overview of computers -...

Overview of Computers

CTEC1465/2018SComputer System Support

All of these are COMPUTERS ...

From Wikipedia...A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations.

The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem.

Software

Software

The cause of most of your computer

problems!

Software Categories1. System Software

– Operating Systemse.g., Windows, MacOS X, Linux

– Device drivers (software that allows the operating system to communicate to a particular piece of hardware – ex. Video card drivers)

– Graphical user interfaces (GUI; often integrated into an OS)

Software Categories2. Application Software

– allows a user to accomplish specific tasks

• Office suites• Video games• Media players• Web browsers

Roles of an Operating System• Manages hardware resources

• Allows application software to access system resources

• Provides a direct user interface to the computer system

Roles of an Operating System (2)• The various roles of an operating system

generally revolve around the idea of “sharing nicely”.

• An operating system manages resources, and these resources are often shared in one way or another among programs that want to use them.

Roles of an Operating System (3)• Multiple programs executing concurrently

share the use of main memory.

• They take turns using the CPU.

• They compete for an opportunity to use input/output devices.

Roles of an Operating System (4)• The operating system acts as the "playground

supervisor" to make sure everyone cooperates and gets a chance to "play".

An operating system interacts with many aspects of a computer system.

64-bit vs. 32-bit Operating Systems • One of the other considerations you will have

to give to purchasing a computer is whether your OS will be 64-bit or 32-bit.

• A computer breaks everything down to bits.

• A bit is either a 1 or 0.

64-bit vs. 32-bit Operating Systems (2)

• A bit represents a transistor -- connected as a switch -- turned on or off.

Author unknown. "pull-up & pull-down'" (2009). sfog. Retrieved from http://sfog.blog.com/files/2009/11/transistor-model.png on November 24, 2011.


• The computer translates sequences of bits (broken into bytes or sequences of 8 bits for transmission) into items such as memory addresses or numbers.

• What this means is that a 64-bit operating system can manage memory addresses equivalent to 17.2 billion gigabytes (GB).


• In comparison, a 32-bit operating system can access 4 GB.

• 64- or 32-bit simply refers to the maximum width of a single piece of information that can be handled by the computer's operating system and hardware.


• This is an important note:

both the hardware and software must be compatible with 64- or 32- bit.


• There are some limitations to 64-bit OS at this time:

1. Physical limitations prevent computers from accessing the full range of possible memory locations.



2. Software must be written specifically to take advantage of the new architecture.

32-bit software is handled using a hardware compatibility mode.



3. 64-bit might not be faster than 32-bit for small amounts of data.

For video or scientific pursuits 64-bit will have advantages, but for common applications there is debate whether it is actually worth it.


See Wikipedia for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32-bit

Hardware

Hardware

The part of the computer that you

can kick!

Motherboarda.k.a. MoBo, System Board, Main Board

• The motherboardis a printed circuit board (PCB) that connects everything together inside the computer.

"ASUS P8P67 PRO REV 3.1 Intel P67 Motherboard" Tiger Direct. Retrieved from http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1124780&Sku=A455-3209on November 24, 2011.

Memory• RAM (Random Access

Memory) – this type of memory temporarily stores data and instructions until the power is removed from it.

• Every program you run – including the operating system – has to be loaded into RAM before the CPU can use it.

Memory (2)• Examples:

DRAM – dynamic RAM located on the motherboard

SRAM – static RAMlocated inside the CPU

VRAM – video RAM

Memory (3)• Dynamic RAM is the memory type that is

often referred to as just memory.

• When a software company lists the amount of memory needed to run a program, this is the type of memory they are referring to.

Memory (4)• For software to run, it is the amount of

memory and not the type of memory that is the most important ...

BUY AS MUCH MEMORY AS YOU CAN AFFORD.

Memory (5)• ROM (Read Only Memory) – this type of

memory stores data and instructions permanently.

• Under normal operating conditions, you cannot write to this type of memory. These memory chips have programs and data permanently stored on them.

Memory (6)• Example: BIOS – Basic Input/Output System (a

"chip" on the motherboard that contains programs that are required to start the computer)

For more information see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS

The CPU• Microprocessor chips

(also known as central processing units or CPUs) are complex man-made devices that consist of millions of transistors that work like on/off switches.

The CPU (2)• Electrical signals flow through the circuits in

different ways, depending on how a program sets the switches.

• These signals reduce everything a computer does to a few basic mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

The CPU (3)• And the microprocessor performs those

operations in binary, which has only two numerals: 0 and 1.

