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Questions and Answers
What is the basic unit of memory in a computer system?
What is the basic unit of memory in a computer system?
How many instructions are typically supported by an Intel Pentium 4 processor?
How many instructions are typically supported by an Intel Pentium 4 processor?
Which of the following describes the function of a CPU?
Which of the following describes the function of a CPU?
Which of the following statements is correct about registers in a computer system?
Which of the following statements is correct about registers in a computer system?
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What distinguishes a bit in a binary computer?
What distinguishes a bit in a binary computer?
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What is the storage capacity range for keychain drives?
What is the storage capacity range for keychain drives?
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Which term describes the special type of ROM used in keychain drives?
Which term describes the special type of ROM used in keychain drives?
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What does screen resolution refer to?
What does screen resolution refer to?
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What is a characteristic of buses in computer architecture?
What is a characteristic of buses in computer architecture?
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How often is pixel information read and converted to a video signal?
How often is pixel information read and converted to a video signal?
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What is the overall function of the CPU?
What is the overall function of the CPU?
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Which characteristic determines the set of instructions a CPU can understand?
Which characteristic determines the set of instructions a CPU can understand?
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What is the purpose of the address lines in the CPU?
What is the purpose of the address lines in the CPU?
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How does the CPU retrieve an instruction from memory?
How does the CPU retrieve an instruction from memory?
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If a CPU has a clock speed of 2.2 GHz, how many ticks does it perform in one second?
If a CPU has a clock speed of 2.2 GHz, how many ticks does it perform in one second?
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In binary, what is the decimal equivalent of the number 11011?
In binary, what is the decimal equivalent of the number 11011?
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What determines the amount of memory that can be installed in a computer?
What determines the amount of memory that can be installed in a computer?
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What is the data bus width of the 80486 CPU?
What is the data bus width of the 80486 CPU?
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What is the capacity of 1 Kilobyte (KB) in bytes?
What is the capacity of 1 Kilobyte (KB) in bytes?
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Which type of memory retains its contents without power?
Which type of memory retains its contents without power?
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What distinguishes SRAM from DRAM?
What distinguishes SRAM from DRAM?
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How is data stored on a hard disk?
How is data stored on a hard disk?
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What is the main difference between a CD-ROM and a DVD?
What is the main difference between a CD-ROM and a DVD?
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What is the purpose of sectors on a hard disk?
What is the purpose of sectors on a hard disk?
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Which of the following statements about RAM is true?
Which of the following statements about RAM is true?
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What is the approximate maximum transfer speed of a 20X CD-ROM drive?
What is the approximate maximum transfer speed of a 20X CD-ROM drive?
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What is the primary purpose of cache memory in modern computer architecture?
What is the primary purpose of cache memory in modern computer architecture?
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Which of the following is not an example of an operating system?
Which of the following is not an example of an operating system?
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How does the CPU speed of a Pentium processor typically compare to main memory speed?
How does the CPU speed of a Pentium processor typically compare to main memory speed?
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Which of the following is classified as application software?
Which of the following is classified as application software?
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What capacity range is typical for main memory in modern PCs?
What capacity range is typical for main memory in modern PCs?
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What is the primary function of the OS when a program requests a page not currently in main memory?
What is the primary function of the OS when a program requests a page not currently in main memory?
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What is a misconception about file systems from the user's perspective?
What is a misconception about file systems from the user's perspective?
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Which operating system is known for its text-based interface and lack of multitasking?
Which operating system is known for its text-based interface and lack of multitasking?
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What key feature does Windows NT and its subsequent versions offer?
What key feature does Windows NT and its subsequent versions offer?
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What is a characteristic of UNIX-based operating systems?
What is a characteristic of UNIX-based operating systems?
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Which of the following factors is NOT considered when selecting an operating system?
Which of the following factors is NOT considered when selecting an operating system?
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Which version of Windows introduced support for larger filenames?
Which version of Windows introduced support for larger filenames?
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What aspect of the screen is misleading in traditional OS operations?
What aspect of the screen is misleading in traditional OS operations?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Computing Fundamentals
- Information technology encompasses the fundamentals of computing.
- The outline covers computer architecture and operating systems.
Computer Architecture
- Hardware Components: Includes CPU, memory, I/O, and buses.
