Technology in Action: Chapter Topics Your Ideal Computer

ELE 107-Week 7: Understanding and Assessing Hardware
Technology
inAction
Technology in Action
Chapter 6
AlanEvans KendallMartin
Understanding and Assessing Hardware:

Evaluating Your System
MaryAnnePoatsy
TenthEdition
Copyright 2014PearsonEducation,Inc.PublishingasPrenticeHall
Chapter Topics
Your Ideal Computer
Your Ideal Computer

Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
New technologies emerge so quickly that it

is hard to decide if expensive extras are
tools you would use
Evaluating the Storage Subsystem
Should you upgrade your system?
Evaluating the Video and Audio

Subsystems
Should you buy a new computer?
Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
Evaluating System Reliability and Making

a Final Decision
Your Ideal Computer (cont.)

Huge number of choices
Things to consider
Tablets
Ultrabooks
Netbooks
Tablet PCs
Laptops
Desktops
CPUs are becoming

faster
Moores Law
System components
continue to improve
Hard drives growing in
storage capacity
Mobility versus processing power

4

Computers usually last 2 years and maybe
even 4 or 5
Depends on how easy it is to upgrade
Laptops often have an ExpressCard slot
Desktop
Best value
24-inch or larger monitor
More reliable
Solid-state drive
New kinds of ports
Other capabilities
Ultrabooks and tablets dont have
ExpressCard expansion options
Easier to expand and upgrade

More difficult to steal
ExpessCards can add a solid-state drive (SSD)

CPU
Located on motherboard
Processes instructions,
performs calculations, and
manages flow of information
through a computer system
Intel Core processors
Dominant processors (i7, i5,
and i3)

How the CPU Works

How the CPU Works (cont.)
CPU is composed of two units
Machine cycle is series of steps performed

to process a program instruction
Control unit coordinates activities of all other

computer components
Fetch data or instruction from RAM
Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic

calculations
Decode instruction that computer understands

Execute instruction
Store result in RAM
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11
How the CPU Works
How the CPU Works
The Control Unit

Manages switches inside the CPU
Machine cycle
refers to a series
of general steps a
CPU performs
Remembers
Sequence of processing stages
How switches are set for each stage
Fetch
Decode
Execute
Store
With each beat of system clock, control

unit moves each switch to correct on/off
setting and performs work of that stage
12
How the CPU Works
How the CPU Works
The System Clock
Stage 1: The Fetch Stage
Moves CPU from one stage of the

machine cycle to the next
Acts as a metronome, keeping a steady
beat or tick
Program or data is moved to RAM from

hard drive
As instructions are needed, they are
moved from RAM into registers
Todays speed is measured in gigahertz

(GHz), 1 billion clock ticks per second
13
Data and program instructions are stored

in various areas of computer system
Ticks, known as the clock cycle, set the pace

Pace, known as clock speed, is measured in
hertz (Hz)
Storage areas located on CPU
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Stage 1: The Fetch Stage (cont.)
15
Cache Memory - Small blocks of memory

located directly on and next to CPU chip
Stores recent or frequently used instructions
Faster access than RAM
Cache Memory (cont.)

Level 1
Searched if next instruction is not in CPU
register
Built onto the CPU
Stores commands that have just been used
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How the CPU Works
Stage 2: The Decode Stage

CPUs control unit decodes a programs
instructions into commands
Instruction set
Cache Memory (cont.)

Level 2
Searched if instruction is not in Level 1
The collection of commands a CPU can

execute
Written in assembly language
Assembly language is translated into binary
code
Located on CPU or chip next to CPU
Level 3
Checks only if instruction is not in Level 1 or
Level 2
Machine Language long strings of binary

code
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How the CPU Works
How the CPU Works
Stage 3: The Execute Stage
Stage 4: The Store Stage
Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Instruction explains which register to use

When entire instruction is completed, the
next instruction will be fetched
Test comparisons of values (<, >, =)

