Chapter-1

Typical configuration of computer system

ONE MARK QUESTIONS:

1. What is a motherboard?
The motherboard is the main circuit board inside a computer which provides a platform
for the components and peripherals to communicate with each other.
2. What is a microprocessor?
An integrated circuit, that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a
computer.
3. Define clock speed of CPU
The clock speed of a CPU is defined as the frequency with which a processor executes
instructions or the data that is processed.
The clock frequency measured in MHz or GHz.
4. What is the purpose of registers in the CPU?
Registers are high speed storage units within the CPU with least storage capacity. They
are used to store data, instructions, addresses and intermediate results of processing.
[Registers are not referenced by their address, but are directly accessed and manipulated
by the CPU during execution]
5. How does the computer communicate with other devices?

6. What is a system bus?

System bus also called as internal bus connects major computer components like
processor, memory and input output.
7. What is the function of control bus?
It is used to control the access to and the use of data and address lines.
8. What is a data bus?
It provides the path to transfer data between CPU and the memory.
9. What is a port?
A port is a socket on the back of computer used to connect external devices to the
computer.
10. What is an interface?
An Interface is an electronic circuit used to interconnect I-O devices to computer’s CPU
or memory.
11. Expand PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect.
12. How many bits of data are sent in a serial port?
One bit.
13. Expand USB.
Universal Serial Bus
14. Give one feature of USB Port.
It is plug and play
 Devices can be attached without rebooting the computer.
15. What is meant by plug and play device?
A device can be attached to the computer without rebooting the computer.
16. Name any one USB device.
USB keyboard, mouse, web camera
17. Is device controller a hardware or software ?
software
18. What is cache memory ?
It is a high speed memory present between RAM and CPU. It contains most recently used
data by the CPU. It is used to speed up access of data and instructions stored in RAM
memory.

19. Where is L1 cache located ?

CPU
20. Where is L2 cache located ?
Motherboard.
21. Expand SDRAM.
Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory.
22. Give the expansion of DDRRAM.
Double Data Rate Random Access Memory
23. Expand SMPS.
Switched Mode Power Supply.
24. What is the use of SMPS?
An SMPS converts AC power from an electrical outlet to the DC power needed by
system components.
25. What is North Bridge or north chipset?
The north bridge or host bridge is the chip on the motherboard, used to manage data
communications between the CPU and the motherboard.
It is responsible for control of high speed components like CPU,RAM,and Video card.
26. What is south bridge or south chipset?
It is a chipset that manages the basic forms of I/O. it is responsible for control of low
speed devices like sound card, net card, hard disk, CD ROM drive, BIOS IC etc.
27. What is the approximate power consumed by a PC?
An average desktop computer has a power usage of between 80 and 250 watts,
depending on graphics cards and additional peripherals.
28. Expand UPS.
Uninterrupted Power Supply
29. What is the use of UPS?
An UPS is a power supply that includes a battery to maintain power in the event of power
failure.
30. List the types of UPS.
Online UPS
Offline UPS
Two Marks Questions:

1. Name any two types of motherboard.

The different types of motherboard are
 XT Motherboard
 AT Motherboard
 Baby AT Motherboard
 ATX Motherboard.
2. Differentiate between types of motherboards.

XT AT ATX
Baby AT
(eXtended Technology) (Advanced Technology) (Advanced Technology eXtended)

Processor
Socket LIF(Low Insertion Force) Socket PGA (Pin Grid Array) Socket Slot Type & PGA MPGA Socket

RAM Slots DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) SD(synchronous Dynamic) RAM SD RAM and DDR (double DDR RAM Slot
RAM Slot Slot data rate) RAM slot

Power Socket 12 PIN 20 PIN 12 & 20 PIN 20 & 24 PIN

Expansion ISA (Industry Standard PCI (Peripheral Component PCI (Peripheral Component PCI & AGP (Accelerated Graphic Port)
Slots Architecture) Slots Interconnect) & ISA slots Interconnect) & ISA slots Slots

