BASIC OPERATIONS AND

COMPONENTS OF A
COMPUTER SYSTEM
Basic Operation of a computer system
Data Processing Cycle
Basic Components of a computer system
 is an action that is carried out to accomplish a given task. There are five basic
types of computer operations: inputting, processing, outputting, storing and
controlling.

OPERATION IN COMPUTER
CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW OF A
COMPUTER SYSTEM
 The input unit is a collection of devices that initiate input operations. The devices might
include a keyboard, mouse, trackpad, scanner, microphone, card reader or some other type
of device. Input devices enable users to send data and instructions to the computer for
processing. These devices allow users to interface directly with the computer in real time or
users can set up a device, such as motion detector, to initiate input operations automatically.
 The input unit acts as a bridge between the outside world and the computer system. For each
input operation, the input device must send the data and instructions in a binary format that
the CPU understands. Input devices are divided into two broad categories: direct entry and
indirect entry. Direct entry devices send data and instructions directly to the computer.
Optical scanners and touchscreens are two examples of direct entry devices. Indirect entry
devices, such as keyboards and joysticks, must first translate the input into a binary format, a
process referred to as encoding.

INPUT UNIT
 One of the CPU's most important components is the ALU, which carries out
the system's processing operations. The ALU performs arithmetic and logic
operations on the operands based on the inputted instructions, which specify
each step required to make the software do something.
 The ALU performs arithmetic operations such as add, subtract, multiply,
divide, increment and decrement. It can also perform logic operations such as
AND, OR and Exclusive-OR. Logic operations rely on Boolean operators,
which work with true/false values. The logic operations also use relational
operators to perform comparisons. These include operators such as equal (=),
less than (<) and greater than (>).
 The ALU usually has direct input and output access to the process controller,
main memory or RAM, and input and output devices. Inputs and outputs flow
through the system bus. The input consists of an instruction word that contains
an operation code, one or more operands, and sometimes a format code.

ARITHMETIC LOGIC UNIT

 When the CPU has finished processing the inputted data, the computer system
carries out a series of output operations that direct the processing results to the
output unit. The output unit, like the input unit, is a collection of devices. In
this case, however, they can receive and translate the data delivered through
the output operations. Output devices might include monitors, speakers,
printers, projectors, plotters or other devices.
 The output operations deliver data in binary code. It is up to the device to
make sense of this information and convert it to a usable format. Some output
devices might include their own processor and memory resources to help
reduce the load on the computer, improve local performance or, if applicable,
reduce network traffic. For example, laser printers often include processors
and RAM.

OUTPUT UNIT
 The storage unit, also called the memory unit, contains primary and secondary
storage devices. Primary storage includes RAM and ROM. Secondary storage
can include solid-state drives (SSDs), hard-disk drives (HDDs), optical
devices, USB flash drives and other nonvolatile storage devices. Input,
processing and output operations rely extensively on primary storage. Input
data is stored in memory, the CPU uses memory when processing data, and
processing output is staged to memory before being sent to the output unit.
The process of storing and retrieving data requires carefully controlled storage
operations that facilitate efficient and fast access to the data on the memory
devices.

STORAGE UNIT
 Control operations are responsible for coordinating all the other operations on
the computer system. The CU carries out the control operations, ensuring that
data is properly transferred, processed and stored. It retrieves and decodes
each instruction in memory, and then uses this information to issue the signals
necessary to coordinate operations across the computer system. The CU does
not process or store data, but it controls all communications and synchronizes
all operations. For this reason, it has access to all the other units on the
computer system. To maintain this control, the CU includes multiple
components, such as a timing unit, instruction decoder and control state
generator.

CONTROL UNIT
 means to process the data i.e. to convert its format. As we all know data is the
very useful and when it is well presented and it becomes informative + useful.
Data processing system is also referred as information system. It is also right
to say that data processing becomes the process of converting information into
data and also vice-versa.

DATA PROCESSING
 Business
 Scientific
 Real time

TYPES OF DATA PROCESSING

 The process of data in the accounting or business management referred as
business or administrative data processing. In this type of data processing, data
is usually in the numeric form. It refers to the all the computing functions that
occur in an enterprise. The computer that is oriented towards business data
processing will demand for high speed input and output so that conversion of
stored data into report format can occur easily.

BUSINESS DATA PROCESSING

 Data processing in scientific and engineering problems is termed as scientific
data processing. Basically, it is the application of computer simulation and
other forms of computation to problems in various scientific disciplines. It is
characterized by relatively little input and output but extensive internal
computation. It emphasize on high speed internal processing but may have
limited input and output capabilities.

SCIENTIFIC DATA PROCESSING

 There are a many types of large applications that may require the real time
data processing. In this, the result is presented at the same time when the data
enters. We can easily analyze this type of data processing in the stock market
and currency trends. The technology which is mostly used in real time data
processing is stream processing.

