Glossary – Computers

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Monday, October 13, 2003

 Motherboard - the principle printed circuit board assembly in a computer; includes core logic (chipset),
interface sockets and/or slots, and input/output (I/O) ports.
Printed circuit board (PCB) - a thin, laminated sheet composed of a series of epoxy resin and copper layers
and etched electronic circuits (signal, ground and power)
 Chipset (or core logic) - two or more integrated circuits which control the interfaces between the system
processor, RAM, I/O devises, and adapter cards.
 Processor slot/socket - the slot or socket used to mount the system processor on the motherboard
 AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port - a high speed interface for video cards; runs at 1X (66MHz), 2X
(133MHz), or 4X (266MHz).
 PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect - a high speed interface for video cards, sound cards, network
interface cards, and modems; runs at 33MHz.
 ISA - Industry Standard Architecture - a relatively low speed interface primarily used for sound cards
and modems; runs at approx. 8MHz.
 RAM - Random Access Memory - see System RAM
 Port (serial, parallel, PS/2, USB, sound, LAN, VGA, SCSI) - interface connectors for the associated
types of devices
 Serial - a low speed interface typically used for mice and external modems
 Parallel - a low speed interface typically used for printers
 PS/2 - a low speed interface used for mice and keyboards
 USB - Universal Serial Bus - a medium speed interface typically used for mice, keyboards, scanners,
display panels (control features, not data), speakers (control features, not sound), scanners, and some digital
cameras.
 VGA - Video Graphics Adapter - the interface from your video card or integrated video connector and
the system display monitor.
 SCSI (interface) - Small Computer System Interface - the interface between a SCSI controller and an
external or internal SCSI device.
 Jumper - a small block (approx .250" wide x .312" long x .125" thick with two holes running
lengthwise which are connected with a metal structure), or the functionally equivalent electronic
"interconnect"; used to enable, disable,  or select operating parameter on a motherboard or other PCB by
either electrically connecting two pins on the PCB (closed) or separating them (open - only one pin is
covered or the jumper is removed).
 Connector header - a series of two or more metal pins on the motherboard or other PCB; used to attach
a cable to indicator lights, switches, and/or other devices in the computer
 Jumper header - two pins or a series of two-pin groups where jumpers are used.
 BIOS - Pronounced "bye-ose," an acronym for basic input/output system. The BIOS is built-in software
that determines what a computer can do without accessing programs from a disk. On PCs, the BIOS
contains all the code required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial communications,
and a number of miscellaneous functions.
The BIOS is typically placed in a ROM chip that comes with the computer (it is often called a ROM BIOS).
This ensures that the BIOS will always be available and will not be damaged by disk failures. It also makes
it possible for a computer to boot itself. Because RAM is faster than ROM, though, many computer
manufacturers design systems so that the BIOS is copied from ROM to RAM each time the computer is
booted. This is known as shadowing.
Many modern PCs have a flash BIOS, which means that the BIOS has been recorded on a flash memory
chip, which can be updated if necessary.
The PC BIOS is fairly standardized, so all PCs are similar at this level (although there are different BIOS
versions). Additional DOS functions are usually added through software modules. This means you can
upgrade to a newer version of DOS without changing the BIOS.
PC BIOSes that can handle Plug-and-Play (PnP) devices are known as PnP BIOSes, or PnP-aware BIOSes.
These BIOSes are always implemented with flash memory rather than ROM.
 Driver - software which defines the characteristics of a device for use by another device or other
software
 Cable set - one or more interface cables (typically, in relation to a motherboard, includes cables for a
floppy drive, hard drive, and CD-ROM drive; may include cables between an internal connector header and
a bracket or other opening at the front of rear of the system; may include cables for both IDE/ATAPI and
SCSI devices).
 Processor - the "central processing unit" (CPU); the principle integrated circuit used for doing the
"computing" in "personal computing"

