ET 002
INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
8/23/99
PSU Altoona
Components of
Computer System
Hardware
Software
Data
People
Procedures
Information
Systems
2
Data Hierarchy
Bit
Byte
Field
Record
File
Data Base
0 or 1 (digital / binary)
7-8 bits (one character)
Related group of bytes
Group of related fields
Group of related records
Set of related files vs. Data
Base Management System
(DBMS)
3
4
Computer: Collection of
Electronic Devices
Run by instructions
in its own memory
Accepts & processes
data, a.k.a. _______
Result: information,
a.k.a. ____________
Can store results
5
Information Processing
Cycle
6
Information Processing:
Main Computer Components
7
Input or Output Device?
8
Central Processing Unit
(CPU)
9
Inside the Central
Processing Unit (CPU)
Power supply
Motherboard
Network card (CLRC)
Modem card (home)
Expansion slot
SIMMS slot: extra
memory
Microprocessor chip
(Top speed : 450 500 megahertz)
RAM (Random Access
Memory)
Primary main
memory; holds info
while you use a
program
Volatile: gone when
power goes off
ROM (Read Only
Memory) - loads
operating system at 10
start-up; never lost
Measuring
Storage Capacity
1,000 bytes
KB - kilobyte
1,000,000 bytes
MB - megabyte
1,000,000,000 bytes
GB - gigabyte
(thousand memory
locations)
(million memory
locations)
(billion memory
locations)
11
Input or Output Devices?
12
Display Device:
Screen, Monitor, or CRT
Input or
Output
Device?
13
Auxiliary Storage Device
3 1/2- inch floppy
disk = portable
storage
Floppy drive
is called
_______ drive
Buy formatted
double-sided HIGH
density floppy disks
(2HD)
Put labels on (2)
Write name on (2)
Bring (2) to lab
14
Auxiliary Storage Device:
Hard Drive
Hard disk drive
Usually not
portable
Hard drive is
called
_______ drive,
usually
15
Organization of Disk
Storage: Tracks and Sectors
 Formatting
creates
tracks and
sectors
Floppy disk:
80 tracks
per side,
18 sectors
per track
16
Auxiliary Storage Device:
CD-ROM
CD-ROM =
_____________
Stores large
amounts of
prerecorded info
Multimedia:
text, graphics,
audio, animation,
video
17
Auxiliary Storage Device:
DVD-ROM
DVD-ROM =
__________________
__________________
Better storage
capacity, better video
quality than
__________________
18
System Software:
(GUI) Operating System
Win 95/Win 98/Win NT  (GUI) stands for
___________________
Load (boot) operating
system into memory
 Icons = visual cues
from storage:
Clears RAM
Reloads operating
system from disk to RAM
Cold Start = boot (On)
Warm Start = re-boot
(Ctrl+Alt+Del)
19
Networks & 208 Force T
(LAN, WAN, and WWW)
Boot operating system: Penn State (UP) server
Loads Local Area
Network (LAN) software
Machines share printer
using local server
Wide Area Network (WAN)
of PSU locations
Connects to World Wide
Web (WWW) via PC’s
internet browser software,
_________________
20
Applications Software
(Microsoft Office 97)
Microsoft Word 97
Word processing
Microsoft Excel 97
Electronic
spreadsheet
Microsoft Access 97
Database
Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Presentation
graphics
21