REAL TIME DATA PROCESSING

 Hardware
 Software
 Peopleware
 Dataware

BASIC COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER

SYSTEM
 It is the physical or tangible parts of the computer
 Classifications of computer hardware: Input devices; Processing and Memory
Devices; Secondary storage devices; Output devices; and Communication
devices

HARDWARE
 allow the user to input data/facts into the computer in a form that the computer
understands. An input device also allows the system to command the computer
through text or graphical user interface.

INPUT DEVICES
 acts as the computer‘s brain. They are typically housed together in a single
unit called the system board. The central processing unit or CPU is the
electronic circuitry that manipulates data to produce information. Some of the
components in the CPU include ALU (arithmetic and logic unit), CU (control
unit), and the memory. There are two types of memory; the ROM (read-only
memory) and RAM (random access memory). ROM temporarily. RAM
(Random Access Memory) is an internal memory device that temporarily
holds data and instructions while processing is happening. If the CPU is the
―brain‖ of the computer, then RAM is the ―working memory‖ or "thinking
memory" used to store data just for the programs and applications being used
at that time.

PROCESSING AND MEMORY DEVICES

 these are the devices outside the system board that allows data and programs
to be stored. These are storage devices that operate alongside the computer‘s
primary storage, RAM, and cache memory. Secondary storage is for any
amount of data, from a few megabytes to petabytes. These devices store
almost all types of programs and applications. This can consist of items like
the operating system, device drivers, applications, and user data. For example,
internal secondary storage devices include the hard disk drive, the tape disk
drive, and compact disk drive. Secondary storage typically backs up primary
storage through data replication or other data backup methods. This
replication or data backup process ensures there is a second copy of the data.
Examples are floppy disks, hard disks, CDs, flash drive, and magnetic tapes

SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICES

 converts information that has been processed by the computer into a form that
the user can understand.
 are those devices communicate to humans for the status of the different
programs in the computer systems.

OUTPUT DEVICES
 these are used to communicate with another computer via telephone lines or
radio links.

COMMUNICATION DEVICES
 it is the collection of related programs that contain the step-by-step
instructions telling the computer how to perform a task. There are two major
types of software. These are: Application Software; and System Software

SOFTWARE
 it refers to a set of programs designed to help the user to perform a particular
type of work. It is generally distinguished from system software because it
deals more with data processing applied in business, education, science, and
other tasks. Application Software, also called a software application or an
application, consists of programs that perform specific tasks for users.
 Application software is used for a variety of reasons:
 As a productivity/business tool
 To assist with graphics and multimedia projects
 To support household activities, for personal business, or education
 To facilitate communications

APPLICATION SOFTWARE
 this software manages the computer hardware and works with the other
software. It is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware
and to provide a platform for running application software. The system
software also provides services to computer users and application programs

SYSTEM SOFTWARE
 System Software Application Software
 The system software is used for operating  Application software is used by the user to
computer hardware. perform a specific task.
 The system software is installed on the  Applications software is installed
computer when the operating system is according to the user‘s requirements.
installed.  In general, the user interacts with
 In general, the user does not interact with application software.
system software because it works in the
background

DIFFERENCE OF SYSTEM SOFTWARE

AND APPLICATION SOFTWARE
 System Software Application Software
 System software can run independently. It  Application software can‘t run
provides a platform for running application independently. They can‘t run without the
software. presence of system software.
 Some examples of system software are the  Some examples of application software are
compiler, assembler, debugger, driver, etc a word processor, web browser, media
player, etc.

DIFFERENCE OF SYSTEM SOFTWARE

AND APPLICATION SOFTWARE
 these are personnel involved in the computer system. Examples are computer
programmers, computer engineers, software designers, system analysts, server
administrators, computer technicians, network administrators, etc.

PEOPLEWARE
 is an extensive collection of computer data used to help an organization make
decisions. It also consists of all the data needed in data processing. Dataware is
synonymous with a data warehouse.

DATAWARE
 Sheldon, R. (2022, August 12). What is an operation in computing?. WhatIs.com.
https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/operation
 Pandey, T. A., & umar, F. hudu. (2022, February 4). 5 basic operations of Computer
System. Quick Learn Computer. https://quicklearncomputer.com/operations-of-computer/
 itskawal2000. (2020, October 12). Introduction to data processing. GeeksforGeeks.
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-to-data-processing/
 GeeksforGeeks. (2023, July 13). Components of Computer. GeeksforGeeks.
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-and-its-components/
 Mallari, L. S., Bayonito, Dr. J. R., Tansinsin, M., Tiongson, Ms. L. M., & Ribot, R. (2020).
Basic operations and Components of a Computer System. In IT 102 Introduction to
Computing (pp. 72–82). E-book.

REFERENCES