Inside your
computer
Hardware ReviewMotherboardProcessor / CPUBusBios chipMemoryHard driveVideo CardSound CardMonitor/printerPorts
Software = Computer Program = Instructions
Allow you to use your computerWithout software, the computer is
useful as a planter
Software
Computer memoryBIOS (flash memory)Read Only Memory (ROM)Random Access Memory (RAM)
chips on motherboardopen files
Virtual (part of your OS)pagefile.sys
Video graphics and games
Memory factsStored in KB (kilobytes), MB (megabytes),
GB (gigabytes), TB (terabytes)One MB ~ 1 million memory locationsA memory location (byte) stores one
characterSo, 512 MB will store about 512 million
characters.One MB can store about 500 pages of text
information
Booting orderBIOSOperating System
Windows or LinuxOS X on an AppleUNIX on a Sun station
UtilitiesAntiVirus softwareInternet security
Application software
BIOSStores date and timeBasic hardware settings
Memory and hard drive infoDisk boot orderBoot passwordEtc.
BIOS entry screen
BIOS boot disk setup
BIOS advanced setup
BIOSMore info
Operating SystemLoads drivers (small software
applications) to run all the hardware in your computerVideo driversPrinter driversMouse and keyboard driversEtc.
Operating SystemsWindows Products Linux.orgApple Software Unix
When you open an application, memory must be used to store the program that’s running and the file you have open.
Open files are stored in RAM chips.Physical chipsTemporary storage of files and
instructionsWhen files are too big to fit in RAM, the
excess goes to Virtual Memory (on the hard drive).
The video is stored in Video memory, often in special chips on the Video card.
Using Software
Sometimes you don’t need to save …Listing to musicPlaying gamesSurfing the Net
When you do need to save a file, you must select a storage device.
In this class, you will save to your number; your personal drive on the school network.
At home, you probably save to the C drive; the hard disk in your computer.
Creating Files
Storage devicesCan be internal or externalMeasured in:
Size (MB, GB, TB)Speed (mHz)
Hard drive (contains disk)Floppy CD/DVDFlash – static devices (no moving
parts)
Inside your
computer