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See also diskette changeline. Computer peripheral that reads data from and writes data onto a disk. A disk drive resembles a record album player in that it rotates the disk very fast and has one or more heads that read and write data. Disk platters are media disks that store data in the hard drive. The disks are typically constructed of a rigid composite material covered with magnetically sensitive, thin-film media. Pin 34 on the floppy disk drive interface and floppy drive controller used to exchange a special signal called the disk change signal.

Short for floppy diskette. This requires a DPMS aware operating system however. This is distinguished from the maximum Recommended resolution. Docking station offers portable computer users the best of both worlds: the advantages of portability with the opportunity to use a portable as a traditional desktop. A type of impact printer that creates characters and graphics by striking pins against an ink ribbon. The striking pins print closely spaced dots in the appropriate shapes of characters.

Domain Name System or DNS is Internet computer-locating software that allows users to find specific computer users on the Internet by either a domain name or IP address. This is the distance between adjacent sets of red, green, and blue dots in a given pixel.

Dot pitch defines how fine the dots are that make the image on a video display. The smaller the distance between the dots, the sharper the image. The smallest elements of a Cathode Ray Tube. These are the small red, green, and blue phosphorus spots on the inside of the monitor screen. Abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. DRAM is a form of semiconductor random access memory RAM that stores information in integrated circuits containing capacitors.

One of two key interface signals used by hard drives on the IDE bus. Device commands in the system BIOS used to manage hard drives through the controller interface. A term used to describe the way a hard disk drive structures data into platters, tracks, and sectors. One of a set of two jumpers located on the circuit board of a floppy drive. When closed with a bridge, it selects the floppy drive as Drive A on the floppy drive bus.

See DSO. When closed with a bridge, it selects the floppy drive as Drive B on the floppy drive bus. See DS1. Indicator light LED on the front bezel of the case that tells whether a drive is active or at rest. If the light is on, the drive is being accessed. The absence of any light indicates that the drive is not in use. A device-specific program routine helping to connect a specific peripheral device to the operating system.

Dual CPU systems are computers that possess a multiprocessing architecture featuring multiple CPUs residing in a single cabinet, sharing the same memory. A memory architecture design for video memory, especially VRAM and WRAM, which has two access paths, and can be written to and read from simultaneously.

This allows it to be accessed by both the chipset processor and RAMDAC chip simultaneously for greater video throughput. A plate that covers each hole on the back of the computer that is not being used by an expansion card. A not-widely-used keyboard layout designed in the s by August Dvorak, University of Washington, and his brother-in-law, William Dealey.

Digital Versatile or Video Disks holds between 4. Any computer software or hardware support designed to help a computer use the DVD family of optical discs and related technology. This printer contains a roll of transparent film, comprised of page-size color panels that use high heat to transfer the colors one at a time to the paper.

A process used in conjunction with an enhanced BIOS to split the hard disk drive's geometry, allowing the system to save data beyond the MB barrier. A low resolution print mode for inkjet printers which prints at a lower density using less ink. Abbreviation for enhanced capabilities port. See Enhanced Capabilities Port. Enhanced Graphics Array. The second graphics standard introduced in , it became obsolete when VGA was introduced in Acronym for Electronic Industries Association.

Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics. Same as the ATA-2 standard. See Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics. The pin interface connector that is keyed by the removal of pin 20 on the male drive connector site for the IDE drive and the motherboard controller. EEPROM can be erased and reprogrammed written to repeatedly when charged with higher than normal electrical voltage.

Interference that is caused by electromagnetic signals. It can cause reduced data integrity and increased error rates on transmission channels. A series of electronic signals sent between devices indicating the devices are ready to transmit or receive data. This association contains members from various electronics manufacturers and is based in Washington, D.

The association sets standards for electronic components. The flow or spark of electricity that originates from a static source, such as a carpet, and arcs across a gap to another object. The direction in which the electrical charge moves is from a positive to a negative. See Electromagnetic Interference. Electronic mail, or E-mail, refers to both to both general e-mail features, as well as specific messages sent by way of e-mail.

An energy conservation standard created by the U. Environmental Protection Agency for computer peripherals. Devices that are tested to draw no more than 30 watts when inactive can be certified for this standard and display the logo. A parallel-port standard for PCs. It supports bi-directional transmission of data between the PC and devices attached to is such as printers. It is about ten times faster than the pre-existing standard.

It offers similar performance to the EPP. The improvements support data transfer rates of about 12 megabytes per second and storage devices of up to 8. A parallel port standard for PCs. It supports bi-directional communication between the PC and devices attached to it such as printers. It is about 10 times faster than the pre-existing standard.

