: Troubleshooting of DVD
drive.
6. What are the different types of Blu-ray disk? Refer section 8.5.1: Physical media types of Blu-ray disk.
7. Elaborate the flash memory drive. Refer section 8.6: Flash memory drive.
8. List the guidelines for troubleshooting flash memory drive. Refer section 8.6.4: Troubleshooting a USB
flash drive.
 Unit 9 Parallel Port
9.4 Summary
Parallel port is a device which is used to connect and communicate between computer and other peripheral
devices. Parallel port interface is one of the simplest and straight forward circuits in the PC. It consists of three
registers which perform specific functions: they are data register, status register and control register.
While accessing the printer, the system CPU loads the port data register with the value to be passed. In this unit
you studied the different types of signals which are responsible for transferring the data from the computer to
the peripheral device which is mostly a printer. You also discussed the operation of the parallel port with the
help of different kinds if signals which have been represented with the help of parallel port timing diagram.
Apart from these, a comparison between the various parallel port modes such as unidirectional port and
bidirectional ports were made in this unit. You have not only come to know the standard used in new peripheral
device and its different mode components but also discussed how to prevent the parallel port from experiencing
any problem, but if problems to occur then how to troubleshoot in the Windows configuration.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Parallel port is a device that is used to connect and communicated between computer and printer.
2. Data registers are called as Bidirectional.
3. Signal is any time varying quantity which is generated to produce the interrupt.
4. IEEE joined with NPA released a standard for bidirectional parallel port.
5. State whether the following statements are true or false.
a. There will be serious problem in the port if you use a cheap cable. True
b. You should enable the status monitor software when there is a problem in the port. False
6. ECP stands for Extend capability port.

9.6 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the operation of the parallel port in detail. Refer sec 9.2.2 Port Operation
2. Differentiate between different nodes of IEEE 1284 standard. Refer sec 9.2.3 IEEE 1284 modes
3. How will you resolve the problem of Windows configuration through troubleshooting? Refer sec
9.3 Troubleshooting
 Unit 10 Serial Port

10.6 Summary
Serial port is a device that is used to connect and communicate between the low-bandwidth devices like modem
and keyboard. Serial port used two data lines; one to transmit data and another to receive data. It is a
bidirectional port. Asynchronous communication is a type of communication in which a start signal is initiated
before a data byte or character and a signal is sent after each code. Clock can be used by receiving device to
detect each data bit. This method is known as synchronous communication. The combination of
synchronization bits and data byte is called as Data Frame. Serial port uses either 25-pin connector or 9-pin
subminiature D-type connector to be used in the PC.
DTE stands for data terminal equipment. DCE stands for data carrier communication and is normally a modem
or any other piece of data communication equipment. The distinction becomes very important between DTE
and DCE because data and handshaking signals are swapped at the DCE end.

RTS which stands for Request to send is a signal that is generated by the DTE which informs DCE that it will
receive a data. CTS which stand for Clear to send is a signal that tells the DTE that the receiver node is ready to
receive the data.
Modem is the combination of modulator or demodulator which converts analog signals to digital and vice-
versa. Construction of internal modem needs to be undertaken carefully as you have to open the case of the
computer and work inside the system. Though the rate of failure of modem and serial port is minimal, you have
to be a bit more careful while troubleshooting.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. Serial port is a device that is used to connect and communicate between the low bandwidth devices.
2. The method of receiving device with the help of clock to detect each data bit is known as Synchronous
communication.
3. The combination of synchronisation bits and the data byte is called as Data frame
4. Baud rate is defined as the total number of frequency or voltage signals per second existing in a
communication line.
5. UART stands for Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter 6. DCE is a data communication
equipment.
7. Bipolar signals are also called as bipolar Transmission.
8. TX is a transmit line which outputs the serial data from the computer.
9. RTS stands for request to send.
10. DTR Signal is asserted when the DTE is initialized and ready to start the serial operation.
11. Modulator and demodulator are together known as modem
12. The telephone interface is connected to RJ11 telephone jack to receive audio signal.
13. Phase shift keying is digital modulation signal that changes the phase of the reference signal.
14. COM is a serial port.
15. State whether the following statements are True/False:
a. Motherboard outright replacement is an economical way to replace the modem.
b. By setting the motherboard jumpers and installing an expansion slot in the place of defective
port, the computer will assume that there is a port available. True
10.8 Terminal Questions
1. Explain in detail the concept of asynchronous communication.
2. Describe the working of serial port functioning.
3. Describe the construction and the operation of a modem with a neat diagram.
4. What are the guide lines in installing a modem?
5. How do you the resolve the problems in the serial port through troubleshooting?

