Unit - 02

Fundamentals of a
computer system
 What is a computer?

It is a electronic device which collects data ,

process them according to the given instructions
, store them and produce the desired output.
 Features of a computer
Speed – execute more than one million instructions per second

Efficiency – It never gets tired

Accuracy – Provide correct output when correct data are

given

Versatility – Can be perform many tasks simultaneously

Storing & retrieving – Can be stored large number of

data in a small unit & can be retrieved them easily & quickly
 Classification of computers

Computer

According to physical size According to technology

Super computers
Analog computers
Mainframe computers
Digital computers
Mini computers
Hybrid computers
Micro computers
Super computers
- Have higher computing power/Powerful computers
(computing power mean the tasks that can be completed with a
short time period)
- Large in size
- Expensive
- Rare
- Used to scientific & engineering functions & solve to
complex mathematical problems.
-Eg- NAZA institute , Military purposes , large scale
business
Mainframe computers
- Less physical size
- Less Expensive
- Less Powerful than super computers
- Number of users are connect to mainframe computers as
terminals
- Used in large scale business and e-business
Mini computers
- also called common purpose computers
-Lower in physical size
-Less powerful
-Less expensive
-Easy to use
-A few users get connected to the central computer.
Eg:- Bank Systems
Micro computers
- Called also personal computers
-Small memory capacity
-Smaller in size
-Less speedy
-Less expensive
-consumes little electricity
Eg:- Laptop. Desktop , Smart phones
Analog computers
- Use analog signals such as environmental
parameters(Speed, pressure, temperature)
Eg:- road lamps with sensors
Speedometers
Meteorological machines
Digital computers
- Use digital signals
Eg:- The computers used by us in day-today
Hybrid computers
- Use analog and digital signals both
Eg:-ECG Machine
Basic physical components of the computer

Input devices

Output Devices

CPU

Computer memory devices

Storage devices

Communication devices
 Input Devices

The devices which are used to entering (feeding) data and

instructions is called input devices.

Eg:-
1. Keyboard
There are in two sizes. That is form 101/104 keys and
104/108 keys. Every key has a unique function.
2. Pointing devices

• Mouse –most popular pointing device

•Touch screen- Data is fed by touching
•Joy Stick- Used in computer games which can move the cursor
•Light pen – Used to draw or write on the screen. Commonly used
in Computer Aided Designs(CAD)

3. Imaging & Video Input Devices

•Digital camera- Used to input photos & videos to the computer.

( But the display screen of the camera act as a output device.)
•Webcam – View a user connected to the computer through internet
•Closed Circuit TV – Commonly used to maintain security
4.Scanners
• Flatbed Scanners –Its function like a photocopy machine .It can be
scanned images / documents by laser beams & converted into digital data
• Bar code Reader – bar code is converted to an alphanumeric value by
the bar code reader & is fed to the computer
• Magnetic Ink Character Reader- MICR- Used in banks . It is
used to check the accuracy of a cheque .
• Optical Character Recognition – OCR- Used to capture texts in
a large document and to edit that text in the document. Commonly used in
libraries
• Optical Mark Recognition – OMR – This can recognize marks
made using a pencil or a pen. Also These are used to correct MCQs of a
exam papers.
• Automated Teller Machine –ATM –ATM machine reads the
numbers in the debit or credit cards & connect to the computer. Then
processing the transactions.

5.Microphone – Used to feed sound to a computer.

 Output Devices
There are 3 kind of methods to get output.

1.Soft copy
2.Hard copy
3.Sound

1.Soft Copy

Output on the screen is called soft copy. Soft copy output can
be provided on following devices.

1.Monitor(Visual Display Unit)

There are several types of monitors.
A).CRT monitors(Cathode Ray Tube)
• Large in size
•Consumes more electricity
•It has a large vaccum tube with electron gun and
phosphorescent screen inside the monitor.
B).LCD monitors(Liquid Crystal Display)
• Flat screen type technology
•Consumes less electricity
•It is used polarizing materials with a liquid crystal
solutions between them.
C)LED(Light Emitted Diode)
• Designed using light Emitted diodes.
•It has better brightness display.
•Low electricity consumption.
Eg:- Used to name boards
2.Multimedia Projector

This device is used to get output to a wide screen . So that

several people can view it at the same time.
Eg:- This can be used to teachers for presentations , business
meetings
2.Hard copy

Hard copies are tangible computer outputs.

1.Printers

Printers

Impact Printers Non-Impact Printers

• Laser printer
• Dot Matrix
• Bubble/Ink jet
Printer
Printer
• Line printer
• Thermal printer
 Impact Printers

• These are primary level printers.

• It have a head or needle which strike against an ink ribbon
to make a mark on the paper.
• Its function is noisy.
• The ink ribbon used is not expensive.
• Used in banks, Shops for printing receipts.
• Eg:- 1). Dot matrix printers
Letters are printed on the paper as small
dots.
2). Line printers
fast printer which prints one row at a
time. It can print about 3000 lines per
minute.
 Non-Impact Printers
• Non impact printers does not operate by striking a head
against a ribbon.
• It is not noisy
• Its printouts are better quality.
• Running cost is more expensive
• Eg:- 1). Laser printer
The toner (dry ink) in a cartridge is
applied on the paper to produce the
output. Black and white , color printers are
available. Printouts are clear and quality.
2). Ink jet printers
Liquid ink stored in tanks is kept the
cartridge & ink is deposited on paper
through small nozzles.
 Eg:- 3). Thermal printers
Heat is used to print document. Eg:-print
receipt in ATM
4).Plotter
used to get printouts in architectural
designs, town planning. A plan is drawn
by moving a pen on the paper.

