Computer Systems

Topic 3:
Computer Hardware
© NCC Education Limited
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Scope and Coverage

This topic will cover:

•Component Architecture:
• CPU (re-cap)
• Memory (Cache, RAM, ROM)
• Backing storage (Internal & External HDD)
• Power supplies and Cooling
• Interfaces & Expansion (Networking, Graphics, Sound)
•Component Identification (PC lab)
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Learning Outcomes

By the end of this topic students will be able to:

•Explain the hardware, software and peripheral
components of a computer system.
•Build and configure a computer system to meet a
design specification.
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CPU Re-cap…

• In the last Lecture (#2) we looked at:

• The Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• The Von Neumann architecture
• The Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle
• If the CPU is the ‘brain’, we now look at the
‘body’ of a typical computer – the hardware that
comes together build a working computer
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CPU Re-cap…

• Von Neumann Architecture

Maths Co-Processor?

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/3665/john-von-neumann/
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CPU Architectures

• Just as different human brains are ‘wired’

differently, so too can computer ‘brains’.
• CPUs are based on different ‘architectures’.
• The chosen CPU architecture will affect:
– Physical CPU structure and layout
– Logical CPU operations and sequencing of tasks
– Overall performance of the computer
– See…
https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/teaching/1415/L25/4ModernProcessorArchitectures.pdf
https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/white-papers/ia-introduction-basics-paper.pdf
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Meet the Motherboard

• Like a human brain, the CPU needs to physically

reside somewhere - the ‘motherboard’…
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Mount the Motherboard

Related Concepts…
•ZIF (Zero Insertion Force)
•ZIF Socket
•Surface Mount Packaging
•BGA socket
•DIP socket
•And others…
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Interconnect-EU/Connectors/Integrated-Circuit/
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Beyond the CPU…

• The CPU needs a lot of assistance

• Lots of other components on the motherboard
• Just look at them all on this motherboard…
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Never Forget…

• It is necessary to store (and recall) program

instructions and data - both whilst they are in
use and over longer periods.
• Several broad classifications of memory:
1. Primary Storage: To be accessed ‘right here, right now’ by
CPU
2. Secondary Storage: To be accessed ‘as and when needed’
by CPU
3. Archived Storage: To be accessed (or not) at some unknown
time
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Thanks for the Memory

• Also called ‘main memory’

• Implemented as ‘solid state’ (electronic) random
access memory (RAM)
• RAM is fast, small with low power consumption,
but relatively expensive (cost per bit) and volatile
(data is lost when switched off)
• Like a CPU, it is build as an IC (integrated
circuit)
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Thanks for the Memory

• Two basic RAM technologies:

• Static RAM (SRAM) – uses a flip-flop circuit and
remembers as long as it has power but costs more
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – uses a capacitor to hold
charge, which leaks out so needs refreshing but
costs less
• Most PC systems (and games consoles etc) use
dynamic RAM because of cost.
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ram.htm
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Thanks for the Memory

• Modern computers have multiple Gigabytes (GB) of

RAM in a small number of chips mounted on a circuit
board package called a ‘dual in-line memory module’
(DIMM) which mount in slots on the motherboard.
• There is also ‘single in-line memory module’ (SIMM)
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ROM stands Firm

• ROM: Read Only Memory
• Also known as ‘firmware’
• A variation on the previous main memory
• The data or program instructions are built into the
chips when they are made and cannot be changed
• Non-volatile – will retain data when power removed
• Used for code that does not change, such as PC
BIOS
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/rom.htm
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ROM Variations

• PROM – Programmable ROM – made as a “blank”

which can then be programmed once or “burned”
(after which it can not be changed).
• EPROM – Erasable PROM – made blank,
programmed like PROM but can be erased
(blanked) usually using UV light.
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ROM Variations
• EEPROM – Electrically Erasable PROM – usually
read only, but can be erased and re-written. This is
very slow compared with normal RAM and there is a
limit to the number of cycles (changes) that can be
made before the unit fails. It is useful for configuration
settings which do not change very often.

