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Exam II Hardware
Hardware
146
Computer Science
Undergraduate 1
04/14/2010

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Term
User Interface(Shell)
Definition
(1)Provides user and application programs to comunicate with OS and request OS.
~Command Line~GUI~Menu + voice input.
Term
Device Management
Definition
(2)Controls communications with system's peripheral devices.
Input/Output Control Sys. (IOCS)
Keyboard etc.
Term
File Management
Definition
(3)Implements routines that allow the user or programmer to create, delete, modify, and manipulate files by name.
FAT32, NTFS, EFS.
Term
Memory Managment
Definition
(4)Manages sys. main memory resources as comp runs.
Allocates space to apps.
Ensures that apps dont interfere with each other.
Term
Processor Managment
Definition
(5)Manages Processors time.
Threads, Queuing, Stools.
Term
Communication Servies
Definition
(6)Apps spread over two or more comps.
Each of theinterconnected comps has own OS with all necessary services.
Compatible communication service must be installed on both comps.
Term
RAID 0
Definition
Striping/Striped volume, Data written across all Hard Disks.2+
Term
RAID 1
Definition
Mirroring/Mirrored Volume. The duplication of everything written to a hard drive.2+
Term
RAID 5
Definition
RAID-5 VOlumes. Striping across 3+ drives with PARITY CHECKING, in case of drive failure, the standing drive will re-create the data stored on the failed drive.
Term
RAID 10
Definition
RAID 1+0 = Stripe + Mirror. can sustain multiple simultaneous drive failures.
Term
BTX
Definition
(Balanced Technology Extended) Form Factor used by motherboards and computer cases thatwas expected to replace ATX. It has higher quality fans, is designed for better air flow, and has improved structural support for the motherboard. The BTX form factor has not gained full acceptance by the computer manufacturer community.
Term
ATX
Definition
Common form factor for PC systems presently in use, originally introduced by Intel in 1995. ATX motherboards and cases make better use of space and resources that did the earlier AT form factor.
Term
AC
Definition
Alternating Current: That cycles back and forth rather than one direction. US wall outlet= 110 and 115v. Europe= 220v.
Term
AGP
Definition
Accelerated Graphics Port; 32-bit wide buss standard developed specifically for video cards; AGP 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, and 8x standards. AGP is replaced by the PCI Express standards.
Term
ANSI
Definition
American National Standards Institute: Nonprofit organization dedicated to creating trade and communications standards.
Term
ATAPI
Definition
Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface: Interface standard, part of the IDE/ATA standards, that allows tape drives, optical drives, and other drives to be treated like an IDE hard drive by the system.
Term
BIOS
Definition
Basic Input/Output System: Firmware that can control much of a computers input/output functions, such as communication with the floppy drive and the monitor.
Term
BSB
Definition
Back-Side Bus: Portion of a processor's internal bus that connects the processor to the internal memory cashe. The bus operates at a much higher frequency that the front side bus.
Term
CMOS
Definition
Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor: Technology used tomanufacture microchips.
Term
CPU
Definition
Central Processing Unit: Microprocessor/processor. Heart and brain of the computer, which recieves data input, processes information, and executes instructions.
Term
DC
Definition
Direct Current: That travels in only one direction(batteries). COmputer powwer supplies transform AC to low DC.
Term
DDR
Definition
Double Data Rate, type of SDRAM. Memory tech. used on DIMM's that runs twice the speed of the system clock.
Term
DIMM
Definition
Dual Inline Memory Module: Miniature circuit board installed on a motherboard to hold memory. DIMM's can hold up to 4 GB of RAM on a single module.
Term
DIP Switch
Definition
Duel Inline Package Switch: switch on a circuit board or other device that can be set to on or off to hold configuration or setup info.
Term
DMA Channel
Definition
Direct Memory Access Channel: Number identifying a channel whereby a device can pass data to memory without involving the CPU. Think of a DMA channel as a shortcut for data moving to/from the device and memory.
Term
DMA Transfer Mode
Definition
Direct Memory Access Transfer Mode: Used by devices, including the hard drive, to tranfer data to memory without involving the CPU.
