Computer Knowledge

FOR
PUDUCHERRY TIER II EXAM

Direct Recruitment to the post of Assistant

(Group 'B' Non-Gazetted, Ministerial)
Computer Basics
1) Organisation of computer
2) Central Processing unit
3) Input/Output devices
4) Computer memory
5) Memory Organisation
6) Back up devices
7) PORTs
8) Windows explorer
9) Keyboard Shortcuts
• 1. What is a Computer?
• A computer is an electronic device that processes data and performs
tasks based on a set of instructions (called programs). It takes input,
processes it, and gives output.
• Input → Process → Output
• Examples of Computers:
• Desktop computers
• Laptops
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• 2. Basic Components of a Computer (Hardware)
• a. CPU (Central Processing Unit)
• Known as the "brain" of the computer.
• Performs all calculations and processing tasks.
• Made up of:
• ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit): Performs calculations.
• CU (Control Unit): Controls how data moves.
• b. Input Devices
• Used to enter data into the computer.
• Examples:
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Scanner
• Microphone
• c. Output Devices
• Used to display or give out results.
• Examples:
• Monitor
• Printer
• Speakers
• 3. Computer Memory
• Used to store data and instructions.
• a. Primary Memory (Temporary)
• RAM (Random Access Memory): Stores data temporarily. Data is lost
when the computer is turned off.
• ROM (Read Only Memory): Stores permanent data needed to start
the computer.
• b. Secondary Memory (Permanent)
• Examples: Hard disk, Pen drive, CD/DVD
• Computers only understand binary — everything becomes 0s and 1s.
• If electricity flows, the computer reads it as 1 (ON).
• If electricity is blocked, it reads as 0 (OFF).
• So, any computer — whether using vacuum tubes or transistors —
works by switching 1s and 0s really fast.
• Example: ENIAC – First Electronic Computer (1945)
• Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer
• Used ~18,000 vacuum tubes.
• Could do calculations thousands of times faster than humans.
• Took up a whole room and got super hot!
• Still worked using the same 1s and 0s logic as modern computers.
• A transistor does the same job as a vacuum tube — controlling
electricity as ON (1) or OFF (0) — but using solid materials instead of
heat and vacuum.
• Transistors
• A computer chip has billions of tiny switches called transistors.
• These act like tiny gates: they open (1) or close (0).
• They create logic circuits that do all computing.
• So, every calculation in your computer is actually just turning these
tiny switches ON and OFF very fast — millions of times per second!
What is an IC (Integrated Circuit)?
• An IC is a tiny electronic chip made of silicon that contains lots of
mini parts like:
• Transistors (main job: switch on/off)
• Resistors
• Capacitors
• Wires (interconnects)
• All packed into a chip the size of your fingernail!
How ICs Do What Transistors Do (But Better!)
1. Transistor Role (Still the Hero!)
• Inside every IC, transistors are doing the switching work — just like we explained before.
• Each one switches ON (1) or OFF (0), depending on input.
• But in ICs, they are microscopic and placed billions at a time on one chip!

2. Logic Gates Are Built from Transistors

• ICs use combinations of transistors to form logic gates:
• AND, OR, NOT, NAND, etc.
• These gates are like rules that help the IC make decisions.
• Example:
A simple calculator IC might use logic gates to say:
“If button 1 and + and button 2 are pressed, show 3.”
• ICs Combine Gates into Circuits
• Logic gates → Logic circuits → Microprocessors
• A CPU chip is made from millions/billions of transistors and gates.
• They work together to do:
• Calculations
• Store memory
• Control inputs/outputs
What Is a VLSI Microprocessor?
• VLSI = Very Large Scale Integration It means millions or even billions
of transistors are packed into a tiny chip (like a CPU or smartphone
processor)

• So, a VLSI microprocessor is a super-powerful IC that has billion+

transistors

Can perform millions of operations per second

Controls your entire computer, smartphone, car,
• The VLSI microprocessor takes inputs (binary), runs logic using
billions of gates, and gives outputs.
• All in nanoseconds (billionths of a second).
• GENERATIONS OF A COMPUTER
• Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a
computer is/was being
• used. Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between
varying hardware
• technologies. But nowadays, generation includes both hardware and
software, which
• together make up an entire computer system
• The period of first generation was 1946-1959. The computers of first
generation used
• vacuum tubes as the basic components for memory and circuitry for
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
• First generation:

• 1946 to 1955: Computers of this generation used Vacuum Tubes. The

computes were built using stored program concept. Ex: ENIAC,
EDSAC, IBM 701.

• Computers of this age typically used about ten thousand vacuum

tubes. They were bulky in size had slow operating speed, short life
time and limited programming facilities..
• Second generation: 1955 to 1965: Computers of this generation used
the germanium transistors as the active switching electronic device.
• Ex: IBM 7000, B5000, IBM 1401.
• Comparatively smaller in size About ten times faster operating speed
as compared to first generation vacuum tube based computers.
• Consumed less power, had fairly good reliability. Availability of large
memory was an added advantage
• Third generation: 1965 to 1975:
• The computers of this generation used the Integrated Circuits as the
active electronic components. Ex: IBM system 360, PDP minicomputer
etc.

