Hardware

- Prof. (Ms.) Avani Rachh

HARDWARE
 Hardware: The physical parts of a
computer
 Internal hardware
 Located
inside the main box (system unit) of the
computer
 External hardware
 Located outside the system unit and plug into
ports located on the exterior of the system unit
 Hardware associated with all five computer
operations
HARDWARE (CONTD…)
HARDWARE (CONTD…)
 Input devices
 Used to input data into the computer
 Keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras,
microphones, joysticks, etc.
 Processing devices
 Perform calculations and control computer’s
operation
 Central processing unit (CPU) and memory

 Output devices
 Present results to the user
 Monitors, printers, speakers, projectors, etc.
HARDWARE (CONTD…)
 Storage devices
 Used to store data on or access data from
storage media
 Hard drives, DVD disks and drives, USB flash
drives, etc.
 Communications devices
 Allow users to communicate with others and
to electronically access information
 Modems, network adapters, etc.
HARDWARE (CONTD…)
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INSIDE THE SYSTEM UNIT

 System unit: The main case of a computer
 Houses the processing hardware for a computer
 Also contains memory, the power supply, cooling
fans, and interfaces to connect peripheral devices
 Houses the drive bays in which storage devices
(hard drives, DVD drives, etc.) are located
 With a desktop PC, usually looks like a rectangular
box
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INSIDE THE SYSTEM UNIT (CONTD…)

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THE MOTHERBOARD
 Computer chip: A very small pieces of silicon or
other semi-conducting material onto which
integrated circuits are embedded
 Circuit board: A thin board containing computer
chips and other electronic components
 Motherboard or system board: The main circuit
board inside the system unit
 Allcomputer components must connect to the
motherboard
 External devices (monitors, keyboards, mice, printers)
typically connect by plugging into a port exposed
through the exterior of the system unit
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THE CPU
 Central processing unit (CPU): circuitry and
components packaged together and attached to the
motherboard
 Does the vast majority of processing for a computer
 Alsocalled a processor; called a microprocessor
when talking about PCs
 Dual-core CPU: Contain the processing components
(cores) of two separate processors on a single CPU
 Quad-core CPU: Contains 4 cores
 Typically designed for desktop PCs, portable PCs, or
servers
 Often made by Intel or AMD
THE CPU (CONTD…)
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HOW THE CPU WORKS

 CPU: Consists of a variety of circuitry and
components packaged together
 Transistor: Key element of the microprocessor
 Made of semi-conductor material that acts like a switch
controlling the flow of electrons inside a chip
 Today’s CPUs contain hundreds of millions of
transistors; the number doubles about every 18
months (Moore’s Law)
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TYPICAL CPU COMPONENTS

 Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU): Performs integer
arithmetic and logical operations
 Floating Point Unit (FPU): Performs decimal arithmetic
 Control unit: Coordinates and controls activities
 Prefetch unit: Tries to fetch data and instructions
before they are needed
 Decode unit: Translates instructions so they are
understood by the control unit, ALU, and FPU
 Internal cache and registers: Store data and
instructions needed by the CPU
 Bus interface unit: Where data and instructions flow in
and out of the CPU
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TYPICAL CPU COMPONENTS (CONTD…)

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MEMORY
 RAM (random access memory): Temporary
memory that the computer uses
 Consists of chips connected to a memory module
which is connected to the motherboard
 Holdsdata and program instructions while they are
needed.
 Adequate RAM is needed to run programs
 Volatile:Contents of RAM is lost when the computer
is shut off
 Some forms of nonvolatile RAM are under
development
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MEMORY (CONTD…)
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MEMORY (CONTD…)
 ROM (read-only memory): Read-only chips
located on the motherboard into which
data or programs have been permanently
stored
 Retrieved by the computer when needed
 Being replaced with flash memory

 Flash memory: Type of nonvolatile memory

that can be erased and reprogrammed
 Some flash memory chips are used by the PC
 Flash memory chips are also used in flash
memory storage media (sticks, cards, and
drives)
 FANS, HEAT SINKS, AND 18