Term
ECC
Definition
Error-Correcting Code: Cipset feature on a motherboard that checks the integrity of data stored on DIMM's or RIMM's and can correct single-bit errors in a byte. More advanced ECC schemas can detect, but not correct, double-bit errors in a byte.
Term
EDO
Definition
Extended Data Out: Type of outdated RAM that was faster that conventional RAM because it eliminated the delay before it issued the next memory address.
Term
EIDE
Definition
Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics: Standard for managing the inteface between secondary storage devices and a computer system. A system can support up to four parallel ATA IDE devices such as hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and DVD drives.
Term
ESD
Definition
Electro Static Discharge: Static electricity, which can damage chips and destroy motherboards, even though it might not be felt or seen with the naked eye.
Term
FAT
Definition
File Allocation Table: Table on a hard drive or floppy disk used by the FAT file system that tracks the clusters to contain a file.
Term
FDD
Definition
Floppy Disk Drive: drive that can hold either a 5.5 inch or 3.25 inch floppy disk, i.e. floppy drive.
Term
FPM
Definition
Fast Page Memory: outdated, pre-EDO memory. FPM improved on earlier memory types by sending the row address just once for many accesses to memory near that row.
Term
FSB
Definition
Front-Side Bus: System bus: Bus between the CPU and memory on the motherboard. The bus frequency in documentation is called the system speed, such as 400 MHz.
Term
GPF
Definition
General Protection Fault: Windows error that occurs when a program attempts to access a memory address that is not available or is no longer assigned to it.
Term
HDD
Definition
Hard Disk Drive: Main secondary storage device of a PC. Two technologies are currently used by hard drives: magnetic and solid state.
Term
IDE
Definition
Integrated Drive/Device Electronics: Hard drive whose disk controller is integrated into the drive, eliminating the need for a controller cable and thus increasing speed, as well as reducing price.
Term
MBR
Definition
Master Boot Record: 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
MMX
Definition
Multimedia Extensions: instructions built into Intel processors to add functionality such as better processing of MM, SIMD support, and increased cache.
Term
NTFS
Definition
New Tech. File System: Win 2000/XP/Vista OS. NTFS cannot be accessed by DOS mor WIN ME. Provides increased reliability and security in comparison to other methods of organizing and accessing files. Vista requires that NTFS be used for the volume on which Vista is installed.
Term
PATA
Definition
Parallel ATA: Older IDE cable method that used 40-pin flat or round data cable or an 80-pin conductor cable and a 40-pin IDE connector/
Term
PCI Bus
Definition
Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus: Common to desktop comps that uses 32-bit-wide or 64-bit data path. Several c=variations of PCI exist. One or more notches on a PCI slot keep the wrong PCI cards from being inserted on the PCE slot.
Term
POST
Definition
Power-On Self Test: Self-diagnostic program used to perform a simple test of the CPU, RAM, and various I/O devices. The POST is performed by startup BIOS when the computer if first turned on, and is stored in ROM-BIOS.
Term
RAID
Definition
Redundant Array of Inexpensive/independent Disks: Several methods of configuring multiple hard drives to store data to increase logical volume size and improve performance, or to ensure that if one hard drive fails, the data is still available from another hard drive.
Term
RAM
Definition
Random Access Memory: Modules on the motherboard containing microchips used to temporarily hold data and programs while the CPU processes both. Info in RAM is lost when the PC is turned off.
Term
ROM
Definition
Read-only Memory: Chips that contain programming code and cannot be erased.
Term
SATA
Definition
Serial ATA: An ATAPI cabling method that usues a narrower and more reliable cable than the 80-conductor cable.
Term
SCSI
Definition
Small Computer System Interface: Fast interface between a host adapter and the CPU that can daisy chain as many as 7 or 15 devices on a single bus.
Term
SIMM
Definition
SIngle Inline Memory Module: Miniature circuit board used in older comps to hold RAM. SIMMs holds 8, 16, 32, or 64 MB on a single module.
Term
SSD
Definition
Solid State Disk/Drive: Hard drive that has no moving parts.
Term
UPS
Definition
Uninterruptible Power SUpply: Device designed to provide a backup power supply during a power failure. Battery backup system with ultrafast sensing device.