It provides performance that is similar to that provided by ECP. Additional PC card slots, enhanced video and sound capabilities that are not native to portables or standard port replicators. EPA is the official government agency that is committed to protecting the natural environment and provides information on current initiatives, key issues, compliance and enforcement and much more.

Abbreviation for enhanced parallel port. See Enhanced Parallel Port. A special type of memory that retains its contents until it is exposed to ultraviolet light. Once exposed to ultraviolet light, its contents are cleared. This makes it possible to reprogram the memory. Second step in the laser printing process.

Any residual charge on the printer's drum is neutralized. Ergonomic devices are designed and arranged with special attention to their safe and efficient human use. A variety of techniques used to test the reliability of data input or output and correct errors, either through rebroadcast of the faulty data or reconstruction from predictable patterns of data.

The ITU V. Quick-acting memory testing and correcting system based on "checksums," adding seven bits to each bit word. Currently the most popular technology for computer networking. An Ethernet can take either a bus or star configuration. Another term for the device that serves as an interface between the system unit and the devices attached to it. Other terms used to describe this device are circuit board, circuit card, or card. Assortment of wires and protocols that allows the computer to grow or expand.

This expansion is accomplished by adding printed circuit boards to the motherboard. A printed circuit board that can be inserted into a computer to give it added capabilities. Examples of expansion cards include video adapters, graphics accelerators, sound cards, accelerator boards, and internal modems. They are sometimes called adapters, cards, add-ins, and add-ons. It is faster because the memory can collect a new block to send while the processor is accessing the cache.

A peripheral device such as a floppy disk drive that attaches to the system unit and is used for input and output such as storage of data. A type of device that is external to the motherboard and can be accessed from the outside of the case. See Frequently Asked Questions. A variant of the SCSI-2 standard that supports data rates of 10Mbps over an 8-bit bus, and uses the pin interface connector. It uses bit bus and supports data rates of 20Mbps over the wide SCSI-2 pin interface connector.

A properly configured fault tolerant system will loose no data and suffer no down time during a failure. Some slow down will occur under certain conditions. The FAT 32 file system is a bit version file allocation table that reduces cluster waste, relocates the root directory on a hard disk, and utilizes a backup copy of the FAT table. Overall, a FAT32 system provides important safeguards in the event of a hard disk failure.

Federal Communications Commission. The FCC, an independent government agency, is the licensing and regulatory authority for television, radio, wire, satellite, and cable in the United States. A DOS program file used to partition and activate hard drives for operating system install.

One technology for computer networking, and typically used to link several networks. Based on a ring configuration without a central hub. Fiber optic cable is a communication medium using infrared and LED-emitted light waves to transfer data.

The standard pin connector used by the cable for connecting the video monitor to the video card. A file may be divided into many sections that are scattered around the disk since they are written randomly to clusters.

This index table tracks the pieces. An integral part of early Macintosh operating systems. A finder manages icons, controls the clipboard and scrapbook files, and allows files to be copied. A computer program, a set of instructions , whether data or programs, that is stored permanently in read only memory ROM or semi-permanently in EPROM and can remain operating without the use of electrical power.

Design specification for a display monitor which has only one scanning frequency. This limits the monitors ability to display higher resolutions without image flicker due to the fixed vertical and horizontal scan rates. Once exposed to ultraviolet light, EPROM contents are cleared, making it possible to reprogram the memory. A peripheral device that reads and writes floppy disks.

A type of disk drive that has removable storage media called floppy diskettes. Commonly called a floppy drive. Electronics that control the floppy disk drive and negotiate the passage of data between the floppy disk drive and the computer. A method of managing the rate at which the host system sends data to the modem. Fluffing is the act of running a thumb or finger over the edge of a paper stack to reduce static electricity before a print job.

The pattern of flux reversals or transitions encoded into the thin film media of the hard drive platters. The timing of these transitions represent the stored data bits.

A switch in the magnetic polarity of the particles in the thin film media of hard drive platters. Another type of mechanical switch very similar to the basic mechanical design and formerly very popular in keyboards. It uses a foam shim with foil laminated on the bottom in place of the metal plate to strike the contacts.

The foam tends to become moist over time, corroding the metal contacts, and loses its rebound. Because of this, this type is not seen much anymore. The physical dimensions of a system unit. Two computers with the same form factor are physically interchangeable. Short for Formula Translator. FORTRAN is a programming language developed in the 50s, and is still used today for numerical and scientific applications. This is the place in video memory where the information is stored about the video image itself.

Each pixel on the screen has associated with it typically 4 to 32 bits of data that represent its color and intensity. The larger the frame buffer, the better performance of the video card if there is sufficient total video RAM since other video processing will also use video memory.

