Computer Maintenance and Technical Support

(ITec2032)

Chapter Three
(CPU / Microprocessor/processor)

February 27, 2016

Kaledawit E
 Chapter Three
CPU / Microprocessor / Processor
History of CPU
Types of CPU
CPU Sockets and slots
Upgrading CPUs
 History of CPU / Microprocessor / Processor
 The microprocessor is a multifunction integrated circuit, that is,
in essence , the computer.
 An integrated circuit(IC) is a combination of electronic
Components, such as transistors , capacitors,and resistors.
An IC is designed to fulfil Some logical function and can be built
to be a timer , counter , a bank of computer memory , or even a
microprocessor.
 The basic building block of an IC is a logic gate.
 A logic gate performs the Boolean algebra AND operation by
testing two input signals (each stored in a transistor).
 Transistors are electronic switches that may or may not allow
electric current to pass through.
 Parts of CPU
Control unit :-controls the functions of the CPU. It is kind of
like the manager who coordinates the activities between the
different parts of a factory. It tells the other parts of the CPU
how to operate, what data to use, and where to put the
results.
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) :-The ALU performs all of the
calculations and comparative logic functions for the CPU,
including all add, subtract, divide, multiply, equal to, greater
than, less than, and other arithmetic and logic operations.
Registers Built :-into the CPU are a number of holding areas and
buffers that are used to temporarily hold the data, addresses,
and instructions being passed around between the CPU’s
components. These are the registers.
 History of CPU / Microprocessor / Processor
1947: The transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1971: Intel launches the world's first microprocessor, the 4-bit 4004 (Federico Faggin)
1972: Intel announces the 8-bit 8008 processor(Bill Gates and Paul Allen)
1974: Intel introduces the 8-bit 8080 processor
1975: The 8080 chip finds its first PC application in the Altair 8800,
1976: The x86 architecture suffers a setback when Steve Jobs and
Wozniak 8-bit 6502 processor
1978: Intel introduces the 16-bit 8086 microprocessor.
It will become an industry standard.
1981: IBM picks the Intel 8088 to power its PC.
 Types of CPU
 Intel Microprocessors - still has control over the processor market
 Intel Pentium Pro Processors
 Intel Pentium II Processors
 Intel Pentium II Processors
 Intel Celeron Processors
 Intel Pentium IV Processors
 Intel core 2/dual-core
 Core i3 ,core i5,core i7
 AMD Processors
 AMD K5 Processors
 AMD K6 Processors
 AMD Athlon Processors
 AMD Duron Processors
 Cyrix Processors
CPU Sockets and slots
CPU Sockets and slots
 Upgrading CPUs
For a processor to work in a system, the following things
are required:
■ The CPU must fit in the socket.
■ The motherboard must support the voltage required by the
CPU. Modern motherboards set voltages by reading voltage ID
(VID) pins on the processor and then setting the onboard voltage
regulator module (VRM) to the appropriate settings. Older boards
might not support the generally lower voltage requirements of
newer processors.
■ The motherboard ROM BIOS must support the CPU. Modern
boards also read the CPU to determine the proper FSB (or CPU bus)
speed settings as well as the clock multiplier settings for the CPU.
Many CPUs have different requirements for cache settings and
initialization, as well as for bug fixes and workarounds.
■ The motherboard chipset must support the CPU. In some cases,
specific chipset models or revisions might be required to support
certain processors.
 Microprocessor Speeds
• Measure of system clock speed
– How many electronic pulses the clock produces per
second
– Usually expressed in gigahertz (GHz)
• Billions of machine cycles per second
• Some old PCs measured in megahertz (MHz)
How do you know speed of the processor
on windows ?
 Troubleshooting the CPU
• If a PC’s processor fails, it can only be replaced.
• What may show Up as a processor problem is more likely a
problem with either the cooling of the processor or the system (or
both) , the power supply , or a compatibility issue between the
mother-board and chipset (which would show up after the
processor is upgraded).
most common symptoms that a processor is about to fail:
 The PC will not boot
 The PC does boot, but will not start the operating system
 The PC crashes during startup and if it does boot, crashes frequently
when running applications
 The PC locks up after a few minutes of operation
• If you experience any of these systems, check the cooling on
the processor and on the system, clean the inside of the
case, and check the motherboard’s power connection
• If the PC has symptoms of overheating but everything seems
to be in order , the problem Could be that the system clock
jumpers located on the motherboard or the CMOS settings
for the system timers are not set correctly for the processor.
• This would cause the Processor and motherboard to use
different clock rates and timings , which would become more
out of sync as the system ran and eventually would cause a
system failure
• Check your motherboard and processor documentation for
the proper clock settings And adjust them accordingly.
Generally , processor problems fall into three categories:
 outright failure
 heating failure
 compatibility issue.
• Outright failure: if CPU fails the system fails-it is as simple as
that. You will normally see outright failure as system that
refuse to start (not even POST), and crashes that simply
cannot be recovered.
• Heating failure:-processors run hot, so you need to cool them
with some sort of heat sink fun unit. If heat sink is loose or
the fan stops, the processor will usually overheat. This often
results in a temporary system crash .you must identify and fix
heating problems as soon as possible because repeated
overheating can destroy the processor.
• Compatibility issue:-a motherboard is limited in the number
and speed range of processors that it can accommodate. If
newly built or upgrade system doesn’t boot, verify that the
processor is appropriate, and see that the motherboard is
configured accordingly (for example, check bus speed and
multiplier settings).
 Processor Cooling
If a PC boots without problems but consistently halts or
freezes after only a few minutes of operation, it is likely that
the processor is overheating and shutting itself down.
• A heat sink is a metallic device that sits directly on the CPU,
drawing heat away from the chip into its cooler, aluminum,
and fin-like structure.
• The CPU fan attaches to the heat sink, pulling air through
the fins. By dissipating heat drawn into the heat sink, the CPU
fan indirectly cools the processor.
 Activity
• List at least 2 types of processors available today