FUNDAMENTALS OF

HARDWARE & SOFTWARE STORAGE DEVICE

SECTION ONE
PART TWO

STORAGE DEVICES
STORAGE MEDIUM the
material or object on which the CAN EITHER BE
data is stored e.g CD

STORAGE DEVICE device that PRIMARY STORAGE

uses the storage medium e.g CD
Rom Drive OR
SECONDARY STORAGE

PRIMARY STORAGE PRIMARY MEMORY

Also known as VOLATILE data and instructions

are lost when the
PRIMARY MEMORY computer is turned off

TEMPORARY MEMORY MEMORY amount of storage

space a storage
medium has
MAIN MEMORY

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 PRIMARY MEMORY
MAIN MEMORY Main memory is also known as
immediate access storage
RAM of the computer
since data and information are
Random Access Memory
store here for immediate
On this chip both data and access by the central
instructions are held temporarily
processing unit.
for immediate use by the
processor

RAM RAM
Random Access data can can be changed
be accessed immediately contains data and instructions
instead of working through the that direct how processing
data from beginning until the must be done
specified data is found

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY ROM

Read Only Memory
Data is permanent, cannot be
changed
Contains the data and instructions
necessary for the operation of the
computer system

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TYPES OF ROM
PROM
EPROM
EPROM
Erasable Programmable Read-
Only Memory
Ultraviolet light is used to erase
the data from the chips that the
manufacturers want to change
Chips must be taken out of the
computer to do this.
COMPUTER STORAGE
Data is placed in primary
memory when it is needed
for processing but it is
placed in secondary memory
until there is a need for it.
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PROM
Programmable Read-Only Memory
These chips come without data
However, the manufacturers of
these computers will decide what
sort of system instructions and
data must be written on them
Once this is done, data and
instructions cannot be changed
SECONDARY STORAGE
AUXILIARY STORAGE
PERMANENT STORAGE
NON-VOLATILE saved data
and instructions are not lost when
the computer is turned off
Data is retained permanently
unless changed or erased
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SEQUENTIAL ACCESS
To access data, one must start at
the beginning of the medium then
work ones way through the
medium until the specified data is
found
(eg) MAGNETIC TAPE
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3
SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICES MAGNETIC TAPE
SEQUENTIAL ACCESS STORAGE

MAGNETIC TAPES

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MAGNETIC TAPE DIRECT ACCESS STORAGE

Long strip of flexible, plastic
wound on a reel
Sequential access Data can be accessed directly
Use for backing up huge from the medium in any
amount of data order

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DISKETTES diskettes
Floppy diskettes
round, flat, flexible plastic
material that spins within its case
Direct access storage medium
Data can be retrieved in any order

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Diskettes
There is a read-write head READ-WRITE HEAD
The part of the drive that reads and write
which goes in and out above data and information on a storage device.
the spinning disk to find
immediately the required
surface with the data

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Diskettes DISKETTES
Each side is made up of 80 Rings
Each Ring is divided into 18
Sectors
Each Sector can hold a half Kb
2 sides X 80 X 18 X a half Kb =
1440Kb
Roughly 1.44 Mg (megabyte)

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DISKETTES
HARD DISK

device made up of a rotating stack
of disks known as platters
mounted through their center by a
spindle

As the disks rotate, the read-write
heads float above them one-tenth
of a hair width to read or write
data/information 30
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HARD DISK HARD DISK

31 32

HARD DISK HARD DISK

HEADS no. of disks sides

CYLINDERS collection of
tracks

SECTOR parts of a track

(Tracks concentric circles on hard disk.

