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Learn about CPU components, architectures, clock speed, cache, multi-processing, and RAM types in Linux systems. Understand the different types of physical memory like RAM and ROM used in computers.
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Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, Second Edition Chapter 2 Preparing for Linux Installation
Objectives • Describe common types of hardware and their features • Obtain the hardware and software information necessary to install Linux Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Central Processing Units (CPUs) • Core component of any computer • Also known as microprocessor or processor • Two main components: • Arithmetic logic unit (ALU): Mathematical calculations and logic-based operations executed here • Control unit (CU): Instruction code or commands loaded and carried out here Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: CPUs (continued) • Processor architecture: Arrangement of a processor’s integral electronics • Two main processor architectures: • Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) • Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: CPUs (continued) • Clock speed: Internal time cycle of a processor • Determines speed that processor executes commands • Measured in Megahertz (MHz) • A processor may require one cycle to complete a command or may be superscalar • Amount of information a processor can process at one time is a major factor in clock speed • Measured in binary digits (bits) • The more information that can be worked on at once, the faster data can be manipulated Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: CPUs (continued) • Cache: Temporary store of information • Cache size and location affect a processor’s ability to calculate larger volumes of data • Level 1 (L1) cache: Cache stored in the processor itself • Level 2 (L2) cache: Cache stored in a separate computer chip • Connected to processor via high speed link • Level 3 (L3) cache: Cache stored on a separate computer chip • Connected directly to processor Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: CPUs (continued) • Multiple processors can work together • Perform the same tasks faster • Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP): Allows OS and memory to use both processors simultaneously for any task • ASymmetric Multi-Processing (ASMP): Each processor given a set of tasks to complete independently Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory • Storage area for information that is directly wired through circuit boards to the processor • Two main categories: • Random Access Memory (RAM) • Volatile memory • Read Only Memory (ROM) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory―RAM • Requires constant supply of electricity to maintain stored information • Directly related to computer performance • Two major categories: • Dynamic RAM (DRAM) • Static RAM (SRAM) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory―RAM (continued) • Three main types of DRAM sticks: • Single In-line Memory Modules (SIMM) • No longer produced • Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMM) • Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Modules (SODIMM) • Used in portable notebook computers and Macintosh systems Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory―RAM (continued) • Three recent DIMM technologies: • Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) • Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR SDRAM) • Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory―ROM • Read-only Memory: Physical memory that can be read but not written to • Nonvolatile • Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) ROM: Stores programs used to initialize hardware components when starting computer Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Physical Memory―ROM Variants • Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM): Can only be written to once • Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM): Contents can be repeatedly erased and rewritten as a whole • Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM): Whole or partial contents can be repeatedly erased/rewritten Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives • Most information in a computer maintained using nonvolatile media, not consisting of integrated circuits • Hard disk • Floppy disk • CD-ROM, DVD • CD-RW, DVD-RW disk • Zip disk • Flash Memory Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives―Hard Disk Drives • Not directly wired to the processor • Pass through a hard disk controller card • Controls flow of information to and from the hard disk drive (HDD) • Two types of controller cards: • Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) • Also known as Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) controllers • Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives―HDDs (continued) Table 2-1: IDE HDD configurations Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives―HDDs (continued) • Partitions: Small, manageable sections of a hard drive • Filesystems: Specify how data should reside on the hard disk itself • A partition must be formatted with a filesystem Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives―HDDs (continued) • Primary partitions: Major unique and separate HDD divisions • Extended partitions: Partitions that can be further subdivided into logical drives • Master Boot Record (MBR): Table of all partition information for a hard disk • Stored outside of all partitions Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Disk Drives―HDDs (continued) Table 2-2: Example partitioning scheme for a primary master IDE HDD Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Disk Drives―Other Information Storage Devices • Removable media: Information storage media that can be removed from the computer • Transferable between computers • Floppy disks: Store information electro-magnetically • Used in floppy disk drives • Zip disks: Similar to floppy disks • Can store much more information • Used in zip drives Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Disk Drives―Other Information Storage Devices (continued) • DVDs and CD-ROMs: Use lasers to read reflected light pulses • Greater data transfer speed • Larger storage capacity • More resistance to data loss than floppy disks or ZIP disks • Flash memory drives: Use EEPROM chips to store information Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components • Bus: Pathway information takes from one hardware device to another via a mainboard • Mainboard (also called a motherboard): Circuit board that connects all other hardware components