Functional Hardware parts of PC.

Mother Board: A mother board is a physical arrangement in a computer that contains the Computers basic
circuitry and components .
1. The microprocessor
2. Coprocessors
3. Memory
4. Expansion slots
5. Interconnecting circuitry
Properties of CPU
• Address bus
• Data bus
• Control bus
• Clock frequency (speed)
• Word length
Semiconductor Memories
RAM (Random access Memory)
i) Static RAM ii) Dynamic RAM
ROM (Read only Memory)
ii) ROM
iii) PROM
iv) EPROM
v) EEPROM
RAM :
1. RAM is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs, and data
in current use are kept so that they can be quickly reached by the computer’s processor.
2. It is used for temporary storage.
3. When switched off, any information store in RAM is lost.
4. These memories are also known as read write memories.
5. It is also called Volatile memories.
6. RAM is much faster to read from and write to then the other kinds of storage in a computer,
the hard disk, the floppy disk, and CD ROM etc.
7. However the data in RAM stays there only as long as your computer is running.
ROM:
1. Read only memory is built-in computer memory containing data the
normally can only be read, not written to.
2. ROM contains the programming that allows your computer to be “booted
up” or regenerate each time you turn it ON.
3. Unlike RAM , ROM would not lose it’s contents when the power was turnd
OFF hence called non volatile.
4. One of the most important programs stored in the ROM is the BIOS (Basic
input output System)
5. It is the program letting your application programs and the hardware
interacting with each other.
6. BIOS also contains a program called Power On Self Test. This checks the
mother board and other devices connected to computer during the system
power ON time.
PROM
1. Programmable read only memory (PROM) is read only memory that can be modified
once by the user.
2. The basic difference between ROM and PROM is, in case of ROM manufacturer decides
the data of memory and in case of PROM user can decide the data of memory by special
method of programming.
3. But once Programmed it can not be altered again.
4. It can be programmed only once.
5. It is non volatile.
EPROM
1. The main feature of these memories is re programming and erasing of data is possible.
2. Hence name is Erasable PROM.
3. EPROM can be programmed number o times.
4. But the main difficulty in the process of erasing is the user must disconnect the memory
from the main circuit,
5. Erasing is caused by applying an intense ultraviolet light through a window that is
designed in to the memory chip.
EEPROM
1. Electrically Erasable Programmable read only memory.
2. Data can be erased and programmed repeatedly through the application of
higher than normal electrical voltage.
3. It does not need to be removed from the computer to be modified.
4. However, an EEPROM chip has to be erased and programmed In its entirely ,
not selectively.
5. It also has limited life – that is, the number of times it can be reprogrammed is
limited to tens or hundreds of thousands of times.