Sector pie-shaped division of each disk
track)
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HARD DISK ACCESS TIME

The average time taken to

CAPACITY OF A HARD DISK
(a) position the read/write head over

# heads X # cylinders X #sectors the proper track where the data is
X # bytes per sector located

(b) waiting for the disk to revolve so
that the correct sector is under the
read/write head

(c) transferring the data from disk to
RAM
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ACCESS TIME

Time for head movement to correct track
+ is used to store blocks of data
Time for half a revolution of the disk
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CACHE
Short-term storage. A cache is
used to speed up certain
computer operations by
temporarily placing data, or a
copy of it, in a location where it
can be accessed more rapidly
than normal.
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SCSI
Small Computer System Interface, or
SCSI (pronounced scuzzy), is a set of
standards for physically connecting
and transferring data between
computers and peripheral devices.
SCSI is most commonly used for
hard disks and tape drives, but it can
connect a wide range of other
devices, including scanners and CD
drives.
BUFFERS
A special holding space which
read by the read/write head
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RAID
Redundant Array of Inexpensive
Drives
A collection of drives where
multiple copies of data are
stored on different drives in the
event that one drive fails data
can be recovered from other
drives
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IDE
Integrated Drive Electronics is a
standard electronic interface used
between a computers motherboard
and the computer's disk storage
devices. The IDE controller is often
built into the motherboard. The ANSI
(American National Standard
Institute) name for IDE is Advanced
Technology Attachment (ATA).
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 SATA
Serial ATA, or SATA , is a storage-
interface for connecting storage
devices to the motherboard Serial OPTICAL STORAGE DEVICE
ATA was designed to replace the
older (ATA atachment) standard (also  Devices that use the technology of laser
known as EIDE). beams for writing data to medium

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COMPACT DISK (CD) CD-ROM

 flat disks on which laser beams can read
data stored on the disk  Compact Disk Read-Only
Memory
WORM
compact disk on which data cannot be
Write Once Read Many Times
written to but can be read from
- describe CDs that have been written to
once but can be read from many times

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CD-RW DVD
 data on this medium can be  Digital Versatile Disk
erased before new (fresh) data  can hold a larger amount of data (eg) 18
is written to it gigabytes
 used for storing video (film) productions
 This can be done quite often

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 FLASH DRIVE
a non-volatile computer
memory that can be electrically
erased and reprogrammed.
USB flash drives are typically
removable and rewritable.
FLASH MEMORY CARDS
BITS

Binary digIT

A binary digit 0 or 1 representing an
off or on signal
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FLASH MEMORY CARD
a non-volatile computer
memory that can be electrically
erased and reprogrammed and
capable of storing digital
contents. These are mainly used
with digital cameras, handheld
and mobile computers, mobile
phones, music players, video
games and other electronics.
WORDS

The amount of data the computer
reads at one go

(eg) 2 bytes, 4 bytes, 8 bytes (etc)
WORDSIZE

The number of bits in a word
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BYTE

a packet of 8 bits representing a
character
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9


KILO Byte 1024 Bytes or 210 Bytes

MegaByte 1024 KiloBytes or
210 KiloBytes

GigaByte 1024 MegaByte or
210 MegaBytes

TeraByte 1024 GigaBytes or
210 GigaBytes
BISTABLE DEVICES

Devices that can function in either
of two positions

A BIT is refer to as a bistable device
as it can only function in an off or
on position

other example is a flash light

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CPU- Central Processing Unit

PROCESSING It is a small chip ( microprocessor)
inside the computer connected to
HARDWARE the motherboard. It does all
DEVICE decisions, calculations. It also
controls other parts of a computer.
CPU is just like the Brain and
Heart of a computer
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It is made up of the
Control Unit
CPU is made
from semi- ALU- Arithmetic Logic Unit
conductor -
silicon Registers

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Control Unit
controls the operations of other parts of
CPU as well as all parts of computer by
sending a control signal, e.g.
Decides when instructions are to be
carried out (executed)
control flow of data among all parts of
computer
Control Unit
interpret instructions (say what they
mean)
regulate timing of processor (when it
does its work and how fast)
Sends signal to peripheral devices and
receives signal from them as to what
they want to do

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Arithmetic and Logic Unit REGISTERS

It is mainly responsible for Are memory locations in the cpu

which store any temporary
Calculation (+, -,X, ) information during execution of
Logical comparison and decision instruction and addresses of data
(not, and, or, >, <, >=, <=) etc to be accessed.

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Execute
Processing
Fetch Instruction is carried out.

