Computer Technology
Part 2
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Sequence of events that occurs between the
time you turn on a computer and the time
that it becomes ready to accept commands.
◦ Purposes
 Runs a diagnostic test to make sure everything is
working.
 Loading the operating system, so the computer can
carry out basic operations.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Power up
Start boot program
Power-on self-test
Identify peripheral devices
Load operation system
Check configuration and customization
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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The path from one
component of a
computer to another
that data uses to
travel.
Circuits run between
◦ RAM and the
microprocessor
◦ RAM and various
storage devices
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Silicon is melted
sand.
What the circuits
are embedded
into to keep them
together.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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A measurement used
to describe the speed
of the system clock.
A megahertz is equal
to one million cycles
(or pulses) per second.
1.3 GHz means that
the microprocessor’s
clock operates at a
speed of 1.3 BILLION
cycles per second.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Name of the CPU.
Pentium is the 5th
generation of the
Intel processor.
◦ Other generations
were called

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80-88
286
386
486
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
• Random Access Memory
• Temporary—content is lost if the
device is powered off
• Runs all currently open programs
– the more open programs the
slower your computer is
• RAM is rather inexpensive—getting
more RAM can speed up your
computer. But there is a limit to how
much RAM your computer can have.
• Read Only Memory
• Permanent Storage
• Where all your programs and files
are saved—your hard drive.
• The bigger your hard drive, the more
you can save there.
• Hard drives rarely crash—anything
saved there is pretty safe—but it’s
always good to have backups!
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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A method for
representing
letters or numbers
using only two
digits, 0 and 1.
◦ Bit
 Each 0 or 1
◦ Byte
 8 bits
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Also referred to as
Base 2 Binary
Code.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Bit
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Byte
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Kilobyte
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Megabyte
Gigabyte
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Gigabyte
Terabyte
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Terabyte
Bit
Byte
Kilobyte
Megabyte
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◦ Each 0 or 1
◦ 8 bits
◦ Approximately 1,000
bytes
◦ Exactly 1,024 bytes
◦ Approximately 1 million
bytes
◦ Exactly 1,048,576 bytes
◦ Approximately 1 billion
bytes
◦ Approximately 1 trillion
bytes
Petabyte, Exabyte,
Zettabyte, Zottabyte,
Brontobyte
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Used to keep data when the power to the
computer is turned off.
Medium/media
◦ Location where data is stored.
Write-Protected - A disk that will not allow
a user to make changes to files
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Usually mounted
inside the
computer’s
system unit.
Can store billions
of characters of
data.
◦ Stated in forms
of bytes:
 Megabytes or
Gigabytes
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Round piece of
flexible Mylar plastic
covered with a thin
layer of magnetic
oxide and sealed
inside a protective
covering.
May be referred to
as a “floppy”
3½ disk capacity is
1.44 MB or
1,440,000 bytes
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Floppy disk technology manufactured
by Iomega.
◦ Available in 100 MB and 250 MB versions
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Also known as a “Jump Drive.”
Typically removable and rewritable,
physically smaller than a floppy.
◦ Storage capacities can be as large as 256
GB. Most are 2 to 8 GB.
◦ Smaller, faster, thousands more times
capacity, and are more durable and
reliable.
◦ Plug right into a USB port.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Used for storing digital information,
usually for digital camera, mobile
phones, laptops, MP3 Players, and video
game consoles.
◦ Small, re-recordable and can retain data
without power.
◦ Usually store from 2 to 8 GB.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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Means of recording data as light and dark
spots on CD or DVD.
Reading is done through a low-power laser
light.
◦ Pits
 Dark spots
◦ Lands
 Lighter, non-spotted surface areas
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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“CD – Read Only Memory”
Also called CD-R
◦ CD-Read
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Storage device that uses
laser technology to read
data that is permanently
stored on compact disks,
cannot be used to write
data to a disk.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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“CD-Read Write”
A storage device that reads data from CD’s and
also can write data to CD’s.
Similar to a CD-ROM, but has the ability to
write to CD.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
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“Digital Video
Disks – Read Only
Memory”
Reads data from
CD’s (audio and
data) and DVD’s
(data or movie)
Cannot be used
to write data to a
disk.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees
Parsons, June Jamrich, and Dan Oja. Computer
Concepts. Boston: Course Technology Thompson Learning, 2002.
Elk Ridge Middle
Megan Rees