Computer Architecture: Buses and Communication

Internal Communication

• Processor communicates with memory and I/O devices.

Bus Architecture

• A bus is a set of wires connecting internal computer components for data, address, and control transfers.

Bus Types

• Serial Bus: Transfers data one bit at a time.
• Parallel Bus: Transfers multiple bits of data simultaneously.

Data Bus

• Transfers data between internal components such as the processor and memory.
• Modern systems use 32-bit data buses, allowing for 32 bits to be transferred at a time.
• The data bus is bidirectional, allowing data transfer in both directions.

Address Bus (Memory Bus)

• Transfers memory addresses during read and write operations.
• The number of address lines determines the range of memory locations that can be referenced.
• A 32-bit address bus can reference 2^32 memory locations.
• Like data bus, it can be serial or parallel.

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)

• A type of ROM where users can store programs using a special tool.
• Can be rewritten repeatedly after erasing previous content using electric charge.
• Allows erasing one byte at a time before writing new content.
• More expensive than PROM but can be rewritten without removal.

Secondary Memory

• Stores data for a longer duration, even when the power is off.
• Examples include hard disks, flash drives, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, and DVDs.
• Offers greater storage capacity than primary memory but is less expensive and slower.

Types of Secondary Storage Devices

• Magnetic Storage Devices: Store information readable, erasable, and rewritable multiple times. Examples include floppy disks, hard disks, and magnetic tapes.
• Optical Storage Devices: Use laser beams to read stored data. Examples include CD-ROM, CD-RW, and read-only memory DVDs.
• Magneto-Optical Storage Devices: Used for storing large programs, files, and backup data. They use laser beams and magnets for reading and writing data, providing higher storage capacity.

Cache Memory

• Faster than CPU registers and slower than main memory.
• A SRAM (Static RAM) located between the CPU and main memory.
• When the CPU needs data or instructions, it first checks cache memory. If the data is found, it is retrieved for processing from cache, which is faster than retrieving from main memory.

Process Management (Operating System)

• Manages processes running within the computer system.
• Creates priorities for the processes and starts or stops their execution.
• Divides large processes into smaller ones for efficiency.

Memory Management (Operating System)

• Manages computer system memory by allocating memory to processes and deallocating it after completion.

Operating System as Extended Machine

• Offers file sharing among multiple users.
• Provides graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
• Provides tools for communication and language support.
• Enables complex operations such as hardware and software usage.

Operating System as Mastermind

• Performs various functions, managing the computer system.
• Provides booting functionality when starting the computer.
• Enables logical memory expansion using physical memory.
• Supports different file systems like NTFS and FAT.

Types of Operating Systems

• The operating system's capabilities define its type.
• Serial Processing: Executes instructions sequentially in a First In First Out (FIFO) manner.

MS Word 2007 Window

• Replaces the old menu system with the Ribbon and Office button.
• The Office button contains file-related commands.
• The Quick Access toolbar provides frequently used commands.
• Ribbon tabs provide tools relevant to current tasks.
• The Title bar displays the program and document name.
• Window controls change window size or close the window.
• Vertical scrollbar allows navigation up and down the page, while the Horizontal scrollbar does so across the page.
• The Status and information bar displays details about the document, such as page count and word count.

Word Document Viewing Options

• Word offers five view options: Print Layout, Full-screen reading, Web layout, Outline view, and Draft view.

Non-Printing Characters

• Used for document formatting but are not displayed as text.
• Help identify formatting errors in a document.

Save and Save As Options

• The Save icon saves changes to the same file name and location.
• The Save As command saves the file under a new name or location.

Closing Word

• Close Word through the Office button, by clicking the Exit Word button, or using the "Close" button in the top right corner.

AutoFill Feature (Excel)

• Enables easy addition of frequently used data, such as department names or part numbers, in spreadsheets.

Workbook (Excel)

• A spreadsheet file.
• By default, each workbook contains three worksheets.
• The term "spreadsheet" often refers to the program, such as Excel, while "workbook" refers to the specific file.

Excel Features

• Hyperlink: Links one file or page to another.
• Clipart: Allows adding images, audio, and video clips.
• Charts: Visually represent data and evaluations.
• Tables: Organized structures with fields for data input.
• Functions: Mathematical: Add, subtract, divide, multiply. Logical: Average, sum, mod, product.
• Images and Backgrounds: Adds visual elements to the sheet.
• Macros: Record events for repetitive tasks.
• Database: Import data from external sources.
• Sorting and Filter: Sort and filter data to remove repetitions.
• Data Validation: Ensures accuracy by setting data restrictions.
• Grouping: Group and ungroup data for analysis.
• Page Layout: Manage document appearance with options for themes, colors, sheets, margins, size, backgrounds, breaks, print options, titles, sheet height and width, scaling, headings, views, and font alignment.

Excel Headers and Footers

• Lines of text printed at the top (header) and bottom (footer) of each spreadsheet page.
• Typically contain information like titles, dates, and page numbers.
• Help to provide additional information for printed spreadsheets.
• Excel offers several pre-set header and footer options for easy customization.

This quiz focuses on key concepts in computer architecture, specifically internal communication between processors, memory, and I/O devices. It covers bus architecture, types of buses, and the functions of the data and address buses within a computer system.