Ports No Ports Has Ports Has Ports Has Ports

Dimensions 8.5 × 11 in 12 × 11–13 in 8.5 × 10–13 in 12 × 9.6 in

Examples Pentium-I, Pentium-II Pentium-III Pentium-III, Pentium-IV Pentium-IV, Dual Core, Quad Core,i3,i5,i7
processors

3. Differentiate between SRAM and DRAM

SRAM DRAM

1. Expensive Low cost

2. Very low access time( around 10 ns) Little high access time(around 60 ns)
3. Information stored on RS flip-flops Information stored on transistors
4. Needs to be refreshed No need for refreshing
5. They made of transistors These are mostly made of capacitors.
6. It is used in cache memory It is used in main memory
7. Consumes more power Consumes less power

4. Mention any two characteristics of motherboard.

The characteristics of motherboard are
 Form factor
  Chipset
 Type of processor socket
5. Mention the components of motherboard.
The components of motherboard are
 Processor
 BIOS
 CMOS
 Slots
 Disk Controllers
 I/O Ports and Interfaces
 Bus
6. Explain system bus.
A bus, which connects major components of a computer such as the CPU, Memory and
Input /Output, is called a System bus.
System bus contains
 Address bus
 Data bus
 Control bus

7. What is a data bus and address bus?

Data bus:
It provides a path to transfer data between CPU and memory.
The width of the data bus may be 32, 64 or 128.The data bus width affects the speed of
the computer.
Address Bus:
A collection of wires connecting the CPU with main memory (RAM) that is used to
identify particular locations (addresses) in main memory.
8. What is the purpose of expansion slot?
Expansion slot is the area on the motherboard into which expansion boards are inserted to
improve the capabilities of the computer.
9. What is the purpose of AGP slot?
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is used for inserting Graphics (video) card which
makes graphics application run faster.

10. What is the purspose of SCSI port?

SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) port used for adding external devices such as
high speed hard-disks,high end scanners and CD-ROM drives. It does fast data transfers
and I-O operations.
11. What is the purspose of MIDI port?
Musical Instrument Digital Interface(MIDI) port is a system designed to transmit
information between electronic musical instruments.

12. Name the different types of I/O Ports.

 The different I-O ports are
 Serial ports
 Parallel ports
 SCSI port
 USB
 Game port
13. Explain serial port.
It is also known as COM port, used to connect communication devices like mouse and
modem. This port transfers data serially one bit at a time.
14. Explain parallel port.
Parallel ports are reserved for printers and some external storage devices. They carry 8
bits of data at a time on parallel paths.
15. Explain USB port.
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus.
USB is a “Plug-and-Play” interface between a computer and add-on devices, such as
keyboards, mouse, modem, scanners and printers.
With USB a new device can be added to your computer without adding an adapter card or
even turning the computer off.
It supports a data speed of 12 megabits per second and supports up to 127 devices.
Today, most motherboards and peripheral devices are equipped with USB.

16. What is meant by plug and play card?

Plug and Play cards can be inserted or removed while the system is on, preserving data
integrity.
Now a days all the cards are plug and play cards. The cards such as FAX card, modem
card, sound card and AGP card can be easily fit into expansion slots of mother board
which are plug and play in nature.
17. What is the purpose of ports and buses?
Ports: A port is a socket on the back of computer used to connect external devices to the
computer.
The different types of ports are serial, Parallel and USB port
Buses: A bus is a collection of parallel wires that form a pathway to carry address, data
and control signals.
Three marks questions:

