Benefits of Using a Computer

• Increases your productivity: A computer increases your productivity. For

example, after having a basic understanding of a word processor, you can
create, edit, store, and print the documents easily and quickly.
• Connects to the Internet: It connects you to the internet that allows you to
send emails, browse content, gain information, use social media platforms,
and more. By connecting to the internet, you can also connect to your long-
distance friends and family members.
• Storage:A computer allows you to store a large amount of information, e.g.,
you can store your projects, ebooks, documents, movies, pictures, songs, and
more.
• Organized Data and Information: It not only allows you to store data but
also enables you to organize your data. For example, you can create different
folders to store different data and information and thus can search for
information easily and quickly.
Benefits of Using a
Computer….Cont’d
• Improves your abilities: It helps write good English if you are not good at
spelling and grammar. Similarly, if you are not good at math, and don't have a
great memory, you can use a computer to perform calculations and store the
results.
• Assistthe physically challenged: It can be used to help the physically
challenged, e.g., Stephen Hawking, who was not able to speak used computer
to speak. It also can be used to help blind people by installing special software
to read what is on the screen.
• Keepsyou entertained: You can use the computer to listen to songs, watch
movies, play games and more.
• Any Other Benefits?
What is a Computer?
•A computer is a multipurpose electronic device that can
receive, process and store data.
• Operates under the control of instructions stored in its own
memory
• Instructions allow the computer to accept data, manipulate
the data according to specified rules, produce results, and
store the results for future use.
•A computer has input, processing, storage and output.
• Examples of computers: Desktop computers, laptops, smart
phones, office calculator, Point of Sale systems etc.
3
Powering a Computer
• Computers need a power source
• Alternating Current(AC) – suppliedfrom electricity
• Direct Current (DC) – supplied from a battery

• Some devices can used both AC and DC, others have an

option of either, based on power consumptions.
• Powering a computing device involves booting, which can
further be classified as hard or cold.
• Cold booting: when the computer is started after having
been switched off.
• Warm booting: when the operating system alone is
restarted (without being switched off)

4
Powering a computer…
continued(2)
• This is the standard symbol used on computer devices to
indicate the power buttons.

• It is used for cold booting. A soft boot is controlled by the

operating system and requires that the computer be already
powered.
5
Class Discussion: Starting and
shutting down a Computer
1. Point the mouse pointer to the windows key at the bottom
left corner of computer. Click once on the left button of the
computer.

2. Select restart. Observe and note down a few things that the
computer will communicate to you during the booting process. 6
Class Discussion: Starting and
shutting down a Computer
3. Explain what could be happening when the following took
place:
a. Restarting, with circles going round
b. Hardware information by manufacturer
c. Windows Logo
4. What is the difference between “Sleep” and “Shut Down”

7
The Booting Process

8
Computer Organization and
Architecture
• Computer architecture: the definition of basic
attributes of hardware components and their
interconnections, in order to achieve certain
specified goals in terms of functions and
performance.

• Computer organisation: the design and physical

arrangement of various hardware units to work in
tandem, in a orderly manner, in order to achieve the
goals specified in the architecture.
Computer Components
There are 5 main computer
components that are given below:
• Input Devices
• CPU
• Output Devices
• Primary Memory
• Secondary Memory
 The Operations of Computer Components
1. Inputting: It is the process of entering raw data, instructions and information
into the computer. It is performed with the help of input devices.
2. Storing: The computer has primary memory and secondary storage to store
data and instructions. It stores the data before sending it to CPU for processing
and also stores the processed data before displaying it as output.
3. Processing: It is the process of converting the raw data into useful information.
This process is performed by the CPU of the computer. It takes the raw data
from storage, processes it and then sends back the processed data to storage.
4. Outputting: It is the process of presenting the processed data through output
devices like monitor, printer and speakers.
5. Controlling: This operation is performed by the control unit that is part of
CPU. The control unit ensures that all basic operations are executed in a right
manner and sequence.
The Computer System
•Hardware
•Software
•Data
•People
Computer Parts

• Thereare many parts

that work together to
make a computer work.
Hardware

• Physicalparts of the
computer, including
processor and memory
chips, input/output
devices, tapes, disks,
modems, cable, etc.
 Difference between Input, Output,
Input/Output devices
A computer is a system. All systems have input, processing and
output and in most cases storage (which in itself offer both input and
output)
• An input device is a device that gives instructions or data to a
computer for processing.
• Usually, the devices are controlled by user to give instructions to a
computer.
• An input device can send data to another device, but it cannot
receive data from another device.
• Examples include: Keyboards, Mouse, Scanner, camera, etc. The
information flows in one direction only. From the device to the
15
processor.
Difference between Input, Output,
Input/Output devices
• An Output device is a peripheral component that the
processor uses to display information to the user or another
device.
• An output device can receive data from another device, but
it cannot send data to another device.
• Examples include a non-touch screen monitor (Visual Display
Unit), a projector, speakers etc.

