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CIS*1000 > Unit 06: Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Evaluating your System > Flashcards

Unit 06: Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Evaluating your System Flashcards

1
Q

Moore’s Law

A

the pace at which CPU’s improve

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2
Q

who created Moore’s law? when?

A

Gorden Moore - 1965

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3
Q

DRAM?

A

dynamic random access memory - most common form of memory found in personal computers

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4
Q

will Moore’s law always be true?

A

probably not

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5
Q

6 main types of devices available?

A
  1. smartphones
  2. tablets
  3. ultrabooks
  4. 2-in-ones
  5. laptops
  6. desktops
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6
Q

3 types of tech users?

A
  1. casual users - internet access focus
  2. power users - fast and powerful process focus
  3. mobile users - lightweight focus
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7
Q

4 computer subsystems?

A
  1. CPU
  2. memory
  3. storage
  4. media
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8
Q

3 advantages of the desktop?

A
  1. more computing power
  2. easier to upgrade hardware
  3. bigger screen
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9
Q

how long should I keep my computing device?

A

2-5 years depending on upgrading system

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10
Q

system evaluation?

A

checks how the computer’s subsystems perform during a typical workday

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11
Q

CPU?

A

located on motherboard responsible for processing instruction, performing calculations, and managing the flow of info

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12
Q

AMD?

A

popular manufacturer of CPU

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13
Q

Ryzen and FX series are examples of?

A

AMD CPU’s

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14
Q

Step on how CPU processes data (4)

A
  1. fetch - collects binary data from RAM
  2. decode - decodes binary code into commands
  3. execute - CPU uses specialized hardware to perform the task
  4. store - outcome is stored in register
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15
Q

register?

A

special memory storage area built into CPU

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16
Q

machine cycle?

A

series of step CPU goes through when performing program instructions

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17
Q

the 2 units of a CPU?

A
  1. ALU

2. control unit

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18
Q

ALU?

A

arithmetic logic unit - performs all the arithmetic calculations and makes logical comparisons

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19
Q

control unit?

A

manages CPU switches

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20
Q

system clock?

A

the internal clock used by the motherboard to control when the CPU moves to the next stage

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21
Q

clock cycle?

A

sets the pace by which the CPU moves from process to process

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22
Q

clock speed?

A

the pace/speed by which the CPU moves from process to process - frequency

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23
Q

what determines a CPU’s processing power? (3)

A
  1. clock speed
  2. number of cores
  3. amount of cache memory
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24
Q

benefits of higher clock speed?

A

faster processing of instructions by CPU

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25
Q

overclocking?

A

CPU runs faster than the manufacturer recommends

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26
Q

results of overclocking

A
  1. shorter lifespan

2. faster processing power

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27
Q

who uses overclocking?

A

gamers

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28
Q

what does a core contain?

A

parts of the CPU required to process an instruction

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29
Q

results of having more cores?

A

allows multiple instructions to be executed at once

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30
Q

parallel processing?

A

the network of computers that each work on a portion of the same problem simultaneously

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31
Q

cache memory?

A

form of RAM that gets data to the CPU faster

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32
Q

what are the 3 levels of cache memory?

a) speed?
b) storage area

A
  1. located as a block of memory on the CPU chip - fastest
  2. located on the CPU chip but further away - more storage area
  3. located in the CPU chip - slowest speed but the biggest storage area
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33
Q

pipelining?

A

a technique that enables the CPU to work on more than one instruction at the same time

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34
Q

does pipeline increase or decrease processing speed? by how much?

A

increase 4 times

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35
Q

hyperthreading?

A

provides quicker processing of info by enabling a new set of instructions in a different program to start executing before the previous one has finished

36
Q

when was hyperthreading introduced?

37
Q

CPU benchmarks?

A

measurements used to compare performances between CPU’s by pushing their limits

38
Q

CPU usage?

A

the percentage of time the CPU is working

39
Q

CPU usage graph?

A

records CPU usage per minute

40
Q

4 things important for evaluating CPU?

A
  1. clock speed
  2. number of core
  3. cache memory level
  4. CPU benchmark
41
Q

is the CPU the only variable to aid system performance?

A

no RAM and the hard drive are important as well

42
Q

instruction set?

A

collection of commanding that a CPU can execute

43
Q

RAM?

A

temporary storage space

44
Q

why not always use a hard drive to store info?

