created: 06/25/96; 2nd edition: 05/13/01

# CHAPTER 4 — Computer Systems

This chapter discusses how computer systems are organized, with special attention paid to main memory. Most of this you probably know already, but look it over anyway.

> - Components of a Computer System
> - Device Controllers
> - Main Memory
> - Addresses
> - Virtual Memory
> - Cache Memory
> - Contents of Memory

### QUESTION 1:

Does a computer system based upon one type of processor chip (say MIPS) look about the same as a system based upon another type of chip (say Pentium)?