Computer Fundamental

Lecture 2

Firoz Mahmud
Lecturer
Dept. of CSE
RUET,Rajshahi-6204
Block Diagram of Computer
 Block Diagram of Computer
Input Unit: Computers need to receive data and instruction in
order to solve any problem. Therefore we need to input the
data and instructions into the computers.
All the input devices perform the following functions.
 Accept the data and instructions from the outside world.
 Convert it to a form that the computer can understand.
 Supply the converted data to the computer system for further
processing.
 Block Diagram of Computer
Storage Unit: Holds data and instructions . It preserves the intermediate and
final results before these are sent to the output devices.

Two types:
1. Primary Storage: Primary storage, also known as main storage
or memory, is the main area in a computer in which data is stored for
quick access by the computer's processor
Example: RAM.
 Block Diagram of Computer

RAM:
 Means Random Access Memory.
 RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any memory cell directly if
you know the row and column that intersect at that cell.
 Volatile memory

Types of RAM: SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM), DDR (Double Data Rate SDRAM),
Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)

Functionality of Primary Memory:

 Stores and provides data very fast.
 used to hold the program being currently executed.
 temporary in nature.
 Block Diagram of Computer
2. Secondary Storage:
 Non volatile.
 Permanent storage.
 Secondary storage is used like an archive.
 It stores several programs, documents, data bases etc.
 Whenever the results are saved, again they get stored in the
secondary memory.
 The secondary memory is slower and cheaper than the
primary memory.
 Block Diagram of Computer
Memory Size:
 Bit: 0 or 1
 Byte: set of 8 bits
 KB: 1024 bytes
 MB: 1024 KB (1024*1024) bytes

Output Unit: The output unit of a computer provides

the information and results of a computation to
outside world. Printers, Visual Display Unit (VDU)
are the commonly used output devices.
 Block Diagram of Computer
Control Unit:
 It controls all other units in the computer.
 The control unit instructs the input unit, where to store the data after
receiving it from the user.
 It controls the flow of data and instructions from the storage unit to ALU.
Arithmetic Logical Unit:
 All calculations are performed in the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of the
computer.
 It also does comparison and takes decision.
 Whenever calculations are required, the control unit transfers the data
from storage unit to ALU
 Block Diagram of Computer
Arithmetic Logical Unit(Cont’d)

Fig:8-bit ALU Chip

Fig: Functional Diagram of ALU Chip
 Block Diagram of Computer
Central Processing Unit(CPU):
 CPU= CU + ALU
 It performs all calculations.
 It takes all decisions.
 It controls all units of the computer.
 Example: Intel 8088, 80286, 80386, 80486, Celeron,
Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II, Pentium III,
Pentium IV, Dual Core, and AMD etc.
 Types of Computers
• Supercomputers: are used to process very large amounts of
information including processing information to predict hurricanes,
satellite images and navigation, and process military war scenarios.

Fig1. Supercomputer Fig2: Mainframes Computer

• Mainframes: are used by government and businesses to process

very large amounts of information.
 Types of Computers(Cont’d)
• Mini-Computers: are similar to mainframes...they are used by
business and government to process large amounts of information.

Fig1. Mini-computer Fig2: Personal Computer

• Personal Computers (PC): Personal Computers...also known as

PC’s...are smaller and less powerful than the others. They are used
in homes, schools, and small businesses.
 Parts of Computers
There are two basic parts that make up a computer...
1.Hardware-Hardware is basically anything that you can
touch with your fingers. Example: Computer Case, CPU,
Monitor, Keyboard & Mouse, Disk Drive, Zip Drive, CD-ROM,
DVD, Hard Drive etc.
There are three types/categories of hardware.
a) Input Devices -Keyboard, Mouse
b)Output Devices –Monitor, Printer
c) Storage Devices –ROM, RAM,Hard Disk
2. Software- Software is the programs and applications that
tell the computer what to do and how to look.
Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
Types of Software

Software

Application
System Software
Software
 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
1. System Software: Directs all the activities and sets all the rules for
how the hardware and software will work together.
Examples :
• DOS, Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP, 7, Vista
• Unix, Linux,
• MAC system OS 6,7,8,9,10
 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
Types of Operating System:
1. Command Line Operating Systems-DOS
2. GUI stands for Graphical User Interface
General purpose operating system:
a) Job Management
Job management controls the order and time in which programs
are run and is more sophisticated in the mainframe environment
where scheduling the daily work has always been routine.
b) Task Management
multitasking, which is the ability to simultaneously execute
multiple programs, is available in all operating systems today.
 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
General purpose operating system(Cont’d):
c) Data Management
Data management keeps track of the data on disk, tape and
optical storage devices. The application program deals with data
by file name and a particular location within the file.
d) Device Management
Device management controls peripheral devices by sending them
commands in their own proprietary language. The software
routine that knows how to deal with each device is called a
"driver," and the OS requires drivers for the peripherals attached
to the computer. When a new peripheral is added, that device's
driver is installed into the operating system.
 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
General purpose operating system(Cont’d):
e) Security
Operating systems provide password protection to keep
unauthorized users out of the system. Some operating
systems also maintain activity logs and accounting of the
user's time for billing purposes.
 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
2. Application Software: Programs that work with operating system
software to help the computer to do specific types of work.
There are six basic types of application software.
a) Business software: word processors, spreadsheets, and database
programs.
b) Communication software: allows computers to communicate with
other computers: fax software, Novell NetWare, AOL, Modem
Software.

Fig: ERP Software Fig: Modem Software

 Parts of Computers(Cont’d)
c) Graphics software: software that allows users to create and
manipulate graphics...Photoshop, Print Shop, etc.
d) Education and Reference software: Programs that help teach
new material and ideas, and programs that can be used to
find information...Encarta, Worldbook Encyclopedia,
Jumpstart Kindergarten, MicroType.
e) Entertainment and Leisure software: Warcraft, Age of
Empires, Barbie Design Center, Mrs. Pacman, Solitair
f) Integrated software: Combines several types of software into
one program or package...Quicken (Spreadsheet/data
base/communications/reference) or Print Shop
(Graphics/Word processor).