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1 Introduction To Hardware

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19 views4 pages

1 Introduction To Hardware

Notes

Uploaded by

dollarmaker441
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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TOPIC 2:

COMPUTER HARDWARE
In the previous topic there was discussion about the evolution of computer. In this
Topic we will provide you with an overview of the basic design of a computer.
You will know how different parts of a computer are organized and how various
operations are performed between different parts to do a specific task. As you
know from the previous topic the internal architecture of computer may differ
from system to system, but the basic organization remains the same for all
computer systems

Basic Computer Operations

A computer as shown in Fig. 2.1 performs basically five major operations or functions
irrespective of their size and make.
These are;
1) It accepts data or instructions by way of input,
2) It stores data,
3) It can process data as required by the user,
4) It gives results in the form of output, and
5) It controls all operations inside a computer.

We know that a computer is used to;

(i) Collect
(ii) Organise
(iii) Sort and,
(iv) Transform raw facts into meaningful information form, which logic conclusions can be
drawn.

We discuss below each of these operations.


1. Input: This is the process of entering data and programs in to the computer
system. You should know that computer is an electronic machine like any other machine
which takes as inputs raw data and performs some processing giving out processed data.
Therefore, the input unit takes data from us to the computer in an organized manner for
processing.
Figure 2.1 Basic computer operations

2. Storage: The process of saving data and instructions permanently is known as


storage. Data has to be fed into the system before the actual processing starts. It is because
the processing speed of Central Processing Unit (CPU) is so fast that the data has to be
provided to CPU with the same speed. Therefore the data is first stored in the storage unit
for faster access and processing. This storage unit or the primary storage of the computer
system is designed to do the above functionality. It provides space for storing data and
instructions.
The storage unit performs the following major functions:
 All data and instructions are stored here before and after processing.
 Intermediate results of processing are also stored here.

3. Processing: The task of performing operations like arithmetic and logical


operations is called processing. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and
instructions from the storage unit and makes all sorts of calculations based on the
instructions given and the type of data provided. It is then sent back to the storage unit.

4. Output: This is the process of producing results from the data for getting useful
information. Similarly the output produced by the computer after processing must also be
kept somewhere inside the computer before being given to you in human readable form.
Again the output is also stored inside the computer for further processing.
5. Control: The manner how instructions are executed and the above operations are
performed. Controlling of all operations like input, processing and output are performed
by control unit. It takes care of step by step processing of all operations inside the
computer.

Table 2.1 shows a summary of the computer operations as discussed

Table 2.1 summery the five basic operations for converting raw input data into information
No. Operation Description
1 Take Input The process of entering data and instructions into the
computer system.
2 Store Data Saving data and instructions so that they are available for
processing as and when required.
3 Processing Data Performing arithmetic, logical operations on data in order to
convert them into useful information.
4 Output Information The process of producing useful information or results for
the user, such as a printed report or visual display.
5 Control the workflow Direct the manner and sequence in which all of the above
operations are performed.

Computer Components

All types of computers follow a same basic logical structure and perform the following five basic
operations for converting raw input data into information useful to their users
Figure 2.2 Components of Computer system

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