Personal Computer Basics

What is a Computer? The computer is a specialized electrical device that performs three basic steps : Input, Process, and Output. Input A description of any method that directs information, or data, into the PC from an external source. A structural input device, such as a disk keyboard, mouse modem or scanner, is used to direct the data into the computer. Process the modification or manipulation of the data input by a program. Output the result of the programs execution and modification of the data

Standard Computer Model the standard computer model consists of four basic components CPU (Central Processing Unit) The brain of the computer system. It interprets and executes instructions defined by the software. the microprocessor type determines the computers speed and the software it can utilize. RAM (Random Access Memory) The Computers temporary workspace where data and program instruction are stored and processed I/O (Input/Output) - The state of data flowing into and out of the computer system via input and output devices. some input devices can also function as output devices. e.g. a floppy drive. Storage A hard (fixed) disk drive. It provides the computer with a means of permanently recording modifications to data. The role of (/O is performed by a storage device.

Processing Data is processed whenever it is modified, updated or simply displayed on the computers monitor. There are three types of processing: Calculation The computer performs a mathematical operation, such as adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing one data set with another. Comparison The computer analyzes and evaluates data by matching it with sets of know data Copying the computer moves data to create any kind of report or listing in any order

Input Input is defined as any form of data that is ready for entry into the computer system. Standard input is defined as any input from a keyboard console. The computer expects the principal source of input to come from the keyboard but other sources are:
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CD/ROM Compact Disk, Read-Only Memory. Floppy Diskette - Removable storage media on which programs and data files are stored. Hard Drive Mass - storage device on which programs and data files are stored. Joy stick Specialized mouse device with extended functions for game playing. Keyboard the most commonly used input device that is comprised of the keys that allow you to type the letters of the alphabet, numbers and special character. The keyboard also includes numbered function key and dedicated function keys which perform various functions depending on the loaded software. Modem Accepts and converts data via telephone lines. Mouse Used mostly in graphical environments to select commands and options. Network A series of computers connected via network cables, adapter cards and software for the purpose of data exchange. Scanner Optically converts graphics and text into electronic form. Touch Pad - Specialized pointing device consisting of a flat, pressure sensitive pad. Touch Screen Specialized monitor device that translated tactile input into electronic form. Trackball Specialized mouse device consisting of a trackball mounted on a base and connected to electro-mechanical circuits. voice Command Voice activated computer systems.

Output Output is the result of the programs execution and modification of the data. Output includes computer-generated information that is displayed on a monitor or printed. Sound, data transfer over telephone lines, and network connections also qualify as output. Output can also be described as information that is transferred from internal storage to external storage by a computer or that is delivered in response to instructions. This definition includes the various sent to the computer monitor for display. Unless directed otherwise, the output is displayed on the screen. There are many valid output devices : Floppy Diskette Removable storage media on which programs and data files are stored. Hard Disk Drive Mass-storage device on which programs and data files are storage. Modem A series of computers connected via network cables, adapter cards, and software for the purpose of data exchange. Printer Printed output. Sound Produced from system or multimedia system speakers.
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Tape Storage and backup. Video Video imaging.

Binary Code The British mathematician George Boole invented a branch of algebra in 1854 that can describe all data (numbers, letters, objects, or statements) as either true or false, yes or no, open or closed, or ones and zeros. Since computer data exists primarily in an electrical state, these ones and zeros translate into electronic on or off pulses. Bits and Bytes Because data storage consists of digits that are either on or off, these series are read as ones (on) or zeros (off). When arranged in a specific order, the series of ones and zeros are interpreted as data and instructions. Since there are only two digits that comprise this code, it is know as Binary Code. Each one or zero is known as a binary digit, or bit. Information, as humans perceive it, is usually associated with text or numeric characters. For a computer to store a character, it must be stored as binary code. Binary code, or binary storage, requires eight bits to store one character or number. A collection of eight bits forms a Bye. Therefor, 5 bits = 1 Byte = 1 character. For example, the word computer would require eight bytes or 64 bits to store it in memory or on disk :

the word computer 8 characters (letters) 8 Bytes

= = =

8 characters (letters) 8 Bytes 64 bits (8 x 8 = 64)

The plural, Bytes, is used extensively to describe physical parameters such as disk-drive size, the amount of memory, etc. The metric prefixes are used (Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte, Terabyte and Exabyte) to describe large amounts of information.