Term
USP Port
Definition
Universal Serial Bus Port: Designed to make installation and configuration of I/O devices easy, providing room for as many as 127 devices daisy-chained together.
Term
ZIF Socket
Definition
Zero Insertion Force Socket: Socket that uses a small mever to apply even force when you install the microchip into the socket.
Term
Active Partition
Definition
Primary partition on the hard drive that boots the OS. Win 2000/XP/Vista calls the active partition the system partition.
Term
Adapter Card
Definition
Small circuit board inserted in an expansion slot and used to communicate between the system bus and a peripheral device.
Term
Antistatic Wrist Strap/Ground Bracelet
Definition
Attached to the comp case, ground mat, or another ground so that ESD is discharged from your body before you touch sensitive components inside a computer.
Term
Autodetection
Definition
Feature of system BIOS and hard drives that auto. ID and configures a new drive in BIOS setup.
Term
Basic Disk
Definition
Way to Partition a hard rive, used by all versions of WIN, thta stores info. about the drive in a partition table at the beginning of the drive.
Term
BLue Screen Errors
Definition
WIN error that displays against a blue screen and causes the system to halt. Stop Error.
Term
Boot Loader
Definition
OS program responsible for managing the process of loading the OS during the boot.
Term
Boot Record
Definition
First sector of floppy disk or hard drive volume, contains info on either. On a Hard drive, of the boot record is in the active partition, then it can be used to boot the OS. Boot SEctor.
Term
Brownout
Definition
Temporary reductions in voltage, which can somties cause data loss. Sags
Term
Bus
Definition
Paths or lines on the motherboard on which data, instructions, and electrical power move from component to component.
Term
Byte
Definition
Collection of eight bits that can represent a single character.
Term
Case Fan
Definition
Fan inside a comp. case used to draw air out of or into the case.
Term
Chipset
Definition
A goupr of chips on the motherboard that controls the timing and flow of data and instructions to and from the CPU.
Term
Cluster
Definition
One or more sectors that constitute the smallest unit of space on a disk for storing data( also file allocation unit.) Files are ritten to a disk as groups of whole clusters.
Term
Cold(hard)Boot
Definition
Restart the computer by turning off the power or by pressing the Reset button.
Term
Data Bus
Definition
Lines on the system bus that the CPU uses to send and receive data.
Term
Diagnostic Card
Definition
Adapter cards designed to discover and report computer errors and conflicts at POST time (before comp boot up), often by displaying a number on the card.
Term
Drive Image
Definition
Exact Duplicate of a hard drive stored on another media such as a group od CD's or DVD's. Drive Imaging.
Term
Dual Channel
Definition
Motherboard feature that improves memory performance by providing two 64-bit channels between memory and the chipset. DDR,2,3 DIMM's can use dual channels.
Term
Dual Core
Definition
Processor package that contains two core processors thus supporting four instructions at once!
Term
Expansion Card
Definition
Circuit board inserted into a slot on the motherboard to enhance the capability of the computer.
Term
Expansion Slot
Definition
Narrow slot on the mother oard where an expansion card can be placed. Expansion slots connect to a bus on the motherboard.
Term
Extended Partition
Definition
Only partition on a hard drive that can contain more than one logical drive. WIN, a hard drive can have only a single extended partition.
Term
Fault Tolerance
Definition
Degree to which a system can tolerate failures. Adding redudant components, such as disk mirroring or disk duplexing is a way to build fault tolerance.
Term
File System
Definition
Overall structure that an OS uses to name, store, and organise files on a disk. Examples of file ssystems are NTFS and FAT32.
Term
Firmware
Definition
Software that is permanently stored in a chip. The BIOS on a motherboard is an example of firmware.
Term
Form Factor
Definition
Set of Specs on the size, shape, and config. of a comp. hardware component such as a case, power supply, or motherboard.
Term
Formatting
Definition
Preparing a hard drive volume, logical drive, or floppy disk for use by placing tracks and sectors on its surface to stoe info. i.e: FORMAT A:).
Term
Gigahertz
Definition
GHz: One Thousand MHz, or one billion cycles per second.
