Computer

fundamentals
TYPES
Types of computers base on size

• Microcomputers (personal computers)

• Minicomputers (midrange computers)

• Mainframe computers

• Supercomputers
Micro computer

• Desktop computers, laptops, personal digital assistant (PDA), tablets

& smartphones are all types of microcomputers. The micro-
computers are widely used & the fastest growing computers.
• The Micro-computers are specially designed for general usage like
entertainment, education and work purposes. Well known
manufacturers of Micro-computer are Dell, Apple, Samsung, Sony &
Toshiba.
• Desktop computers, Gaming consoles, Sound & Navigation system of
a car, Netbooks, Notebooks, PDA’s, Tablet PC’s, Smartphones,
Calculators are all type of Microcomputers.
PC (Personal Computer)

• A PC can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer

designed for an individual user. It is also known as a Microcomputer.

• PCs are based on the microprocessor technology that enables

manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip.

• Businesses use personal computers for word processing, accounting,

desktop publishing, and for running spreadsheet and database
management applications.
 WorkStation

• Workstation is a computer used for engineering applications

(CAD/CAM),software development, and other such types of
applications which require a moderate amount of computing power
and relatively high quality graphics capabilities.

• Workstations generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics

screen, large amount of RAM, inbuilt network support, and a
graphical user interface. Apple's Mac Pro would be considered a
workstation. The movie Toy Story was made on a set of Sun (Sparc)
workstations.
 Minicomputer

• It is a midsize computer. A minicomputer is a multi-processing system

capable of supporting up to 250 users simultaneously.
• Minicomputers are used by small businesses & firms. Minicomputers
are also called as “Midrange Computers”. These are small machines
and can beaccommodated on a disk with not as processing and data
storage capabilities as super-computers & Mainframes. These
computers are not designed for a single user. Individual departments
of a large company or organizations use Mini-computers for specific
purposes. For example, a production department can use Mini-
computers for monitoring certain production process.
• Popular Minicomputers
• K-202
• Texas Instrument TI-990
• SDS-92
• IBM Midrange computers
 Mainframe

• Mainframes are very large in size and is an expensive computer capable

of supporting hundreds, or even thousands, of users simultaneously.
• Mainframes can execute many programs concurrently as they support
simultaneous program executions.
• Although Mainframes are not as powerful as supercomputers, but
certainly they are quite expensive nonetheless, and many large firms
& government organizations uses Mainframes to run their business
operations. The Mainframe computers can be accommodated in
large air-conditioned rooms because of its size.
• Mainframes can also process & store large amount of data. Banks
educational institutions & insurance companies use mainframe
computers to store data about their customers, students & insurance
policy holders.
• Popular Mainframe computers
• Fujitsu’s ICL VME
• Hitachi’s Z800
 Supercomputer

• Supercomputers are one of the fastest computers currently available.

Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for specialized
applications that require immense amounts of mathematical
calculations (number crunching).

• Weather forecasting , scientific simulations, (animated) graphics, fluid

dynamic calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and
analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical prospecting)
• Supercomputers are the fastest and the most expensive computers.
These huge computers are used to solve very complex science and
engineering problems. Supercomputers get their processing power
by taking advantage of parallel processing; they use lots of CPUs at
the same time on one problem. A typical supercomputer can do up
to ten trillion individual calculations every second.
• Example Supercomputers:
• K Computer
• Columbia
 Server Computers

• A server is a central computer that contains collections of data and

programs. Also called a network server, this system allows all
connected users to share and store electronic data and applications.
Two important types of servers are file servers and application
servers.

• Servers are a step under supercomputers, because they don't focus

on trying to solve one very complex problem, but try to solve many
many similar smaller ones. An example of a server would be the
computers that Wikipedia stores its encyclopedia on.
• For example, a computer dedicated to a database may be called a
"database server".
• "File servers" manage a large collection of computer files.
• "Web servers" process web pages and web applications.
• Information appliances are computers specially designed to perform a
specific "user-friendly" function—such as playing music, photography,
or editing text. The term is most commonly applied to mobile devices,
though there are also portable and desktop devices of this class.
• Embedded computers are computers that are a part of a machine or
device. Embedded computers generally execute a program that is stored
in non-volatile memory and is only intended to operate a specific
machine or device.
• Embedded computers are typically required to operate continuously
without being reset or rebooted, and once employed in their task the
software usually cannot be modified.
• An automobile may contain a number of embedded computers;
however, a washing machine and a DVD player would contain only one.
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
 Memory

• RAM- random access memory- are for primary storage, they are
temporary storage areas for data and instructions, before and after
processing by the CPU.

