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Main Components of a Computer System
Main Components of a Computer System
Mention three functions of the Operating system
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Recommended: Main Components of a Computer System
Processor (CPU) – The processor, also known as the Central Processing Unit runs the operating system and other applications. It is constantly receiving data from the user or other active software. The data is then processed and then an output is produced which either will be displayed on screen or stored by an application. Motherboard- is the part of a computer that contains the computer’s basic circuitry and components. It allows the CPU, RAM and other components to communicate. Power Supply- The power supply which is also known as the PSU is the component the supplies power from the mains electric into the PC. The PSU converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC power for the internal components of a computer Cooling / Fan – …show more content…
The common things stored in the RAM include the operating system, various applications and the GUI. Memory (ROM) – Read only memory is memory that cannot be changed. It retains its memory even when the computers power is off. Example; Read only memory stores the instructions for the computer to turn on again. Storage – storage is a non-volatile disk space. A device like an external hard drive would be an example of external storage, this would normally used to store photos and any other type of information that needs to be kept long-term. Secondly you have internal storage, a computers internal storage usually houses the operating system and other software applications. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - Hard drives can store very large amounts of data ranging from 200GB – 1TB. A hard drive is made up of a magnetic disk that consists of a number of platters/disks that are coated in a magnetic material that rotate at 7200 RPM. The data is encoded into bits and written into the disks as a series of changes in the direction of the magnetic pull, and then the data is read by detecting the changes in direction on the
In the WMM memory is considered an active process and not just a passive store of information, unlike the MSM.
In comparing and contrasting PC’s and Mainframes it is necessary to first understand what a PC and a Mainframe are. Because IBM produced the first personal computer, the term PC came to mean IBM or IBM-compatible personal computers, which excluded other types of personal computers such as Macintoshes, though I rarely hear the term IBM-compatible used anymore when referring to the term PC.
The motherboard is the main circuit board of a microcomputer. The motherboard contains the connectors for attaching additional boards. Typically, the motherboard contains the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots, and all the controllers required to control standard peripheral devices, such as the display screen, keyboard, and disk drive. Collectively, all these chips that reside on the motherboard are known as the motherboard's chipset. On most PCs, it is possible to add memory chips directly to the motherboard. You may also be able to upgrade to a faster CP by replacing the CPU chip. To add additional core features, you may need to replace the motherboard entirely. (Glossary)
Memory is temporary storage where the processor can access program code and data. It is temporary because any information stored there is lost when the system loses power or is rebooted.
A hard drive or otherwise known as a hard disk is a storage device that contains one or more inflexible, circular platters that use magnetic particles to store data, instructions, and information. The system unit on most personal computers contains a least one hard disk, sometimes called an internal hard disk because it is not portable (Shelly and Vermaat). In other words a hard drive is the location in a computer where all the computer programs and files are stored. The hard drives are classified as random access, digital, magnetic, and data storage devices.
The processor, also called CPU (Central Processing Unit), is the brain of your computer, this is the most popular component to overclock because of the gains in performance. It is the component that handles most of the calculations the computer has to do. The Cpu operates at speeds...
How hard disk drive works? Firstly we should know the two important parts of the hard disk drive. 1. platters and media. We put all of the data onto the platter. They are inside of the hard drive.
According to the dictionary, Memory is defined as a device that is used to store data or programs (sequences of instructions) on a temporary or permanent basis for use in an electronic digital computer. Computers represent information in binary code, written as sequences of 0s and 1s. Each binary digit (or "bit") may be stored by any physical system that can be in either of two stable states, to represent 0 and 1. Such a system is called bistable. This could be an on-off switch, an electrical capacitor that can store or lose a charge, a magnet with its polarity up or down, or a surface that can have a pit or not. Today capacitors and transistors, functioning as tiny electrical switches, are used for temporary storage, and either disks or tape with a magnetic coating, or plastic discs with patterns of pits are used for long-term storage.(Dictionary.com 20014)
...s the CPU which memory is free and which is in use when it has to decide where to allocate which process.
Random Access Memory (RAM) is where things currently in use are stored (7). RAM is volatile, things are only stored there temporarily and only when the power is on. If the power was turned off everything stored in the RAM would be lost unless saved to the hard
Examples of internal system components include the central processing unit (CPU), the central chip that executes commands given to it. This central processing unit is often referred to as the “brain” of the computer because of its function. Random access memory (RAM), often simply referred to as memory, is a short-term storage device that holds instructions that are awaiting execution by the central processing unit. The amount of RAM installed in computer systems has increased over the years; common sizes today are 4, 8, and 16 gigabytes. Computer systems also have long-term storage, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), and external storage devices like USB flash drives, Secure Digital (SD) cards, and optical drives for media like DVDs and CDs.
of computing. In your computer, you require a good amount of RAM, which is there
Computer memory refers to any physical device that has the ability of storing information either permanently or temporarily. For instance, the Random Access Memory (RAM) is a volatile memory that has the ability of storing information on various integrated circuits that are used by not only the operating system, but also by the hardware and software. In essence, there are two major types of computer memory namely Read Only Memory (ROM) and the Random Access Memory (RAM). ROM refers to smallest parts of a computer system’s silicon or solid state memory which is not only fixed in size, but also permanently stores or keeps the instructions of the manufacturer upon switching on a computer. On the other hand, RM refers to the larger part of a computer memory that comprises of floppies, DVD, CD, and hard disk which are together referred to as secondary storage and which are employed or applied in both running of programs as well as archiving of relevant data. It is prudent to note that computer memory can either be volatile and non-volatile (Tanenbaum & Austin, 2012).
The next core component in building a computer is the video card. Video cards handle all the graphic parts of a computer. Having a faster video card will make a dramatic difference in the performance of your computer. When building a computer you want to make sure that the video card will be strong enough for your needs (Bourque online).
Processors were originally any machine that could do logic and arithmetic functions. Processors are essential for computers because it executes commands and runs computer programs in order for a computer to operate. These chips convert input data to output information in the Central Processing Unit or as it is normally called, CPU. The Central Processing Unit executes instructions stored by programs. The Central Processing Unit interacts with main memory to access data and instructions. Although processors manage a lot of data in the computer, they can only store the data temporarily. Every instruction that the Central Processing Unit processes is depicted by a sequence of numbers. The numbers that represent the demanded action are stored in the Central Processing Unit’s temporary memory once ...