Chapter 2

The System Unit

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Overview
Discuss the Types of System Units
Describe System Boards
Discuss Processors

Discuss Memory
Discuss Expansion Slots and Cards

Bus Lines, Bus Widths, Expansion Buses

Describe Ports

Discuss Power Supplies

Discuss Numbers and Characters
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary2

System Unit Types

Desktops
Tower Unit
All-in-one

Notebooks
Laptops
Netbooks

Tablets
Handhelds
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary3

System Board
AKA Motherboard
All Components Connect to It

All External Devices Connect to It

Acts as Data Path and Traffic Monitor
Provides Sockets
Connection Point For Chips
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary4

System Board Components

Chips
AKA Semiconductor, Integrated Circuit
Tiny Circuit Boards on Silicon Squares

Mounted on Carrier Packages

Slots
Connection Points for Circuit Boards
Provide Expansion Capability

Bus Lines
Communication Pathways for Components
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary5

Microprocessor
AKA Central Processing Unit or Processor
Brain of the Computer System

Components
Control Unit
Directs Movement of Electronic Signals
Between Memory, ALU, Input and Output Devices

Arithmetic-logic Unit (ALU)

Arithmetic and Logical Operations
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary6

Microprocessor Chips
Chip Capacities Expressed in Word Size
Word
Number of Bits Processed at a Time
64-bit Word Standard

Clock Speed
Processing Speed
Times Per Second CPU Processes Data
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary7

Microprocessor Chips
System Clock
Processor Speed Measured by Ticks/Second
MHz One Million Ticks/Second
Type 100 Words/Minute = 8 Characters/Second
8088 Processor @ 4.77 MHz
Character 50,000 Other Tasks Character

GHz One Billion Ticks per Second

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Microprocessor Chips
Multi-Core Chip
Multiple Separate and Independent CPUs
Parallel Processing
Divide Tasks that can be Distributed Across Each Core
Supported by Windows 8 and Mac OS X

Coprocessors
Used to Improve Specific Operations
e.g., Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary9

Memory
Holding Area
For Data, Instructions, and Information

RAM (Random-access Memory)

Volatile
Holds Program Instructions and Data
That CPU is Presently Processing
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Memory
Sizes

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Memory
Cache Memory
Temporary High-speed Holding Area
Between Memory and CPU
Stores Most Frequently Used Data

ROM (Read-only Memory)

Non-volatile, Cannot be Updated

Flash Memory
Non-volatile, Can be Updated
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Expansion Slots and Cards

Allow for System Expansion
Graphics Cards
Sound Cards
Network Interface Cards (NIC)
Wireless Network Cards

Plug and Play

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Bus Lines
Pathway for Bits
Travel to/from CPU and Components

Bus Width
Number of Bits that Can Travel at Once

Categories
System Bus
Expansion Bus
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Ports
Sockets for External Devices
Connects to System Board or Cards

Standard Ports
VGA, USB, Firewire, Ethernet

Cables
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Power Supply
Convert AC to DC
Power System Unit Components
AC Adapters
Notebooks and Handhelds
Can Recharge Batteries

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Electronic Data and Instructions

Analog Signals
Represent Different Tones, Pitches, Volume

Digital Electronic Signals

Represent Two Discrete States
On / Off

Recognized By Computers
Binary is the Equivalent Numbering System
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Numeric Representation
Binary System
Bit (Binary Digit)
2 Possible Digits
On = 1; Positive Charge
Off = 0; No Charge

Byte
Eight Bits Grouped Together
Represent Letters, Numbers, Punctuation

Hexadecimal System

3
5

16 Possible Digits

Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary

Character Encoding
ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
Microcomputers

EBCDIC
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
Mainframe

Unicode
Uses 16 bits
Computing Essentials 2015 by O'Leary