Hardware

CIL 102Spring 2010

CIL 102Spring 2010

Make good purchasing decisions Troubleshoot computer, as well as maintain

and upgrade Avoid hackers, viruses and spyware Protect privacy Maintain security Embrace new technologies

Microcomputers◦ Desktop (single location)◦ Laptop or Notebook

(mobile)◦ Tablet (mobile, touch

screen, stylus)◦ Netbook (smaller

mobile)◦ Personal Digital

Assistant/Smart Phones (handheld)

Image: ©Shelly Cashman Vermaat 2004

Minicomputers◦ Mid-range computers that handle the computing

needs of smaller organizations Mainframe

◦ Computer systems designed to handle large processing jobs in larger organizations Airlines, Banks, etc.

Supercomputer◦ Computer used to solve complex scientific and

military problems NASA, National Weather Service, US Dept of Energy, etc.

IBM’s Roadrunner (2009)◦ Fastest supercomputer today◦ Hybrid – combo of IBM and AMD

processors◦ 1 quadrillion calculations per

second (1.105 petaflops)◦ Runs Red Hat Linux operating

system IBM Sequoia (2011)

◦ Sequoia Article◦ 20 quadrillion calculations per

second - the equivalent of more than 2 million laptops!!

◦ Department of Energy

IBM RoadrunnerWikipedia IBM RoadrunnerCNET Article - June 2009

Dell Gateway Hewlett-Packard Acer Toshiba Lenovo

Apple Sony ASUS Alienware Samsung

Server◦ Primary task is storing and retrieving large

quantities of data (network) Workstation

◦ High end-computer running a variant of UNIX designed to be used by one person

Embedded Computer System◦ General CPUs that run single programs;

embedded in consumer devices such as automobiles, microwave ovens, DVD players, electric toothbrushes.

power supply

ports

drive bays

processor

memory

sound card

video cardmodem cardnetwork card

Image: ©Shelly Cashman Vermaat 2004

processor chipadapter cards

memory chips

memory slots

motherboard

Expansionslots for adapter cards

Image: ©Shelly Cashman Vermaat 2004

◦ Intel® CoreTM

  i7 Quad Core Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)

◦ Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

◦ 6GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM◦ 15.6” WLED LCD (1920x1080)◦ ATI Mobility RADEON – 1 GB◦ 500GB Hard Drive 7200 RPM◦ DVD/CD burner◦ 2 MP Camera◦ Dell Laptop Starts at $1599

© Dell

© Intel

◦ Intel Atom Z520 1.33 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 512 K Cache

◦ 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM◦ 10.1” display with 1024x600 resolution◦ Intel Graphics Media Accelerator◦ 160 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive◦ WLAN 802.11n WiFi◦ Windows XP Home Edition◦ Battery: 3-cell or 6-cell◦ Dell Mini Netbook Starts at $299

© Dell.com

Central Processing Unit  - "Brain" of the computer; directs all operations in the computer and performs the processing steps for the data◦ Processes instructions◦ Performs calculations◦ Processes data user inputs into computer◦ Example: Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor

Main Memory (RAM) - temporarily holds the data and instructions that the computer uses during processing; primary storage (example: 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM)

Input/Output Devices - such as keyboards, monitors, printers       

Intel Core 2 Duo AMD Opteron (server) AMD Athlon (desktop) AMD Turion 64 X2 (mobile) AMD Phenom II (2009) Intel Xeon (server /

workstation) (8 core) Intel Core 2 Quad (2007) Intel Core i7 (mobile -

2010)

A custom-PowerPC CPU is used in Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii gaming systems

Intel® CoreTM  i7 Processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, 1333MHz FSB)

◦ Quad Core technology - offers better multitasking capability due to 4 processing cores on one CPU Gaming, multimedia software

◦ Operating system and applications need to recognize dual processors (‘multi-thread aware’ or capable of running multiple tasks)

◦ Intel Multi-core

1.6 GHz – speed of system clock◦ The pace by which the computer moves from

process to process. ◦ System clock emits pulses at regular intervals

enabling computer’s activities to be synchronized◦ Rate of speed:

Gigahertz – one billion clock ticks per second Megahertz – one million clock ticks per second

1333 MHz – Speed of Frontside Bus ◦ System bus – circuitry (path) which runs between

memory and CPU

Hertz – cycles per second

Overclocking• Process of running computer component at

higher clock rate (more cycles per second) than it was designed• Processors, video cards, RAM, motherboards• Generates heat (need better cooling)

• All electronic circuits produce heat generated by movement of electrons

• Very Risky – operating component outside of manufacturer’s recommended operating conditions; • Void warranty, risk of fire, higher power

consumption, etc.