16
Difference between Input, Output,
Input/Output devices
• Input/Output device is one that allows entering of data and
also displaying or outputting data/information.
• An input/output device can send data to another device
and also receive data from another device.
• Examples include headsets that have speakers and
microphone, facsimile (fax), touch screen monitor etc.

17
Computer Case

• Contains the major

components of the
computer. It helps
protect them.
Front of the Computer Case
Inside the Computer Case
 THE MOTHERBOARD
• The main printed circuit board
in a computer is known as the
Motherboard. It is also known
as System Board, Main Board
or Printed Wired Board (PWB).
• It
holds the processor,
memory and expansion slots
and connects directly or
indirectly to every part of the
PC.
• The type of motherboard
installed in a PC has a great
effect on system speed and
expansion capabilities. 21
MOTHERBOARD COMPONENTS
The motherboard holds all the major logic components of the PC.
These components include:
• The CPU
• Main Memory (RAM)
• BIOS

• CMOS memory / CMOS Battery

• Level 2 cache RAM
• CPU Clock
• Expansion Bus
• Chipset

• Parallel printer port

• Keyboard interface
22
• Hard disk controllers
Processor

• The CPU – The chip or

chips that interpret and
execute program
instructions and manage
the functions of input,
output, and storage
devices.
Central Processing Unit
• Registers/Main Memory
• Arithmetic Unit
• Logic Unit
• Control Unit
• Cache Memory
 Central Processing Unit
• Registers - CPU contains a few special purpose, temporary storage
units known as registers. They are high-speed memory locations used
for holding instructions, data and intermediate results that are
currently being processed.
• MainMemory - The main memory is referred to as the internal
memory of primary memory of the computer. It is also known as
Random Access Memory (RAM).
• Arithmetic Unit - Arithmetic Unit is a part of the CPU that performs
arithmetic operations on the data. The arithmetic operations can be
addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.
• LogicUnit - Logic Unit is a part of the CPU that performs logical
operations on the data.
• Control Unit - Control Unit is an important component of CPU that
controls the flow of data and information. It maintains the sequence of
operations being performed by the CPU.
Central Processing Unit
The main operations of the CPU include four phases:
(1) Fetching instructions from the memory
(2) Decoding the instructions to decide what operations to be
performed
(3) Executing the instructions
(4) Storing the results back in the memory
Internal Communications
The internal communication of a processor in the computer
system can be divided into two major categories:
(1) Processor to memory communication
(2) Processor to I/O devices communication
Processor to Memory
Communication
• The direct communication between the processor and memory
of the computer system is implemented with the help of two
registers:
(1) Memory Address Register
(2) Memory Buffer Register
The reading and writing operations performed by the processor
are called memory read and memory write operations.
Processor to I/O Devices
Communication
• Thecommunication between I/O devices and processor of
the computer system is implemented using an interface unit.
The interface unit acts as an intermediary between the
processor and the device controllers of various peripheral
devices in the computer system.
Machine Cycle
• Thecycle during which a machine language instruction is
executed by the processor of the computer system is known
as machine cycle.