Logical OR, AND, and NOT operations
Word size is number of bits worked with at a
time
The fetch-decode-execute-store cycle

begins again
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Making CPUs Even Faster
21
Making CPUs Even Faster (cont.)
Building a faster CPU is not easy
Manufacturers can increase CPU

performance in several ways
Must consider time it will take to design,

manufacture, and test the processor
Pipelining
To create a CPU for release in 36 months,

it must perform at least twice as fast as
what is currently available
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Results produced by the ALU are stored in

the registers
Mathematical operations
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Specialized, faster instructions

Multiple independent processing paths inside
the CPU
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Pipelining
Specialized Multimedia Instructions
CPU works on more than one stage or

instruction at a time
New processors incorporate multimedia

instructions into the basic instruction set
Boosts CPU performance
Multimedia-specific instructions work to

accelerate video and audio processing
New instructions work to allow the CPU to
deliver faster data protection
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CPU Factors

Multiple Processing Efforts
Many high-end server systems use a large
number of processors
Multicore processing
CPUs processing power

Clock speed dictates how many instructions
the CPU can process each second
Overclocking run the CPU at a faster speed than
the manufacturer recommends
Quad-core processors have four separate

parallel processing paths
Six- and eight-core processors are available
Cores contains the parts of the CPU

required for processing
Parallel processing uses multiple

computers to work on portion of same
problem simultaneously
Cache memory
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CPU Factors (cont.)
27

CPU Factors (cont.)
Hyperthreading allows a new set of

instructions to start before the previous set
has finished
Multiple cores used on one CPU chip
enable execution of two sets of
instructions at the same time
Possible to design CPU to have multiple
cores and hyperthreading
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CPU Factors (cont.)

CPU Factors (cont.)
Cache memory allows immediate access

to data and instructions without having to
go to RAM
Cache memory levels
CPU Benchmarks are measurements

used to compare processor performance
Level 1 cache is memory built onto CPU chip

for storage of data or commands just used
Level 2 and Level 3 cache are slightly farther
away, take longer to access, and contain
more storage space
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Measuring the CPU
31

Measuring the CPU (cont.)
Computers OS has utilities to measure

CPU usage
Overall performance depends on many

factors, including RAM and hard drive
speed
Task Manager
CPU usage graph
Depends on number of programs running at
one time
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33
Random access memory (RAM) is a

computers temporary storage space
Faster for CPU to retrieve data from RAM

Fastest memory is more expensive
Short-term memory
Available only when computer is on
Volatile storage
ROM memory
Holds critical startup instructions
Nonvolatile storage
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The RAM in Your System

The RAM in Your System (cont.)
Types
Amount of RAM is computers physical

memory
Double data rate 3 (DDR3)
System Properties window
Double data rate 5 (DDR5)
Measured in gigabytes
SuperFetch: Monitors which applications

are used the most and preloads them
Memory modules are small circuit boards

that hold a series of RAM chips
Dual inline memory modules (DIMMs)
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38

Adding RAM
37

39

Adding RAM
Motherboard has specific number of slots

for memory cards
Each slot has limit on amount of RAM it
can hold
Operating system imposes own RAM limit
Windows 8 (32 bit) maximum is 4 GB
Windows 8 (64 bit) maximum is 192 GB
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Temporary storage

Mechanical Hard Drives
Largest capacity of any storage devices
RAM
Some exceed 4 TB
Permanent storage
More economical than other storage
Hard drives
Most systems can support more than one

internal hard drive
Solid state drives (SSDs)

Optical drives
External hard drives
42

Mechanical Hard Drives (cont.)
43

Composed of coated platters stacked

on a spindle
Read/write
head
Platter each plate that composes a hard

drive
Data saved as pattern of magnetized

spots of 1s and 0s
When retrieved, patterns of spots are
translated into data Access arms
Access arms
44

45

Access time the time it takes the hard

drive to locate stored data and make it
available for processing
Measured in milliseconds (ms)
Optical drives have faster access time

Large-capacity drives access time is 12 to
13 ms
DVD drive can take over 150 ms
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Solid State Drives
SSDs: Use electronic memory and have
no mechanical motors or moving parts
Fast access times
Run with no noise, generate little heat, require
little power
48
How a Mechanical Hard Drive Works

