Cet Level 1

Front 1

Parity

Back 1

Parity is for error detection, when working with DRAM. It means having an extra IC chip, working with the chipset which is designed to compare the “I’s” and “0’s” stored in a byte (8 bits grouped together). This ninth chip compares the data to see if the information sent was exactly the information received. If not, a Parity error halts your system. Today, DRAM is so dependable, so accurate in transferring data as bits and bytes that most new systems do not even need to check parity anymore.

Front 2

ECC

Back 2

Error Correction Code is a system working between the motherboard, the chipset and DRAM. If a parity error occurs, ECC quickly fixes the data without any hesitation. This system is not found on most PCs, but on high-end systems such as servers.

Front 3

SO DIMM

Back 3

Laptops generally use a DIMMs as well, but this type of memory has a different packaging style called SO-DIMM for Small Outline DIMM. These are either 72 pin for 32-bit systems or 144 pins for 64-bit motherboards.

Front 4

DRAM

Back 4

DRAM is a type where the voltage must be refreshed, recharged capacitors every thousandth of a second. The voltage held in the capacitor quickly bleeds out of the capacitor and must be re-energized to represent the binary “1”.

Front 5

SRAM

Back 5

SRAM is a type of RAM which is more expensive, and faster than DRAM. SRAM is used inside the CPU for level 1 cache and just outside the CPU for level 2 cache. SRAM holds its charge and does not waste time being refreshed. This allows faster data transfer rates.

Front 6

SDRAM

Back 6

Synchronous Dynamic RAM is designed to run at the same speed as the motherboard bus. The motherboard sends data through a set of conductors called a bus system. The bus runs by a clockrate generated by an oscillating crystal. SDRAM is designed to send data using this square wave as a wave to send data throughout the system. SDRAM was the most popular type of RAM to install on a motherboard, but is now obsolete.

Front 7

DDR

Back 7

Double Data Rate and Double Data Rate 2 are the most common types of RAM installed in a system today. DDR sends a signal, a binary bit on the upstroke of a square wave and another bit on the down stroke of the digital square wave. This allows a motherboard running at 200 MHz to send data at 400 MHz. DDR2 runs at lower voltages, more cycles per second and provides more throughput of data, quicker.

Front 8

RDRAM

Back 8

RamBus is dynamic Ram designed by Intel for use with the video system. It optimizes the system for video streaming up to 800 MHZ. These sticks of RAM are called RIMM sticks.

Front 9

SIMM

Back 9

RAM was first install as IC chips soldered or snapped onto the motherboard. The first universally accepted type of RAM packaging was the Single Inline Memory Module. These were 30 pin or contacts (all on one single side) modules inserted into a motherboard usually in 1 MB sticks at a time. Motherboards typically had 4 or 8 slots for these SIMM sticks. They had to be installed as a pair, in sets of two, a “bank”. Over time these sticks became longer, 72 pins. The sticks were “keyed”, notched, to fit only one way. They are inserted at an angle and then snapped upward, into place.

Front 10

DIMM

Back 10

The next generation of RAM stick, which we still use today, is called Dual Inline Memory Module. These are longer than SIMM and have contacts on both sides. There are 168 contacts, sending 64-bits of information at a time. This allows a larger data path and allows a faster data transfer rate than SIMMs. A SDRAM stick has two notches on the bottom. A DDR stick of SDRAM has one notch. These are inserted by lining up the notches over the socket and pressing straight down.

Front 11

CPU Cache

Back 11

Cache is small, fast and expensive memory which is used by the CPU to store instructions, data and the most recently used commands. The code is accessed at a much faster rate than the system memory. Cache inside the CPU is called level 1 cache. Level 2 cache is just outside the CPU, is a little slower, but still close to the CPU clock speed. You want as much cache as you can get; both level 1 and level 2.

Front 12

Voltage Regulator Module

Back 12

A VRM is an electronic device which can be soldered to a MB. The device allows a user to add another CPU, which might run at a different core voltage to work together on the same motherboard.

Front 13

Core Voltage

Back 13

Over time, as CPUs got faster and faster, the voltages inside were designed to less and less. Five volts used to go to early PCs, but as electrons got faster, heat build up became the problem. Newer CPUs use less than 1.5 volts inside the CPU.

Front 14

Throttling

Back 14

This is a process of scaling back the CPU to use less power, less voltage, therefore less heat. Throttling reduces CPU performance, but saves power consumption and electronic component life.

Front 15

Clock multiplier

Back 15

A chip on the MB sets the clockrate, the transfer rate for the MB and the bus system. This clockrate is multiplied by the CPU to obtain the internal clockrate for the CPU.

Front 16

32 bit vs 64 bit

Back 16

Do you want two 32-bit processors or one 64 bit processor? There are three places where the bit width is applicable: internal bus, data bus and address bus. The more bits the greater the ability to send data faster in the CPU, through the MB and to RAM.

Front 17

FSB and BSB

Back 17

The front side bus connects the CPU to the main memory on the motherboard.

Front 18

Hyperthreading

Back 18

The first term to be aware is hyper-threading. This is an Intel trademark for simultaneous executing two streams of instructions at one time. A P4 with hyper-threading enabled is treated by the operating system as having two processors instead of one.

Front 19

Dual Core

Back 19

This is combining two or more independent processors into a single package, a single CPU. Inside of one CPU are two separate CPU cores and each one has its own level 1 cache. They share the Bus interface and the level 2 cache. This improves multitasking performance. Gaming, photo editing, video editing and DVD editing will all benefit from the ability to multitask.

Front 20

Quad Core

Back 20

Intel and AMD are manufacturing Quad core processors and they will be out in store soon. Other chip makers such as Cell, Raza, and Parallax Propeller all have multiprocessing cores.

Front 21

Multiprocessing

Back 21

Multiprocessing is a term which involves using two or more CPUs within a single computer system.

Front 22

Overlcocking

Back 22

This is a process of forcing a computer component to run at a higher clockrate than it was electronically designed to run. This can increase the performance of the CPU, MB chipset, RAM or video card, but may produce excessive heat and effect the life of the electronic component.