1. Explain the different components of motherboard.

The motherboard is the main circuit board inside a computer which provides a platform
for the components and peripherals to communicate with each other.
The different components of motherboard are
 Processor
 BIOS
 CMOS battery
 Slots
  Disk Controllers
 I/O ports and interfaces
 BUS
Processor:
The processor or CPU is the component on the motherboard and is called the brain of
the computer. The CPU consists of ALU and CU.
It also has a set of registers which are temporary storage areas for holding data and
instructions.
ALU performs the arithmetic and logic operations on logic operations on the data.
CU is responsible for organizing the processing of and data and instructions. CU
controls and co-ordinates the activity of other unit of computer.
BIOS:
Basic Input Output System (BIOS) is a small chip on the motherboard that holds a
set of instructions to load the hardware settings required to activate various devices
like keyboards, monitors or disk drives.The BIOS runs when the computer is
switched on. It performs Power On Self Test(POST)that checks if the hardware
devices are present and functioning properly.BIOS invoke the bootstrap loader to load
the OS into memory. New PCs come with flash BIOS these BIOS can be software
upgraded to support new devices.
CMOS:
CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)
It is a type of memory chip to store date, time and system setup parameters. These
parameters are loaded every time the computer is started. It is powered by a small
lithium ion battery located on motherboard.
SLOTS
An opening in a computer where you can insert a printed circuit board. Slots are often
called expansion slots because they allow you to expand the capabilities of a computer.
The different slots are:
AGP - Video card.
Processor slot
Expansion slot
RAM slot
ISA - Network card, Sound card, Video card.
PCI - Network card, SCSI, Sound card, Video card.
PCI Express - Video card, Modem, Sound Card, Network Card.
DISK CONTROLLERS
The disk controller is the circuit which enables the CPU to communicate with a hard disk,
floppy disk or other kind of disk drive.
It provides an interface between the disk drive and the bus connecting it to the rest of the
system.
 Hard disk Controller
 A controller for a hard disk is called a hard disk controller (HDC),
 Abbreviated as HDC, the hard disk controller is a circuit that enables a computer to read
and write information to a hard drive. The HDC also acts as a bus, connecting the hard
disk to the rest of the computer's components.
 First developed HDC is known as the ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) is the
next generation IDE interface which is connected to the motherboard by a 40 wire ribbon
cable.
Floppy disk Controller
 A controller for a floppy disk is called a floppy disk controller (FDC).
 Performs data transmission in DMA(Direct Memory Access) mode which means to
access the main system memory(RAM) independently without CPU intervention.
 One controller can connect up to four floppy disk drives to the motherboard.

I/O PORTS AND INTERFACES

Ports and Interfaces are used to connect external devices like printers, keyboards or
scanners to the computer, which gets connected to the computer’s motherboard.
The different ports are serial,parallel,IDE,USB,PS-2,AGP,SCSI,VGAetc.
BUS
 It is a collection of parallel wires that form a pathway to carry address, data and control
signals
 Each wire can carry one bit of data.
 A bus width is determined by the number of wires in the bus.

BUS

Internal Bus External Bus

(System Bus) (Expansion Bus)

Data Bus Control Bus Connects the different

Provides a path to transfer Address Bus Is used to control access to external devices,
data between CPU and Connects CPU and RAM and the use of the data peripherals, expansion
memory. and address lines. slots, I/O ports

2. Explain the characteristics of motherboard.

The motherboard may be characterized by
 Form factor
 Chipset
 Processor socket
Form factor: refers to the motherboard’s geometry, dimensions, arrangement and electrical
requirements. Different standards have been developed to build motherboards, which can be
used in different brands. Advanced Technology Extended/(ATX) is the most common design
of motherboard for desktop computers.

Chipset: it controls the majority of resources of the computer. The function of chipset is to
coordinate data transfer between the various components of the computer. As chipset is
integrated into the motherboard, it is important to choose a motherboard, which includes a
recent chipset, in order to maximize the computer’s upgradeability.

Processor Socket: it may be a rectangular connector into which the processor is mounted
vertically, or a square shaped connector with many small connectors into which the processor
is directly inserted.