• They were still smaller in size. They had powerful CPUs with the
capacity of executing 1 million instructions per second (MIPS).
• sUsed to consume very less power consumption.
• Fourth generation: 1976 to 1990: The computers of this generation
used the LSI chips like microprocessor as their active electronic
element.
• HCL horizen III, and WIPRO‟S Uniplus+ HCL‟s Busybee PC etc. They
used high speed microprocessor as CPU.

• They were more user friendly and highly reliable systems. They had
large storage capacity disk memories.
• Beyond Fourth Generation:
• 1990 onwards:
• Specialized and dedicated VLSI chips are used to control specific
functions of these computers.
• Modern Desktop PC‟s, Laptops or Notebook Computers.
Computer Memory – Basic Overview
• Memory refers to the electronic storage space used to store data and
instructions in a computer system.
1) Primary Memory (Main Memory)
• Volatile memory (data is lost when power is off)
• Fast access, directly accessible by the CPU

a) RAM (Random Access Memory)

• Temporarily holds data and instructions during execution.
• Types:
• DRAM (Dynamic RAM) – needs to be refreshed.
• SRAM (Static RAM) – faster, costlier, used in cache.

b) ROM (Read Only Memory)

• Non-volatile – retains data even when power is off.
• Pre-programmed with startup instructions (BIOS).
• Types:
• PROM (Programmable ROM)
• EPROM (Erasable PROM)
• EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM)
2️⃣ Secondary Memory (Storage Devices)

• Non-volatile – stores data permanently

• Slower than primary memory but has large capacity

• Examples:
• HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
• SSD (Solid State Drive)
• CD/DVD
• Pen Drives
• Memory Cards
3️⃣ Cache Memory
• Small, high-speed memory located close to the CPU.
• Stores frequently accessed data for quick retrieval.
• Faster than RAM, but smaller in size.
4️⃣ Virtual Memory
• Uses part of the hard disk to simulate additional RAM.
• Helps run larger applications when RAM is full.
5️⃣ Registers
• Smallest and fastest memory inside the CPU.
• Temporarily holds data, instructions, addresses during processing.
All digital information is just millions of bits
turned on or off!
• Types of Secondary Storage Devices
• Magnetic – Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Floppy Disk
• Optical – CD, DVD, Blu-Ray
• Flash – SSD, Pen Drive, Memory Card
• Types of Secondary Storage Devices
• These are devices where we store files, photos, videos, games, and
even the operating system. They are non-volatile — which means
data stays even after switching off the computer.
• 1. Magnetic Storage
• These use magnetic fields to store data.
• a) Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
• Like a stack of spinning metal discs inside a box.
• Has a moving part called a read/write head.
• Used in computers and laptops.
• Can store huge amounts of data (like 1 TB or more).
• Think of it like a music record player – the disc spins and the needle reads
the song!
• b) Floppy Disk (Old technology)
• Very small storage (1.44 MB).
• Looks like a thin plastic square with a round disc inside.
• No longer used in modern computers.
• 2. Optical Storage
• These use light (laser) to read or write data.
• a) CD (Compact Disc)
• Stores about 700 MB of data.
• Used for music, photos, or small software.
• b) DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
• Can store 4.7 GB to 8.5 GB.
• Used for movies and larger files.
• c) Blu-Ray Disc
• Stores up to 25 GB or more.
• Used for HD movies and video games.
• 🧠 Laser light shines on the disc to read bumps and dips – that’s how it reads
data!
Flash Storage
• These have no moving parts. They use electricity to store data.
a) SSD (Solid State Drive)
• Like an upgraded version of HDD.
• Much faster, no spinning parts.
• Found in modern laptops and mobile phones.
• More expensive than HDD but better speed and less chance of breaking.
b) Pen Drive / USB Drive
• Small, pocket-sized device.
• Plugs into a USB port.
• Stores from 4 GB to 256 GB or more.
• Used to quickly copy and transfer files between computers.
c) Memory Card (SD Card)
• Tiny card used in phones, cameras, tablets.
• Stores photos, videos, apps.
• Comes in various sizes: 8 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB etc.
BUS
• A bus is like a data highway inside your computer
• It helps different parts of the computer talk to each other.
• Just like a school bus carries students between home and school, a
computer bus carries data between parts of the computer

• A bus in a computer is a set of wires or connections that helps the

brain (CPU), memory (RAM), and other parts talk to each other and
share data.
It carries data, addresses, and control signals, just like a school bus
system carries kids, maps, and instructions!
• A bus carries three things:

Type of Bus What It Carries

Data Bus Actual data (1s and 0s)
Address Bus Address of where the data should go
Control Bus Instructions like Read, Write, etc.
Example: CPU Reading from RAM
Here’s how it works step-by-step:
1.CPU wants data from memory
2.It sends the address on the Address Bus
3.It sends a control signal ("Read") on the Control Bus
4.RAM sends back the data on the Data Bus
• All this happens in just a few nanoseconds!
Memory organisation