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Components of Computer Hardware

The three main components of a computer system are the input/output unit, the central processing unit (CPU), and memory. The CPU, which is the brain of the computer, contains an arithmetic logic unit, control unit, and registers. It executes stored program instructions by getting data and instructions from memory, interpreting the program, and performing arithmetic and logic operations. The CPU contains various registers for temporary storage like the accumulator, instruction register, and program counter. The control unit coordinates the activities of the CPU and communicates with the arithmetic logic unit and registers. Primary memory like RAM and ROM provide limited but fast storage, while secondary memory like hard disks provide large but slower backup storage.

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Abdul Haseeb Ch
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106 views

Components of Computer Hardware

The three main components of a computer system are the input/output unit, the central processing unit (CPU), and memory. The CPU, which is the brain of the computer, contains an arithmetic logic unit, control unit, and registers. It executes stored program instructions by getting data and instructions from memory, interpreting the program, and performing arithmetic and logic operations. The CPU contains various registers for temporary storage like the accumulator, instruction register, and program counter. The control unit coordinates the activities of the CPU and communicates with the arithmetic logic unit and registers. Primary memory like RAM and ROM provide limited but fast storage, while secondary memory like hard disks provide large but slower backup storage.

Uploaded by

Abdul Haseeb Ch
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Digital Computers

• Components of Computer Hardware


• The computer system hardware comprises of
three main components —
• 1. Input/Output (I/O) Unit,
• 2. processing unit -Central Processing Unit (CPU)
arithmetic logic unit
processor registers
control unit 

• 3. Memory Unit.
Central Processing Unit
• Brain of the computer
• Consists of ALU , Control Unit (CU) , registers and
instructions
• Executes stored program and program instruction
– Data and instructions are stored in memory before
execution
• CPU gets data and instruction from memory,
interprets the program instructions and perform
the required arithmetic and logic operations
Central Processing Unit

Control Unit Arithmetic Logic Unit

Registers
Arithmetic Logic Unit
• Consists 2 units
– Arithmetic unit
– Logic unit
• Arithmetic unit
– Performs arithmetic operations on data
– Ex: addition, subtraction ,multiplication etc

• Logic unit
– Performs logic operations on data
– Ex: comparison of numbers, letters and special characters.

• Uses registers to hold data that is being processes.


Registers
• High speed storage area within CPU
• Least storage capacity
• Directly accessed by CPU
• Refers as CPU’s working memory
• Used to store data,instructions,addresses and
intermediate results.
PC IR

MAR ACC

MBR DR
Important registers are

• Accumulator ACC : Stores results of arithmetic and logic


operations
• Instruction register IR : contains current instruction most
recently fetched
• Program Counter PC : contains the address of the next
instruction is to be fetched
• Memory Address Register MAR : address of next location in
the memory to be accessed
• Memory Buffer Register MBR: temporary stores data from
memory or data to be sent to memory
• Data Register DR : stores the operands and any other data.
• Word size : - size of register, indicates the
amount of data with which computer can
work at any given time.
• May be in 8,16,32,64 bits
Control Unit
• Organizing the processing of data and instructions
• Act as a supervisor, controls and coordinates the
activities of other units of computer.
• Directs the computer to carry out stored program
instruction by communicating with ALU and the
registers.
• Uses IR to decide which circuit to be activated.
• Instructs the ALU to perform the operation
• CU tells when to fetch the data and instruction, what to
do and where to store the program
Memory Unit
• Consists of
– Cache memory
– Primary memory
• RAM
• ROM
– Secondary memory
Cache Memory

• It is a storage buffer that stores the data that is used


more often, temporarily and makes them available to
CPU at fast rate.
• Very high speed memory placed between RAM and
CPU
• Increases the speed of processing.
• During processing ,CPU first checks cache for data,if
not then CPU looks in the RAM for data.
• No system bus for accessing the cache.
• CPU has built in Level1 (L1) cache and
Level2(L2) cache.
• L3 Cache – cache on the motherboard.
– Intel core i7
• L1- 256 KB
• L2-6MB
• L3-12MB
• Very expensive
• Small in size
Primary Memory
• Main memory of computer
• Used to store data and instructions
• Semiconductor memory
• Provides a limited storage capacity – high cost
• 2 kinds
– RAM
– ROM
• Non volatile memory
• Permanent
• Store std processing programs
• Programmed by manufacturer
Interaction of CPU with memory
Secondary Memory
• Stores data and instructions permanently
• Non volatile memory
• Provides back up storage
• High storage capacity
• Cheaper
• Takes longer time to access the data and
instructions .
• Hard disk, CD, Floppy disk.

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