Addresses, instructions and data are If it is a calculation or logical

application it is sent to the ALU.
fetched from Main Memory (RAM) Otherwise, the CU does the
by the CU execution.
Decode Processed data is sent to the registers
to be stored to be sent back to Main
Instructions are interpreted by the Memory (RAM)
CU
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 Microprocessor

CONTROL UNIT

ALU
ALU

Registers

MAIN MEMORY
(RAM)

SECONDARY OUTPUT
INPUT
STORAGE DEVICE
DEVICE
DEVICE

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CPU Type CPU Speed

There are three (3) main categories of The number of cycles per second the
CPU chip operates at. This is how many
times per second a charge of
1 Intel Celeron electricity passes through the chip.
The more cycles, the faster the
2 Intel Pentium processor.
3. AMD Athlon Chip More clock cycles usually means
more processing capability and more
speed

CPU Type and Speed FIREWIRE

To determine the CPU type and speed
for Windows:
Click Start > Control Panel
Switch to classic view
Double-click the System icon
FireWire is Apple's branded name for
a high-speed data serial bus they
developed. Also known as IEEE-
1394, this digital interface technology
can move data up to 400 megabits
per second (Mbps). Common uses
for FireWire include data transfers
with external hard drives, DV
camcorders, webcams, and Apple's
own iPod digital music player.

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 FIREWIRE EXPANSION SLOTS
longitudinal openings found on the
motherboard of the computer where
additional boards can be connected
to it. A location in a computer system
where additional facilities, especially
circuit boards, can be plugged in to
extend the computer's capability

EXPANSION SLOTS PORTS

an opening at the back of the
computer which serves as an
interface between the computer and
other computers or peripheral
devices.

Types of Computer Ports COMPUTER PORTS

Serial port - for external modems and old computer mice
Parallel port - connector for scanners and printers
Universal Serial Bus (USB) port - a new universal
connector
PS/2 port - keyboard and mouse interface
Video card port - a video port for your monitor
Power port - for your power plug
Modem port - connect by phone to the Internet
Ethernet network port - connect to a network and high
speed Internet
Firewire/IEEE 1394 port - fast camcorder connector

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 COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor 3GHz SOFTWARE
Operating System: Windows Vista
Home
Memory: 2GB, DDR2
Boot Hard Drive: 160GB SATA
Video Card: 256MB ATI RADEON HD
Optical Storage Device: DVD+/-RW
Ethernet/modem*

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SOFTWARE TYPES OF SOFTWARE

A set of instructions called a program
which instructs the computer as to APPLICATION
what to do SOFTWARE
SYSTEM
SOFTWARE

81 82

APPLICATION SOFTWARE SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Programs that are used to Programs that control the

perform specific tasks, such as operations of a computer and
productivity tools; to assist with its devices
graphics and multimedia such as
It serves as an interface
Word processing
between the user and
Spreadsheet software application software
Database software
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 OPERATING SYSTEM

A set of programs containing

SYSTEM SOFTWARE instructions that co-
co-ordinate
all the activities among
OPERATING SYSTEM OS computer hardware devices
(eg)
eg) windows 98, windows
2000, windows XP, linux
85 86

FUNCTIONS OF THE OS 1. MANAGES COMPUTER

OPERATING SYSTEM RESOURCES
1. Manages Computer resources Allows application programs
2. Manages file in memory to communicate with the
3. Maintaining security hardware of the computer
4. Managing tasks (e.g)
e.g) Printing an excel sheet
5. Providing a user interface

87 88

2. MANAGES FILE IN MEMORY 3. MAINTAINING SECURITY

Manages all files on a Keeps register of all

computer usernames and passwords
Keeps track of the location of that were already
the files programmed to allow users to
Responsible for file copying, access the system
deleting and renaming
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 MULTITASKING
4. MANAGING TASKS
 Is the operating system allowing a user to
Allows multi-
multi-tasking ( the perform more than one computer task such
ability of the computer to run as operating more than one application
program at a time
more than one program at  Each task consumes system storage and
the same time other resources. As more tasks are started,
(e.g)
e.g) listening to music while the system may slow down or begin to run
out of shared storage.
typing and still surfing the
internet
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MULTIPROCESSING MULTIPROGRAMMING

 is the running of a computer system with
more than one central processing unit
(processor)
 The motherboard must be able to handle
more than one processor
 defines processing in which several programs are
run at the same time on one processor. Since there
is only one processor, the operating system
executes part of one program, then part of another,
and so on. To the user it appears that all programs
are executing at the same time.
 The operating system will execute each program for
a given length of time, regain control, and then
execute another program for a given length of time,
and so on.

