Computer Technology Part 2 Megan Rees Elk Ridge Middle

Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Power up  Start boot program  Power-on self-test  Identify peripheral devices  Load operation system  Check configuration and customization Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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 Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Silicon is melted sand.  What the circuits are embedded into to keep them together. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Name of the CPU.  Pentium is the 5th generation of the Intel processor. ◦ Other generations were called   286  386  486 Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

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! Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 A method for representing letters or numbers using only two digits, 0 and 1. ◦ Bit  Each 0 or 1 ◦ Byte  8 bits  Also referred to as Base 2 Binary Code. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Bit ◦ Each 0 or 1  Byte ◦ 8 bits  Kilobyte ◦ Approximately 1,000 bytes ◦ Exactly 1,024 bytes  Megabyte ◦ Approximately 1 million bytes ◦ Exactly 1,048,576 bytes  Gigabyte ◦ Approximately 1 billion bytes  Terabyte ◦ Approximately 1 trillion bytes  Petabyte, Exabyte, Zettabyte, Zottabyte, Brontobyte Bit Byte Kilobyte Megabyte Gigabyte Terabyte Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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 Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Usually mounted inside the computer’s system unit.  Can store billions of characters of data. ◦ Stated in forms of bytes:  Megabytes or Gigabytes Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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 Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 Floppy disk technology manufactured by Iomega. ◦ Available in 100 MB and 250 MB versions Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 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 Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 “CD – Read Only Memory”  Also called CD-R ◦ CD-Read  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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 “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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

 “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. Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle

Parsons, June Jamrich, and Dan Oja. Computer Concepts. Boston: Course Technology - Thompson Learning, Megan ReesElk Ridge Middle