• To manipulate all those bits (binary digits) a microprocessor runs a program, which is merely a list of instructions.

The CPU (4)• One instruction might tell the processor

to add two numbers together.

• Another instruction might tell the processor to skip the next ten instructions.

The CPU (6)• Microprocessors belong

to families known as architectures.

• Processors of a common architecturerecognize the same instructions, so they run the same software.

The CPU (7)• Processors that have different instruction sets

usually can't run each other's software, such as CPUs from IBM and Motorola.

The CPU (8)• The most popular architecture is the Intel x86,

sometimes called IA-32 (Intel Architecture 32-bit). Intel introduced the first x86 chip (the 8086) in 1978.

The CPU (10)• Since then, the x86 has evolved through

several generations, including: 286, 386, 486, Pentium, and Pentium2/3, Pentium4, and Core.

The CPU (11)• Other companies also

make x86-compatible processors – Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) being the most common.

Multicore CPUs• Multi-core processors

are simply multiple CPUs on a single die. A die is the small board on which the parts of a CPU are mounted.

• The extent to how successful such a system is is based on the software's ability to take advantage of the structure.

• The situation is improving, but multi-core systems are still under used.

Modern x86/x64 CPUs

• Atom• Celeron• Pentium• Core• Xeon

• Sempron• Athlon• Turion• Phenom• Fusion• Opteron

Storage Devices• Storage devices (like hard drives and DVD-

ROM drives) are used to store files.

• The amount of hard drive storage is important since every piece of data and every program are stored as files.

Storage Devices (2)• The only other important factor to consider

when comparing storage devices is their overall speed.

• Hard drives are much faster than optical drives – so any program you run should be run from the hard drive.

• Solid State Disks (SSDs) are becoming more and more popular, cheaper, and larger.

Storage Devices (3)• Optical drives are typically used

as permanent storage for your data – CDs, DVDs, and BluRaydiscs make for a great back-up solution.

Storage Devices (4)• Even better is a USB hard disk –

as long as you remember that hard drives are mechanicaldevices – treat them like a carton of eggs (or an infant.)

=

Storage Devices (5)

• USB flash devices and memory cards are useful to transfer files between computers –but they are not recommended for long-term storage.

Storage vs. Memory• The difference between storage and memory

is fairly simple ...• Memory is used to hold programs and data

that are currently being used by the CPU.

Storage vs. Memory (2)• After the CPU is done with these programs

and data, they are then stored back onto a storage device.

Storage vs. Memory (3)Storage Device (with programs and data)Memory Processing by CPUMemory Storage Device

1 Gigabyte vs. 1 Billion Bytes• With hard drives there is one special

consideration. • When you purchase a computer you see the

hard drive space listed, say, at a nice round 320 GB.

• But, when you get it home and turn the computer on, the hard drive space is listed at approximately 298 GB.

1 Gigabyte vs. 1 Billion Bytes (2)• Some of that space is taken by the OS, but not

all. There is a discrepancy in the numbers...

• The discrepancy comes from the way the manufacturer and your computer calculate the size of a kilobyte.

1 Gigabyte vs. 1 Billion Bytes (3)• The manufacturer uses the number 1000 (103)

which is where they get the nice round numbers such as 320 GB (320,000,000,000 bytes).

• Your computer, on the other hand, identifies a kilobyte as 1024 (210) bytes because your computer uses binary numbers for its calculations.

1 Gigabyte vs. 1 Billion Bytes (4)• Therefore, a Megabyte is 1024 × 1024 bytes,

or 1,048,576 bytes (220)...

• And a Gigabyte is 1024 × 1024 × 1024 bytes, or 1,073,741,824 bytes (230).

• Using binary, 320 GB is actually 343,597,383,680 (320 x 230 ).

1 Gigabyte vs. 1 Billion Bytes (5)• But since the manufacturer created the drive

to be 320,000,000,000 bytes, we have to divide that number by 230.

• So, we get 320,000,000,000 ÷ 1,073,741,824≈ 298 GB ... or 320 GiB.– NOTE: Some sources refer to 109 bytes as a "gibibyte"

(GiB). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibibyte andhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigabyte for more...

Video Hardware• A number of hardware components make up

the video hardware inside your computer:

–the display (monitor) –the GPU (graphics processing unit) –graphics memory (graphics RAM) –the video cable and connectors

Video Hardware – Displays• The monitor for a computer system

generally comes in two forms –

CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes) or

LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays).

Video Hardware – Displays (2)• Less common are Plasma displays

and Projectors.