Cache  - high-speed memory usually on the CPU chip; small, but quite effective.  Used for most commonly used instructions

Level 1 (L1) - sample size 32KB (SRAM) Level 2 (L2) – sample size 2 MB Level 3 (L3) – sample size 6 MB Demo machine: 6MB Level 3 cache (Good!)

Front Side Bus Connects CPU and RAM

Image: ©Shelly Cashman Vermaat 2004

Motherboard – primary circuit board inside of computer; used to connect components together

Registers - special, high-capability storage locations used by the CPU to store data

Cache  - high-speed memory usually on the CPU chip; small, but quite effective.  Increases computer’s performance. Used for most commonly used instructions. Level 1 usually on CPU chip and Level 2 usually on chip near CPU. L3 used for multi-core CPUs.Example: Level 1(L1) or  Level 2 (L2)

Expansion Slots - represent additional connecting places to an internal bus, allowing connections for future components  (example: network card, video card, sound card, fax/modem card)

Power Supply – supplies power to computer; converts AC to DC for use by the components

Image: ©Shelly Cashman Vermaat 2004

Fastest Faster Fast

4GB 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAMSlowest to Fastest DRAM (60ns- billionths of a second) dynamic RAM SDRAM – synchronous dynamic RAM

◦ 100-133 MHz DDR SDRAM – (2 word minimum read/write rate))

◦ 200-400 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (4 word minimum read/write rate)

◦ 400-1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (8 word minimum read/write rate)

◦ 800-1600 MHz (data transfer speed)

SRAM (Static RAM) Fastest – Expensive – Used for Cache memory)◦ Access time 10-30 nanoseconds◦ No ‘refresh’ signal needed

Note : Word size is 32 or 64 bits

www.wikipedia.com

Hard Drive CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-ray Flash Devices (USB) External vs. Internal

Input device◦ A peripheral device used to provide data to a

computer. Together with output devices, these peripherals make up the interface between the computer and the “outside world” Keyboard Mouse Microphone Web Camera Digital Camera Game controller Scanner

Output Device◦ Peripheral device used to represent information

from a computer. Printer Monitor Speakers

What applications do you want to run on a new computer?◦ What type of processor do you need?◦ How much memory do you need?◦ What type of storage requirements do you need?◦ Other considerations?

Audio capabilities, video capabilities, printer, etc. Ease of use (PC, Macintosh)

Look at Web sites (Example: Dell, PCWorld)◦ Machine specifications and computer reviews◦ PC World: Selecting The Right Laptop For You◦ PC World: Making Sense of the Specifications

If evaluating two comparable computers, how do you know which one performs better?

Run Benchmark tests◦ Numbers obtained by running a program or group

of programs on a computer. Can be used to compare performance of computers

with different hardware and/or software combinations.

Generally, measures speed Take an average of performance

Add more memory Clean up software issues (via operating system)

◦ Delete unnecessary files & Defragment hard drive Reorganizes files on hard drive; improves access time

◦ Clean up Startup folder Remove unnecessary programs from Startup Resident in RAM

◦ Run antispyware and antivirus programs ◦ In extreme cases, backup computer, reformat hard

drive and re-install operating system and applications Upgrade motherboard / processor Upgrade graphics card Install faster hard drive or CD/DVD drive

Adapter Cards ALU Benchmark Bus or FSB Cache Computer applications Computer Vendors Control Unit CPU – examples

◦ Intel Core Duo / AMD Athlon, etc.

Data Dual-Core Embedded computer

system Expansion slot Hardware Information

I/O devices (examples) Main Memory (RAM) – size

and speed Mainframe Minicomputer Motherboard Overclocking Ports (Examples) Processing Power Supply Quad-Core Registers Roadrunner (IBM) Sequoia (IBM) Speed up computer? Storage devices (examples) Supercomputer System Bus – Front Side Bus Tablet Vendors (examples)