- Understanding PC Specs: Critical for analyzing computer capabilities.
- Registers: There are 1 registers with instructions.
- Memory: Fundamental unit is 3 decimal digit numbers, maximum size 100 locations.
- Instructions: There are 7 instructions.
Operating Systems
- What is an OS?: The software that manages computer hardware and software resources.
- OS Functions: Multitasking, virtual memory, file systems, window systems, and microcomputer operating systems are key functions.
- Microcomputer operating systems: Details on different types are discussed.
Basic Computer Facts
- Memory: Basic unit is a 3-digit decimal number, maximum size 100 locations.
Computer Hardware
- Computer hardware is the physical components of a computer system for input and output.
- The Von-Neumann architecture is a key model representation. This example shows the CPU (Control Unit, Arithmetic/Logic Unit), and Memory Unit.
Computer Components
- Processor (Under the heatsink)
- Motherboard (With ports)
- RAM (Memory)
- Storage Device (Optical and hard drive)
- Graphics card
- Power Supply (Converts electricity)
A "Real" Computer
- A diagram depicts the CPU's components including the Instruction Counter and Registers, along with Memory and input devices (Keyboard, Mouse) and output devices (Monitor, Printer).
Intel Pentium 4 Answers
- Memory: An 8-digit binary number is a byte. 32 bits = 4 bytes. RAM memory size typical is between 128 MB– 1 GB.
- Registers: About 50 registers of various types.
- Instructions: About 500 instructions.
Binary Computers
- Real computers do not store nor calculate with 3-digit decimal numbers.
- A bit has two states: 0 and 1, (TRUE and FALSE).
- Bits are easier to implement in machines (e.g., light bulb on/off; high/low voltage).
Interpretation of Decimal Numbers
- Decimal numbers (e.g., 379) are interpreted as a sum of powers of 10. (3 x 102 + 7 x 101 + 9 x100)
Interpretation of Binary Numbers
- Binary numbers interpret the sum of powers of 2. ( e.g., 11011=1x24 + 1x23 + 0x22 + 1x21 +1x20 = 1 x 16 + 1 x 8+ 0 x 4+1x2+ 1x1 = 27)
CPU Function
- The CPU is the central processing unit.
- The CPU ticks very fast, e.g., 1.6 GHz which is (1.6 trillion ticks per second).
- Activities are synchronized to start on a clock tick.
- Instructions Execution is automatic (find memory address, retrieve, decode, fetch, execute, store).
CPU-Memory Interaction
- The CPU and memory interact through address lines and data lines.
CPU Issues an Address
- The CPU issues an address (e.g., 00110010) to access a specific memory location (50).
Making the Data Available
- Memory provides the requested data (e.g., 127) to the CPU at memory location 50.
CPU Characteristics
- Family: Determines the set of instructions (e.g., Intel 80386, 80486, Pentium, Pentium II, Motorola 68030).
- Clock Speed: Measures the CPU's speed in GHz (e.g., Pentium: 500 MHz - 2.2 GHz).
- Data bus width: The amount of data that can be processed at once (e.g., 80486-32 bits, Pentium 64 bits).
- Address bus width: The amount of memory that can be installed using bits. (e.g., LMC 3 decimal, Pentium 32 bits, Itanium 64 bits).
Expressing Memory Capacity
- Memory is measured in bytes (8 bits).
- A byte can store binary numbers from 00000000 -11111111.
- Multiple bytes use prefixes like kilo, mega, and giga for larger values.
Semiconductor Memory
- RAM (Random Access Memory): Accessed equally fast, but loses data without power. Has two types: Static (SRAM) and Dynamic (DRAM).
- ROM (Read-Only Memory): Retains data even without power. Useful during startup.
Hard Disks and Floppies
- Slower than main memory.
- Bits are stored as magnetic fields of different polarity.
- A head (read/write) reads/writes data. The disk rotates.
- Disks are divided into tracks (of different radial distance), then into sectors.
Hard Disk Geometry
- Heads move back and forth.
- System waits for the desired sector to pass.
- Data is read or written.
CD-ROMs
- Slower than hard disks.
- Data is encoded by burning "pits" on the surface (read by a laser).
- Holds up to 650 MB of data.