• Some new displays use OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) or offer 3D capability.

Video Hardware – Displays (3)• CRTs are an

"old school" TV type of display.

• They still offer the best display quality.

Video Hardware – Displays (3)• LCDs offer light

weight, portability, and low power consumption.

• The technology continues to improve...

Video Hardware – Resolution• Most monitors advertise their

display resolution which indicates how much information can be viewed on the screen.

• The higher the resolution, the more of a web page or a spreadsheet, for example, you will be able to view without scrolling.

Video Hardware – Resolution (2)• Normal Aspect (4:3):

VGA: 640x480 XGA: 1024x768 SXGA: 1280x1024 UXGA: 1600x1200

• Wide Aspect (16:9): WXGA: 1366x768 WSXGA: 1680x1050HD: 1920 x 1080 WUXGA: 1920x1200

Video Hardware – Resolution (3)Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vector_Video_Standards2.svg

Video Hardware – Resolution (4)• The numbers listed in any resolution

identify how many different picture elements (pixels) there are horizontally (the x-direction) and vertically (the y-direction).

• Usually, the bigger the monitor, the higher the resolution.

• It should be noted that a really high resolution on a small screen will make everything you view seem real tiny!

Video Hardware – The Graphics Processor

Video Hardware – The Graphics Processor

• Graphics processing has always required a lot from your computer – so much so that discreet graphics processors have been created.

• Graphics processors fall into one of two general categories – "built-in" GPUs and discreet GPUs.

Video Hardware – The Graphics Processor (2)• Built-in GPUs are built right

into the main system board in the computer and usually shares memory with the rest of the system.

• CPU manufacturers like Intel and AMD have also integrating the GPU with the CPU.

Video Hardware – The Graphics Processor (3)

• Built-in video is generally not as powerful as a discreet video solution.

• Discreet video GPUs (offered by companies like NVidia and AMD/ATI) are more advanced and usually have their own dedicated memory for graphics – the downside is that these systems cost a lot more.


• Built-in video is generally not as powerful as a discreet video solution.


• Discreet video GPUs (offered by companies like NVidia and AMD/ATI) are more advanced and usually have their own dedicated memory for graphics – the downside is that these systems cost a lot more.


• For most users, any type of GPU is fine as long as there is enough memory assigned to handle graphics processing.

• The other concern is the clock speed of the GPU.


For example, to play Full HD (1920 ×1080p) content on a PC, the minimum requirements are:• Processor: 2.4 GHz (dual core) or 3.5

GHz (single core) processor.• Graphics: Nvidia/ATi having bare

minimum 256 MB Video RAM and core clock 600 MHz.

Source: http://geeknizer.com/1080p-minimum-requirements/#ixzz1f9bDUgYx

Graphics APIs• Another important aspect of the graphics

processor is its ability to use different types of graphics functions.

• These functions are defined in what's called an application programming interface (API).

• The two main APIs for graphics programs is OpenGL and Direct3D.

Graphics APIs (2)• Direct3D is a proprietary API designed by

Microsoft Corporation for hardware 3D acceleration on the Windows platform. It is part of the Direct X software.

• OpenGL is an open standard API that provides a number of functions for the rendering of 2D and 3D graphics. An implementation is available on most modern operating systems.

Video Memory• Like system memory,

video memory is used to store the instructions and data that are currently being processed by the GPU.• The more video memory you have, the faster

your video capabilities will be.

SLI and Crossfire• nVidia's Scalable Link Interface (or SLI) and

AMD/ATI's Crossfire/CrossFireX are competing technologies that take multiple video cards and produce a single video output.

• The cards use the PCIe x16 slots on the motherboard and share the workload of producing the graphics for the system.

SLI and Crossfire (2)• Which you choose simply depends on which

type of video card comes with your system. It is recommended that to implement such a system that you use two of the same cards.

• Note: SLI requires an SLI-certified motherboard and other components

Source: http://www.slizone.com/page/slizone_learn.html

Connectors• This is a classic PC.• Modern PCs

generally no longer use serial, parallel, game, and PS/2 ports!

• These have largely been replaced by USB ports.

Connectors (2)Digital optical audio

(S/PDIF)

Firewire400

ComboPS/2

keyboard/mouse

eSATA

GigabitEthernet(RJ-45)

USB2.0

USB3.0

DVI-D

HDMIAnalog5.1 audio(surroundsound)

You Find More...• http://www.computer-hardware-

explained.com/

• http://arstechnica.com/hardware/

• http://www.tomshardware.com/

overview of computers -...

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