3.Sound

Speakers are used to get sound output.

 CPU-Central Processing Unit
• It is called also brain of the computer.
• Basic function of that is process data according to the given
instructions.
•CPU manages the operating system & other application
software also.
•Clock speed of the computer is measured by Hertz(Hz- MHz,
GHz)
•There are main 3 components of that

1.ALU- Arithmetic & Logical Unit – Perform all

mathematical & logical functions
2. CU – Control Unit – Control all devices of a computer
system
3.Memory registers – Temporarily stores data needed to
function of ALU & the information produced by ALU
 Computer memory

Computer Memory

Main Memory/Primary Secondary Memory

RAM-Random Access Magnetic Media

Memory Devices

ROM – Read Only

Optical Media Devices
Memory

Cache Memory Solid State Devices

 1.RAM-Random Access Memory

• RAM is often referred as Main Memory.

• RAM is temporary memory device.
• Main function is temporary store data which coming from
input devices until process & store information until sent to
secondary storage devices & output devices .
• RAM is called as volatile memory.
Volatile memory – The data stored in RAM
will be deleted when the computer is switched off.

• RAM has both read –write facility

 2.ROM- Read Only Memory
• Main function is stored the commands require for booting up
a computer .
• These commands are called BIOS –Basic Input Output
System.
• Computer manufacturing companies store these commands in
a ROM with small capacity & is connected to the mother
board.
• ROM is non- volatile memory.
 3.Cache Memory
• This is smaller in size but it is faster memory.
• This is volatile memory.
• This is called also CPU memory
• This acts as the mediator between CPU & Primary memory.
• The data frequently used by are stored here.

3.If there is not data in Primary Memory 4.Fatch data to cache

cache, checks primary from primary memory &
data for data then sends these to CPU
CacheMemory
1.Check whether there is 2.If there is data ,send to
required data the CPU
CPU
 Secondary Memory

• Stores data & information permanently.

• This is also called External Storage
• This is non-volatile memory.

1.Magnetic media devices

• Stores data by using magnetic fields.

Eg- Hard disk, Floppy disk, Magnetic tape
1.Hard disk-
• Commonly store data & information inside the computer.
• There are external hard disk as well.
• User can read and write data stored in HDD
• There is large capacity. (from 250 GB to 4 TB)
 Components of HDD

1.Platter – There can be several platters in HDD

Can store both side of platter
Platter made by using metallic , aluminum or
ceramic
2.Spindle - Holds the platters & rotates it
3.Head - Read the magnetic data in the platter & write on
platter.
There are 2 head for a platter.
One on top & one on bottom.
4.Actuator arm- Moves the head
Enables read & write data anywhere in platter
5.IDE connector- Transmits data to the platter
6.Power connector- Connects HDD to power
7.Actuator-Electronic device which moves the arm connected to it.
Operated by a motor.
2.Magnetic Tape
Large storage capacity
Used mostly in server computers
It is slow in reading & writing
Not used in day today life
2.Optical media devices
3.Optical media
Used laser beam to read & written on disc.
Eg- 1.CD –ROM – Used only read- 700 MB
2.CD-R –It can be written once – 700 MB
3.CD-RW-It can be erased & re-written- 700MB
4.DVD-ROM- Used only read- 4-9 GB
5.DVD-R - It can be written once - 4-9 GB
6.DVD-RW-It can be erased & re-written- 4-9GB
7.Blue-ray RE – Can be re-written many times-25-
128GB
 3.Solid state devices

• It contain solid part & does not contain moving

parts.
• Write & read data electronically at a high speed.

Eg- 1.USB flash drive

Popular secondary storage device.
Ability to read & write data fast
Portable
2.Memory card
Smaller in physical size
Used in digital camera, mobile phones,
computer gaming devices.
Function of a Computer system
• Main function of a
computer is input data,
process & store data & to
produce information when
needed.
• Data & instruction fed to
the computer via input
devices.
• Frist Go to the primary
memory
• Then sent to the CPU for
processing.
• Processed data stored in
primary memory as
information is sent to the
Output devices.
 • Data & instructions which are
to be stored are sent to the
secondary memory.
• Stored information can be sent
to the output devices through
primary memory.
• Control unit sends the control
signals to all devices attached
to the computer.
• When a computer program
works, the relevant data &
instructions are sent to the
CPU.

• The flow of data & instructions are indicated by dotted lines

• Control signal are indicated by solid lines
 Computer ports

• The interfaces which connect computer with its devices or

with other computers are called .
• Ports are positioned in front or back of the computers.
• All the ports are connected to the motherboard.

Name of the
Image Connected devices
port
1.PS/2 port Purple- Keyboard
Green- Mouse

2.Parallel Port Printers

(Consists of 25 holes)

3.HDMI Monitor , Multimedia

Projector, digital TV
 Name of the
Image Connected devices
port
4.RJ 45 port Router ,network switch

5.Audio ports Microphones, speakers, head

phones

6.USB (Universal Mouse, keyboard ,printer,

Serial Bus) pendrive, external hard disk,
scanners

7.VGA /Video Port Monitor, Multimedia

projector(consists of 15 holes)

8.Serial port Modem(consists 9 pins)

 Activity

1.Write down advantages & disadvantages of magnetic media,

Optical media & solid state devices.