Term
Graphics (video) Card
Definition
Interface card installed in the comp. to control visual output on a monitor. Display adapter or graphics card.
Term
Hardware
Definition
Physical components that constitute the comp. system, such as the monitor, keyboard, motherboard, and the printer.
Term
Head
Definition
Top or bottom surface of one platter on a hard drive. Each platter has to heads.
Term
Heat Sink
Definition
Piece of metal, with cooling fins, that can be attached to or mounted on an integrated chip( such as the CPU) to dissipate heat.
Term
High-level Formatting
Definition
Performed by WIN Format Program(FORMAT C:/s) WIN installation program, or the disk managment utility. The process creates the boot record, file system, and root directory on the volume or logical drive and makes he volume or drive bootable. OS Formatting.
Term
Host Adaper
Definition
Circuit board that controls a SCSI bus supporting as many as seven or fifteen seperate devices. Host adapter controls communication between the scsi bus and the PC.
Term
Hot-Swapping
Definition
Hot Plugging: Plugging in a device while the comp. is on. Comp. will sense the device and configure it without rebooting. In addition, the device can be unplugged without an OS error.
Term
Hyper-Threading
Definition
Intel tech. that allows each logical processor within the processor package to handle an individual thread in parallel with other threads being handled by other processors within the package.
Term
Internal Bus
Definition
Bus inside the CPU that is used for communication between the CPU's internal components.
Term
Jumper
Definition
Two wires that stick up side by side on the motherboard or other device and are used to hold config. info. The jumper is considered closed if a cover is over the wires, and open if the cover is missing.
Term
Keyboard
Definition
Common input device through which data and instructions may be typed into comupter memory.
Term
Liquid Cooling System
Definition
Method to cool over clocked processors that uses a small pump inside the comp. case and tubes that move water or other liquid around components and then away from them to a place where fans can cool the liquid.
Term
Logical Drive
Definition
A portion or all of a hard drive extended partition that is treated by the OS as though it were a physical drive. Each ligical drive is assigned a drive letter, such as drive F, and contains a file system.
Term
Low-level Formatting
Definition
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
Memory
Definition
Physical microchips that can hold data and programming, located on the motherboard or expansion cards.
Term
Memory Bank
Definition
Memory a Processor addresses at one time. Today's desktop and notebook processors use a memory bank that is 64 bits wide.
Term
Memory Cache
Definition
Small amount of faster RAM that stores recently retrieved data, in anticipation of what the CPU will request next, thus speeding up access.
Term
Mid-Tower
Definition
Most versitile and popular comp case, whichis midrange in size and generally has around six expansion slots and four drive pays; provides moderate potential for expansion.
Term
Mirrored Volume
Definition
WIN term for RAID1 level hat duplicates data on one drive to another drive and is used for fault tolerance.
Term
Monitor
Definition
Most Commenly used output device for displaying text and graphics and a comp.
Term
Motherboard
Definition
Main borad in the comp(system board). The CPU, ROM chips, DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged into the motheboard.
Term
Mouse
Definition
Pointing and input device that allows the use to move a cursor around a screen and select items with the click of a button.
Term
Multimeter
Definition
Device used to measure the various components of an electrical circuit. The most common measurements are voltage, current, and resistance.
Term
Non-Volatile Memory
Definition
RAM that is stable and can hold data as long as electricity is powering the memory.
Term
North Bridge
Definition
Portion of the chipset hug that connects faster I/O buses(AGP buses to the system bus).
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
OverClocking
Definition
Running a processor at a higher frequency than is recommended by the manufacturer, which can result in an unstable system, popular for gaming!
Term
P1 Connector
Definition
Power connection on an ATX or BTW motherboard, which can have 20-24 pins.
Term
Parallel Port
Definition
Female 25-pin port on a comp that can transmit data in parallel, 8 bits at a time, and is usualy used with a printer. Ports: LPT1 and LPT2.
Term
Parity
Definition
Error-checking sceme in which a ninth, or "parity," bit is added, the value of the parity bit isset to either 0 or 1 to provide an even number of ones for even parity and an odd number ones for an odd parity.
Term
Peripheral Device
Definition
Devices that communicate with the CPU but are not located directly on the motherboard, such as monitor, floppy drive, printer, and mouse.