Information posted periodically to high-volume newsgroups in an attempt to answer questions that are common to the user. Panel that covers the face of a drive. As its name indicates, it is located on the front of the computer. File Transfer Protocol. Procedure to download files from or upload files to remote computer systems.

Updated sound card characteristic: like a telephone line, sound can travel in both directions, and do so simultaneously via two channels.

The ability of high performance modems to send and receive data over a phone line at the same time by sending data bits out on one wire while receiving data bits on the other wire in a two wire phone line. When the maximum allowable current is exceeded, the fuse bears the brunt of the overload and intentionally blows. In a laser printer, a pair of very hot rollers in the paper path that fixes the toner into the paper with heat and pressure after it leaves the drum assembly.

The seventh step in the laser printing process. Paper is passed rollers that apply pressure and heat to use the toner to the paper's surface.

Also know as a fuser The fuser applies pressure and heat to fix toner to the paper being printed. They move in unison as a "gang". The term gateway is often used differently depending on context. The term gateway in a different context refers to a translator between networks. In general, a gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network.

A grayish white hard brittle metalloid element that resembles silicon and is used as a semiconductor. Originally discovered in , it received little attention until its electron-transfer properties led to its use in the creation of the first semiconductor transistor One gigabyte equals 1, megabytes or 1,,, bytes. It is often abbreviated as G or GB. Phenomenon common to passive matrix LCDs when an image slowly fades away after the charge is withdrawn from a particular gridline within the screen.

The use of pictures and text, rather than text alone, to represent the input and output of a program. The term also refers to an operating system interface that takes advantage of a computer's graphics capabilities to provide an easy interface for users.

Hardware input device that has a touch sensitive surface. When the user draws on the tablet's surface using a special pen, it relays the image drawn to the computer where it can be manipulated in a graphics application.

A binary notational system of positional information burned into the disk media during manufacture. Device, usually worn on the wrist, which prevents the buildup of an electrical charge. It is used to help prevent ESD. See Graphical User Interface. A high volume disk storage device with fixed, high density, rigid media.

Also referred to as a hard drive. It is plugged into a connector on the motherboard and is used for monitoring hard drive activity. When the hard drive is in use, the light should be on. Electronics that control the hard disk drive and negotiate the passage of data between the hard disk drive and the computer. A hard drive together with hardware and software necessary for the hard drive to exchange data with the computer's motherboard. Used to reset the drive geometry on older hard drives, low level formatting is NOT used on current hard drives.

The sealed chamber of a hard drive containing the platters, spindle motor, heads, and head actuator mechanism. This is a single logical component only serviceable by the manufacturer. Medical device designed to compress a bleeding vessel and stop blood flow by pinching and locking in place.

A hemostat has a handle like scissors, a locking device, and ends with a tweezer-like serrated face to prevent slippage. Base 16 numbering system using the digits and A through F. Often used to represent the binary numbers that computers use.

HVD devices are not compatible with any single-ended or low voltage differential devices. Punch cards developed by Herman Hollerith to store instructions or programs for his calculating device. The rated speed at which the scanning electron beam can write the image across the screen horizontally. Ungrounded lead wire used to connect the transformer and electrical devices or appliances by means of an electrical outlet and power plug.

A communications protocol that functions to connect separate Web page servers across the World Wide Web. Another term for the spindle on which are mounted the disk platters in a hard drive. The spindle is powered by the spindle motor to rotate the platters.

The term hub is also used in networking to refer to a connection that joins network communication lines in a star configuration. See International Business Machines. Personal computer developed by IBM in using modular components. It had K floppy disks and became the industry standard for a whole series of personal computers that are said to be IBM compatible. Abbreviation for Infrared Data Association. This is a group of device manufacturers.

They developed a standard for sending data by means of infrared light waves. This connector eliminates the need to strip the insulation of a cable instead it cuts or slices through the insulation around a cable to make a connection. Integrated Drive Electronics. See Integrated Drive Electronics. BIOS will scan and report drive profiles which can then be accepted if they match the specifications of your specific drive or rejected. The command queries the drive for its operating parameter or drive geometry, which is then supplied to the BIOS for the boot-up operation.

The need for unique hardware addresses is why this committee established a standard for hardware addresses, and provides NIC manufacturers with media access control addresses. An iMac is an Apple computer introduced in , prized by consumers for its low-price, Internet readiness, and unique look.

ISA "cards" attach to a computer's motherboard to expand the computer's functions. A sound card, for example, allows a computer to produce sound effects, music, and voices. Period following the Industrial Age that was made possible by the invention of the integrated circuit in and marked by the ability to transform information into electrical form and transmit it reliably and rapidly over long distances. IrDA port on a motherboard. Port that enables the transmittal of data from one device to another without the use of cables provided there is a clear line of sight between the two devices.