together via slots or ports on the circuit board • Peripheral components: Attach to the mainboard of a computer • e.g., video cards, sound cards, and network interface cards (NICs) • Connected via an Input/Output bus represented by different slots or ports on the mainboard Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • Three common slots for peripheral devices: • Industry Standard Architecture (ISA): Information transfer at 8 MHz • Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI): Information transfer at 33 MHz • Can use Direct Memory Access (DMA) • Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP): Information transfer over 66 MHz • Designed for video card peripherals Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) Figure 2-1: Mainboard components Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • Other peripherals may have external connections to mainboard • PS/2 • COM (Serial) • LPT • USB • IEEE1394 (Firewire) • PCMCIA Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • PS/2 ports: Connect keyboards and mice to computers • COM ports: Connect a variety of peripherals to the mainboard • Serial port • LPT ports: Most commonly connect printers to the mainboard • Parallel ports Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • Universal Serial Bus (USB) port: Connects peripheral components such as mice, printers, and scanners • Hot-swappable: Can be attached to the computer while it is running • FireWire (IEEE1394): Hot-swappable variant of USB commonly used to connect SCSI hard disks, scanners, digital cameras, and CD-RW drives Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) ports: Allow a small card to be inserted into the computer with electronics necessary to provide certain functionality • Advanced Power Management (APM): BIOS feature that shuts off power to unused peripheral devices Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Mainboards and Peripheral Components (continued) • Interrupt Request Line (IRQ): Specifies a unique channel from a device to the CPU • Input/Output (IO) address: Small working area of RAM where CPU can pass information to and receive information from a device • Plug-and-Play (PnP): OS and peripheral devices that automatically assign the correct IRQ, I/O address, and DMA settings Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Video Adapter Cards and Monitors • Video adapter cards: Provide graphical display when connected to a monitor • Commonly referred to as video cards • Resolution: Total number of pixels that can be displayed on a computer video screen • Color depth: Total set of colors that can be displayed on a computer video screen Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Video Adapter Cards and Monitors (continued) Table 2-3: Memory requirements for screen resolution and color depths Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware: Video Adapter Cards and Monitors (continued) • Refresh rate: Rate at which information displayed on a video screen is refreshed • Measured in Hertz (Hz) • Two types of refresh rates: • HSync (horizontal refresh) • VSync (vertical refresh) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Understanding Hardware:Keyboards and Mice • Facilitates user input and direction • Variety of ways to connect to motherboard • Serial port • Large circular AT 5-pin connector • Small circular PS/2 6-pin connector • USB connection • Wireless or radio connection • Check hardware components against a Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Preinstallation Information Table 2-4: Red Hat 7.2 hardware requirements Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Preinstallation Information (continued) Table 2-5: Sample pre-installation checklist Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Preinstallation Information (continued) Table 2-5 (continued): Sample pre-installation checklist Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information • Tools and resources to check hardware against a preinstallation checklist: • Computer manuals • Windows System Information tool (if Windows already installed) • Windows Device Manager (if Windows already installed) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information (continued) Figure 2-2: The Windows System Information tool Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information (continued) Figure 2-3: The Windows Device Manager Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information (continued) Figure 2-4: The Windows Display applet Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information (continued) Figure 2-5: System Power-On Self Test (POST) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Hardware Information (continued) Figure 2-6: BIOS Setup Utility Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Software Information • Identifying system network configuration: • Hostname • IP address • Netmask • Gateway • DNS servers • Resolve FQDNs Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Software Information (continued) • Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server: Server on network providing IP configuration to requesting computers • If selected during installation, Linux will attempt to get IP settings from a DHCP server on the network Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Software Information (continued) Table 2-6: Common Linux packages Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Gathering Software Information (continued) Table 2-6 (continued): Common Linux packages Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Summary • Understand the hardware before an installation • Allows you to make appropriate choices • Verify that the installation was successful • CPUs process most instructions in a computer • Two CPU architectures: RISC and CISC • Computer memory can be volatile (RAM) or nonvolatile (ROM) Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Summary (continued) • Most information is stored on hard disks, floppy disks, and CD-ROMs in a nonvolatile manner • Two main types of hard disks: SCSI and IDE • Peripheral components (video adapter cards, sound cards, mice, keyboards, NICs) attach to mainboard via an expansion slot or port • Common expansion slots: ISA, PCI, and AGP • Common ports: PS/2, serial, parallel, USB, FireWire, and PCMCIA Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e
Summary (continued) • All peripherals must have a unique IRQ and I/O address to communicate with the processor • Can use DMA to bypass some processor operations • Hardware information can be gathered from computer manuals, BIOS, or other OSs • Can set software information at installation Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 2e