3. Explain different types of I/O ports.

Ports are very important part for a system as they work as interface between your system
and other devices that you want to attach with your system.
These are used to connect external devices like printers, keyboards or scanners to the
computer, which gets connected to the computer’s motherboard.
Serial Port:
Also known as communication port is used for connecting devices like modem and
mouse. Transfers data serially one bit at a time. Takes 8 times longer to transfer a byte.
Usually in the form of 9 pin or 25 pin connector.

Parallel port:
Used to connect external input/output devices like printers or scanners. Transfers
data usually one byte(8 bits) at a time. Usually in the form of 25 pin connector.
IDE(Integrated Digital Electronics) Port
Devices like CD-ROM drives or hard disk drives are connected thru this port.

USB(Universal Serial Bus) Port

Standardized way to connect variety of newer peripherals like digital cameras,
web cameras, speakers etc without adding an adapter card or even turning the
computer off.
PS-2 (Personal System) Port
Interface for pointing devices like mouse, trackballs and touch pads. Also known
as the mouse port it is used to communicate between the keyboard and a mouse to
the computer.
AGP(Accelerated Graphics) Port
Used to connect graphic card that provides high speed video performance
typically required for multimedia applications.
VGA(Visual Graphics Adaptor) Port
Connects monitor to a computer’s video card. Same as serial port but has holes
instead of pins.
SCSI(Small Computer System Interface) Port
Use for adding external devices like high end scanners, hard disks etc. Expensive
because of high speed data transfer.
Power Connector
It connects to the computer’s power cable that plugs into a power bar or wall
socket.
Firewire Port
Transfers large amount of data at very fast speed .It connects camcorders and
video equipments to the computer
Modem( Modulator Demodulator)
Connects a PC ‘s modem to the computer network.
Ethernet Port
 Is famous to use for connecting your system with local area networks. It look like
connector of telephone wire but it is little wider than that.
Game Port
Connects a PC to the joystick. It is now replaced by USB.
DVI(Digital Video Interface) Port
Connects a Flat panel LCD monitor to the computer’s high end video graphics
cards.
Sockets
Used to connect microphone, speakers to sound card of the computer.
MIDI(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) Port
Allows a wide variety of musical instruments, computers and related devices to
connect and communicate with one other.

4. Give the features of USB port.

 USB port gives a single, standardized, easy-to-use way to connect a variety of
peripherals to a computer.
 A maximum of 127 peripherals can be connected to a single USB host controller.
 USB device has a maximum speed up to 480 Mbps (for USB 2.0).
 Length of individual USB cable can reach up to 5 meters without a hub and 40
meters with hub.
 USB acts as "plug and play" device.

5. Explain cache memory.

Processor

Disk
Registers L1 Cache L2 cache Memory

Cache memory is a very high speed memory placed between the RAM and CPU. it
stores the data that is used more often ,temporarily and makes it available to CPU at a fast
rate .During processing ,the CPU first checks cache for the required data. If the data is not found
in cache, then it looks in RAM for data. It is used to speed up access of data and instructions
stored in RAM memory.

Cache memory is very expensive, so it is smaller in size.

Cache memory is built into the processor, and may also be located next to it on a separate chip
between the CPU and the RAM.cache built into CPU is faster than separate cache.

There are different levels of cache

L1 cache-present within the CPU

L2 cache-present on the motherboard.

[FYI: some CPUs have built-in L1 and L2 and L3 on motherboard]

6. Explain the types of power supply.

There are two types of power supply connected to a computer system.
They are Switch Mode Power supply (SMPS) and Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS)

SMPS: An SMPS converts AC power from an electrical outlet to the DC power needed
by system components In a PC the SMPS converts 230 volts of Ac to 5 to 12 DC volts. .
It is a metal box in the rear of the system that is attached to the computer chassis and to
the system board. The power supply contains the power card plug and a fan for cooling,
because it generates a lot of heat.