USER INTERFACE
5 PROVIDING A Is the user-
user-controllable part
of the operating system
USER INTERFACE which allows you to
communicate or interact with
it
There are three types of user
interface
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COMMAND LINE (DRIVEN)
INTERFACE
Interface that requires typing
in command at the prompt on
the display screen
(eg)
eg) A:\
A:\>del

97 98

MENU DRIVEN INTERFACE

Allows you to use a mouse or

cursor-
cursor-movement to make
selection from a MENU a list
of commands to be activated
(eg)
eg) save, print, format

99 100

PULL DOWN MENU-

MENU- menu (list of GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
commands) that appears GUI
immediately below when directed
arrow is clicked Also known as WIMP (Windows,
Icons, Menus, and Pointing devices)
Allows you to click on graphics
(images) to select a command as well
POP UP MENU-
MENU- an onscreen dialogue as using key strokes
box which pops up when a command
is selected ICONS small pictorial figure that
represents programs, folders, files
etc
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 Batch Processing System
Off line Processing

This enables the computer to move

automatically from one job to a next without
the involvement of an operator. A number of
jobs called a batch are placed in a queue
and they are processed one after the other

Used for payrolls

10
103 4

Online Systems Real Time Processing

Connection of devices to the computer where
Processing is completed immediately when

these devices are under the direct control of data becomes available ensuring that the
the CPU information in the updated files reflects the

Eg A printer that is online can be used any current and true situation
time.

10
106
5

Disk Formatting
Time-Sharing processing

processing where the CPU allocates
individual slices of time to a number of users
on the computer system. As the number of
users increases the response time for each
terminal declines. The speed of the CPU
compared to that of the VDU and terminal is
so much faster that it gives the user the
impression that they are the sole user of the
system

Preparing the disk for data to be stored by
marking tracks and sectors on the disk

This allows the drive to store and find data
in an orderly manner

Formatting a disk with data will cause all
data to be lost

FAT is created (File Allocation Table) A
table that will contain the locations of the
10 files
8

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 File Management Data Transfer

Management of files on a computer
Movement of data and information from one

Naming files uniquely

Moving files on the computer

Searching and finding files

Placing them into directories (folders) and
sub directories
10 11
9 0
place to another

Three types of movement

1. within the computer itself

2. from computers to computers

3. between computers and peripheral
devices

Resource Management APPLICATION

The operating system decides which
SOFTWARE
resource will be allocated to each device
such as (storage space and CPU time).
KINDS OF APPLICATION
PROGRAMS

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1 112

SINGLE PURPOSE WORD PROCESSING

APPLICATION PROGRAMS
Prepares typed documents
Cover one single, broad that contain text and
application area sometimes graphics
(eg) Word processing Word Processor application
that allows you to move
Spreadsheet operation
around text, make changes to
Database management documents and enhance their
presentation 114

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SPREADSHEET DATABASE PACKAGE

Table of numbers arranged Used for manipulating data

in rows and columns Organised collection of data
Spreadsheet package about a particular object or
automatically recalculates person
changes made in the table
(eg)
eg) Microsoft EXCEL
115 116

EDUCATIONAL INTEGRATED APPLICATION

PROGRAMS
SOFTWARE PACKAGE
A package with a set of single purpose
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SUCH applications hosted in one package
AS
(eg) Microsoft office
Typing programs Mavis Beacon
Mathematics programs etc
Lotus smart suite
Word perfect

118
117

SPECIALIST APPLICATION CUSTOM WRITTEN

PROGRAMS SOFTWARE
Programs designed to work Program created to meet the needs
on/complete a special task of a particular individual
(eg) data labels (eg) time tabling program