OTHER COOLING COMPONENTS

 Heat: A continuing problem for CPU and

computer manufacturers
 Fans: Used on most PCs
 Heat sinks: Small components typically made
out of aluminum with fins that help to dissipate
heat
 Water cooling systems: Cool the PC with liquid-
filed tubes
 Other cooling methods (such as ion pump
cooling systems) are under development
FANS, HEAT SINKS, AND 19

OTHER COOLING COMPONENTS (CONTD…)

 EXPANSION SLOTS, EXPANSION CARDS,
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AND EXPRESSCARDS
 Expansion card: A circuit board used to add
additional functionality or to attach a peripheral
device
 Expansion slot: A location on the motherboard
into which expansion cards are inserted
 ExpressCard modules: Designed for
notebook computer expansion
EXPANSION SLOTS, EXPANSION CARDS,
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AND EXPRESSCARDS (CONTD…)

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BUSES
 Bus: An electronic path within a computer over
which data travels
 System bus: Moves data back and forth between
the CPU and memory
 Expansion buses: Connect the CPU to peripheral
(typically input and output) devices
 PCI and PCI Express (PCIe) bus
 AGP bus
 Universal Serial Bus (USB)
 FireWire/IEEE 1394 bus
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BUSES (CONTD…)
PORTS AND CONNECTORS
 Port: A connector on the exterior of a PC’s
system unit to which a device may be
attached
– Serial – USB
– Parallel – FireWire
– Network – SCSI
– Keyboard/Mouse – MIDI
– Monitor (VGA, – IrDA
DVI, HDMI) – Game
– Modem/Phone – eSATA
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PORTS AND CONNECTORS (CONTD…)

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PORTS AND CONNECTORS (CONTD…)

 Many desktop PCs
come with a variety
of ports on the front
of the system unit
for easy access
 A wired or wireless
hub can connect
many devices to a
single USB or
FireWire port
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PORTS AND CONNECTORS (CONTD…)

 Notebook computers
have ports similar to
desktop PCs, but often
not as many
 Handheld computers
and mobile devices
typically have less
ports
 An SD slot is
common for both
memory cards
and to connect
peripheral devices
PORTS AND CONNECTORS (Contd…)
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FLASH MEMORY SYSTEMS

 Use flash memory media
 No moving parts so more resistant to shock and
vibration, require less power, makes no sound
 Solid-state storage system

 Most often found in the form of:

 Flash memory cards

 USB flash drives

 Solid-state drives

 Hybrid hard drives

 Very small and so are very appropriate for use with digital
cameras, digital music players, handheld PCs, notebook
computers, smart phones, etc.
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FLASH MEMORY SYSTEMS (CONTD…)

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FLASH MEMORY CARDS (CONTD…)

 Flash memory card: A small card containing flash
memory chips and metal contacts to connect the card
to the device or reader that it is being used with
 CompactFlash

 Secure Digital (SD)

 Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)

 MultiMedia Card (MMC)

 xD Picture Card

 Memory Stick

 SmartMedia (SM)

 Read by flash memory card reader

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FLASH MEMORY CARDS (CONTD…)

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USB FLASH DRIVES

 Flash memory drives: Consist of flash memory
media and a reader in a single self-contained unit
 Typically portable drives that connect via a USB port
 Also called USB flash memory drives, thumb drives,
jump drives
 Come in a variety of appearances
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REMOTE STORAGE SYSTEM

 Remote storage: Using a storage device
not directly a part of the PC being used
 Network storage: Accessible through a local
network
 Online storage: Accessed via the Internet
 Backup

 Transferring files to others or to another PC

 Sharing files with others (online photo sites, etc.)
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REMOTE STORAGE SYSTEM (CONTD…)

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SMART CARD AS STORAGE SYSTEMS