Term
Port
Definition
1) Number assigned at a process on a comp so that the process can be found by TCP/IP.(port address or port number)
2) I/O address. 3) Physical connector, usually at the back of a comp, that allows a cable from a peripheral device, such as a printer, mouse, or modem, to be attached.
Term
Power Supply
Definition
Box inside a computer case that supplies power to the motherboard and other installed devices. (PSU: Power Supply Unit)
Term
Primary Partition
Definition
Hard disk partition that can contain only one volume. THe primary partition or volume contains a file system. In WIN, a hard drive can have up to 3 primary's.
Term
Primary Storage
Definition
Temp. on motherboard used by the CPU to process data and instructions: Memory.
Term
Printer
Definition
Peripheral output device that produces printed output to paper. Matrix, ink-jet, laser.
Term
Processor frequency
Definition
At which the CPU operates. GHz.
Term
Protocol
Definition
Set or rules and standards that two entities use for communication.
Term
Quad Core
Definition
Processor package that contains four cores and supports eight instructions at once.
Term
Ready Boost
Definition
Vista uses a flashdrive or secure digital(SD) memory card to boost hard drive performance.
Term
Riser Card
Definition
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
Secondary Storage
Definition
Remote to the CPU and permanently holds data, even when the PC is off, hard drive.
Term
Sector
Definition
On a disk surface one segment of a track, which almost always contains 512 bytes of data.
Term
Serial Port
Definition
Male 9-25-pin port on a comp sys. used by slower I/O devices such as mouse or modem. COM1,2,3,4.
Term
Serial Port
Definition
Male 9-25-pin port on a comp sys. used by slower I/O devices such as mouse or modem. COM1,2,3,4.
Term
Simple VOlume
Definition
Type of dynamic volume used on a single hard drive that corresponds to a primary partition on a hard disk.
Term
Single CHannel
Definition
Memory controlly on a mother board that accesses only one DIMM @ a time.
Term
Slimline Case
Definition
COmpact Case: Low-end low profile cases, NLX, LPX, or Mini LPX form factors, less drive bays, some expansion.
Term
Software
Definition
COmp. programs or instructions to perform a specific tack. Software maybe BIOS, OS, or apps such as a work proccessing or spreadsheet program.
Term
SOuth Bridge
Definition
Portion of the chipset hub that connects slowerI/O buses(PCI buss) to the sys. bus.
Term
Spacers
Definition
Standoffs:Round plastic or metal pegs tha separate the motherboard fromthe case, so that components on thebakc on the motherboard dont touch the case.
Term
Spanning
Definition
Using a spanned volume to increase the size of a volume.
Term
Striped Volume
Definition
Type of dynamic volume used for two or more hard drives that wires to the disks evenly rather that filling up allotted space on one ant then moving on to the next. vs. spanned volume.
Term
Surge Protector
Definition
Surge Suppressor: Device or power strip designedto protect electronic equipment from power surges and spikes.
Term
Termination Resistor
Definition
Added at the end of a SCSI chain to dampen the voltage at the end of the chain.
Term
Thermal COmpound
Definition
Creamlike substance that is placed between the botom of the cooler heatsink and the top of the processor to eliminate air pockets and to help to draw heat off the processor.
Term
Tower Case
Definition
Largest type of personal comp. case. Stand vertically and can be as high as two feet tall, more drive bays for expected upgrades.
Term
Track
Definition
One of many concentric circles on the surface of a hard drive or floppy disk.
Term
Triple Core
Definition
3 processors and 6 processes at once.
Term
Volatile Memory
Definition
RAM that is temp. cannot hold data very long and must be frequently used.
Term
Volt(V)
Definition
Measure of potential difference in an electrican circuit. ATX: +12v, -12v, +5v, -5v, and +3.3v
Term
Wait State
Definition
Clock tick in which nothing happens, used to ensure that the microprocessor isn't getting ahead of slower components.
Term
Warm(Soft)boot
Definition
Restart the PC without of power, clicking button "Restart."
Term
Watt(W)
Definition
Unit ued to measure power. Typical cump. may use a power supply that provides 500W
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