Maricopa Community Colleges  NET127  20006-99999 

Official Course Description:  MCCCD Approval:  03/28/00

NET127      20006-99999

LEC

1 Credit(s)

1 Period(s)

How Computers Work

Functional description of hardware component operation of the IBM and compatible microcomputers. Electronic and electromechanical components operation during boot up process and operating system utilization, RAM, RAM caching and the microprocessor, and data storage. Data storage description includes floppy disks, hard disk, CD-ROM, other disk type drives, and tape backup. Prerequisites: None.

 

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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

 

 

NET127  20006-99999

How Computers Work

 

1.

Describe the steps taken by the IBM compatible Power On Self Test (POST) program. (I)

2.

Describe the disk boot process. (I)

3.

Draw a map showing the operating system memory organization. (I)

4.

Explain how the operating system interacts with and controls the computer hardware. (I)

5.

Explain the functional operation of the integrated circuits (ICs) used in the microcomputer, to include: transistor, random access memory, microprocessor, and RAM cache. (II)

6.

Describe how data are recorded and read from a magnetic disk surface.(III)

7.

Describe the disk formatting process. (III)

8.

Explain how a data file is written and read from a disk drive. (III)

9.

Describe how floppy and hard disk drives work. (III)

10.

Define disk caching and describe the disk caching process. (III)

11.

Describe the functional operation of a compact disk read only memory (CD ROM) data storage system. (III)

12.

Describe how data are written to and read from a magneto-optical drive. (III)

13.

Explain the operation of a Bernoulli drive. (III)

14.

Describe the operation of the quarter inch tape and the digital audiotape drives. (III)

15.

Describe the operation of disk drive arrays. (III)

 

 

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MCCCD Official Course Outline:

 

 

NET127  20006-99999

How Computers Work

 

 

I. Boot up Process

A. Power of Self Test

B. Disk boot

C. Operating system

1. Memory

2. Software

3. Hardware

II. Integrated Circuits

A. Transistors

B. Random access memory (RAM)

C. Microprocessor

D. RAM cache

III. Data Storage

A. Magnetic recording principles

1. Write and read data bits on disk

2. Disk format

3. Write data file to disk

B. Floppy drive

C. Hard drive

D. Disk cache

E. Compact disk read only memory (CD ROM)

F. Magneto-optical recording principles

1. Recording principles

2. Write and read data bits

G. Bernoulli drive

H. Magnetic tape drive

1. Recording principles

2. Quarter inch cartridge drive

3. Digital audio tape drive

I. Disk Drive Array

1. Mirrored drive

2. Striped drive

 

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