Components of a Computer

System

COMPUTER SYSTEM

A computer system is one that is able to take a set of

inputs, process them and create a set of outputs.
Computer system have two parts:
COMPUTER
SYSTEM

HARDWAR
E

SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE

Software
Software refers to the programs required to operate a computer.
For example, DOS (disk operating system), basic, Cobol, Database,
Accounting software etc. are all software.
Software are broadly classified into the following two types:
1. System software
2. Application software
Hardware
Hardware refers to any physical component of computer.
For example, CPU, monitor (VDU), keyboard, hard disk, floppy
disk, printer etc. are physical components and, thus, are all
hardware

ARCHITECTURE OF A
COMPUTER SYSTEM

COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER
SYSTEM
A computer system has the following main components:
Input Unit
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Memory Unit
Output Unit

INPUT DEVICES

Following are few of the important input devices which are used in a
computer:
Keyboard
Mouse
Joy stick
Light pen
Track ball
Scanner
Microphone
Magnetic ink card reader(MICR)
Optical character reader(OCR)
Bar code reader
Optical mark reader(OMR)

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT

CPU consists of the following features:
CPU is considered as the brain of the computer.
CPU performs all types of data processing operations.
It stores data, intermediate results and instructions(program).
It controls the operation of all parts of computer.
CPU has following three components.
Memory or Storage Unit
Control Unit
ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)

MEMORY UNIT
Memory is primarily of three types
Primary Memory/Main Memory
Secondary Memory
Cache Memory

PRIMARY MEMORY

Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on

which computer is currently working.
It is generally made up of semiconductor device.
These memories are not as fast as registers.
The data and instruction required to be processed reside in
main memory.
It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.

SECONDARY MEMORY

This type of memory is also known as external memory or

non-volatile.
It is slower than main memory.
These are used for storing data/Information permanently.
CPU directly does not access these memories instead they are
accessed via input-output routines.
Contents of secondary memories are first transferred to main
memory, and then CPU can access it.
For example : disk, CD-ROM, DVD etc.

CACHE MEMORY

Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory

which can speed up CPU.
It acts as a buffer between the CPU and main memory.
It is used to hold those parts of data and program which are
most frequently used by CPU.
The parts of data and programs are transferred from disk to
cache memory by operating system, from where CPU can
access them.

OUTPUT DEVICE
Following are few of the important output devices
which are used in a computer.
Speaker
Monitors
Graphic Plotter
Printer
Headphone
Data projector