Unit 11 Input – Output Devices

11.6 Summary
Let’s recapitulate important concepts discussed in this unit:
• A standard mouse consists of several components: A housing that can be held in the hand and moved
around, a roller ball that signals movement to the system, buttons (usually two) for making selections, a
cable for connecting the mouse to the system and an interface connector to attach the mouse to the
system.
• The keyboard is the primary input device. It is used for entering commands and data into the system.
The keyboard is the friendliest input peripheral.
• A sound card has many uses, including: adding stereo sound to entertainment (game) software,
increasing the effectiveness of educational software, particularly for young children, adding sound
effects to business presentations and training software, creating music by using MIDI hardware and
software, adding voice notes to files, adding sound effects to operating system events, enabling a PC to
read, enabling PC use by disabled individuals, playing audio CDs.
• In order to install a sound card, you will have to select IRQ numbers, a base I/O address, or DMA
channels that don't conflict with other devices.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The largest manufacturers of mice are Microsoft and Logitech.
2. Trackball is a stationary device. True.
3. Hardware problems in the mouse are very difficult to resolve.
4. A standard technique known as Scanning is followed by the keyboard electronics.
5. 8042 is a keyboard controller chip.
6. One of the best ways to maintain a keyboard in top condition is periodic cleaning
7. Microphone is required to record the sound.
8. The number of measurements per second, called the Sampling rate is measured in kHz.
9. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument digital interface.
10. IRQ Numbers, base I/O address and DMA channels should not conflict with other devices while
installing a sound card.
11. DMA channel is the way to move information directly to PC's memory, bypassing PC's processor.
12. The audio format box should contain information about the type of compression that was used to
compress the file, the sound quality of the file, and whether or not the file is in stereo.

11.8 Terminal Questions

 1. Explain the features of a mouse and a track ball.
Mouse is a pointing device which is used to point a particular option on the screen and then select that
option by clicking. Different manufacturers produce different varieties of mouse. Trackballs are also
called as "rollerballs". Trackballs are a stationary device. Movement or rotation of the ball moves the
cursor. (Refer sections 11.2.1 & 11.2.2)

2. How does the key board function? How will you determine the Keyboard failure?
When a key is pressed, the key switch is activated. The keyboard has an electronic circuit to determine
which key has been pressed. Then a standard 8-bit code is generated and sent to the computer. (Refer
section 11.3.1)

3. List out the steps involved in installing a sound card.

To install a sound card, you have to select IRQ numbers, a base I/O address, or DMA channels that don't
conflict with other devices. Most cards come already configured to use on otherwise idle set of ports,
but problems occasionally arise. (Refer section 11.5)

4. How will you overcome the IRQ conflict with sound card?
The audio portion of a sound card has a default IRQ setting, but also supports any of several alternate
interrupts. You should try to leave the sound card at the default setting (usually IRQ 5) and change other
adapters where possible. (Refer section 11.5)

Unit 12 Video Adapters and Accelerators

12.7 Summary
Let’s recapitulate important concepts discussed in this unit:
• Video adapter is a board that plugs into a personal computer to give it display capabilities. Those
capabilities of a computer, however, depend on both the logical circuitry (provided in the video adapter)
and the display monitor.
• DirectX is the technology from Microsoft, which is a collection of Application Programming Interfaces
(APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft
platforms.
• The video display hardware can be broadly classified into non-accelerated and accelerated cards.
• A Graphics Processing Unit or GPU (also occasionally called visual processing unit or VPU) is a
specialized microprocessor that offloads and accelerates graphics rendering from the central processor. It
is used in embedded systems, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles.
• Video cards, graphics cards, and other 2D/3D graphic accelerator cards are bundled with the
corresponding device drivers that are essential for the proper function and performance of the graphics
device.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. The AGP technology was introduced by Intel.
2. DirectX technology is from Microsoft.
3. BIOS stands for basic input output system.
4. Video display hardware can be broadly classified as accelerated and non-accelerated.
5. DRAM stands for dynamic random access memory.
6. VRAM stands for video random access memory.
 7. The term GPU was coined and popularized by NVIDIA 8. The term VPU was first introduced by ATI
technologies.
9. GPU stands for Graphics processing unit
10. KNI stands for katmai new instructions
11. MMX stands for multimedia extension
12. You need to run DxDiag.exe file to test whether your monitor supports DirectDraw or not.

