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Technology in ActionTechnology in Action
Chapter 6Chapter 6
Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Evaluating Your System Evaluating Your System
• The CPU is composed of two units: the The CPU is composed of two units: the control unitcontrol unit and the and the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)arithmetic logic unit (ALU).. • The control unit coordinates the activities of all the The control unit coordinates the activities of all the
other computer components. other computer components. • The ALU is responsible for performing arithmetic The ALU is responsible for performing arithmetic
calculations and makes logic and comparison calculations and makes logic and comparison decisions, such as comparing items to determine if decisions, such as comparing items to determine if one is greater than, less than, equal to, or not equal one is greater than, less than, equal to, or not equal to another.to another.
• Every time the CPU performs a program Every time the CPU performs a program instruction, it goes through the same instruction, it goes through the same series of steps, called a series of steps, called a machine cyclemachine cycle::
1.1. ffetchesetches the required piece of data or instruction the required piece of data or instruction from RAM. from RAM.
2.2. decodesdecodes the instruction into something the the instruction into something the computer can understand. computer can understand.
3.3. executesexecutes the instruction. the instruction.
4.4. storesstores the result to RAM before fetching the next the result to RAM before fetching the next instruction.instruction.
• Identify your current CPU- as well as its speed, by accessing the system properties. You can go to the manufacturer’s Web site for more detailed information.
• Determine whether it is meeting your needs– Go to Task Manager to review CPU usage
• Consider how quickly data moves to or from the CPU
• In addition, the OS running on your machine might In addition, the OS running on your machine might impose its own limits. To identify these limits, check impose its own limits. To identify these limits, check
your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s Web siteyour owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s Web site..
• Things to consider– Type of RAM module– Amount of RAM
• Maximum limit• Number of slots• Operating system
• Storage capacity is up to 2 terabytes (TB)• The hard drive’s access time, or the time it takes The hard drive’s access time, or the time it takes
a storage device to locate its stored data and a storage device to locate its stored data and make it available for processing, is the fastest make it available for processing, is the fastest among all permanent storage devices. among all permanent storage devices.
• Access time is measured in milliseconds• Data transfer rate is measured in megabits or
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