 Smart card: Credit card-sized piece of
plastic that contains some computer
circuitry (processor, memory, and storage)
 Store small amount of data (about 64 KB or
less)
 Commonly used to store prepaid amounts of
digital cash or personal information
 Smart card readers are built into or attached
to a PC, keyboard, vending machine, or other
device
 Some smart cards store biometric data
 Can be used in conjunction with encryption
and other security technologies
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SMART CARDS (CONTD…)

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HOLOGRAPHIC STORAGE
 Holographic storage: Store data as holograms
 Emerging type of 3D storage technology
 Uses two blue laser beams to store data in three
dimensions
 Reference beam
 Signal beam

 Potentialinitial applications for holographic data

storage systems include:
 High-speed digital libraries
 Image processing for medical, video, and military purposes
 Any other applications in which data needs to be stored or
retrieved quickly in large quantities but rarely changed
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HOLOGRAPHIC STORAGE (CONTD…)

 STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR LARGE COMPUTER
40

SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS

 Usually use a storage server: a hardware device
containing multiple high-speed hard drives
 Businesses have to
storage tremendous
amounts of data
 Business data
 Employee and
customer data
 E-discovery data
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NASS AND SANS

 Network attached storage
(NAS): High-performance
storage server individually
connected to a network to
provide storage for
computers on that network
 Storage area network (SAN):
Network of hard drives or
other storage devices that
provide storage for another
network of computers
 RAID
42

 RAID (redundant arrays of independent discs): Method of

storing data on two or more hard drives that work together to
do the job of a larger drive
 Usually involves recording redundant copies of stored
data
 Helps to increase fault tolerance

 Disk striping and disk mirroring

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MAGNETIC TAPE SYSTEMS

 Magnetic tape: Plastic tape with a magnetizable
surface that stores data as a series of magnetic
spots
 Primarily used for backup and archival purposes
 Sequential access only
 Low cost per megabyte
 Most tapes today are in the form of cartridge tapes
 Read from and written to via a tape drive
 Tape libraries contain multiple tape drives
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EVALUATING YOUR STORAGE ALTERNATIVES

 Factors to consider:
 Speed
 Compatibility
 Storage capacity
 Convenience
 Portability
 Most users require:
 Hard drive
 CD or DVD drive
 Flash memory card reader and USB port for
flash memory drive
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KEYBOARDS
 Keyboards are increasingly including alternate
input tools
 Touch pads
 Scroll wheels

 Some also include built-in display screens

 Portable PCs and mobile devices often use:

 Thumbpad

 Slide-out keyboard
 Pen or touch input

 Portable keyboard

 Virtual keyboard is an emerging possibility

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KEYBOARDS (CONTD…)
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POINTING DEVICES
 Pointing device: An input device that moves an
onscreen pointer (arrow or insertion point) to
allow the user to select objects on the screen
 Usually buttons on the device are used to
select objects
 Common types of pointing devices:
 Mouse

 Electronicpen
 Touch screen
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THE MOUSE
 Mouse: A pointing device
the user slides along a
flat surface to move a
pointer around the
screen and clicks its
buttons to make
selections
 Older mechanical
mice use a ball
 Newer optical or laser
mice track
movements with light
 Can be wireless
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THE ELECTRONIC PEN AND STYLUS

 Electronic pen: Device used to select objects, as
well as to draw or write electronically on the
screen
 Also called tablet pen, digital pen, stylus
 Commonly used with pen-based PCs
 Used to issue commands and input data
 If handwriting recognition is used, written text can be
converted to editable typed text
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HANDWRITING RECOGNITION
THE ELECTRONIC PEN AND STYLUS
51

(CONTD…)
 Also used with:
 Digital
writing systems
 Graphics tablets

 Signature capture devices

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TOUCH SCREENS
 Touch screen: Display device that is
touched with the finger to issue
commands or otherwise generate input to
the connected PC

 Used with:
 Desktop and portable PCs
 Mobile phones and mobile devices

 Interactive whiteboards

 Consumer kiosks
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TOUCH SCREENS (CONTD…)