CTEVT | Computer Repair & Maintenance | Diploma in computer engineering | Question paper | 4th-semester diploma in computer engineering
Computer Repair & Maintenance -Question Paper 2077
solution of Computer Repair and Maintenance| Diploma in Computer
1. Explain the types of computers based on working principles. Explain them with suitable examples.
Types of Computers Based on Working Principles:
Computers can be classified into different types based on their working principles. The main types are:
a) Analog Computers:
Analog computers process continuous data and represent values as physical quantities, such as voltage, current, or rotation. They are suitable for tasks that involve measurements and physical quantities.
Example: Analog computers were commonly used in engineering and scientific applications before the advent of digital computers. An example is an analog voltmeter used to measure voltage levels.
b) Digital Computers:
Digital computers process discrete data represented in binary form (0s and 1s). They operate using digital circuits and perform calculations using algorithms.
Example: Personal computers (PCs), laptops, smartphones, and servers are examples of digital computers widely used in various applications, including business, education, entertainment, and research.
c) Hybrid Computers:
Hybrid computers combine the features of both analog and digital computers. They process both continuous and discrete data and are used in applications that require fast processing of analog signals along with digital data processing capabilities.
Example: Medical diagnostic systems, real-time control systems, and weather forecasting systems often use hybrid computers to process analog sensor data and perform complex calculations.
2. What is a system case? Explain the working mechanism of the power supply with a block diagram.
System Case:
A system case, also known as a computer case or chassis, is the enclosure that houses all the internal components of a computer, including the motherboard, CPU, memory, storage devices, and expansion cards.
It provides physical protection to the components and facilitates cooling and airflow to prevent overheating.
The system case also includes ports and connectors for external devices, such as USB ports, audio jacks, and expansion slots for graphics cards and other peripherals.
Power Supply:
The power supply unit (PSU) is a critical component of a computer system responsible for converting alternating current (AC) from the wall outlet into direct current (DC) used by the computer's internal components.
Working Mechanism:
The power supply receives AC power from the wall outlet through a power cord.
It uses transformers, rectifiers, and voltage regulators to convert the AC power into various DC voltages required by different components, such as +12V, +5V, and +3.3V.
These DC voltages are distributed to the motherboard, CPU, drives, and other components through power connectors.
The power supply also includes fans for cooling and protection mechanisms, such as over-voltage and overcurrent protection.
Block Diagram: [Diagram Description]
3. a) Explain the different parts of the motherboard in brief.
The motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer system that houses various essential components and provides connectivity between them.
Different parts of the motherboard include:
- CPU Socket: A socket where the CPU (central processing unit) is installed.
- RAM Slots: Slots for installing random access memory (RAM) modules.
- Expansion Slots: Slots for installing expansion cards, such as graphics cards, sound cards, and network adapters.
- Chipset: A set of integrated circuits that control communication between the CPU, memory, and peripheral devices.
- BIOS/UEFI Chip: Contains the basic input/output system (BIOS) or unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI), which initializes hardware components during the boot process.
- Connectors: Various connectors for connecting external devices, including USB ports, audio jacks, SATA ports for storage devices, and PCIe slots for expansion cards.
3 b) Explain the roles of the chipset on the motherboard.
The chipset is a set of integrated circuits (chips) that control communication between the CPU, memory, peripheral devices, and other components on the motherboard.
Roles of the chipset include:
- Memory Management: The chipset controls access to system memory (RAM) and manages memory operations, such as reading from and writing to memory.
- Peripheral Communication: It facilitates communication between the CPU and peripheral devices, including expansion cards, storage devices, and input/output (I/O) devices.
- Bus Control: The chipset controls the data bus and address bus, which are used for transferring data and addressing memory locations.
- Power Management: It manages power distribution to different components on the motherboard and implements power-saving features to optimize energy efficiency.
- Overclocking Support: Some chipsets include features for overclocking, allowing users to increase the CPU and memory clock speeds for improved performance.
4. Why Microprocessor is considered a brain of a Computer? Describe the different units of the Microprocessor with a diagram.
The microprocessor, often referred to as the CPU (central processing unit), is considered the brain of a computer because it performs most of the processing tasks and executes instructions required for running software programs.
Different Units of the Microprocessor:
- Control Unit (CU): The control unit fetches instructions from memory, decodes them, and controls the execution of instructions.
- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): The ALU performs arithmetic and logical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and comparison.
- Registers: Registers are small, high-speed storage units used to store data, addresses, and intermediate results during processing.
- Instruction Register (IR): The IR holds the current instruction being executed by the CPU.
- Program Counter (PC): The PC keeps track of the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched.
- Accumulator: The accumulator stores the results of arithmetic and logical operations performed by the ALU.
Diagram: [Diagram Description]
5. What is Primary Memory? Explain different types of RAM 6 with suitable examples.
Primary memory, also known as main memory or RAM (random access memory), is a type of computer memory that stores data and instructions required by the CPU for processing.
Different Types of RAM:
- DRAM (Dynamic RAM): DRAM stores data in capacitors that must be refreshed periodically to maintain the data.
- SRAM (Static RAM): SRAM uses flip-flop circuits to store data, providing faster access times and lower power consumption than DRAM.
- DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous DRAM): DDR SDRAM transfers data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, doubling the data transfer rate compared to conventional SDRAM.
- SODIMM (Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory Module): SODIMM is a smaller form factor of DIMM used in laptops and small form factor computers.
6. Define the secondary storage device with a reference diagram. Explain magnetic storage device construction and its operation.
A secondary storage device is a non-volatile storage medium used to store data and programs permanently, even when the computer is turned off.
Magnetic Storage Device Construction and Operation:
- Construction: Magnetic storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and magnetic tape drives, consist of magnetic platters coated with a magnetic material and read/write heads that magnetize and detect data on the platters.
- Operation: Data is stored on the platters in the form of magnetized regions representing binary 0s and 1s. The read/write heads move over the platters to read and write data by changing the magnetic orientation of the regions.
Magnetic Storage Device Construction and Operation:
Construction:
- Magnetic Platters: Made of non-magnetic material coated with a layer of magnetic material (e.g., iron oxide).
- Read/Write Heads: Positioned close to the platter surface, responsible for reading and writing data magnetically.
- Actuator Arm: Moves read/write heads across the platter's surface to access different tracks.
- Spindle Motor: Spins platters at high speeds for stable data storage.
- Controller Board: Manages device operations, interfaces with the computer, and controls data transfer.
Operation:
- Writing Data: The controller sends signals to heads to magnetize specific regions on the platter, representing 0s and 1s.
- Reading Data: Heads detect magnetic changes induced by data on the platter, converting them into electrical signals.
- Seek Time: Time taken for the actuator arm to position heads over the desired track.
- Data Organization: Data is organized into tracks and sectors, managed by the operating system.
- Data Density: The amount of data stored depends on platter size, magnetic material density, and technology advancements.