A

because RAM is easier for the CPU to retrieve

45
Q

the fastest access to slowest access

  1. Virtual memory
  2. level 1 cache
  3. SSD
  4. optical disk drive
  5. level 2 cache
  6. level 3 cache
  7. CPU registers
  8. physical RAM
  9. hard drive
A

7 - 2 - 5 - 6 - 8 - 1 - 3 - 4 & 9

46
Q

the biggest storage space

  1. Virtual memory
  2. level 1 cache
  3. SSD
  4. optical disk drive
  5. level 2 cache
  6. level 3 cache
  7. CPU registers
  8. physical RAM
  9. hard drive
A

4 & 9 - 4 - 3 - 1 - 8 - 6 - 5 - 2 - 7

47
Q

memory module/cards?

A

small circuit boards that hold a series of RAM chips located in the motherboard

48
Q

physical memory?

A

the amount of RAM sitting on memory modules

49
Q

SuperFetch?

A

monitors the apps you use the most and preloads them into the system memory so they’ll be ready for you when you want to use them

50
Q

what is the min RAM needed to run windows?

51
Q

why is RAM limited?

A

because the motherboard only has so many slots

52
Q

hard drive?

A

the largest capacity of any storage device

53
Q

platter?

A

where data is saved within a hard drive

54
Q

platter spots aligned in one direction means?

55
Q

platter spots aligned in different direction means?

56
Q

access time?

A

the time it takes a storage device to locate its stored data and make it available for processing

57
Q

SSD?

A

solid-state drive - electronic memory with no mechanical moving parts

58
Q

SSHD?

A

solid-state hybrid drive - a combination of both mechanical hard drive and SSD into a single device

59
Q

RAID?

A

redundant array of independent disks - set of strategies for using multiple drives in a system

60
Q

RAID 0 and RAID 1 are?

A

the most popular options for consumer machines

61
Q

RAID 0

A

twice as fast as hard drive due to being able to write 2 drives simultaneously

62
Q

RAID 1

A

all the data written into one drive is mirrored into a second drive

63
Q

the 4 things used to evaluate storage?

A
  1. mechanical hard drive
  2. SSD
  3. SSHD
  4. cloud storage
64
Q

video card/adapter?

A

an expansion card that translates binary code into displayed images

65
Q

GDDDR6 memory?

A

graphics double data rate 6 - newer memory chips with a faster data rate

66
Q

GDDDR5 memory?

A

graphics double data rate 5 - standard memory chip

67
Q

GPU?

A

graphics processing unit - specialized processing chip to handle 3D graphics and image and video processing with great efficiency and speed

68
Q

NVIDIA and AMD are examples of?

A

major video card set manufacturers

69
Q

NVLink?

A

standard video card for NVIDIA

70
Q

CrossFireX?

A

standard video card for AMD

71
Q

4 things meant to evaluate video cards?

A
  1. total memory on the card
  2. number of monitors it can support
  3. the right ports
  4. speed of the GPU
72
Q

difference between USB-C and USB

A

USB-C is a smaller sized port

73
Q

sound card?

A

an expansion card that enables the computer to drive the speaker system

74
Q

3D sound card?

A

sound card with omnidirectional sound

75
Q

surround sound?

A

audio processing that makes listeners experience sound as if it was coming from all directions by using multiple speakers

76
Q

Dolby?

A

standard surround-sound

77
Q

7.1 surround?

A

7 speakers

78
Q

5.1 surround?

A

5 speakers

79
Q

audio MIDI interface box?

A

an interface that enables users to edit and mix audio tracks through different software packages

80
Q

MIDI?

A

electronics standards that enable different kinds of electronic instruments to communicate with each other

81
Q

Ableton Live and GarageBand are examples of?

A

different audio software packages

82
Q

3 things meant to evaluate audio subsystems

A
  1. speaker quality
  2. audio MIDI interface box
  3. surround sound
83
Q

5 ways to ensure system reliability

A
  1. install a reliable antivirus package
  2. run spyware and adware removal programs
  3. clear out unneeded files
  4. run disk defragmenter utility on hard drive
  5. automate key utilities
84
Q

5 things to do if the system crashes

A
  1. system restore
  2. check RAM availability
  3. visit Microsoft knowledge base for windows code errors
  4. search google
  5. resent PC (last resort)
85
Q

Can my software affect system reliability?

A

yes having the latest version is more reliable

86
Q

5 key items in system evaluation

A
  1. CPU
  2. RAM
  3. storage
  4. video
  5. audio

CIS*1000 (15 decks)

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