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Glossary Terms
Definition of Glossary Terms A+ Guide to Hardware
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Undergraduate 1
11/26/2011

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Cards

Term

 

 

AC ADAPTER

Definition
A device that converts AC to DC and uses regular house current to power a notebook computer.
Term

 

 

ADAPTER CARD

or

INTERFACE CARD

Definition
A small circuit board inserted in an expansion slot and used to communicate between the system bus and a peripheral device.
Term

 

 

 AMMETER

 

 

Definition
A meter that measures electrical current in amps.
Term

 

 

BACKDOOR

Definition

A hidden way to allow malware to reach the system in secret even after the malware has been removed.

 

Term

 

 

BACKUP

Definition
An extra copy of a file, used in the event the original becomes damaged or destroyed.
Term

 

 

BINARY NUMBER SYSTEM

Definition
The numer system used by computers; it has only two numbers, 0 and 1, called binary digits, or bits.
Term

 

BIOS SETUP

or

CMOS SETUP

Definition
The program in system BIOS that can change the values in CMOS RAM.
Term

 

 

BOOT LOADER

Definition
An operating system program responsible for managing the process of loading the OS during the boot.
Term

 

BROWNOUTS

or

SAGS

Definition
Temporary reductions in voltage, which can sometimes cause data loss.
Term

 

 

BUS

Definition
The paths, or lines, on the motherboard on which data, instructions, and electrcal power move from component to component.
Term

 

 

CASE FAN

Definition
A fan inside a computer case to draw air out of or into the case.
Term

 

 

CHIPSET

Definition
A group of chips on the motherboard that controls the timing and flow of data and instructions to and from the CPU.
Term

 

 

COMPUTER NAME

Definition
Character-based host name or NetBIOS name assigned to a computer.
Term

 

 

DEVICE DRIVER

Definition
A program stored on the hard drive that tells the computer how to communicate with a hardware device such as a printer or modem.
Term

 

 

DUAL CORE

Definition
A processor package that contains two core processors, thus supporting four instructions at once.
Term

 

 

FIRMWARE

Definition
Software that is permanently stored in a chip.
Term

 

 

FORM FACTOR

Definition
A set of specifications on the size, shape, and configuration of a hardware component such as a case, power supply, or motherboard.
Term

 

 

HARD DRIVE

Definition
The main secondary storage device of a PC.
Term

 

 

HARDWARE

Definition
The physical components that constitute the computer system, such as the monitor, keyboard, motherboard, and printer.
Term

 

 

HYBRID HARD DRIVE

Definition
A hard drive that uses both magnetic SSD technologies.
Term

 

 

JUMPER

Definition
Two wires that stick up side by side on the motherboard or other device and are used to hold configuration information.
Term

 

 

MAGNETIC HARD DRIVE

Definition
One of two technologies used by hard drives where data is stored as magnetic spots on disks that rotate at a high speed.
Term

 

 

QUAD CORE

Definition
A processor package that contains four cores and supports eight instructions at once.
Term

 

 

PROGRAM

Definition
A set of step-by-step instructions to a computer.
Term

 

 

REFRESH RATE

Definition
As applied to monitors, the number of times in one second an electronic beam can fill the screen with lines from top to bottom.
Term

 

 

RESTORE POINT

Definition
A snapshot of the Windows XP/Vista system, usually made before installation of new hardware or applications.
Term

 

 

SITE LICENSE

Definition
A license that allows a company to install multiple copies of software, or to allow multiple employees to execute the software from a file server.
Term

 

 

SOFTWARE

Definition
Computer programs, or instructions to perform a specific task.
Term

 

 

SURGE SUPRESSOR

Definition
A device or power strip designed to protect electronic equipment from power surges and spikes.
Term

 

 

SYSTEM BUS

Definition
The bus between the CPU and memory on the motherboard.
Term

 

 

TOWER CASE

Definition
The largest type of personal computer case.
Term

 

 

TRIPLE CORE

Definition
A processor package that contains three core processors, thus supporting six instructions at once.
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