Parts & Functions of a Computer

Functions of a Computer

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Binary Communication Between Hardware
and Software

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 PC Hardware Components

• Outside computer case: input/output devices

• Inside the case: processing and storage
– CPU – most important component
• Requirements of a hardware device
– Method for CPU to communicate with it
– Software to instruct and control it
– Electricity to power it
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 Hardware Used for Input and Output

• Connects to computer case by ports (eg,

serial, parallel, USB, game, keyboard, mouse)
• Popular input devices:
– Keyboard
– Mouse
• Popular output devices:
– Monitor
– Printer
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 Ports
Physical Interface between a computer and another
computers or devices

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Input Devices

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Output Devices

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Hardware Inside the Case

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 Motherboard Components
• Communication
Processing with other devices
– Traces
CPU (most important)
– Expansion
Chip set slots
– System clock
• Temporary storage
• Programming/setup
– RAM data
– Flash
CacheROM
memory
– CMOS setup
• Electrical chip
system
– Power supply connections

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The Motherboard

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The Motherboard (continued)

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The CPU

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 The Chip Set

• Controls most activities on the motherboard

• Includes several device controllers

– USB controller

– Memory controller

– IDE controller

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The Chip Set (continued)

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 Storage Devices
• Temporary (primary storage, or memory)
– Temporarily holds data and instructions while
processing them
– Faster to access than permanent storage

• Permanent (secondary storage)

– Data and instructions must be copied into
primary storage (RAM) for processing
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Primary and Secondary Storage

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 Primary Storage Devices
• Memory, or RAM, located on motherboard
and other circuit boards
– Volatile versus nonvolatile (or ROM) memory

• Types of boards that hold memory chips

– SIMMs
– DIMMs
– RIMMs

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RAM Chips

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Types of RAM Modules

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 Secondary Storage Devices
• Hard drives

• CD-ROM drives

• DVD drives

• Zip drives

• Floppy drives

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Hard Drive

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 EIDE Technology

• Used by most hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and

DVD drives

• Can accommodate up to four EIDE devices on

one system

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IDE Connectors on a Motherboard

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IDE Connectors on a Motherboard (continued)

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IDE Connectors on a Motherboard

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Hard Drive’s Power Supply

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Floppy Drive Connection

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Floppy Drive Connection (continued)

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CD-ROM Drive Connection

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 Motherboard Components Used for
Communication Among Devices

• The data bus

– bus is a subsystem that transfers data between
computer components inside a computer or
between computers

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Data Bus

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 System Clock
Closely related to system time is process time,
which is a count of the total CPU time consumed
by an executing process.

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 Clock Speed
• Of motherboard
– Measured in megahertz (MHz)

• Of CPU
– Measured in gigahertz (GHz)

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Expansion Slots

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Types of Expansion Slots

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Interface (Expansion) Cards

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Interface (Expansion) Cards (continued)

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 The Electrical System
• Power supply
– Most important component of computer’s
electrical system

– Converts/reduces electricity to voltage the

computer can handle

– Runs a fan directly from electrical output voltage

to cool inside of computer case

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The Electrical System (continued)

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The Electrical System (continued)

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Instructions Stored on the Motherboard

• ROM BIOS (most are flash ROM)

– System BIOS

– Startup BIOS

– CMOS setup

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ROM BIOS Chip

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 Motherboard Configuration Settings

• CMOS chip
– Stores setup (configuration) information

– Powered by a battery on motherboard when

power is off

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 Summary
• Introduction to hardware components of a
computer system

• Initial insight into how hardware works

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