• Flash Memory – a variation of EEPROM that can be

changed more easily and quickly – has a much higher
cycle limit (currently about 1 million cycles) – used in
cameras, PDAs, MP3 players and USB flash drives
(memory sticks) etc.
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Secondary Storage – Hard Disks

• Also called backing store - normally implemented

as a hard-disk drive (HDD)

• Non-volatile, low cost per bit, high power

consumption, many times slower than RAM
• Originally developed by IBM for mainframes - been
massive advances in data storage density and
overall capacity – even in laptops and desktops
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/hard-disk1.htm
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Secondary Storage – Hard Disks

• HDD capacity now multi-terabytes (TB)

• Multiple ‘platters’ are held in a stack, coated with a
magnetic material, and divided into sectors, tracks
and clusters
• These partitioned platter surfaces can be
magnetised in two ways – giving binary storage
• A read/write head hovers over the spinning disk
surfaces and through electro-magnetism can
detect (read) the values or record (write)new data
http://www.ntfs.com/hard-disk-basics.htm
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Secondary Storage – Optical Disks

• Originally based on Compact Disk (CD) technology from

the music industry – have variations like CD-R
• Then came Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) from the movie
industry - due to higher data compression and thus storage
capacity
• Now we have Blu-ray disks
• Hard disks (HDD) use spots of magnetism to store data
• Optical disks use spots of light – as reflective disk surface
stamped with “pits” and “lands”- giving a binary storage
system - read by bouncing a laser off the surface and
detecting changes in reflection from pits and lands
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd.htm
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/dvd.htm
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray.htm
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Secondary Storage – Flash

•Use flash RAM technology as secondary storage

•Common examples include USB memory stick and
camera data cards
•Should be regarded as temporary storage as they
are less reliable long term than hard disk or optical
storage
•Subject to physical damage
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Archived Storage

•Sometimes you have data that you don’t need right

now or may never need again – but for some reason, it
needs to be retained
•Over time, that volume of data will get very large
which means the storage solution needs to be cheap
and scalable
•You could therefore use:
– Magnetic tape
– DVD
– Cloud-based storage
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Interconnection – Buses

• The interconnection between parts of a computer

is called a bus (for obvious reasons)
• There are three buses in a computer system…

1. Data Bus
2. Address Bus
3. Control Bus

There is also power distribution, but this is not called a bus

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Expansion Slots

• From the very first IBM PC, the facility to add extra
devices via plug-in expansion cards/slots has
provided a high degree of flexibility
• Many devices that used to be provided on
expansion cards are now usually built into the core
motherboard
• Sound, network interface, graphics etc
• But expansion slots are still important for new
technologies and upgrades
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/pc2.htm
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Expansion Slots

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/e/expaslot.htm
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Expansion Slots

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/e/expaslot.htm
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Buses – Peripheral Connections

• There have been a number of different ways of
connecting peripherals to PCs
– Originally parallel port and RS232 serial port
– Now commonly Universal Serial Bus (USB)
• Many generations: USB 1.x, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 etc.
– Less commonly Firewire
• An Apple trademark - properly known as IEEE 1394

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/usb.htm
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Power Supply (PSU)

• All PCs need power

• Usually comes from:
– Mains electricity
– Battery (laptops etc.)

• Modern power supplies will detect input voltage

• Better supplies have modular cable systems,
allowing you to just use the cables you need
• Heed health & safety warnings!
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Cooling

• Computers use a lot of power - ends up as heat!

• Heat is very bad for computers – causing
processors and other components to fail
• It is usual to have a number of fans:
– Case fan
– Processor fan
– Graphics processor fan
– PSU fan
• In general, larger fans move more air, so they can
run slower, which makes them quieter
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Graphics Cards

• Produce the image that you see on the screen

• One major manufacturer of graphics processors is
Nvidia (http://www.nvidia.co.uk/page/home.html)
• Most motherboards now have a graphics chip set
built in, which is fine for office use but will struggle
with games
• Hence the popularity of specialized games
consoles – optimized for graphics processing
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Sound Cards

• The original IBM PC could only beep

• Sound cards were common additions
• Creative Labs (https://uk.creative.com/) have been at
the forefront of sound card technology for many years
• Now, sound is built in to the vast majority of
motherboards
• Not always very good quality
• OK for MS-Windows sound effects but not very good
for music - better speakers may improve things
more than changing the sound card
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Network Interface Card (NIC)

• The vast majority of computers are now networked

• Most PCs will have at least one network interface build into
the motherboard
• Usually Ethernet running at 100Mbps or gigabit Ethernet at
1000Mbps
• May also have a wireless Ethernet (Wi-Fi, 802.11 a/b/g/n)
interface for connecting to wireless access points
• Can still get separate network interface cards, allowing
upgrade of older systems or the installation of multiple
cards for building firewalls, bridges and routers
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References

• http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-hardware-
channel.htm
• https://www.computerhope.com/
• http://www.learning-about-computers.com/
Topic 3 – Computer Hardware

Any Questions?