Term
| Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) |
|
Definition
| A 32-bit wide bus standard developed specifically for video cards that includes 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, and 8x standards. Has been replaced by the PCI Express standards. |
|
|
Term
active partition
or
system partition (Windows 2000/XP/Vista) |
|
Definition
| The primary partition on the hard drive that boots the OS. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A specification for a small slot on a motherboard to accommodate an audio or modem riser card. A controller on the motherboard contains some of the logic for the audio or modem functionality. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An operating system program responsible for managing the process of loading the OS during the boot. |
|
|
Term
| boot record (boot sector) |
|
Definition
| The first sector of a floppy disk or hard drive volume; it contains information about the disk or volume. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of starting up a computer and loading an operating system. |
|
|
Term
|
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
|
Definition
| The battery on the motherboard used to power the CMOS chip when the computer is unplugged. |
|
|
Term
|
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
|
Definition
| A technology by ATI Technologies that allows for multiple video cards to be installed in the same system. |
|
|
Term
| DIP (dual inline package) 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
|
Definition
| A group of pins on a motherboard that connect to wires that are connected to the front panel of the computer case. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A plate installed on the rear of a computer case that provides holes for I/O ports coming off the motherboard. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Two wires that stick up side by side on the motherboard or other device and are used to hold configuration information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A feature of a CPU socket whereby pads, called lands, are used to make contact in uniform rows over the socket. |
|
|
Term
|
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
|
Definition
| That portion of the chipset hub that connects faster I/O buses to the system bus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In Windows 2000/XP, the OS loader used on Intel systems. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Ports that are directly on the motherboard, such as a built-in keyboard port or on-board network port. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A table at the beginning of the hard drive that contains information about each partition on the drive. It is contained in the Master Boot Record. |
|
|
Term
| PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) |
|
Definition
| Uses a 32-bit- wide or a 64-bit data path. Several variations exist. One or more notches keep the wrong cards from being inserted in the this slot. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The latest evolution of PCI, which is not backward-compatible with earlier PCI slots and cards. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A feature of a CPU socket whereby the pins are aligned in uniform rows around the socket. |
|
|
Term
| power-on password (startup password) |
|
Definition
| A password that a computer uses to control access during the boot process. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A file that contains instructions designed to be executed by the CPU. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A card that plugs into a motherboard and allows for expansion cards to be mounted parallel to the motherboard. |
|
|
Term
|
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. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| To restart a PC without turning off the power, for example, in Windows XP, by clicking Start, Turn Off Computer, and Restart. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| That portion of the chipset hub that connects slower I/O to the system bus. |
|
|
Term
|
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
|
Definition
| One of many concentric circles on the surface of a hard drive or floppy disk. |
|
|
Term
|
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
|
Definition
| A clock tick in which nothing happens, used to ensure that the microprocessor isn’t getting ahead of slower components. |
|
|
Term
| zero insertion force (ZIF) sockets |
|
Definition
| A socket that uses a small lever to apply even force when you install the microchip into the socket. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How many pins does the AMD socket AM2 have? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The part of the chipset that connects directly to the processor. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What are the two different voltages that a PCI slot can provide? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What is the maximum wattage that a PCIe Version 2.0 expansion card can draw? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| New type of power connector on the motherboard was introduced with PCIe Version 1.0 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How much power does the 8 Pin power supply connector provide? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| New type of power connector was introduced with PCIe Version 2.0? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How much power does the 6 pin power supply connector provide? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What is the purpose of an AGP slot? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What is the likely color of the PS/2 mouse port on the rear of a computer? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Where is the boot priority order for devices kept? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How many pins does the Intel Socket B have? |
|
|