 System RAM - the random access memory (RAM) used by the CPU for computational purposes
 Chassis - the structure used to house the various "internal" components of the computer (i.e., the
motherboard, adapter cards, various storage devices, power supply, etc.)  Normally called case.
 Power Supply - the device used to convert, regulate, and transmit external power for use by the
components housed inside the computer chassis.
 Socket 7 - The form factor for fifth-generation CPU chips from Intel, Cyrix, and AMD. All Pentium
chips, except Intel's Pentium Pro (Socket 8) and Pentium II (Slot 1), conform to the Socket 7 specifications.
Intel has decided to phase out Socket 7 and replace it with Slot 1. But Intel's competitors, such as AMD and
Cyrix, are sticking with Socket 7, and are developing an enhanced version.
 Socket 8 - The form factor for Intel's Pentium Pro microprocessors. The Pentium Pro was the first
microprocessor not to use the venerable Socket 7 form factor. The Pentium II microprocessors use an even
newer form factor called Slot 1.
Socket 8 is a 387-pin ZIF socket with connections for the CPU and one or two SRAM dies for the Level 2
(L2) cache.
 Slot 1 - The form factor for Intel's Pentium II processors. The Slot 1 package replaces the Socket 7 and
Socket 8 form factors used by previous Pentium processors. Slot 1 is a 242-contact daughtercard slot that
accepts a microprocessor packaged as a Single Edge Contact (SEC) cartridge. A motherboard can have one
or two Slot 1s.
 Slot 2 - A chip packaging design used in Intel's newer Pentium II chipsets, starting with the Xeon CPU.
While the Slot 1 interface features a 242-contact connector, Slot 2 uses a somewhat wider 330-contact
connector. The biggest difference between Slot 1 and Slot 2, though, is that the Slot 2 design allows the
CPU to communicate with the L2 cache at the CPU's full clock speed. In contrast, Slot 1 only supports
communication between the L2 cache and CPU at half the CPU's clock speed.
 Xeon - A line of Pentium II chipsets from Intel introduced in 1998. Unlike previous Pentium II chips,
which used a Slot 1 form factor, Xeon chips use Slot 2. This allows for faster data transfers between the
CPU and L2 cache. Xeon chip speeds start at 400 MHz.
 Cache - Pronounced cash, a special high-speed storage mechanism. It can be either a reserved section of
main memory or an independent high-speed storage device. Two types of caching are commonly used in
personal computers: memory caching and disk caching.
A memory cache, sometimes called a cache store or RAM cache, is a portion of memory made of high-
speed static RAM (SRAM) instead of the slower and cheaper dynamic RAM (DRAM) used for main
memory. Memory caching is effective because most programs access the same data or instructions over and
over. By keeping as much of this information as possible in SRAM, the computer avoids accessing the
slower DRAM.
Some memory caches are built into the architecture of microprocessors. The Intel 80486 microprocessor,
for example, contains an 8K memory cache, and the Pentium has a 16K cache. Such internal caches are
often called Level 1 (L1) caches. Most modern PCs also come with external cache memory, called Level 2
(L2) caches. These caches sit between the CPU and the DRAM. Like L1 caches, L2 caches are composed of
SRAM but they are much larger.
Disk caching works under the same principle as memory caching, but instead of using high-speed SRAM, a
disk cache uses conventional main memory. The most recently accessed data from the disk (as well as
adjacent sectors) is stored in a memory buffer. When a program needs to access data from the disk, it first
checks the disk cache to see if the data is there. Disk caching can dramatically improve the performance of
applications, because accessing a byte of data in RAM can be thousands of times faster than accessing a
byte on a hard disk.
When data is found in the cache, it is called a cache hit, and the effectiveness of a cache is judged by its hit
rate. Many cache systems use a technique known as smart caching, in which the system can recognize
 certain types of frequently used data. The strategies for determining which information should be kept in the
cache constitute some of the more interesting problems in computer science.

