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A + GUIDE TO SOFTWARE CH 3 VOCAB
CH 3 VOCAB
57
Computer Networking
Undergraduate 1
01/08/2014

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Term
active partition
Definition
The primary partition on the hard drive that boots the OS. Windows calls the active partition the system partition.
Term
Automated System Recovery (ASR)
Definition
The Windows XP process that allows you to restore an entire hard drive volume or logical drive to its state at the time the backup of the volume was made.
Term
basic disk
Definition
The term Windows uses that applies to a hard drive when the drive is a stand-alone drive in the system. Compare to dynamic disk.
Term
boot partition
Definition
The hard drive partition where the Windows OS is stored. The system partition and the boot partition may be different partitions.
Term
cluster
Definition
One or more sectors that constitute the smallest unit of space on a disk for storing data (also referred to as a file allocation unit). Files are written to a disk as groups of whole clusters.
Term
Compact Disc File System (CDFS)
Definition
The 32-bit file system for CD discs and some CD-R and CD-RW discs. See also Universal Disk Format (UDF).
Term
Complete PC Backup
Definition
A Vista utility that can make a backup of the entire volume on which Vista is installed and can also back up other volumes. Compare to system image.
Term
defragment
Definition
To rewrite a file to a disk in one contiguous chain of clusters, thus speeding up data retrieval.
Term
Disk Cleanup
Definition
A Windows utility that enables you to delete temporary files to free up space on a drive.
Term
dynamic disk
Definition
A way to partition one or more hard drives, so that the drives can work together to store data in order to increase space for data or to provide fault tolerance or improved performance. Also see RAID. Compare to basic disk.
Term
dynamic volumes
Definition
A volume type used with dynamic disks by which you can create a single volume that uses space on multiple hard drives.
Term
elevated command prompt window
Definition
A Windows 7/Vista command prompt window that allows commands that require administrative privileges.
Term
extended partition
Definition
The only partition on a hard drive that can contain more than one logical drive. In Windows, a hard drive can have only a single extended partition. Compare to primary partition
Term
file allocation table (FAT)
Definition
A table on a hard drive or floppy disk used by the FAT file system that tracks the clusters used to contain a file.
Term
file allocation unit
Definition
See cluster
Term
file system
Definition
The overall structure that an OS uses to name, store, and organize files on a disk. Examples of file systems are NTFS and FAT32. Windows is always installed on a volume that uses the NTFS file system
Term
formatting
Definition
See high-level formatting.
Term
fragmented files
Definition
A file that has been written to different portions of the disk so that it is not in contiguous clusters.
Term
Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table (GUID or GPT)
Definition
A partitioning system installed on a hard drive that can support 128 partitions and is recommended for drives larger than 2 TB.
Term
hardware RAID
Definition
One of two ways to implement RAID. Hardware RAID is more reliable and better performing than software RAID, and is implemented using the BIOS on the motherboard or a RAID controller card.
Term
high-level format
Definition
A process performed by the Windows Format program (for example, FORMAT C:/S), the Windows installation program, or the Disk Management utility. The process creates the boot record, file system, and root directory on a hard drive volume or logical drive, a floppy disk, or USB flash drive. Also called formatting, OS formatting, or operating system formatting. Compare to low-level formatting.
Term
initialization files
Definition
Text files that keep hardware and software configuration information, user preferences, and application settings and are used by the OS when first loaded and when needed by hardware, applications, and users.
Term
logical drives
Definition
A portion or all of a hard drive extended partition that is treated by the operating system as though it were a physical drive or volume. Each logical drive is assigned a drive letter, such as drive F, and contains a file system. Compare to volume.
Term
low-level formatting
Definition
A process (usually performed at the factory) that electronically creates the hard drive tracks and sectors and tests for bad spots on the disk surface.
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
master file table (MFT)
Definition
The database used by the NTFS file system to track the contents of a volume or logical drive.
Term
mirroring
Definition
A Windows XP technique to provide fault tolerance whereby one hard drive duplicates another hard drive.
Term
mount point
Definition
A folder that is used as a shortcut to space on another volume, which effectively increases the size of the folder to the size of the other volume
Term
Offline Files
Definition
A utility that allows users to work with files in the folder when the computer is not connected to the corporate network. When the computer is later connected, Windows syncs up the offl ine files and folders with those on the network.
Term
Pagefile.sys
Definition
The Windows swap file that is used to hold the virtual memory that is used to enhance physical memory installed in a system.
Term
partition
Definition
A division of a hard drive that can hold volumes. Using the MBR system, Windows can support up to four partitions on one hard drive.
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
primary partition
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
quick format
Definition
A format procedure, used to format a hard drive volume or other drive, that doesn’t scan the volume or drive for bad sectors; use it only when a drive has been previously formatted and is in healthy condition.
Term
RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks or redundant array of independent disks)
Definition
Several methods of configuring multiple hard drives to store data to increase volume size and improve performance, or to ensure that if one hard drive fails, the data is still available from another hard drive
Term
RAID0
Definition
Using space from two or more physical disks to increase the disk space available for a single volume. Performance improves because data is written evenly across all disks. Windows calls RAID 0 a striped volume. Also called striping.
Term
RAID1
Definition
A type of drive imaging that duplicates data on one drive to another drive and is used for fault tolerance. Windows calls RAID 1 a mirrored
volume.
Term
registry
Definition
A database that Windows uses to store hardware and software configuration information, user preferences, and setup information
Term
restore point
Definition
A snapshot of the Windows system, usually made before installation of new hardware or applications.
Term
sector
Definition
On a hard disk drive or SSD, the smallest unit of bytes addressable by the operating system and BIOS. On hard disk drives, one sector equals 512 bytes; SSD drives might use larger sectors.
Term
shadow copy
Definition
A copy of open files made so that open files are included in a backup.
Term
simple volume
Definition
A type of volume used on a single hard drive. Compare to dynamic volume.
Term
slack
Definition
Wasted space on a hard drive caused by not using all available space at the end of clusters.
Term
software RAID
Definition
Using Windows to implement RAID. The setup is done using the Disk Management utility.
Term
striping
Definition
See RAID 0.
Term
system image
Definition
The backup of the entire Windows 7 volume and can also include backups of other volumes. The backup is made using the Windows 7 Backup and Restore utility.
Term
system partition
Definition
The active partition of the hard drive containing the boot record and the specific files required to start the Windows launch.
Term
System Protection
Definition
A utility that automatically backs up system files and stores them in restore points on the hard drive at regular intervals and just before you install software or hardware.
Term
System Restore
Definition
A Windows utility used to restore the system to a restore point.
Term
system state data
Definition
In Windows 2000/XP, files that are necessary for a successful load of the operating system.
Term
track
Definition
One of many concentric circles on the surface of a hard disk drive or floppy disk.
Term
Universal Disc Format (UDF)
Definition
A file system for optical media used by all DVD discs and some CD-R and CD-RW discs.
Term
user profile
Definition
A collection of files and settings about a user account that enables the user’s personal data, desktop settings, and other operating parameters to be retained from one session to another.
Term
user profile namespace
Definition
The group of folders and subfolders in the C:Users folder that belong to a specific user account and contain the user profile.
Term
virtual memory
Definition
A method whereby the OS uses the hard drive as though it were RAM. Also see pagefile.sys.
Term
volume
Definition
A primary partition that has been assigned a drive letter and can be formatted with a file system such as NTFS. Compare to logical drive
Term
wildcard
Definition
An * or ? character used in a command line that represents a character or group of characters in a filename or extension.
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