Information TECHNOLOGY

(3rd year)
Computer Maintenance and
Technical Support
 CPU
(Central Processing Unit)

Compiled by:
Muluken W.
Definition of CPU

• The brain or engine of the PC is the processor (sometimes

called microprocessor), or central processing unit (CPU).
• The microprocessor is the major component of any system
board.
• It executes software instructions and carries out arithmetic
operations for the system.
Definition of CPU cont..

• These ICs can take on a number of different

package styles depending on their manufacturer.
• Intel and AMD(Advance Micro Device) are the
well know processor manufacturers.
• A microprocessor -- also known as a CPU or central processing
unit -- is a complete computation engine that is fabricated on a
single chip.
• It is an integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a
central processing unit of a computer.
Microprocessor History
• Intel 4004, introduced in 1971. The 4004 was not very powerful
-- all it could do was add and subtract, and it could only do that
4 bits at a time. But it was amazing that everything was on one
chip.
• Prior to the 4004, engineers built computers either from
collections of chips or from discrete components (transistors
wired one at a time).
• The 4004 powered one of the first portable electronic
calculators.
Microprocessor History cont...

• The first microprocessor to make it into a home computer was the

Intel 8080, a complete 8-bit computer on one chip, introduced in
1974.
• The first microprocessor to make a real splash in the market was the
Intel 8088, introduced in 1979 and incorporated into the IBM PC
(which first appeared around 1982).
Microprocessor History cont..

• If you are familiar with the PC market and its

history, you know that the PC market moved from
the 8088 to the 80286 to the 80386 to the 80486 to
the Pentium to the Pentium II to the Pentium III to
the Pentium 4.
• The Pentium 4 can execute any piece of code that
ran on the original 8088, but it does about 5,000
times faster!
Microprocessor History cont..

• A chip is also called an integrated circuit.

• A chip might be as large as an inch on a side and can
contain tens of millions of transistors.
• Simpler processors might consist of a few thousand
transistors etched onto a chip just a few millimeters
square.
Microprocessor History cont..
Intel
Name Date Transistor Micro Clock Data MIPS
s ns speed width
8080 1974 6,000 6 2 MHz 8-bit 0.64

8088 1979 29,000 3 5 MHz 16 bits 8-bit 0.33

80286 1982 134,000 1.5 6 MHz 16 bits 1

80386 1985 275,000 1.5 16 MHz 32 bits 5

80486 1989 1,200,000 1 25 MHz 32 bits 20

Pentium 1993 3,100,000 0.8 60 MHz 32 bits 64-bit 100

bus
Pentium II 1997 7,500,000 0.35 233 MHz 32 bits 64-bit ~300
bus
Microprocessor History cont..
Intel
Pentium III 1999 9,500,000 0.25 450 MHz 32 bits 64-bit ~510
bus

Pentium 4 2000 42,000,000 0.18 1.5 GHz 32 bits 64-bit ~1,700

bus
 Microprocessor History cont..
• date is the year that the processor was first introduced.
• Transistors are the number of transistors on the chip.
• Microns is the width, in microns, of the smallest wire on the chip.
• Clock speed is the maximum rate that the chip can be clocked at.
• Data Width is the width of the ALU. An 8-bit ALU can
add/subtract/multiply/etc. two 8-bit numbers, while a 32-bit ALU
can manipulate 32-bit numbers.
Microprocessor History cont..

• MIPS stands for "millions of instructions per

second" and is a rough measure of the
performance of a CPU.
 Microprocessor History cont..

• The "core" in a processor is the microprocessor inside of

the CPU.
• For example, if you have a Dual Core CPU then you
have 2 microprocessors inside of the CPU, this allows
you to do two things at once, as a microprocessor can
only do one thing at a time the only exception to this is
Multi-Threading which allows one core to do the work of
multiple cores, but its not as fast as having multiple cores.
Microprocessor History cont..
AMD

• Read about AMD( advanced micro device)

 The function of the CPU

• Fetch instructions (from memory).

• Interpret instructions (decode them to determine action).
• Fetch data (instruction execution may need operands from
memory).
• Process data (perform arithmetic operation).
• Write data (results are stored back in memory).
Characteristics of Processors

• Features affecting processor performance and

motherboards
• System bus speeds the processor supports
• Processor core frequency
• Motherboard socket and chipset
• Memory cache
• Amount and type of memory
• Computing technologies the processor can use
• Voltage and power consumption
Components of the CPU

• Control Unit - to decode instructions.

• ALU to perform arithmetic(*/+-) and logical
operations (and,or,not).
• Input/output (I/O) unit.
• Registers to store temporary data.
Components of the CPU cont..

• ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit), a microprocessor

can perform mathematical operations like addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Modern microprocessors contain complete floating-
point processors that can extremely sophisticated
operations on large floating-point numbers.
Components of the CPU cont..