This is the process by which ink participles are distributed or dispersed evenly onto paper and heated to recreate an image or text. Assortment of wires connecting the CPU with external devices. Manufacturer specification for the type of video input the monitor uses. The standard for modern analog monitors is the RGB Analog.

This is opposed to the old TTL digital standard. A device consisting of many interconnected transistors or resistors contained on a single chip of silicon crystal or other semiconductor material. Integrated circuits are classified by the number of elements they contain. Thin, rectangular plate, usually made of silicon, on which chips and other electronic components are placed.

There are several of these boards in a computer. A type of drive interfaced ratified in and called the ATA standard. The standard gave specifications for the integration of the old ST disk controller circuitry onto the hard drive.

This standard was superceded by 's ATA-2 standard. Connector for external devices to the motherboard. It is integrated into the system by means of a PCI slot. Devices that typically include the onboard floppy and hard drive controllers, USB controller, serial ports, and parallel port.

Special chip that arbitrates between contending devices on the bus. It gives the device that is capable of bus mastering full control of the bus and temporarily suppresses all other bus traffic except if it is high priority.

A US microelectronics manufacturer founded in by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce to design, manufacture, and market semiconductor computer memory to replace magnetic core memory. In , Intel introduced the world's first microprocessor, the Intel Other products introduced by the company include the Intel , Intel , Intel , Intel , Intel , Intel and Pentium microprocessor families as well as many other integrated circuits and personal computer networking and communications products.

The first microprocessor. It was released in and contained transistors. The Intel was originally intended for use in a calculator. The original method of accessing the hard drive through the BIOS. Int 13h was designed to support drive up to 8GB. The modern hard drive access method which eliminates the 8GB limit.

Something that connects two separate entities, programs, devices, or programs to devices. Types of interfaces include devices, components, or programs.

The actual physical pin-out connector of the drive to the computer system expansion bus. The first scan is for even lines, the second for odd. This allows monitors to support higher resolutions at lower frequencies, but leaves undesirable flicker. A process for increasing memory speed that takes data bits and alternates them between two or more memory pages or devices. Company known as IBM.

It started in as a producer of punch card tabulating machines. During the s and s, IBM dominated in the fields of mainframe and minicomputers. In , the company introduced a personal computer called the IBM PC which became the industry standard. The international organization that sets of modulation standards which govern the basic rate or speed of modem communications.

A global communications network that connects smaller networks and online services throughout the world. A company that provides access to the Internet for a monthly fee.

The ISP provides an access phone number, username, and password for a modem-equipped user to logon to the Internet and use Wide World Web, file transfer, news, and e-mail services. Term used for hardware interrupts or IRQs. A bus for data that is composed of data paths and storage units. It can either be internal or external.

System resource used by every device. It represents a memory location that is set aside for use by a device to exchange information between itself and other devices and between itself and the operating system. An atom or molecule that has gained or lost electrons and thus has a net positive or negative charge.

Atomic particle. In general, negative ions have an excess of electrons, and positive ions lack electrons. Electrical device used to generate ions into the air. It helps to prevent static buildup and ESD. The letters ISA are an abbreviation for industry standard architecture. The successor of this type of bus was the PCI local bus. Short for integrated services digital network, an international communications standard for sending voice, video, and data over digital telephone lines.

ISDN requires special metal wires and runs at up to 64kbs transfer rates. Integrated system peripheral chip. See Integrated System Peripheral Chip. International Telecommunications Union. A unit used to measure energy that is equal to one watt of power per second. One calorie is roughly four joules. Hardware input device that is used to control on-screen movement. It is usually used in game applications to control the movement of some object such as an animated character.

The most common type of game adapter used to enter movement data into the system much like an airplane joystick. This drive is small, compact, and provides a revolutionary way to store, transfer and carry data without the need for software installation or cables to plug in.

A bridge or small plug used to close an electrical circuit. It consists of a plastic plug that fits over a pair of pins. They are used to configure the circuits on a motherboard. It consists of wires and a small piece of metal that can be used to connect or close circuits.

Typically, jumpers are found on devices such as sound cards, graphics cards, modem cards, and motherboards. A bridge that closes an electrical circuit. Usually, jumpers consist of plastic plugs that fit on top of a pair of protruding pins. They are used to configure the motherboard. Another term for bridge. The small plastic device used to close the circuit intersection on the motherboard.

The part of an operating system closest to the computer. A kernel may activate computer hardware directly or communicate with another software layer that drives the hardware.

