Introduction to Basic Computers PDF

Basics Of Computer Hardware And Software Objectives By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: ❑Define a computer and a computer system. ❑Understand the difference between hardware and software components. ❑Differentiate between system and application software.. ❑Recogn...

Basics Of Computer Hardware And Software Objectives By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: ❑Define a computer and a computer system. ❑Understand the difference between hardware and software components. ❑Differentiate between system and application software.. ❑Recognize and describe the process of booting up a computer.  Introduction ❑ What is a computer? ▪ An electronic device that processes data according to a set of instructions. ❑ What is a computer system? ▪ An integrated set of hardware and software designed to perform specific tasks or operations. It consists of four main components: Hardware, Software, Data and Users  Parts of a Computer Central Processing Unit (CPU): Often referred to as the "brain" of the computer, the CPU executes instructions from software to perform tasks. It consists of two main parts: ❑ Control Unit (CU): Directs operations of the CPU. ❑ Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Performs arithmetic and logical operations..  Parts of a Computer (Cont…) Memory is the component that stores data and instructions temporarily or permanently, depending on the type. ❑ Random Access Memory (RAM) ▪ is a type of volatile memory that temporarily stores data and instructions that the CPU needs while performing tasks. ▪ The more RAM a computer has, the more data it can handle at once, improving the speed and efficiency of processing tasks. ▪ Data in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off.  Parts of a Computer (Cont…) ❑Read-Only Memory (ROM ▪ ROM is a type of non-volatile memory that permanently stores critical instructions needed for booting up the computer. ▪ Booting Instructions: ROM contains the firmware or BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), which initializes hardware components and loads the operating system when the computer starts ▪ Permanent Storage: Unlike RAM, the data stored in ROM is not lost when the computer is turned off.  Parts of a Computer (Cont…) Storage devices are responsible for storing data permanently or semi-permanently, allowing retrieval when needed. Examples include: ❑ Hard Disk Drive (HDD) : use spinning magnetic disks to store data permanently. ▪ HDDs store operating systems, software applications, and user data ▪ allow users to access and retrieve stored data when needed ❑ Solid-State Drive (SSD): SSDs use flash memory to store data, offering faster data access speeds than HDDs. ▪ provide quicker boot times and faster file access compared to traditional HDDs.  Parts of a Computer (Cont…) ❑Motherboard ▪ The main circuit board that connects all components of the computer, allowing them to communicate and work together. ❑Power Supply Unit (PSU): ▪ Converts electrical power from an outlet into usable power for the computer’s internal components.  Input Devices & Output Devices ❑ Input Devices ▪ Keyboard: For typing and inputting commands ▪ Mouse: For navigating and selecting items on-screen. ▪ Scanner: Converts physical documents into digital format ❑ Output Devices ▪ Monitor: Displays visual output from the computer. ▪ Printer: Produces hard copies of documents. ▪ Speakers: Outputs audio from the computer.  Input/Output devices ( Dual Devices) ❑ What Are I/O Devices? ▪ I/O devices are hardware components that perform both input and output functions. ▪ These devices can receive data from and send data to the computer.  Examples of I/O Devices ❑ Touchscreen: ▪ Input: Registers touch commands. ▪ Output: Displays visual information. ❑ Network Interface Card (NIC): ▪ Input: Receives data from a network. ▪ Output: Sends data to a network.  Examples of I/O Devices (Cont…) ❑ External Hard Drive: ▪ Input: Stores data from the computer ▪ Output: Provides stored data back to the computer. ❑ Modem ▪ Input: Receives data from the internet. ▪ Output: Sends data to the internet. ❑ Audio Headset with Microphone: ▪ Input: Microphone captures voice. ▪ Output: Speakers play sound from the computer.  Peripheral Devices Peripheral devices are external devices that connect to the computer to add functionality. Examples: External Hard Drive: Provides additional storage capacity for backups or large files. Webcam: Captures video for video conferencing or recording. USB Flash Drive: Portable storage device for transferring files between computers  Hardware and Software components ❑ Hardware Components ▪ Refers to the physical components of a computer system that you can see and touch. ▪ Examples include CPU, memory, storage devices, input/output devices, and peripheral components. ❑ Software Components ▪ Refers to the set of instructions, data, or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks. ▪ Software is intangible and includes system software (like operating systems) and application software (like word processors).  Software Components Software components are categorized into system software and application software. ❑ System Software ▪ Operating System (OS):The most critical system software that manages hardware resources, provides a user interface, and serves as a platform for running application software. Examples include Windows, macOS, and Linux. ▪ Utility Programs: Software that performs maintenance tasks like disk cleanup, antivirus scanning, and file management. ▪ Firmware: Permanent software programmed into hardware devices, providing low-level control for the device's specific hardware..  Software Components (Cont…) ❑ Application Software ▪ is a type of software designed to help users perform specific tasks or functions. ▪ Unlike system software, which operates in the background to manage hardware, application software is used directly by the user to accomplish a particular goal. ❑ Examples: ▪ Productivity: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint ▪ Media: Adobe Photoshop, VLC Media Player. ▪ Web Browsers:: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox. ▪ Games: Minecraft, Candy Crush.  Process of Booting up a Computer ❑ Power On ▪ The process begins by pressing the power button. ▪ The power supply unit (PSU) powers up the computer's hardware components (motherboard, CPU, memory, storage). ❑ POST (Power-On Self-Test) ▪ The computer performs a diagnostic test to check the integrity of hardware components like CPU, memory, and storage. ▪ If critical issues are found, the system may emit beeps or display an error message, halting the boot process.  Process of Booting up a Computer (Cont..) ❑ BIOS/UEFI Initialization ▪ The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware initializes and configures hardware components. ▪ BIOS/UEFI checks for bootable devices such as hard drives, SSDs, or USB drives. ❑ Bootloader Activation ▪ BIOS/UEFI locates the bootloader on the selected bootable device. ▪ The bootloader loads the operating system into memory and prepares it for execution.  Process of Booting up a Computer (Cont…) ❑ Operating System Load ▪ The bootloader loads the operating system's kernel into memory. ▪ The OS loads essential drivers and system files, initializing system services and processes ❑ User Interface Initialization ▪ The OS initializes the user interface (GUI or CLI). ▪ The login screen or desktop environment appears, allowing the user to log in. Process of Booting up a Computer (Cont…) ❑ Ready for Use ▪ After logging in, the computer is fully booted and ready for use. ▪ All necessary drivers, services, and applications are running, and the system is ready to execute user commands. Thank YouFor Your Attention !