Data Equivalents Symbol 1b 1B 1 KB 1 MB 1 GB 1 TB

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Name 1 bit 1 Byte 1 Kilobyte 1 Megabyte 1 Gigabyte 1 Terabyte

Actual Size 1 binary digit = a zero or a one 1 character = 8 bits 1,024 Bytes 1,024 Kb = 1,048,576 Bytes 1,024 MB = 1,073,741,824 Bytes 1,024 GB = 1,099,511,627,776 Bytes
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1 PB 1 XB

1 Petabyte 1 Exabyte

1,024 TB = 1,125,899,906,842,624 Bytes 1,204 PB = 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 Bytes

Figure 1.1 : Table of Data Equivalents

A sense of the magnitude of these units can be obtained from the following comparisons : Item Machine code instructions Words Pages of text Books Measurement Units 1 10 bits 1 15 Bytes 1 20 Kilobytes 1 25 Megabytes

8 x 10 true color picture (1200 2 3 Gigabytes dpi) NOTE : Large databases may be stored on arrays of Gigabyte drives. Inside the System Unit

The brain behind everything that a PC does is contained inside its Systems Unit. The Systems Unit is a box that contains the following chief devices : 1. Motherboard 4. Main Memory 7. Disk Drives 1. 2. Battery 5. CPU 8. Video Card 3. Power-Supply Unit 6. Input-Output Ports 9. Expansion Slots 10.Hard Disk

MOTHERBOARD All the electronics components inside the Systems Unit are mounted on a piece of fibre glass. The piece is called the motherboard. As fibre glass does not conduct electricity, each component remains safely insulated from the other components.

2.

BATTERY A battery is a device that provides Direct Current (DC) Electricity. The battery inside the Systems Unit powers a clock and date stamp that are there inside the computer. Its current keeps them running even when the computer is turned off.

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3.

POWER-SUPPLY UNIT All the components of a PC need electricity to perform their functions. Most of them need 5-volt supply while some of them require 12-volt supply. If the components are connected to normal household current, they are sure to be blown up. The power-supply unit converts high voltage current to a low voltage to keep the components safe.

4.

MAIN MEMORY The main memory is there to store information including instructions that tell the PC what to do and how to process the data. The size of memory is measured in bytes, kilobytes and megabytes, gigabytes.

5.

CPU The Central Processing Unit is the most important item inside the Systems Unit. It is the brain of the computer and does all the thinking for the PC. Also, it carries out all the instructions given by the operator. It has two chief parts : i. ii. The Control Unit The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

