Term
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Definition
A small circuit board inserted in an
expansion slot and used to communicate between
the system bus and a peripheral device. Also
called an interface card. |
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Term
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Definition
The number system used by
computers; it has only two numbers, 0 and 1,
called binary digits, or bits. |
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Term
| BIOS (Basic input/output system) |
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Definition
Firmware that can
control much of a computer’s input/output
functions, such as communication with the floppy
drive and the monitor. |
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Term
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Definition
The program in system BIOS that can
change the values in CMOS RAM. Also called
CMOS setup. |
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Term
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Definition
The paths, or lines, on the motherboard on
which data, instructions, and electrical power
move from component to component. |
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Term
|
Definition
A collection of eight bits that can represent a
single character. |
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Term
|
Definition
Adapter boards or interface cards placed into
expansion slots to expand the functions of a
computer, allowing it to communicate with
external devices such as monitors or speakers. |
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Term
| central processing unit (cpu) |
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Definition
Also called a
microprocessor or processor. The heart and brain
of the computer, which receives data input,
processes information, and executes instructions. |
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Term
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Definition
A group of chips on the motherboard that
controls the timing and flow of data and
instructions to and from the CPU. |
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Term
|
Definition
The speed, or frequency, expressed in
MHz, that controls activity on the motherboard
and is generated by a crystal or oscillator located
somewhere on the motherboard. |
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Term
| CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
|
Definition
The technology used to manufacture microchips.
CMOS chips require less electricity, hold data
longer after the electricity is turned off, and
produce less heat than earlier technologies. The
configuration or setup chip is a CMOS chip. |
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Term
|
Definition
Memory contained on the CMOS
configuration chip. |
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Term
|
Definition
The program in system BIOS that can
change the values in CMOS RAM. Also called
BIOS setup. |
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Term
|
Definition
The lines on the system bus that the CPU
uses to send and receive data. |
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Term
|
Definition
The number of lines on a bus that can
hold data, for example, 8, 16, 32, and 64 lines,
which can accommodate 8, 16, 32, and 64 bits at
a time. |
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Term
| DIMM (dual inline memory module) |
|
Definition
A miniature
circuit board installed on a motherboard to hold
memory. DIMMs can hold up to 4 GB of RAM on
a single module. |
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Term
|
Definition
A circuit board inserted into a slot
on the motherboard to enhance the capability of
the computer. |
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Term
|
Definition
A narrow slot on the motherboard
where an expansion card can be inserted. Expansion
slots connect to a bus on the motherboard. |
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Term
|
Definition
Software that is permanently stored in a
chip. The BIOS on a motherboard is an example of
firmware. |
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Term
|
Definition
ROM that can be reprogrammed or
changed without replacing chips. |
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Term
|
Definition
A drive that can hold either
a 5 inch or 3 inch floppy disk. Also called floppy
drive. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See floppy disk drive (FDD). |
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Term
|
Definition
The bus between the CPU and memory
on the motherboard. The bus frequency in
documentation is called the system speed, such as
400 MHz. Also called the memory bus, front-side
bus, local bus, or host bus. |
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Term
|
Definition
One thousand MHz, or one billion
cycles per second. |
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Term
|
Definition
An interface card installed in the
computer to control visual output on a monitor.
