TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter discusses different computer components including buses, the chipset, main memory, graphics and expansion cards, and the motherboard; BIOS; the memory hierarchy; and how all these interact with the microprocessor.
Upon completion of this chapter, the reader will be able to:
Understand how the processor, chipset, and motherboard work together.
Understand the importance of bus standards and their characteristics.
Be aware of the differences between common bus standards.
Describe the advantages and options when using a chipset.
Describe the operation of synchronous DRAM.
Describe the operation of a video adapter.
Explain the purpose of BIOS.
Calculate how memory hierarchy improves performance.
A microprocessor can't do anything by itself. What makes a processor useful is the ability to input instructions and data and to output results, but to do this a processor must work together with other components. Before beginning to design a processor, we must consider what other components are needed to create a finished product and how these components will communicate with the processor. There must be a main memory store that will hold instructions and data as well as results while the computer is running. Permanent storage will require a hard drive or other nonvolatile memory. Getting data into the system requires input devices like a keyboard, mouse, disk drives, or other peripherals. Getting results out of the system requires output devices like a monitor, audio output, or printer.
The list of available components is always changing, so most processors rely on a chipset
