The document provides an overview of computer fundamentals, detailing its components including hardware and software, input/output devices, and basic functions of the CPU, RAM, and ROM. It elaborates on the characteristics and selection of these components, as well as the significance of secondary storage devices, ports, and power supply in a computer system. Additionally, it discusses various types of software, both system and application-based, necessary for computer operations.

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CHAPTER-1
What is Computer & How it works
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What is a Computer &
How it works
What is a computer
A computer is a device
which can process information
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What does a computer consist of:
• A computer consists of Hardware and Software
• Hardware is the nuts and bolts of the machine
that is the bare electronic circuit
• Software are the instructions given to the
machine which makes it perform the necessary
tasks
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Components of a Computer
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Components of a Computer
• The CPU Central processing unit
• Random access Memory (RAM)
• Read Only Memory (ROM)
• Secondary Storage devices
• Hard disk
• Floppy Drive
• CD/DVD Drive
• Pen Drive
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Components of a Computer
The Input Devices
• Key Board
• Mouse
• Touch Screen
• Scanner
• Track ball
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Components of a Computer
The Output Devices
• Printer
• Plotter
• Screen/VDU
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Components of a Computer
• Bus
• Power Supply
• Ports
• Other peripherals Such as Modems etc
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
CPU
• Brain of Computer
• In present day context CPU is Microprocessor
• It can perform Arithmetic, logic & moment of data
within & with other devices
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
CPU is Characterized by:
• Word length 8,16,32 bit processor
• Instruction set
• Clock speed expressed in Mega hertz
• Architecture i.e no of storage areas called
registers
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
What to look for in selecting CPU:
• Larger Word length means greater memory
access, greater speed in instructions per sec.
• Larger Instruction set makes CPU more
versatile
• Higher Clock speed results in higher speeds
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
RAM
• Is memory where all transient data, programs &
status information is kept while computer is on &
executing some task.
• RAM is volatile & its information is lost once
machine is switched off.
• This increases the overall performance of the
computer
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
• Higher the RAM
available, larger the
space available to the
CPU for storing
programmes & data.
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
ROM
• The read only memory is a memory where all
data programs are hard coded into
• ROM is non-volatile & its information is not lost
once machine is switched off
• As soon computer is switched on micro code
stored (burnt) into the chip gets activated & is
loaded into ROM
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
ROM
• Typically, ROM contains
software functions
required for the operation
such as reading/writing
to a disk or sending
information to printer etc.
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Basic functions & Characteristics of
hardware components
• Secondary Storage Devices
• Since RAM is volatile, there is need for semi
permanent means of storage.
• The secondary storage devices provides the
means of storing, retrieving ,& modifying
information
• Devices such as Hard disk, tapes, floppy drive are
considered as secondary storage devices
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Secondary Storage Devices
• What to look for secondary devices
• Speed
• Capacity
• Latency
• Portability
• External Vs
internal fittings
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Input / Output Devices
• Input /output devices enable human beings to interact with
the computer
• The common characteristics are:
- Character set devices are recognized to certain
character set
- Larger the character more versatile would be device
- Ports-Parallel ports tend to be faster than serial ports
- Resolution-this refers to the accuracy & fidelity of the
device in recognizing or representing a specified letter
or symbol
- Closer the representation better the resolution for
instance a picture on low resolution would not
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Input / Output Devices
• The common characteristics are:……………(continue)
• Portability:
- Input /output devices tend to get moved around
to suit the users convenience, hence they need to
be more portable & plug & play
• Ergonomically:
- Since computer input/output devices are most
visible components they should be good design
look & feel
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BUS
• Bus is an electrical connector which connects all the
hardware components of a computer
• Their would be at least a data bus, a instruction bus
& control bus each carrying data, instruction&
control signals respectively.
• Bus is like common highway shared by all all data
traffic moving between various components of the
computer. ……..Cont
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BUS
• Since CPU has to access memory frequently,
separate bus is provided which is known as
Direct Memory Access(DMA)
• The capacity of bus is indicated by number of
parallel lines of data traffic moving between the
various components
• Thus it could be 16,32or 64bitbus
• Higher the number of bits faster will be data
transfer& greater bandwidth
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Ports
• Ports are external interfaces of the bus to
enable people to connect external devices
• The keyboard, mouse, pen drive are all
connected to external ports
• Greater the no of ports offer along with the
comp , greater the no of devices that can be
connected at the same time
……….Cont.
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Ports
• There are various standards for Ports
• Serial ports are used by mouse
• Parallel ports are for printers
• Pen Devices fit on USB ports
• The wider the variety of ports available better
it is, since we wish to connect many devices
to computer such as for audio/video
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Ports
• Ports are the places on the outside of the computer
case where you plug in hardware. On the inside of
the case, they are connected to expansion cards.
• There are also extra ports to plug in extra hardware
like joysticks, game pads, scanners, digital cameras
and the like.
• The ports are controlled by their expansion cards
which are plugged into the motherboard and are
connected to other components by cables-long, flat
bands that contain electrical wiring.
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Power Supply
• The power supply coverts the A.C. power from
mains to D.C. voltage& current levels so that it
can serve different devices
• It is critical that the power supply provide exactly
the right kind of power or the motherboard will
be fried! Be careful when you are replacing the
power supply or motherboard that they match
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Power Supply
• Depending on how many devices connected
to computer you need a power supply with
sufficient capacity.
• Capacity of power supply measured in terms
of Kilo Watts or KVA
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Modem
• A modem is communication device
• It converts digital signals from computer into
waveforms signals suitable for a telephone &
like back to digital signals
• Modems are characteristics by there speed
expressed in terms of bits per second
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Modem
Modems of 56kbs are common now a days
However broadband may require different
types of modems
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A typical computer configuration
• Microprocessor such as Pentium, Celeron, AMD
• OS such as Windows 98, 2000, Xp, Linux etc.
• Ram with size 64 ,128 ,265,512 MB
• Disk Drives Hard Soft, ZIP, CD, DVD
• Display Color, Mono chrome
• Battery lithium, Nickel-Cadmium
• Ports Serial Parallel, USB
• Sound Cards, Speakers etc.
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Software components of computer
• System software
• Utilities
• Language compilers
• Database Management systems
• Networking & communication Software
• Security related software
• Infrastructure management system
• Wide variety of software components
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Software components of computer
• Application software
• Canned software
• Packed Function software
• Enterprise solutions
• Custom based solutions using language
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End of Chapter 1
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