• Volatile- contents lost when power goes off.

• RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any

memory cell directly if you know the row and column that intersect
at that cell.
• Dynamic RAM- DRAM- the capacitor in a dynamic RAM memory cell
is like a leaky bucket. It needs to be refreshed periodically or it will
discharge to 0.

• SIMM- single inline memory module

• DIMM- dual inline memory module
 TYPES OF RAM

• DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)

• It is the least expensive kind of RAM. It requires an electric current to
maintain its electrical state. The electrical charge of DRAM decreases
with time that may result in loss of DATA. DRAM is recharged or
refreshed again and again to maintain its data. The processor cannot
access the data of DRAM when it is being refreshed. That is why it is
slow.
• SRAM (Static Random Access Memory)
• It can store data without any need of frequent recharging. CPU does
not need to wait to access data from SRAM during processing. That is
why it is faster than DRAM. It utilizes less power than DRAM. SRAM is
more expensive as compared to DRAM. It is normally used to build a
very fast memory known as cache memory.
 ROM (Read-Only Memory)

• Unlike Random Access Memory (RAM), ROM is non-volatile which

means it keeps its contents regardless if it has power or not.

• ROM - Read Only Memory

• PROM - Programmable Read Only Memory
• EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
• EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
ROM (Read-only memory) and ITS
TYPES
• Data stored in these chips is non-volatile -- it is not lost when power
is removed.
Data stored in these chips is either unchangeable or requires a
special operation to change.
• PROM –It stands for Programmable Read Only Memory. It was first
developed in 70s by Texas Instruments. It is made as a blank memory.
A PROM programmer or PROM burner is required in order to write
data onto a PROM chip. The data stored in it cannot be modified and
therefore it is also known as one time programmable device.
• EPROM – It stands for Erasable Programmable ROM. It is different
from PROM as unlike PROM the program can be written on it more
than once. This comes as the solution to the problem faced by
PROM. It use ultraviolet rays to erase the data.
• EEPROM- It stands for Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory. These
are also erasable like EPROM, but the same work of erasing is
performed with electric current. Thus, it provides the ease of erasing
it even if the memory is positioned in the computer. It stores
computer system’s BIOS. Unlike EPROM, the entire chip does not
have to be erased for changing some portion of it. Thus, it even gets
rid of some biggest challenges faced by using EPROMs.
• FLASH ROM– It is an updated version of EEPROM. In EEPROM, it is
not possible to alter many memory locations at the same time.
However, Flash memory provides this advantage over the EEPROM by
enabling this feature of altering many locations simultaneously. It was
invented by Toshiba and got its name from it capability of deleting a
block of data in a flash.
CMOS

• CMOS is short for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor.

• CMOS is an on-board semiconductor chip powered by a CMOS

battery inside computers that stores information such as the system
time and date and the system hardware settings for your computer.
• It is a technology for constructing integrated circuits.
 Cache MEMORY

• Cache memory is a small-sized type of volatile computer memory

that provides high-speed data access to a processor and stores
frequently used computer programs, applications and data. It is
the fastest memory in a computer, and is typically integrated onto
the motherboard and directly embedded in the processor or main
random access memory (RAM).

• 2 Kinds- Level 1 and level 2

• L1- internal cache built into the processor chip.

• L2- Resides outside the processor, SRAM chips.
• L1 faster than L2
• Capacity of L2 > L1
 Secondary Storage
Alternatively referred to as external memory and auxiliary storage, secondary
storage is a storage medium that holds information until it is deleted or
overwritten.
Secondary storage devices

• A secondary storage device refers to any volatile storage device that

is internal or external to the computer. It can be any storage device
beyond the primary storage that enables permanent data storage.
• A secondary storage device is also known as an auxiliary storage
device or external storage.
• These devices store virtually all programs and applications stored on
a computer, including the operating system, device drivers,
applications and general user data. Most of the secondary storage
devices are internal to the computer such as the hard disk drive.