Terminal Questions
1. Explain the features of conventional video adapters. Refer section 12.2: Conventional Video Adapters
2. Briefly explain the major classification of video display hardware. Refer section 12.3: Classification of
Video Display Hardware
3. List out the issues associated with video speed. Refer section 12.4.1: Issues in Video Performance
4. Explain the precautionary measures to be taken to avoid basic problems in video cards. Refer section
12.6.1: Avoiding the Basic Problem

Unit 13 SCSI and USB Systems

13.4 Summary
SCSI is a set of standards that define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces for physical
connection and data transmission between computers and peripheral devices. The computer peripherals and
hardware components are completely free from compatibility issues because it is taken care by SCSI devices.
Installation of SCSI devices is very easy because it is similar to PnP devices. The different checklist can be used
to verify the installation of SCSI devices. It is very easy to troubleshoot the connectors and wires since it will
not give much trouble. The trouble may cause during installation, setup, and operation of the devices that is on
the bus.

Universal serial Bus (USB) is a serial Bus standard for connecting the device to the computer without installing
the driver when the computer is shut down and restarted. USB allows up to 127 USB devices to run
simultaneously on computer. USB is a connection with two points in which one point is a master on host and
another point works as slave. Host is usually a computer that may have 127 slaves connected at a time.
Computer has 2 to 4 USB connectors but hub number may increase up to 127. The USB system architecture
consists of three main components, Host computer, USB device and USB cable.

Though the USB problems are not severe, there are few steps which can control these small problems such as
hardware failure, device driver’s configuration problems, cabling problems, firmware/BIOS problems, Root
hub configuration problems, etc.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. SCSI is a set of standard that define commands, protocols and electrical and optical interfaces for
physical connection and data transmission between computer and peripheral devices.
2. SCSI stands for small computer system interface.
3. SCSI devices use 50 pin or 68 pin cable to get connected.
 4. SCSI needs handshaking protocol to organize data transfer from sending end to receiving end.
5. Terminator is a small register used to enhance with SCSI signal integrity.
6. LUN indicate devices with in devices.
7. You don’t need to install SCSI host adapter and no need to connect any SCSI device in order to
configure SCSI. False.
8. Which devices are termed as intelligent serial interface? USB 9. UHCI stands for universal host
controller interface.
10. The two types of cables are high speed and low speed.
11. State whether the following statement are true or false
a. Hardware problems are due to high or low power and limited Bandwidth True
b. When the USB device is connected to the root hub we need to load the device drivers and
configure the device by using drivers in the disk. False
c. Firmware is antivirus software. False
d. Root hub configuration problem is a problem related to computer set up. True

13.6 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the SCSI concepts in detail. Refer section 13.2.1, SCSI concepts
2. Describe how to perform installation of SCSI system. Refer Section 13.2.2, Installing a SCSI system
3. Write the steps involved in troubleshooting procedure in SCSI system. Refer Section 13.2.4
troubleshooting
4. Explain the essential concepts of USB system Refer section 13.3.1, USB concepts
5. Describe the working of USB. Refer section 13.3.2, SCSI architecture
6. What are the general procedures for troubleshooting USB? Refer Section 13.3.3, troubleshooting
 Unit 14 PC Assembly

14.6 Summary
This unit has provided you with some important concepts like:
• Plug and Play (PnP) which is a combination of hardware and software support that enables a computer
system to recognize and adapt to hardware configuration changes with little or no intervention by a user.
• The kernel-mode functionality in Windows 2000 Plug and Play which supports boot-time Plug and Play
activity and interfaces with the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer), Executive, and device drivers.
• In Linux, each device driver does its own low level configuration.
• Before start assembling a PC, you should identify various cables such as power cables, data cables etc.
in the computer.
• USB cables are used to connect most new devices to your computer including flash memory sticks,
portable media players, internet modems and digital cameras.
• Enough antistatic precautions to be taken before you start assembling a PC.
• You can configure CD-ROM as either a Master or Slave depending upon the IDE connectors and jumper
settings.
• You need to plug sound and video cards into their respective PCI or AGP slots.

Self-Assessment Questions
1. In Linux, the ‘pci.h’ header file is available in /usr/include/linux directory.
2. ACPI stands for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification 3. Every
USB cable will work with all kinds USB plug and play devices. False 4. The
standard audio jack is 3.5 mm in size.
5. S-Video cable generally contains 4 to 9 pins.
6. The Ethernet cable is also known as RJ45
7. SMPS stands for switch mode power supply
8. Hard disk can be used as either Master or Slave. True
9. Before you start assembling a PC, you should ensure proper earthing. True.

14.8 Terminal Questions

1. Explain the term PnP. Refer section 14.2: Plug and Play Devices
2. How will you identify different cables in the computer? Refer section 14.3: Identification of Cables in
Computers
3. How will you fit various peripherals into the computer cabinet? Fitting of Cabinet
4. Explain the steps to install the motherboard into the cabinet. Mounting Motherboard in Cabinet
 All the best juniors

Regards
Bishop of faction A
AJ ( senior)

Disclaimer – this notes belongs to aj and batch students