UPS — Uninterrupted Power Supply

Two types of UPS
 Online UPS
 Off-line or Stand by UPS
UPS — A UPS is a power supply that includes a battery to
maintain power in the event of a power failure.
An online UPS avoids those momentary power lapses by
continuously providing power from its own inverter, even when
the power line is functioning properly. Online UPS is more
costly than stand by UPS. Power required for a computer is 500
VA to 600 VA depending on the type of monitor used.

Offline UPS (Stand by UPS) — A stand by UPS or offline UPS

monitors the power line and switches to battery power as soon
as it detects a problem. The switch over time is several milliseconds.

7. What is the purpose of ports, buses and controllers in the I/O System?

8. Explain the general structure of a processor.

 The primary function of a processor is to execute the instructions given to it and
to produce the results.
 It fetches the instructions and data from the primary memory and performs the
required operations.
 This movement of data between the processor and the memory is established by a
communication path called bus.
 The processor contains number of special purpose registers in addition to ALU
which is responsible for doing calculations.
 The different components inside the processor are as shown below
 Northbridge
The north bridge or host bridge is the chip on the motherboard, used to manage data
communications between the CPU and the motherboard.
It is responsible for control of high speed components like CPU,RAM,and Video card.
South bridge
It is a chipset that manages the basic forms of I/O. it is responsible for control of low
speed devices like sound card, net card, hard disk, CD ROM drive, BIOS IC etc.

9. What is a slot? Mention any two types.

An opening in a computer where you can insert a printed circuit board. Slots are often called
expansion slots because they allow you to expand the capabilities of a computer.
AGP - Video card.
Processor slot
Expansion slot
RAM slot
ISA - Network card, Sound card, Video card.
PCI - Network card, SCSI, Sound card, Video card.
PCI Express - Video card, Modem, Sound Card, Network Card.

10. Write a note on computer memory

Memory refers to the electronic storing space for instructions and data.
Computer’s internal memory is limited in size. So it needs to rely on other kinds of
memories to store data, instructions and results.
 Memory

Internal Secondary
Memory Memory

Cache Primary
Registers
Memory Memory

Registers:
 The registers are high speed temporary storage areas located inside the CPU.
 Register plays a major role in CPU operations. Microprocessor picks up data from one of
the registers for doing arithmetic or logical operation. Once the operation is over, it stores
the result in a register. Data are usually loaded from memory to register. Similarly the
resultant data will be loaded from registers to memory.
 They can be used only as long as the power remains on.
 Registers are normally measured by the number of bits they can hold, for example,8-bit
register means it can store 8 bits of data or a 32-bit register means it can store 32 bit of
data.
Cache memory
 The Cache memory is a high speed memory available to speed up access of data and
instructions stored in RAM.
 It is built into the processor or may also be located next to it on a separate chip between
CPU and RAM.
 It stores data that is used more often, temporarily and makes it available to CPU at a fast
rate.
 During processing, the CPU always checks Cache first for the data, if not found then it
looks in the RAM for the data.
 It is smaller in size as it is very expensive.
 Primary Memory
 Primary memory is also known as main memory.
 It is of two types RAM and ROM
 RAM
 Temporary Storage( volatile)
 Stores operating system, application programs and current data.
 Is a faster memory.

 Types of RAM
 DRAM-Dynamic Random Access memory
 SRAM-Static Random Access Memory
 SDRAM- Synchronous Dynamic RAM
A special type of DRAM that is synchronized to the system clock.
It responds as quickly as possible to change in control inputs.
 DDR-SDRAM
Double-Data Rate SDRAM
It works the same as SDRAM. The difference is the change in the data transfer
rate which is double when compared to SDRAM.

11. Name the different components of North Bridge.

The northbridge is a chip inside a computer that connects the central processing unit
(CPU) to other primary components in the system. These components include RAM ,
the frontside bus (FSB), PCI Express cards, and the AGP card.