Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Chapter 3 Key Terms
Terms to know
40
Computer Networking
Undergraduate 1
09/15/2011

Additional Computer Networking Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
Definition
A 32-bit wide bus standard developed specifically for video cards that includes AGP 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, and 8x
standards. AGP has been replaced by the PCI Express standards.
Term
active partition
Definition
The primary partition on the hard
drive that boots the OS. Windows 2000/XP/Vista
calls the active partition the system partition.
Term
boot loader
Definition
An operating system program
responsible for managing the process of loading the OS during the boot.
Term
boot record
Definition
The first sector of a floppy disk or hard
drive volume; it contains information about the
disk or volume. On a hard drive, if the boot record
is in the active partition, then it can be used to boot the OS. Also called boot sector.
Term
boot record
Definition
The first sector of a floppy disk or hard.
drive volume; it contains information about the
disk or volume. On a hard drive, if the boot record
is in the active partition, then it can be used to boot the OS. Also called boot sector.
Term
BootMgr
Definition
The Vista program file responsible for
beginning the process of loading and starting
Vista. The program file has no file extension and is
stored in the root directory of the system partition (which, most likely, is drive C:).
Term
CMOS battery
Definition
The battery on the motherboard used
to power the CMOS chip when the computer is unplugged.
Term
cold boot
Definition
Restart the computer by turning off the
power or by pressing the Reset button.
Term
communication and networking riser (CNR)
Definition
A
specification for a small expansion slot on a
motherboard that accommodates a small audio, modem, or network riser card.
Term
CrossFire
Definition
A technology by ATI Technologies that
allows for multiple video cards to be installed in
the same system. Compare to SLI (Scalable Link Interface).
Term
dual inline package (DIP) switch
Definition
A switch on a
circuit board or other device that can be set to on
or off to hold configuration or setup information.
Term
front panel header
Definition
A group of pins on a
motherboard that connect to wires that are
connected to the front panel of the computer case.
Term
hard boot
Definition
Restart the computer by turning off the
power or by pressing the Reset button.
Term
I/O shield
Definition
A plate installed on the rear of a computer
case that provides holes for I/O ports coming off the motherboard.
Term
jumper
Definition
Two wires that stick up side by side on the
motherboard or other device and are used to hold
configuration information. The jumper is
considered closed if a cover is over the wires, and open if the cover is missing.
Term
land grid array (LGA)
Definition
A feature of a CPU socket
whereby pads, called lands, are used to make contact in uniform rows over the socket.
Term
Master Boot Record (MBR)
Definition
The first sector on a hard
drive, which contains the partition table and a
program the BIOS uses to boot an OS from the drive.
Term
North Bridge
Definition
That portion of the chipset hub that
connects faster I/O buses (for example, AGP buses)
to the system bus. Compare to South Bridge
Term
Ntldr (NT Loader)
Definition
In Windows 2000/XP, the OS
loader used on Intel systems.
Term
on-board ports
Definition
Ports that are directly on the
motherboard, such as a built-in keyboard port or
on-board network port
Term
partition table
Definition
A table at the beginning of the hard
drive that contains information about each
partition on the drive. The partition table is contained in the Master Boot Record.
Term
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus
Definition
A bus
common to desktop computers that uses a 32-bitwide
or a 64-bit data path. Several variations of PCI
exist. One or more notches on a PCI slot keep the
wrong PCI cards from being inserted in the PCI slot.
Term
PCI Express (PCIe)
Definition
The latest evolution of PCI, which
is not backward-compatible with earlier PCI slots
and cards. PCIe slots come in several sizes including PCIe x1, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, and PCIe x16.
Term
pin grid array (PGA)
Definition
A feature of a CPU socket
whereby the pins are aligned in uniform rows
around the socket.
Term
power-on password
Definition
A password that a computer uses
to control access during the boot process.
Term
program file
Definition
A file that contains instructions
designed to be executed by the CPU.
Term
riser card
Definition
A card that plugs into a motherboard and
allows for expansion cards to be mounted parallel
to the motherboard. Expansion cards are plugged into slots on the riser card.
Term
sector
Definition
On a disk surface one segment of a track,
which almost always contains 512 bytes of data
Term
SLI (Scalable Link Interface)
Definition
A technology by
NVIDIA that allows for multiple video cards to be
installed in the same system. Compare to CrossFire.
Term
soft boot
Definition
To restart a PC without turning off the
power, for example, in Windows XP, by clicking
Start, Turn Off Computer, and Restart. Also called
warm boot.
Term
South Bridge
Definition
That portion of the chipset hub that
connects slower I/O buses (for example, a PCI bus)
to the system bus. Compare to North Bridge
Term
spacers
Definition
Round plastic or metal pegs that separate
the motherboard from the case, so that
components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case.
Term
staggered pin grid array (SPGA)
Definition
A feature of a CPU
socket whereby the pins are staggered over the
socket in order to squeeze more pins into a small space.
Term
standoffs
Definition
Round plastic or metal pegs that separate
the motherboard from the case, so that
components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case.
Term
startup password
Definition
A password that a computer uses
to control access during the boot process.
Term
track
Definition
One of many concentric circles on the surface of a hard drive or floppy disk.
Term
user password
Definition
A power-on password required to
view or edit BIOS setup or use the computer. The password is set on a BIOS setup screen
Term
wait state
Definition
A clock tick in which nothing happens,
used to ensure that the microprocessor isn’t getting
ahead of slower components. A 0-wait state is
preferable to a 1-wait state. Too many wait states can slow down a system.
Term
warm boot
Definition
To restart a PC without turning off the
power, for example, in Windows XP, by clicking
Start, Turn Off Computer, and Restart. Also called warm boot.
Term
zero insertion force (ZIF) socket
Definition
A socket that uses
a small lever to apply even force when you install the microchip into the socket.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!