Track (concentric circles) and sector (pieshaped wedges) created in the
magnetized surface of each platter during
low-level formatting to prepare disks to
hold data
49

Optical Drives
Dig Deeper
How a Mechanical Hard Drive Works
Store data as tiny

pits burned into the
disc by high-speed
laser
Optical media
Read/write heads retrieve and record

magnetic data to and from the hard drive
platter
Access time has two factors: seek time
and latency
Dig Deeper
Compact disc (CD)

Digital video disc
(DVD)
Blu-ray disc (BD)
50

Optical Drives (cont.)
51

Your Storage Capacity and Needs
Hard drive capacity
Optical media formats
Measured in gigabytes or terabytes
Prerecorded
Need enough to store
Recordable
The OS
Software applications
Data files
Digital libraries
Rewriteable
Many lightweight systems dont include

optical drives
External optical drives
Other options
External hard drive
52
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Your Storage Capacity and Needs

Your Storage Capacity and Needs (cont.)
Redundant array of independent disks
(RAID): Set of strategies for using more
than one drive
RAID 0
Cuts files in half between two drives
Faster
RAID 1
Mirrored drives
54

Your Storage Capacity and Needs (cont.)
55
Evaluating the Video Subsystem

Video Cards
Video display depends on two components
Video card
Expansion card that translates binary data into images
Monitor
Ports
DVI
HDMI
DisplayPort
56

Video Cards (cont.)

Video Cards (cont.)
Video memory
Graphics double data rate 3 (GDDR3)
GPU performs computational work like

CPU
Graphics double data rate 5 (GDDR5)
Specialized to handle
Evaluate system video card information

using Advanced Settings of the Screen
Resolution dialog box
57
3D graphics
Image and video processing
58
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10

Video Cards (cont.)

Video Cards (cont.)
CPU runs more efficiently when a GPU

does all graphics computation
Two or even three video cards can be

used
Video chip set manufacturers
Nvidia: SLI
ATI: Crossfire
3-D panels
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Evaluating the Audio Subsystem
Computers output sound with speakers

and a sound card
3-D sound technology is better at
convincing the human ear that sound is
omnidirectional
Surround sound is a type of audio
processing that makes the listener
experience sounds as if it were coming
from all directions
Dolby Digital 7.1
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Evaluating System Reliability

Performance problems
Audio MIDI Interface

box used to connect
MIDI instruments,
high-quality
microphones, and
recording equipment
to your computer
Slow performance
Freezes
Crashes
Try to fix problem before buying a new

machine
Proper upkeep and maintenance could
postpone upgrade or replacement
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11
Evaluating System Reliability (cont.)
Clear out unnecessary files
System problems
Install a reliable antivirus package
Troubleshooting
Run spyware and adware removal programs
Check RAM
Run the Disk Defragmenter utility
Refresh
These utilities can be configured to run

automatically at any time interval
System restore
Microsoft Knowledge Base
Search Google
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Latest version of software increases

reliability
Upgrade the OS to the latest version

Substantial increases in reliability
Might require hardware upgrades
Upgrade or update OS, browser software,

and application software
Additional RAM
Updated graphics processor
Problem Steps Recorder
Larger hard drive
Automatic Updates
Windows 8 upgrade automatically checks

system compatibility
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Making a Final Decision
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Chapter 6 Summary Questions
How closely does your system meet your

needs?
1. What kind of computer is best for me?
How much would it cost to upgrade your

system?
How much would it cost to purchase a
new system?
Review the types of computer devices available and

consider what your needs are for weight, screen size,
and processing power.
Evaluate your computer system so you have clear data

on what you currently have. Then you can compare it
with what is on the market and make a decision to
upgrade or purchase a new device.
Price both scenarios to determine better

value
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12

2. What does the CPU do, and how can I
evaluate its performance?

3. How does memory work in my computer?
You can find out what processor you have using the
System Properties window.
The CPU works by running a series of four steps: fetch,
decode, execute, and store.
CPUs are compared based on their clock speed, the
number of cores the have, and their amount of cache
memory.
CPU benchmarks help you compare the overall
performance of different CPUs.
The CPU performance can be measured and recorded
using the CPU usage graph of the Resource Monitor.
RAM is used to hold instructions and data because the