 L1 Cache - Short for Level 1 cache, a memory cache built into the microprocessor. See under cache.
The L1 cache is also called the primary cache.
 L2 Cache - Short for Level 2 cache, cache memory that is external to the microprocessor. In general, L2
cache memory, also called the secondary cache, resides on a separate chip from the microprocessor chip.
The Pentium Pro, however, has an L2 cache on the same chip as the microprocessor.
 ACPI - Short for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, a power management specification
developed by Intel, Microsoft, and Toshiba. ACPI, which will be part of the next version of Windows,
enables the operating system to control the amount of power given to each device attached to the computer.
With ACPI, the operating system can turn off peripheral devices, such as a CD-ROM players, when they're
not in use. As another example, ACPI will enable manufacturers to produce computers that automatically
power up as soon as you touch the keyboard.
 APM - Short for Advanced Power Management, an API developed by Intel and Microsoft that allows
developers to include power management in BIOSes. APM defines a layer between the hardware and the
operating system that effectively shields the programmer from hardware details.
APM is expected to be gradually replaced by ACPI.
 SOHO - Acronym for Small Office/Home Office, the fastest growing market for computer hardware
and software. So-called SOHO products are specifically designed to meet the needs of professionals who
work at home or in small offices.
 ECP - Short for Extended Capabilities Port, a parallel-port standard for PCs that supports bi-directional
communication between the PC and attached devices (such as a printer). ECP is about 10 times faster than
the older Centronics standard.
Another modern parallel port for PCs that offers similar performance is the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port).
 EPP - Short for Enhanced Parallel Port, a parallel port standard for PCs that supports bi-directional
communication between the PC and attached devices (such as a printer). EPP is about 10 times faster than
the older Centronics standard.
Another modern parallel port for PCs that offers similar performance is the ECP (Extended Capabilities
Port).
 ECC - Short for Error-Correcting Code memory, a type of memory that includes special circuitry for
testing the accuracy of data as it passes in and out of memory.
 DMI - Short for Desktop Management Interface, an API to enable software to collect information about
a computer environment. For example, using DMI a program can determine what software and expansion
boards are installed on a computer.
DMI is designed to be platform -independent and operating system -independent so that programs can make
the same function calls to collect information no matter what system they're running in. This system
independence is implemented by collecting information from MIF files, which are plain text files containing
information about a software or hardware component.
DMI was designed by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF), a consortium of hardware
manufacturers led by Intel. Version 2.0 allows a central computer not only to gather information about
computers connected to a network, but also to configure them. PCs that comply with DMI 2.0 are
sometimes called managed PCs.
 SDRAM - Short for Synchronous DRAM, a new type of DRAM that can run at much higher clock
speeds than conventional memory. SDRAM actually synchronizes itself with the CPU's bus and is capable
of running at 100 MHz, about three times faster than conventional FPM RAM, and about twice as fast EDO
DRAM and BEDO DRAM. SDRAM is replacing EDO DRAM in many newer computers
Today's fastest Pentium systems use CPU buses running at 100 MHz, so SDRAM can keep up with them,
though barely. Future PCs, however, are expected to have CPU buses running at 200 MHz or faster.
SDRAM is not expected to support these high speeds which is why new memory technologies, such as
RDRAM and SLDRAM, are being developed.
 EDO - Short for Extended Data Output Dynamic Random Access Memory, a type of DRAM that is
faster than conventional DRAM. Unlike conventional DRAM which can only access one block of data at a
time, EDO RAM can start fetching the next block of memory at the same time that it sends the previous
block to the CPU.
 DIMM - Short for dual in-line memory module, a small circuit board that holds memory chips. A single
in-line memory module (SIMM) has a 32-bit path to the memory chips whereas a DIMM has 64-bit path.
Because the Pentium processor requires a 64-bit path to memory, you need to install SIMMs two at a time.
With DIMMs, you can install memory one DIMM at a time.
 SIMM - Acronym for single in-line memory module, a small circuit board that can hold a group of
memory chips. Typically, SIMMs hold up 8 (on Macintoshes) or 9 (on PCs) RAM chips. On PCs, the ninth
chip is often used for parity error checking. Unlike memory chips, SIMMs are measured in bytes rather than
bits. SIMMs are easier to install than individual memory chips.
The bus from a SIMM to the actual memory chips is 32 bits wide. A newer technology, called dual in-line
memory module (DIMM), provides a 64-bit bus. For modern Pentium microprocessors that have a 64-bit
bus, you must use either DIMMs or pairs of SIMMs.

 Chipset Models - Today there are many chipset models in the marketplace. The most popular for
mainstream desktop computers are Intel's 810, BX, LX, and ZX. There are also "third party" chipsets
available from Acer Labs (ALi), Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS), and VIA Technologies (VIA). The latter
are quite similar to their Intel counterparts but may add features not available in the Intel chipsets. The third
party chipsets may also support non-Intel processors (like those from AMD and others that have a 100MHz
data bus and use the "Socket 7" processor-to-motherboard socket). Intel also produces chipsets that support
dual processors. [At the time this FAQ was prepared, only Intel was producing chipsets which support
multiple processors.] The following are brief descriptions of the key features of the most popular primary
Intel and third party chipsets as of the date this FAQ was prepared (mid-June '99).
 Intel 810 - "Basic PC and Mainstream segments", supports 2 DIMM (max. 512MB), SDRAM only,
ECC/parity not supported, integrated "direct" AGP, integrated graphics controller (enhanced i740),
66/100MHz data bus, Ultra ATA/66  device support.
 Intel 440BX - "Performance segment", supports 4 DIMM (max 1GB),  SDRAM only, ECC/parity
supported, AGP 2X, 66/100MHz data bus, Ultra ATA/33 device support; dual processor support.
 Intel 440GX - "Workstation segment", supports 4 DIMM (max 2GB), SDRAM only, ECC/parity
supported, AGP 2X, 100MHz data bus, Ultra ATA/33 device support; dual processor support; supports
Pentium II/III and Pentium Xeon II/III (slot 2).
 Intel 440LX - "Basic PC segment", supports 4 DIMM (max 512MB SDRAM, 1GB EDO), ECC/parity
supported, AGP 2X, 66MHz data bus, Ultra ATA/33 device support; dual processor support
 Intel 440ZX - "Mainstream segment", supports 2 DIMM (max 256MB), SDRAM only, ECC/parity not
supported, AGP 2X, 66/100MHz data bus, Ultra ATA/33 device support.
 ALi 1541 - mainstream (Socket 7), supports 3 DIMM, 100MHz data bus, AGP 2X
 SiS 530 - mainstream (Socket 7), supports 3 DIMM, 100MHz data bus, AGP 2X, integrated graphics
controller
 SiS 600 - mainstream (Pentium II/III), supports 3 DIMM, 100MHz data bus, AGP 2X
 VIA Apollo Pro - mainstream (Pentium II/III), supports 4 DIMM, 100MHz data bus, AGP 2X 
  