119 120

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 ADVANTAGES
Software is tailored to your business so
you get what you want
You have closer control over the
revisions made to the software
Program may run faster as no extra code
was added, only those necessary to
complete the task are written
121
GENERAL PURPOSE
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE DESIGNED FOR MORE
THAN ONE USES
Includes
- single purpose programs
- Integrated packages
- Custom written software
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UTILITY PROGRAMS
 programs which help to manage,
maintain and control computer
resources. These programs are available
to help you keep your system running at
peak performance.
DISADVANTAGES
Takes time to develop
The cost of developing it is high
Long training periods to prepare staff to
use them are needed
Cannot be access by user before hand
General Purpose Software are more
widely used than Custom Written
Software so unfamiliarity steps in
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Customization of
General Purpose Software
Customizing an off-the-shelf software
Add more features to the software
maintaining familiarity with the software
Takes time to develop but not as much as
starting from scratch
Customization enhances the performance
of the software and enables some task to
be carried out automatically.
124
DATA
REPRESENTATION
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 Binary Digits
Data is represented using binary numbers 0= 0
0,1
1= 1
These binary digits are known as bits
2 = 10
8 of these bits make up a byte
3 = 11
A byte represents an alphabetical letter or
4 = 100
some other character (one of the many
symbols on the keyboard) 5 = 101
Eg. A is 01000001 6 = 110
a is 01100001 7 = 111
a space is 00100000 8 = 1000

CONVERTING DECIMALS TO
BINARY DIGITS
Convert 56 to binary number

This is done by continually dividing by 2 Divide 56 continually by 2 until it cannot be

and using the remainders (including 0) divided keeping the remainders in mind
from the bottom up to form the binary 2 56
number 2 28 + 0
2 14 + 0
2 7 +0
2 3 +1 111000
1 +1 therefore 56 = 111000

Converting Binary numbers to

Convert 25 to binary number Decimal numbers
The place value of binary numbers is as
follows:
2 25 32s 16s 8s 4s 2s 1s
2 12 + 1 Ie multiply by 2 to get the next place
2 6 +0 value on the left
2 3 +0
2 1 +1 11001
therefore 25 = 11001

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 Convert the following to decimal Adding Binary Digits
1+0= 1 0+1=1 0+0=0
1+1=10 1+1+1=11
11001 is
1
1x16 1x8 0x4 0x2 1x1 = 16+8+0+0+1=25
eg 1001 1+1 = 10
+ 101 place 0 in answer
111000 is
0 carry the 1
1x32 1x16 1x8 0x4 0x2 0x1 =
1
32+16+8+0+0+0=56
1001
+ 101
111 0

Example 2 Example 2 contd

111 1111
11101 1+1+1 = 3 11101 1+1+1 = 3
+ 1111 3 = 11 + 1111 3 = 11
100 place 1 in answer 1100 place 1 in answer
and carry the 1 and carry the 1

Example 2 contd Negative Numbers

1111
11101 1+1 = 10 Twos Complement
+ 1111 1. Switch all digits
101100 place 10 in answer 2. Add 1 to final digit
since there is no more Eg Twos complement of 00010101
digit to be added
a) Switch the digits to get 11101010
b) Then add 1 to final digit +1
Ans = 101100 11101011

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 What is -25 ( using 8 bits)? Negative numbers

From slide no. six 25 was 11001 Sign and Magnitude

With 8 bits this will be 00011001 The first digit represents the sign while the
Switch the digits 11100110 other 7 digits represent the number
Add 1 to final digit +1 0 represents a positive number
11100111 1 represents a negative number

Therefore -25 is 11100111 Eg 25 is 00011001

-25 is 10011001

BCD- Binary Coded Decimal BCD- Binary Coded Decimal

Each decimal digit is represented by a four If we need to represent a negative BCD

digit binary number we must use 1111 in front of the positive
BCD
Eg the BCD of 128 is For example 128 = 0001 0010 1000
1 = 0001 Therefore -128 = 1111 0001 0010 1000
2 = 0010 For the positive BCD we may put 1110 in
8 = 1000 front of the positive BCD or leave it as it is
Therefore 128 = 0001 0010 1000 For example 128 = 0001 0010 1000
000100101000 or 128 = 1110 0001 0010 1000

ASCII ( pronounced askey)

 Most popular method of representing

characters in the computer
 A(merican) S(tandard) C(ode for)
I(nformation) I(nterchange).]
 For eg A is 01000001
 a is 01100001
 a space is 00100000

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