TOPIC 2: COMPUTER SYSTEM
COMPUTING FOR TECHNOLOGY – FOT 1001
TOPIC 2: CONTENT
Introduction to a Computer System.
Computer System Components: Hardware, Software and
Liveware.
Fetch – Decode – Execution Cycle.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM
All computer systems, no matter how complex, consists of the following:
At least one CPU
Memory to hold programs and data
I/O devices
Long-term storage
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS
600 MHz Pentium III processor.
256 MB RAM
16 GB Hard Disk
17” monitor (1280 x 1024 resolution)
PERSONAL
COMPUTER
SYSTEM
COMPUTER
SYSTEM
(NETWORK)
MAIN COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM
Hardware
• The physical components of a computer, including the computer itself and its
attached peripherals.
• Provides input, output and storage components.
Software
• The programs that run on computer hardware.
• Gives “life” to the hardware.
• Systems software and application software.
A computer requires both hardware and software. It is essentially useless
HARDWARE COMPONENT
Input, Output devices.
Storage devices.
CPU – Central Processing Unit
• ALU – Arithmetic and Logic Unit
• CU – Control Unit
Main memory
• Short-term storage for CPU
calculations or temporary data storage
INPUT-PROCESS-OUTPUT MODEL (IPO)
Input – Keyboard, mouse, scanner,
webcam, microphone.
Processing – CPU executes computer
programs.
Output – Monitor, printer, plotter,
projector, speaker.
Storage – Hard drive, optical disks,
USB flash drives.
CPU (CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT)
A chip in the motherboard that executes program commands
ALU: Arithmetic and Logic Unit
Performs arithmetic and Boolean logical calculations
CU: Control Unit
Controls processing of instructions
Controls movement of data within the CPU
MAIN MEMORY
Also known as primary storage, working storage, and RAM (random access
memory)
Consists of bits, each of which hold a value of either 0 or 1 (8 bits = 1 byte)
Holds both instructions and data of a computer program
Main memory is volatile
SECONDARY MEMORY
Secondary memory provides long-term
storage.
Information is moved between main memory
and secondary memory as needed.
Hard disks, USB flash drives, magnetic tapes
etc.
Secondary memory is non-volatile.
SOFTWARE COMPONENT
Operating system
• Controls all machine activities
• Provides the user interface to the computer
• Managed resources including the CPU and memory
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux etc.
Application software
• Generic term for any other kind of software
• Word processors, spreadsheets, missile control systems, POS systems, games etc.
Most modern operating systems and application software have graphical user
interfaces.
DIGITAL INFORMATION
Computers store all the information digitally.
• Numbers
• Text
• Graphics
• Audio
• Video
Generally all the information is digitized, in other words they are broken down into
pieces and represented by numbers.
REPRESENTING TEXT DIGITALLY
Every character is stored as a number, including spaces, digits and
punctuation.
Corresponding upper and lower case letters are separate characters.
BINARY NUMBERS
Once information is digitized, it is represented and stored in memory
using the binary number system.
A single binary digit (0 or 1) is called a bit
A single bit can represent two possible states, like a light bulb that is
either on(1) or off(0)
Combinations of these bits are used to store values
BITS AND BYTES
8 bit (bits) = 1 B (byte)
1024 bytes = 1 KiB (kib byte)
1000 bytes = 1 KB (kilo byte)
1024 KiB = 1 MiB (mebi byte)
1000 KB = 1 MB (mega byte)
1024 MiB = 1 GiB (gibi byte)
1024 GiB = 1 TiB (tebi byte)
1000 MB = 1 GB (giga byte)
1024 TiB = 1 PiB (pebi byte) 1000 GB = 1 TB (tera byte)
1024 PiB = 1 EiB (exbi byte) 1000 TB = 1 PB (peta byte)
1024 EiB = 1 ZiB (zebi byte)
1024 ZiB = 1 YiB (yobi byte)
MAIN MEMORY
Main memory is divided into many memory
locations (or cells)
Each memory cell has a numeric address, which
uniquely identifies it.
Each memory cell stores a set of number of bits
(usually 8 bits, or one byte)
Large values are stored in consecutive memory
locations.
CPU: FETCH – DECODE – EXECUTION CYCLE
CPU is a microprocessor
It continuously follows the fetch-decode-execution cycle.