Week-5

The System Unit

 Memory
 Types of Memory
 RAM
 DRAM
 SRAM
 ROM
 Cache Memory
 Flash Memory
 Expansion Slots, cards, Port and Buses
 Input Devices
 Memory
 The electronic component which provides storage capability to a computer is
called Memory.
 Memory contains one or more sets of
Seat #2B4 Seat #2B3
chips that store data/program
instructions need processing,
either temporarily or permanently.
 All the computers which are used
today needs memory or storage capability.
 The CPU accesses each location
in memory by using a unique number,
called the memory address.
 Each byte stored
in unique location
called an address,
similar to addresses
on a passenger train

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 Memory (Cont’d)

 The are two types of Memory

 Random Access Memory
 Read Only Memory

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 Random Access Memory
 RAM is also called volatile memory and Keeps the information for a
shorter period of time because RAM Lost information if powered off
or the computer is shutdown.
 RAM store data or instructions, the computer then uses these
instructions to perform any processing work.
 The contents of RAM change rapidly and often.
 Typical ranges from Mega Bytes to Giga Bytes
 Random Access means direct access to any part of memory
Memory chips that can be
read from and written
to by processor
Most RAM is
Also called
volatile, it is lost
main memory
when computer’s
or primary
power is
storage
turned off
The more RAM a
computer has, the
faster it responds
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How do program instructions transfer in and out of RAM?
RAM Step 1. When you start the computer, certain
operating system files load into RAM from the hard
Operating system Operating system disk. The operating system displays the user interface
instructions interface on the screen.

Step 2. When you start a word processing program,

the program’s instructions load into RAM from the
Word processing Word processing hard disk. The word processing program, along with
program instructions program window the Web Browser and certain operating system
instructions are in RAM. The word processing
program window is displayed on the screen.

RAM
Step 3. When you quit a program, such as the Web
browser, its program instructions are removed from
RAM. The Web browser no longer is displayed on the
screen.
Web browser program
instructions are removed Web browser window
from RAM no longer is displayed
on desktop

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 Where does Memory Reside?
dual inline memory module

 Resides on small circuit

board called memory
module
memory chip memory slot
 Memory slots on
motherboard hold
memory modules

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 Random Access Memory (Cont’d)

 The amount of RAM in a PC has a direct affect on the system's

speed.
 The more RAM a PC has, the more program instructions and data can
be held in memory, which is faster than storage on disk.
 More RAM = Better Performance !

 There are two types of RAM

 Dynamic RAM
 Static RAM AbduSalam 7
 Random Access Memory (Cont’d)

 Dynamic RAM
 Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips must be recharged with electricity
very frequently, or they will lose their contents.
 DRAM is further divided in two types
 SDRAM

 DDR-SDRAM

 It achieves twice the bandwidth of the preceding single data rate SDRAM

 Static RAM
 Static RAM (SRAM) does not need to be recharged as often as
DRAM, and can hold its contents longer.

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 Read Only Memory
 ROM is non-volatile memory.
 The kind of memory is generally programmed by manufacturer.
 It contains information that is permanently stored. The contents of
ROM are set during manufacturing process. Most of the ROMs are
special purpose memories.
 Example of ROM is BIOS (Basic Input Output System).

 TYPES OF ROM

 PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)

 Normally ROM’s are not writable but PROM’s are writable. Data can be
written to PROM’s using special devices.
 Data once written cannot be removed. Ultraviolet Rays are used to write
data in PROM’s.

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 Read Only Memory (Cont’d)
 EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)
 The only difference between PROM and EPOROM is that data once
written to PROM cannot be removed but EPROM allows to erase
the data as well. Ultra Volatile Rays are used to write and erase
data from EPROM's.
 EEPROM (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only
Memory)
 EEPROM needs an electric impulse to write or erase data.
 It has all the features of EPROM except the difference of
erasing technique i.e. it uses electric impulse instead of ultraviolet
light rays for erasing.
 Therefore erasing can be achieved through the use of keyboard
commands without removing the chip physically from the computer.

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 Cache Memory
 Cache memory is high-speed memory that holds the most recent data
and instructions that have been loaded by the CPU.
 Cache is located directly on the CPU or between the CPU and RAM,
making it faster than normal RAM.
 CPU-resident cache is called Level-1 (L1) cache.
 L1 cache usually has a very small capacity, ranging from 8 KB to 128
KB. The most common size is 128 KB.
 External cache is called Level-2 (L2) cache.
 L2 cache is slower then L1 cache but has much larger capacity,
ranging from 64 KB to 4 MB.
 The amount of cache memory has a tremendous impact on the
computer's speed.
 When the processor needs an instruction or data, it searches memory in
this order, L1 cache, then L2 cache, then RAM.
 If the instructions or data is not found in memory then it must search a
slower speed storage medium such as a hard disk, compact disc etc.