- CD-ROM drive's speed is measured in multiples of 150 KB/sec (e.g., 4X drive is 600 KB/sec, 20X = 3000 KB/sec).
DVD (Digital Video Disk)
- Newer improved CD-ROM.
- Smaller, denser "pits" with two layers.
- Holds up to 17 GB of data.
Keychain Drives
- Attaches to a USB port.
- Holds 16 MB to 2GB of data.
- Using "flash memory" (special kind of ROM). This memory can be rapidly erased and re-recorded.
I/O Devices
- Input: Keyboard, mouse, hard disk, floppy disk
- Output: Printer, screen, speakers
Computer Displays
- Pixels are displayed in different colors.
- Screen resolution is measured in pixels (e.g., 640x480, 1024x768).
- Color information is stored, then converted to video signal. Color per pixel can be between 256 to 16 million colors).
Buses
- One set of wires connects all devices and CPU.
- Information transport is shared (public bus).
- Modern PCs use a bus to connect CPU and I/O devices.
- Buses allow easy addition/replacement of I/O devices. Examples: ISA, PCI, PCMCIA, IEEE 1394.
A Simple Bus Architecture
- CPU interacts with memory and I/O devices via the bus
- Shows the general path between devices connected by a bus.
Cache Memory
- Cheap main memory is slower than the CPU.
- Solution: Automatically keep copies of frequently used memory locations in fast but expensive cache memory.
A Modern PC Architecture (Simplified)
- Diagram shows the CPU, cache, RAM, bus, video controller, and disk controller, including faster and slower channels for connections.
Summary: A Modern PC
- Processor: Pentium (500 MHz - 3.6 GHz).
- Main Memory (RAM): 64 MB - 4 GB.
- Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB.
- Hard Drive: 10 GB– 500 GB.
- Graphics: 640x480– 2048x1536, 256–16 million colors.
- Video Memory: 32–256 MB.
Types of Software
- System Software: Operating systems, programming languages, database systems
- Application Software: General office tasks, accounting, design, factory automation, and more.
Operating Systems - Examples
- DOS
- Windows (95, 98, NT, 2000, XP)
- Mac OS X
- Unix
- Linux
Operating System Functions
- Allocates memory (e.g., file system, virtual memory)
- Handles processor time (e.g., multitasking, multiprocessing).
- Manages input/output devices (e.g., printer, keyboard)
- May also provide other capabilities useful for users and programs (e.g., GUI, fonts, network protocols).
Operating System Illusions
- Multitasking: The illusion of many programs running at once.
- Large Memory: The illusion of having unlimited memory (virtual memory).
- File Systems: The illusion of files and directories on disks.
- Windows and Menus: The illusion of graphical user interface (GUI) where the screen's pixels are manipulated to appear as windows, menus.
Multitasking Issues
- Cooperative Multitasking: Task needs to explicitly pass control to the OS.
- Preemptive Multitasking: OS interrupts tasks when I/O is requested or time limit is exceeded.
Virtual Memory
- Copies data to hard disk when not in use for fast access to all data.
- Main memory and hard disk work collaboratively. Memory location needed and not in memory is retrieved by the OS to the memory.
File Systems
- Tracks and sectors are broken down to organize data on disks.
Windows and Menus
- GUI relies on pixel manipulation to create windows and menus.
- OS handles mouse clicks and other input to create the illusion.
Microcomputer Operating Systems
- DOS: Text-based, no multitasking.
- Windows: Windows, cooperative multitasking, filenames restricted to 8 characters.
- Windows 98: Improved multitasking, large filenames, built-in network capabilities.
Microcomputer Operating Systems (Cont'd)
- Windows NT: Full multitasking and memory management (e.g., Windows 2000, XP).
- UNIX (including Linux): Great memory management, multitasking, complex text interface.
- Mac OS X: Based on UNIX, easy-to-use, only on Macintoshes.
Selecting an Operating System
- Compatibility with existing software
- Large base of compatible software
- Reliability (crash frequency)
- Hardware availability
- Speed
- Ease of learning and use
- Ease of installation
- Cost factors
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Description
Test your knowledge on the fundamental concepts of computer architecture and memory. This quiz covers various topics, including the CPU, memory units, and storage devices. Perfect for beginners looking to understand how computers function.