CPU can access RAM much faster than it can access
the hard drive.
Memory modules are small circuit boards that hold a

series of RAM chips in your system.
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4. How do I evaluate how much memory I

need?
5. What are the computers storage

devices?
The System Properties window shows how much

physical memory you have installed.
Data is stored on mechanical hard drives, solid state

drives, and optical drives.
The Resource Monitor shows how the installed RAM is

being used by your system.
You can easily install RAM in your system, though each

system has a limit on how much RAM it can hold.
There is a wide range of difference in access times and

cost between different storage solutions, so most
systems have a combination of types.
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6. How do I evaluate my storage devices?
The Properties dialog box in Windows Explorer displays

information on the amount of storage available in your
system.
Compute the amount of storage you need for the
software and data files you want to keep locally.
Decide how many drives you want, what type each
should be, and how you will configure them. RAID 0 is
an option for combining drives for optimal performance.
RAID 1 is an option for combining drives for immediate
backup.
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7. What components affect the quality of
video on my computer?
The video card is key to video quality. Be aware of how

much video memory is installed and what kind of GPU
is used on the card.
Some users install multiple video cards for high-end

graphics performance.
With only one card, you can run multiple monitors.
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13
8. How do I know if I need better video

performance?
9. What components affect my computers

sound quality?
The sound card and speakers control the sound quality

in your system.
If you want surround sound, you may want to invest in a

new sound card and additional speakers.
If you see long refresh times, you may want an

upgraded video card. The software that comes with the
card can run performance testing to give you specific
data on how the card is doing.
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10. How can I improve the reliability of my
system?
To make sure your system stays reliable, clear out

unnecessary files, run antivirus software, run spywareand adware-removal programs, run the Disk
Defragmenter on mechanical hard drives, and use the
Task Scheduler to automate these tasks.
If your system is crashing often, check that your have
enough RAM. Then consider doing a system refresh or
even a full system restore.
Keep your software updated. Use the Problem Steps
Recorder to capture problems as they happen and
report them to the manufacturer.
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retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
Copyright 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.

Publishing as Prentice Hall
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ELE 107-Week 7: Understanding and Assessing Hardware

Understanding and Assessing Hardware:

Your Ideal Computer

Your Ideal Computer

New technologies emerge so quickly that it

Evaluating the Storage Subsystem

Should you upgrade your system?

Evaluating the Video and Audio

Should you buy a new computer?

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

Evaluating System Reliability and Making

Your Ideal Computer (cont.)

Your Ideal Computer (cont.)

CPUs are becoming

Mobility versus processing power

ELE 107-Week 7: Understanding and Assessing Hardware

Your Ideal Computer (cont.)

Your Ideal Computer (cont.)

Easier to expand and upgrade

ExpessCards can add a solid-state drive (SSD)

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

CPU is composed of two units

Machine cycle is series of steps performed

Control unit coordinates activities of all other

Fetch data or instruction from RAM

Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic

Decode instruction that computer understands

ELE 107-Week 7: Understanding and Assessing Hardware

How the CPU Works

How the CPU Works

The Control Unit

With each beat of system clock, control

How the CPU Works

How the CPU Works

The System Clock

Stage 1: The Fetch Stage

Moves CPU from one stage of the

Program or data is moved to RAM from

Todays speed is measured in gigahertz

Data and program instructions are stored

Ticks, known as the clock cycle, set the pace

Storage areas located on CPU

Stage 1: The Fetch Stage (cont.)

Stage 1: The Fetch Stage (cont.)

Cache Memory - Small blocks of memory

Cache Memory (cont.)

ELE 107-Week 7: Understanding and Assessing Hardware

How the CPU Works

Stage 1: The Fetch Stage (cont.)

Stage 2: The Decode Stage

Cache Memory (cont.)

The collection of commands a CPU can

Located on CPU or chip next to CPU

Machine Language long strings of binary

How the CPU Works

How the CPU Works

Stage 3: The Execute Stage

Stage 4: The Store Stage

Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

Instruction explains which register to use