Basic Computer Organization

Course Title: Basic Computer Organization

Course No: BDS102

Nature of the Course: Theory + Lab

Semester: 1

Full Marks: 45 + 30

Pass Marks: 18 + 12

Credit Hours: 3

Course Description

This course covers fundamental principles of computer systems, instructions sets and its design, hierarchy of computer organization, from the digital logic level to the operating system level. It focuses on a modular approach to understanding computer systems and clarifies complex concepts through a systematic presentation.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course is to provide comprehensive understanding of how computer systems are structured and function.

Course Contents

1. Introduction

8 hrs

1.1. Structured Computer Organization: Languages, Levels, and Virtual Machines

1.2. Contemporary Multilevel Machines

1.3. Evolution of Multilevel Machines

1.4. Milestones in Computer Architecture: Different Generation of Computers

1.5. The Computer Zoo: Different Technologies and Different Types of Computers

2. Computer Systems

10 hrs

2.1. Processors

CPU Organization

Instruction Execution

RISC versus CISC

Design Principles for Modern Computers

Instruction-Level Parallelism

Processor-Level Parallelism

2.2. Primary Memory

Bits

Memory Addresses

Byte Ordering

Error-Correcting Codes

Cache Memory

Memory Packaging and Types

2.3. Secondary Memory

Memory Hierarchies

Magnetic Disks

IDE Disks

SCSI Disks

RAID

Solid-State Disks

CD-ROMs

2.4. Input/Output

Buses

Terminals

Mice

Game Controllers

Printers

3. Digital Logic Level

12 hrs

3.1. Gates and Boolean Algebra

Gates

Boolean Algebra

Implementation of Boolean Functions

Circuit Equivalence

3.2. Basic Digital Logic Circuits

Integrated Circuits

Combinational Circuits

Arithmetic Circuits

Clocks

3.3. Memory

Latches

Flip-Flops

Registers

Memory Organization

Memory Chips

RAMs and ROMs

3.4. CPU Chips and Buses

CPU chips

Computer Buses

Bus Width

Bus Clocking

Bus Arbitration

Bus Operations

4. The Microarchitecture Level

4 hrs

4.1. The Data Path, Microinstructions and Notation

4.2. Introduction to pipelining

5. The Instruction Set

10 hrs

5.1. Brief Introduction to ISA Level and its properties

5.2. Memory Models

5.3. Registers

5.4. Instructions, Instruction Formats and Design Criteria for Instruction Formats

5.5. Different Addressing Modes

6. The Operating System

4 hrs

6.1. Virtual Memory

6.2. Paging

6.3. Segmentation

Laboratory Works

Students should implement different combinational and sequential circuits in a standard simulator. They must be able to realize pipelining and different addressing modes.

1.Combinational and Sequential Circuits, Pipelining and Addressing Modes

Reference Books

1.Andrew S. Tanenbaum and Todd Austin, “Structured Computer Organization”, Pearson Education, Sixth Edition
2.William Stallings, “Computer Organization and Architecture – Designing for Performance”, Pearson Education, Ninth Edition
3.David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy, “Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software interface”, Elsevier, Third Edition

Notes:

This syllabus follows the official BDS curriculum of Tribhuvan University. In case of any doubt or revision, the university's published syllabus shall be considered authoritative.

Computer Organization and Architecture