Instruction Cycle
• Fetching:The CPU retrieves the instruction from the main
memory of the computer system.
• Decoding: Breaking down the instruction into different
parts, so that it can be easily understood before being
processed by the CPU.
Execution Cycle
• Executing: The decoded instruction is executed by the ALU
of the CPU.
• Storing: The result computed in the execution phase is
either sent to the memory or to an output device.
The Bus
•A bus is a set of wires that is used to connect the different
internal components of the computer system for the purpose
of transferring data as well addresses amongst them.
• Data bus: used to transfer data amongst the different
internal components. Modern computer systems use 32-bit
and 64 –bit data buses for data transfer.
• Address bus: transfers the memory addresses for read and
write memory operations.
Memory and Storage Systems
• Primary Memory: Storing the data that are being currently
handled by the CPU; generally known as “memory”;
• Secondary Memory: Storing the results and the data for
future use; generally known as “storage”;
• InternalProcess Memory: Placed either inside the CPU or
near the CPU.
Memory Representation
• Inthe memory, values are represented by sequences of
binary digits, know as bits. Most computers use a group of
eight bits, known as a byte, to represent a character.
• Memory is a “bunch” of bytes or cells into which we can place
data. Each cell, known as a data item, is assigned a unique
number known as “address”. The CPU can identify each cell
by its address.
Memory Representation
• The
byte is defined as the “smallest addressable unit” of
memory. Most computers use groups of bytes, usually 2 or 4,
known as “words” to represent information.
• Computer memories are often rated in terms of their
capacity to store information. Typically, capacities are
described using the unit of byte as follows:
(1) 1 KB (Kilobyte)=1,024 bytes
(2) 1 MB (Megabyte)=1,048,576 bytes
(3) 1 GB (Gigabyte)=1,073,741,824 bytes
(4) 1 TB (Terabyte)=1,099,511,627,776 bytes
 Random Access Memory
• Random Access Memory (RAM) is a volatile memory and
loses all its data when the power is switched off.
• It
is the main memory of the computer system that stores
the data temporarily and allows the data to be accessed in
any order.
• RAM
can be categorized into two main types, namely, Static
RAM and Dynamic RAM.
Random Access Memory
• StaticRAM: is a type of RAM in which data is stored till the
power of the computer system is switched on. SRAM uses a
number of transistors to store a single bit of digital
information.
• Dynamic RAM: is the RAM in which data is stored in a
storage cell, consisting of a transistor and a capacitor. The
DRAM needs to be continuously refreshed with power supply
because the capacitor has the tendency to get discharged.
DRAM retains the data for a very short span of time, even
after the power supply is switched off.
Read Only Memory
• ROMis the memory that stores the data
permanently.
• The
data can be easily read from this type of
memory but cannot be changed.
• ROM is most commonly used in devices such as
calculators, laser printers, etc.
• ROM does not allow the random access of data, and
allows sequential access of data.
 Read Only Memory
ROM is divided into four types:
(1) Programmable ROM: a memory chip on which the write
operation of data can be performed only once. PROM is reliable and
stores the data permanently without making any change in it. It is
mostly used in video games and electronic dictionaries.
(2) Erasable PROM: a type of ROM in which data can be erased or
destroyed using Ultraviolet Light.
(3) Electrically Erasable PROM: a type of ROM in which data can
be erased or destroyed by exposing it to an electric charge.
(4) Flash ROM: a type of EEPROM that stores the information using
floating-gate transistors, which can store electric charge for a longer
period of time as compared to the normal transistors. This memory is
mainly used in the memory cards of mobile phones, digital cameras
and ipods for storing data. Flash ROM has faster speed of reading
data, as compared to any other type of ROM.
Storage Systems
• Storage systems are the devices used for data
storage. The main objective of the storage system is
to permanently store data. The storage systems can
be classified as follows:
(1) Magnetic
(2) Optical
(3) Solid state
Magnetic Storage Systems
• Magnetic storage systems can be defined as the
storage systems that store the data on a
magnetised medium, with the help of magnetised
particles. Magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, hard
disks, floppy disks are examples of magnetic storage
systems.
• Canstore any type of data, such as text, audio,
video, image
Magnetic Storage Systems
• Magnetic tapes: The plastic tapes with magnetic coating
that are used for storing the data. They are similar to the
normal recording tapes. The data stored on the magnetic
tapes can be accessed using the sequential access method.
• Magnetic Disks: A flat disk that is covered with magnetic
coating for holding information. It is used to store digital
information in the form of small and magnetised needles.
These needles help in encoding a single bit of information by
getting polarized in one direction represented by 1, and
opposite direction represented by 0. It allows the random
access of data and provides the facility of erasing and re-
recording the data as many times as required.
Optical Storage Systems
• The
optical storage systems use the laser light as the optical
medium to retrieve as well as record data.
• The optical storage devices are either read-only or writable.
Solid-State Storage Devices
• Solid-stateStorage Devices were developed in 1978
by Storage Tek Company.
• Do not use magnetic and optical medium to store
data. Instead, use the semiconductor devices.
• Contains all the properties of hard disk drives to
store the data and use solid-state memory, which
has no moving parts.
• The examples of SSD are flash memory cards and
Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices.
Storage Evaluation Criteria
• AccessMode: random access mode, sequential access
mode, direct access mode
• Access Time: the time taken by the processor in completing
the requests made by the user for performing the read and
write operations.
• Storage Capacity: the size of the memory available for
storing the data, and measured in terms of bytes.
• Storage Type: Temporary and permanent memory.
• Cost:the cost of the storage device used in the computer
system for holding the data.
External Storage Media
•A storage device is any computing hardware that is used for
storing, porting and extracting data files and objects.
• It
can hold and store information both temporarily and
permanently, and can be internal or external to a computer,
server or any similar computing device.
• External storage devices perform the same function as
internal storage devices but in a permanent form.
• The main difference is that the external devices are easily
detachable from the computer. External storage media
include

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Types of external storage media

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Types of external storage media

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Video Card

• Connects the computer to the

monitor. It is a circuit board
attached to the motherboard
that contains the memory and
other circuitry necessary to
send information to the
monitor for display on screen.
Sound Card

• Connects
the speakers
and microphone to the
computer.
Modem

• Theplace where the

computer is connected to
the phone line.
Network Card

•Acircuit board that

connects the computer to
the rest of the network
usually using special
cables.