A grid array of key switches monitored by an onboard processor which collectively form the keyboard. The onboard keyboard processor monitors the coordinates on this matrix to interpret input. Hardware input device that allows the user to type or enter commands into the computer. Based on the typewriter keyboard, a typical PC keyboard contains special keys that are used with computer programs.

A special serial port, unlike the standard com ports, which handles serial communications between the keyboard and the motherboard. The frequency of a radio wave measured in thousands of cycles per second. A small, fast cache memory inside or close to the CPU chip. It is also sometimes referred to as the primary cache. These are the flat surfaces in between the pits on the surface of a compact disc. When data is being read, light from the laser is bounced off the pits and lands located on the underside of the disk.

Link Access Procedure for Modems. A small portable, personal computer, designed for traveling, that uses batteries or AC power. A laptop computer has a flat screen and usually weighs less than ten pounds. Larger of the 4 pin power supply connectors. These power supply leads connect to the hard disk drive or the older technology 5. A type of non-impact printer that uses a laser to draw an image on an electrically charged drum which is transferred to electrically charged paper using toner.

The part of the print engine in a laser printer which transcribes the array of dots created by the printer controller into a printable image on the photoreceptor drum.

This uses a laser beam with a rotating mirror and a lens emit and focus light pulses onto the drum. Circuit board that consists of several rectangular plates that are layered one on top of the other. Included on it are chips and electronic components. Logical Block Addressing. See Logical Block Addressing. Monitor type that uses a polarized, molecular structure liquid, held between two see-through electrodes, as its display medium.

Light-emitting diode. A type of device that lights up when electrical current passes through it. Depending on the material used, the color can be visible or infrared. Visible LEDs are used as indicator lights on all sorts of electronic devices.

Cache memory that is external to the microprocessor. It is also called the secondary cache of the L2 cache. Current portable computer battery industry standard. Li-Ion batteries can be used only in systems designed for them. This light sensitive pointing device is similar to a mouse and used to select, modify or manipulate information or data on a computer screen by touching the screen directly with the pen. Term sometimes used to describe equipment that provides some type of filtering or regulation to an AC power source.

A line conditioner can be any of the following devices: surge suppressor, ferroresonant transformer, AC filter. Or tap changing regulator. Type of UPS that is always connected to the output. In a line interactive UPS, the inverter works in parallel with conditioned input AC power to supply power to the load, and only handles the full load power when the AC input power fails.

An error correction standard established by the ITU called V. Newest development in lithium-based rechargeable batteries.

Provides the advantage of small size 1mm and is expected to become the next standard in portable computer battery. Functioning much like a radiator, this system uses a flexible tube to circulate a water-based solution through a heat sink that is attached to the processor inside the computer. Device that maintains the power flow at a predetermined minimum operating limit in the power supply.

The method can be a tray loader mechanism or a caddy mechanism. A data network designed to cover a relatively small geographic area. LANs are designed to connect workstations, peripheral devices, terminals, and other devices in a single building or limited geographical area. The local analog phone line segment of the telephone network from the nearest PSTN switch. These are the telephone lines between homes or businesses and the telephone company's central switches.

Computer condition in which applications and hardware are stuck or incapable of proceeding without help. Lockup is different from crashing. If the system has crashed, it has become totally non-functioning. When a computer completes a computation, the resulting data is sent to an output device.

Output device data can appear in various forms such as graphics, laser light, sound, or text. Examples of output devices are monitors which display data or information onscreen, printers which create hard copy data, and speakers, which produce sound with data. Examples of output devices follow. The video adapter is an expansion board that plugs directly into a computer's main logic board.

A video adapter video card translates digital data from the CPU into an analog format the video display monitor can use to display images. Because the video display monitor's circuitry is analog, the video adapter's job is to act as a liaison, translating and processing digital data into analog signals that the monitor can use to display the output data.

High-end video cards enhance rendering high resolution graphics and 3D gaming. A number of other output devices serve many different functions. All output devices rely on the computer's output data.

Networks and the Internet. Connecting a Windows PC to the Internet. Internet Explorer and Outlook Express.

Lab 1: Configuring Dial-up Networking. Lab 2: Configuring a NIC. Lab 3: Configuring Outlook and Internet Explorer. The Peer-to-Peer Model. Lab 1: Configuring a Network. Lab 2: Configuring a Domain using Active Directory. The Eight-Step Model. Important Troubleshooting Tools. Troubleshooting Common Windows Problems.

Troubleshooting Printing Problems. Troubleshooting Internet Connections. Index Glossary. Lesson 1: Operating Systems Overview Objectives 1.