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 Flash Memory
 Nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and
reprogrammed
 Used with PDAs, digital cameras, digital cellular phones, music
players and digital voice recorders.

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 Access Time
 Amount of time it takes processor
to read data from memory
 Measured in nanoseconds (ns),
one billionth of a second
 It takes 1/10 of a second to blink
your eye; a computer can perform
up to 10 million operations in same amount of time

Term Speed
Millisecond One-thousandth of a second
Microsecond One-millionth of a second
Nanosecond One-billionth of a second
Picosecond One-trillionth of a second

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 Expansion Slots and Expansion Cards
 What is an adapter card?
 Enhances system unit or provides connections to
external devices called peripherals
 Also called an expansion card

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 Expansion Slots and Expansion Cards
 What is an expansion slot?
 An opening, or socket,
on the motherboard
that can hold an
adapter card
 With Plug and Play,
the computer
automatically
configures cards
and other devices
as you install them

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 Expansion Slots and Expansion Cards
 Video Adapter
 The electronic components that generate the signal that is sent
through a cable to a video display.
 It is usually located on the computer's main system board or on an
expansion board, but it is sometimes builtin.
 e.g VGA

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 Expansion Slots and Expansion Cards
 What are PC cards and flash memory cards?
 A flash memory card allows users to transfer
data from mobile devices to desktop
computers

 A PC card adds memory, sound, modem, and other

capabilities to notebook computers

 Hot plugging allows you to insert and

remove cards while computer is
running

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 Ports
 Port connects external devices to system unit

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 Ports (Cont’d)

 What is a serial port?

 Transmits one bit of data at a time

 Connects slow-speed devices, such as
mouse, keyboard etc

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 Ports
 What is a parallel port?
 Connects devices that can transfer
more than one bit at a time, such as
a printer

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 Buses
 Channel that allows devices inside
computer to communicate with each
other
 System bus connects
processor and RAM
 Bus width determines number
of bits transmitted at one
time

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 Buses (Cont’d)

 What is an expansion bus?

 Allows processor to communicate with peripherals

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 Mobile Computers
 What is a mobile computer?
flash memory card

PDA
PC Cards in PC
Card slots
CD or DVD drive

disk in floppy
disk drive battery

notebook computer
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 Input Devices
 Input is any data or instruction entered into the memory of a computer.
 People have a variety of options available to input data, and instructions into a
computer. Such as, user can type character on a keyboard, click a button or roll a
wheel on a mouse, press a finger on a touch screen, speak into a microphone, send
images from a digital camera or scan image.
 Input Devices
 An input device is any hardware component that allow user to enter data or
instruction into a computers.

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 The Keyboard
 The most commonly used input device is the keyboard on which data is entered
by manually keying in or typing certain keys. A keyboard typically has 101 or 105
keys, and often attach via a cable to a serial port, or USB port on the system
unit.

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 The Mouse
 It is a pointing device which is used to control the movement of a
mouse pointer on the screen to make selections from the screen.
 A mouse has one to five buttons. The bottom of the mouse is flat and
contains a mechanism that detects movement of the mouse.

Wheel Cordless
Mouse Mouse

 Wheel mouse – Contains a rotating wheel used to scroll vertically

within a text document; connects to PS/2 port or USB port
 Cordless mouse – Uses infrared signals to connect to the computer’s
IrDA port; it must be within sight of the receiving port

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 The Mouse (Cont’d)
 Mouse buttons enable the user to initiate actions.
 Clicking (left-, right-, or double-clicking) allows the user to select
an item on the screen or open a program or dialog box

 Click and Drag – Holding down the left mouse button and moving
the mouse enables the user to move objects on the screen

 An optical mouse has no moving mechanical parts inside.

 Optical mouse uses devices that emit and sense light to detect the
mouse movement.
 Some uses optical sensor, other uses a laser.
 An optical mouse that uses a laser usually requires a special mouse
pad.
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 Touchpad & Pointing Stick
 Touchpad
 A touchpad is a small, flat, rectangular pointing device that is sensitive to
pressure and motion. To move the pointer using a touchpad, slide the finger
tip across the surface of the pad.
 Some touchpad have one or more buttons around the edges of the pad, that
work like mouse buttons.

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 Pointing Stick
 Pointing Stick
 A pointing stick is a pressure sensitive pointing device shaped like a pencil eraser
that is positioned b/w keys on a keyboard.
 To move the pointer using s pointing stick, we push the pointing stick with a finger.

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 Joystick
 User run game software or flight & driving simulation software often use a
joystick as a pointing device.
 A joy stick is a vertical lever mounted on a base. We move the lever on
different directions to control the action of the simulated vehicle or player.
 The lever usually includes buttons called Triggers that we press to active
certain events.

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 Trackball
 A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing
sensors to detect a rotation of the ball.
 The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to
move a cursor.

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