The control unit fatches data from the memory and puts it in proper order for the processor. It also sends the processed result back to the memory. The ALU decodes instructions, solves arithmetical problems and carries out jobs that need logic to arrive at a result. 6. INPUT-OUTPUT PORTS The Systems Unit has to communicate with outer hardware-keyboard, monitor, mouse, disks and printer etc. This job is done through various ports. For each item of the outer hardware, there are two exclusive ports inside the Systems Unit. A port is a connector on the back of the Systems Unit or any other device. A cable is used to connect the port of one device to another. Ports were two types serial or parallel according to the cables used for connecting the Systems Unit with a device (printer etc). Serial or parallel cables depend on the mode of data-transmission. If the data is transmitted over parallel signals, the cables and ports have to be parallel ones. But if data is sent over serial signals, the cables and ports must be serial ones. 7. DISK DRIVES Disk drives are provided in the Systems Unit wherein disks are inserted. A drive consists of three items :
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(a) A slot that accepts the disk (b) A motor that spins the inserted disk (c) A device that moves across the disk to read or write the data stored on it. Remember that most of the memory in a PC is volatile. It means that information in the memory is lost each time the computer is turned off after a working session. Moreover, the size of the memory has a limit. So, copies of the information are stored permanently on disks or tapes. When we need the information, the disk is inserted in the drive and a copy of the information gets loaded onto the memory of the computer temporarily. The original version remains intact on the disk itself. 8. VIDEO CARD All the information is stored in the computers memory, we know. To make this information fully useful, we need to have it displayed on the monitor so that we may correct the errors, if any. This job is done for us by the video card which is called Display Adapter Card as well. This card serves as a link between the PCs memory and video screen (monitor). 9. EXPANSION SLOTS An expansion slot is where an expansion card can be fitted. Each expansion slot leads to the bus on the motherboard. The bus is a channel or path which enables the various parts of a computer to communicate with one another. It serves as a road along which signals are sent. An expansion bus allows extra hardware (cards etc.) to be attached to the system. Expansion slots allow the expansion cards to be plugged in. The cards offer extra options the options that are not available on the basic PC. For example, Empty RAM Chip Slots are used to add extra RAM chips to expand the memory of the computer. 10. HARD DISK The hard disk is the computers permanent storage unit. It can hold large amounts of data and instructions. The information stored on the hard disk is not affected even when the PC is turned off. It remains quite intact unless the hard disk is damaged in some way or you instruct the PC to overwrite it. One thing more, the user cannot change the information stored on the hard disk. There may be only one hard disk or more than one in the Systems Unit of a computer. If the disks are more than one, each of them is called a platter.

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Computer software
The programs, or software, available for computers fall into two classes, system software and applications software. The distinntion is a fuzzy one; rughly, the system software comprises those programs that are considered indispensable to the general operatin of a given computer system, forming what is often termed the operating system of the computer, and generally are supplied by the manufacturer, though alternative operating system are sometimes available from software houses; while the application sftware includes all those programs that are needed by one computer user but not by another, even if such programs are widely required (for example, an accounting program), and while some manufacturers will sell applications software (as optional additions to their system), more often this is obtained from software specialists. Classification of Software Software can be classified into the following categories. 1. System Software 2. Application Software 3. Utilities System Software System software is a collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the processing capability of the computer system. System software comes along with computer system. These programs are used for starting the computer, controlling and managing its resources, converting high level language program to machine language or for some specific purpose. Broadly, a system software can be classified into: Operating System Translator Operating System An Operating System is a collection of programs that manage system resources and aid in the development and execution of application programs. The operating system acts as an interface between the user and the computer. It accepts the commands given by the user and executes them. This program (many times only essential part of it is called the Kernel) resides in the main memory throughout the working of machine and manages all the resources, operation, human interfacing, input and output etc. Example :Unix, Linux, MS-Dos, Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP Translator A digital computer accepts digits and alphabets as input. However, this input is not directly understood by computers. It is translated to machine language so as to make computers understand it. Translators can be classified into the following categories: Compiler Interpreter Assembler
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Compiler: A Compiler is a program that reads a program and translates it into machine code. Example: C, COBOL, Fortran etc. Interpreter: An Interpreter functions like a compiler. However, it takes one statement of a program at a time and translates into machine code. Example: BASIC. Assembler: It accepts programs in assembly language as input and produces machine-code as output. Example: Microsoft Assembler(MASM), Turbo Assembler(TASM). Application Software Application software is a software, which has been developed to computerized an activity. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of system software because it is unable to run without the operating system and system utilities. An Application software can be developed using a computer language. Generally these are developed in high level languages such as Visual Basic, C, COBOL etc. Example: Financial Accounting, Payroll accounting, Hotel Management, Banking Software, Railway reservation, Examination processing etc.

Utilities Utilities are programs, which perform a specific function. Utility programs are generally supplied by the computer manufacturer and also available for the call up by the operating system. These programs help the user to do common jobs, like copying a file, comparing two files etc. The following diagram would show you categories of the software-

Software

Application Software

System Software

Utilities

Operating System

Translator

Compiler

Interpreter

Assembler

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