Edinburgh Napier University

  The first book ever to give a complete picture of the workings of a PC! A comprehensive guide to the component systems of the PC, this book provides a foundation to the understanding of previous, current and future PC systems, and how the specification of each component of a PC affects the overall system performance. The book outlines each of the main PC processors and contrasts their performance. It also examines each of the main interface devices and shows how they integrate into the main systems. If you are an undergraduate or professional looking for a complete understanding of the internal architecture of the PC, and how it is changing, this book is for you. It explains how systems have evolved from the original PC, keeping its compatibility with previous systems, whilst increasing its power. It also provides an insight into how the PC will evolve in the future. Key chapters: * Motherboards - Analyses typical motherboards and shows how each of the components interfaces together, and how the architecture affects the system performance. * Memory - Shows how chache memory and DRAM memory interface to the system and the processor. * PCI bus - Discusses the fundamentals of the PCI bus and shows its importance in the architecture of modern PCs. * On-line multiple choice tests for students * On-line PowerPoint/HTML slides of all the graphics from the book.