• Control Unit: Manages all activities inside the

processor.
• Input/output (I/O) unit: Manages data and
instructions entering and leaving the processor.
• Registers
• Small holding areas on processor chip.
• Holds counters, data, instructions, and addresses
ALU is currently processing.
Components of the CPU cont..

•Processor internal memory caches (L1,

L2, L3)
• Holds data and instructions to be processed
by ALU
•Buses
• Front-side bus (FSB)
• Internal
• Back-side bus (BSB)
Components of the CPU cont..

• Processor frequency (speed)

• Speed at which processor operates internally.
• Motherboard firmware
• Automatically detects processor speed, adjusts
system bus speed accordingly.
Components of the CPU cont..
• Three methods to improve performance
• Multiprocessing
• Processor contains more than one ALU
• Multiple processors
• Installing more than one processor on a motherboard
• Multi-core processing
• Processor housing contains two or more cores operating at
same frequency, independently of each other
• Dual core, triple core, quad core, octo core
Processor Socket and Slot Types

• Intel and AMD have created a set of socket and slot

designs for their processors. Each socket or slot is designed
to support a different range of original and upgrade
processors.
• Sockets 1, 2, 3, and 6 are 486 processor sockets.
 Processor Socket and Slot Types
cont..

• Sockets 4, 5, 7, and 8 are Pentium and Pentium Pro

processor sockets.
• Pentium II processors are slot-1 type. But Pentium III
processors are slot-1 as well as socket 370 type.
• Pentium 4 processors are of socket 423 and 478.
Processor Socket and Slot Types
cont..
Socket & Slot Processors
 Processor Upgrades(reading)
• Intel designed in the capability to upgrade by designing standard sockets that
would take a variety of processors. Thus, if you have a motherboard with
Socket 3, you can put virtually any 486 processor in it; if you have a Socket
7 motherboard, it should be capable of accepting virtually any Pentium
processor (or Socket 7-based third-party processor).
• To maximize your motherboard, you can almost always upgrade to the
fastest processor your particular board will support. Because of the varieties
of processor sockets and slots—not to mention voltages, speeds, and other
potential areas of incompatibility—you should consult with your
motherboard manufacturer to see whether a higher-speed processor will
work in your board.
 Processor Upgrades(reading) cont..
• For example, if your motherboard uses Socket 370, you might be able to

upgrade to the fastest 1.4GHz version of the Pentium III. Before purchasing

a new CPU, you should verify that the motherboard has proper bus speed,

voltage settings, and ROM BIOS support for the new chip.
• Upgrading the processor can, in some cases, double the performance of a

system. However, if you already have the fastest processor that will fit a

particular socket, you need to consider other alternatives. In that case, you

really should look into a complete motherboard change, which would let you

upgrade to a newer CPU at the same time.

Processor Upgrades cont..

• The following processor parameters should lie in the

range of the motherboard’s specification when
upgrading.
• Socket / Slot Type
• Internal Clock Speed
• External Clock Speed (FSB)
• L2 Cache Memory
 Cooling Methods and Devices
• Processor overheating results
• Processor damage and instability
• Entire system overheating results
• Sensitive electronic component damage
• Devices used to keep system cool
• CPU fans, case fans, heat sinks, dust-preventing tools
• Important
• Keep processor and entire system cool
 Cooling Methods and Devices
cont..
Coolers, Fans, and Heat Sinks
• Cooler sits on top of processor
• Maintains 90–110 degrees F temperature
• Consists of fan, heat sink
• Made of aluminum, copper, combination of both
• Bracketed to motherboard using wire, plastic clip
• Thermal compound eliminates air pockets
• Fan power cord connects to 4-pin fan header

Figure 4-9 A cooler sits on top of a processor to help keep it cool

CPU Failure Symptoms

• Computer turns on, no beeps, no screen. Does not

POST (Power-On Self Test)
• Computer turns on, fans run at highest speeds, still no
POST, and not operating system loading.
• Computer powers on, but turns off immediately.
CPU Failure Symptoms cont..

• In Windows (or any other o.s.) screen freezes after

being on for a few minutes, in some cases the screen
may freeze during the load screen of the o.s. the
Windows logo screen.
• System halt errors (famously known as blue screen
of death) that calls out the processor as an issue.
Common Causes for a CPU to Go Bad

• Age: Everything has its limits, a computer that is 5

years or older is considered to be in its grace years.
• Heat: Burned up. Overheating CPU's lead to a dead
CPU. above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Overclocking or Stress: Not all CPU's are created
equally. Don't make a dual-core do what a 8-core is
intended for.
Common Causes for a CPU to Go Bad
cont..

• Electrical Surge: Whether it was the power supply

going bad or lightning, any high voltage spike can
render a CPU useless. Be sure to have a surge
protector with your computer to help prevent this
sort of thing from happening
 Individual Assignment
1. Write possible steps to assemble and disassemble
components of computer?
2. Write the history of Micro processor in short?
3. What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and
i7?
4. Write solutions to troubleshoot CPU?.

direction : 4 – 5 printed or good hand writing paper with cover page

deadline: 2 weeks