Computer Organization & Architecture Previous Year Questions

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The CPU fetches, decodes and executes instructions and controls the other parts, so it is called the brain of the computer.

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A compiler translates the whole high-level source program into machine code and is not part of the execution itself, so A, B and C are all true (more than one).

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PROM, EPROM and MROM (mask ROM) are all types of read-only memory, so more than one option is correct.

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The interrupt types are hardware, software (traps) and internal or exception interrupts. "Memory interrupt" is not a standard type.

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A TLB is a small, fast associative memory that compares all its entries at once, so it is typically organised as an associative cache.

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A standard Turing machine has an input tape (which is also its working tape), a read/write head and a finite control unit. It has no separate output tape.

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Compaction moves the processes in memory so they sit next to each other, which gathers all free memory into one block and removes external fragmentation.

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This describes the physical organisation of memory: secondary storage keeps programs and data long-term, while main memory holds what is currently in use.

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The control unit sends control signals (timing and control pulses) to the ALU, memory and I/O to direct how they work.

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Direct, indirect and immediate addressing are all commonly used by CPUs, so more than one option applies.

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A PCI bus, connected through a bridge, extends the processor bus so that more devices can be attached.

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In memory-mapped I/O, I/O device registers are given addresses in the same address space as memory. The same load and store instructions then access both.

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In program-controlled I/O (polling), the CPU keeps checking a device's status flag until the device is ready.

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The control unit generates control signals that direct the ALU, memory and I/O units.

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The CPU is called the brain of the computer because it carries out all instructions, performs calculations in the ALU and controls every other unit through the control unit.

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Intel 8085 (1976) is an 8-bit microprocessor. 8-bit chips such as the 8008, 8080 and 8085 make up the second generation, after the 4-bit 4004 of the first generation.

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The third generation consists of 16-bit processors such as the Intel 80286. Its 24 address lines can address 2²⁴ bytes, which is 16 MB of memory.

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A microprocessor is a complete CPU (ALU, control unit and registers) on one integrated circuit. A microcontroller is different because it also puts memory and I/O on the chip.

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A microcontroller puts a CPU, RAM, ROM and I/O ports on a single chip, so it is a complete computer on one chip. A microprocessor holds only the CPU.

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ROM is non-volatile and read-only, so it stores fixed software such as firmware and the BIOS that is not normally updated. SRAM and DRAM are volatile working memory.

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A CD drive reads and writes the disc with a laser beam, which is why it is an optical drive. A hard disk uses magnetic heads, and RAM is electronic.

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A digital computer has three main parts: the CPU for processing, memory for storage, and I/O devices for input and output. The ALU is part of the CPU, so option (B) is not right.

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FFFF in hex is 65535, so the addresses run from 0000 to FFFF. That is 65536 = 2¹⁶ locations, which is 64K.

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The loader (the bootstrap loader) always stays in main memory, because it has to load other programs into memory before they can run. The linker and assembler are loaded only when needed.

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A program is an ordered set of instructions that tells the computer what to do. Memory and storage only hold the program.

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A buffer is temporary storage that evens out the difference in data-flow speed between two devices, such as a CPU and a printer.

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In random access memory, any location can be reached in the same fixed time once its address is given. Sequential memory, such as tape, depends on position.