Also called display adapter or graphics card. |
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Term
|
Definition
| Output from a printer to paper. |
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Term
|
Definition
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Term
|
Definition
The main secondary storage device of a
PC. Two technologies are currently used by hard
drives: magnetic and solid state. Also called a hard
disk drive (HDD). |
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Term
|
Definition
The physical components that constitute
the computer system, such as the monitor, the
keyboard, the motherboard, and the printer. |
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Term
|
Definition
Unit of measurement for frequency,
calculated in terms of vibrations, or cycles per
second. For example, for 16-bit stereo sound, a
frequency of 44,000Hz is used. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See memory bus or system bus. |
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Term
|
Definition
A common input device through which
data and instructions may be typed into computer
memory. |
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Term
|
Definition
One of two technologies used
by hard drives where data is stored as magnetic
spots on disks that rotate at a high speed. The
other technology is solid state drive (SSD). |
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Term
|
Definition
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Term
|
Definition
One million Hz, or one million
cycles per second. |
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Term
|
Definition
Physical microchips that can hold data and
programming, located on the motherboard or
expansion cards. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See central processing unit (CPU). |
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Term
|
Definition
The most commonly used output device for
displaying text and graphics on a computer. |
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Term
|
Definition
The main board in the computer, Also
called the system board. The CPU, ROM chips,
DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged
into the motherboard. |
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Term
|
Definition
A pointing and input device that allows the
user to move a cursor around a screen and select
items with the click of a button. |
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Term
|
Definition
Refers to a kind of RAM that is stable
and can hold data as long as electricity is powering
the memory. |
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Term
|
Definition
An older IDE cabling method that
uses a 40-pin flat or round data cable or an 80-
conductor cable and a 40-pin IDE connector. See also
serial ATA. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
A female 25-pin port on a computer
that can transmit data in parallel, 8 bits at a time,
and is usually used with a printer. The names for
parallel ports are LPT1 and LPT2. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Devices that communicate with the
CPU but are not located directly on the
motherboard, such as the monitor, floppy drive,
printer, and mouse. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
(1) As applied to services running on a computer, a
number assigned to a process on a computer so that
the process can be found by TCP/IP. Also called a
port address or port number. (2) Another name for
an I/O address. See also I/O address. (3) A physical
connector, usually at the back of a computer, that
allows a cable from a peripheral device, such as a
printer, mouse, or modem, to be attached. |
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Term
|
Definition
A box inside the computer case that
supplies power to the motherboard and other
installed devices. Power supplies provide 3.3, 5, and
12 volts DC. Also called a power supply unit (PSU). |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Temporary storage on the
motherboard used by the CPU to process data and
instructions. Memory is considered primary storage. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
peripheral output device that produces
printed output to paper. Different types include
dot matrix, ink-jet, and laser printers. |
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Term
|
Definition
| See central processing unit (CPU). |
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Term
|
Definition
A set of step-by-step instructions to a
computer. Some are burned directly into chips, while
others are stored as program files. Programs are
written in languages such as Visual Basic and C++. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
A set of rules and standards that two entities
use for communication. |
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Term
| RAM (random access memory) |
|
Definition
Memory modules on
the motherboard containing microchips used to
temporarily hold data and programs while the
CPU processes both. Information in RAM is lost
when the PC is turned off. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Chips that contain
programming code and cannot be erased. |
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Term
| S/PDIF (Sony-Philips Digital Interface) sound port |
|
Definition
A sound port that connects to an external home
theater audio system, providing digital output and
the best signal quality. |
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Term
|
Definition
Storage that is remote to the CPU
and permanently holds data, even when the PC is
turned off, such as a hard drive. |
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Term
|
Definition
An ATAPI cabling method that
uses a narrower and more reliable cable than the
80-conductor cable. |
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Term
|
Definition
A male 9-pin or 25-pin port on a
computer system used by slower I/O devices such
as a mouse or modem. Data travels serially, one bit
at a time, through the port. Serial ports are
sometimes configured as COM1, COM2, COM3,
or COM4. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Computer programs, or instructions to
perform a specific task. Software may be BIOS,
OSs, or applications software such as a wordprocessing
or spreadsheet program. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
A hard drive that has no
moving parts. Also see solid state device (SSD). |
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Term
|
Definition
Part of system BIOS that is responsible
for controlling the PC when it is first turned on.
Startup BIOS gives control over to the OS once it
is loaded. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| BIOS located on the motherboard. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
|
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Term
|
Definition
The bus between the CPU and memory
on the motherboard. The bus frequency in
documentation is called the system speed, such as
400 MHz. Also called the memory bus, front-side
bus, local bus, or host bus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
A line on a bus that is dedicated to
timing the activities of components connected to it.
The system clock provides a continuous pulse that
other devices use to time themselves. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
A wire on a circuit board that connects two
components or devices. |
|
|
Term
| universal serial buss (USB) port |
|
Definition
A type of port
designed to make installation and configuration of
I/O devices easy, providing room for as many as
127 devices daisy-chained together. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
An interface card installed in the
computer to control visual output on a monitor.
Also called display adapter or graphics card. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
Memory used by the video controller.
The memory might be contained on a video card
or be part of system memory. When part of system
memory, the memory is dedicated by Windows to
video. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Refers to a kind of RAM that is temporary,
cannot hold data very long, and must be
frequently refreshed. |
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