 Form Factor - the physical layout of a motherboard in regards the relative position of the adapter card
expansion slots, the number of those slots, the relative size of the motherboard, and the orientation of the
board in the chassis . For the purpose of this FAQ, only the Baby AT (BAT), ATX, and MicroATX form
factors will be considered.
Baby AT (
 BAT) - this is the oldest of the currently available, mainstream motherboard form factors. Its
distinguishing features are its orientation in the chassis (the long axis goes from the back to the front of the
chassis), the type of keyboard connector (typically referred to as a "large DIN" connector), the presence of
AT or PS/2 power supply connectors (a series of 12 "blades" in one or two adjacent male connectors), and
the implementation of the various I/O connectors (serial and parallel ports) via a bracket which goes into
one of the adapter card slots at the rear of the chassis. Please note that in some motherboards there may also
be an ATX power supply connector (a rectangular grouping of 20 small sockets in two adjacent rows of 10).
 ATX - this is the most common of today's mainstream motherboard form factors. Its distinguishing
features are its orientation in the chassis (the long axis goes from side-to-side at the rear of the chassis), the
use of "integrated I/O connectors" (all the connectors are built into the motherboard and exit to the rear of
 the chassis through an "I/O shield" where they are grouped together), and only an ATX power supply
connector is provided.
 MicroATX - this is a variation of the ATX form factor. It is much shorter in its long axis than the ATX
and has fewer adapter card slots (3 compared to the ATX with typically 7). Otherwise the features are the
same as the ATX.

Glossary - Hard Drives

 IDE Interface - Abbreviation of either Intelligent Drive Electronics or Integrated Drive Electronics,
depending on who you ask. An IDE interface is an interface for mass storage devices, in which the
controller is integrated into the disk or CD-ROM drive.
Although it really refers to a general technology, most people use the term to refer the ATA specification,
which uses this technology.
 EIDE - Short for Enhanced IDE, a newer version of the IDE mass storage device interface standard
developed by Western Digital Corporation. It supports data rates of between 4 and 16.6 MBps, about three
to four times faster than the old IDE standard. In addition, it can support mass storage devices of up to 8.4
gigabytes, whereas the old standard was limited to 528 MB. Because of its lower cost, enhanced EIDE has
replaced SCSI in many areas.
EIDE is sometimes referred to as Fast ATA or Fast IDE, which is essentially the same standard, developed
and promoted by Seagate Technologies. It is also sometimes called ATA-2. There are four EIDE modes
defined. The most common is Mode 4, which supports transfer rates of 16.6 MBps. There is also a new
mode, called ATA-3 or Ultra ATA, that supports transfer rates of 33 MBps.
 ATA - Short for AT Attachment, a disk drive implementation that integrates the controller on the disk
drive itself. There are several versions of ATA, all developed by the Small Form Factor (SFF) Committee:
 ATA: Known also as IDE, supports one or two hard drives, a 16-bit interface and PIO modes 0, 1 and 2.
 ATA-2: Supports faster PIO modes (3 and 4) and multiword DMA modes (1 and 2). Also supports
logical block addressing (LBA) and block transfers. ATA-2 is marketed as Fast ATA and Enhanced IDE
(EIDE). ATA-2 has an extension called ATAPI.
 ATA-3: Minor revision to ATA-2.
 Ultra-ATA: Also called Ultra-DMA, ATA-33, and DMA-33, supports multiword DMA mode 3
running at 33 MBps.
 ATA/66: A new version of ATA proposed by Quantum Corporation, and supported by Intel, that will
double ATA's throughput to 66 MBps. The first ATA/66 computers are expected to be available in the
first half of 1999.
 ATAPI - Short for AT Attachment Packet Interface, an extension to EIDE (also called ATA-2) that
enables the interface to support CD-ROM players and tape drives
 Ultra DMA - A protocol developed by Quantum Corporation and Intel that supports burst mode data
transfer rates of 33.3 MBps. This is twice as fast as the previous disk drive standard for PCs, and is
necessary to take advantage of new, faster Ultra ATA disk drives.
The official name for the protocol is Ultra DMA/33. It's also called UDMA, UDMA/33 and DMA mode 33.
 Ultra DMA/66 - A new version of ATA proposed by Quantum Corporation, and supported by Intel,
that will double ATA's throughput to 66 MBps. It’s also called ATA/66.

PATA vs SATA

If someone were to say they preferred a serial connection to a parallel connection, most would laugh at them
uncontrollably. Serial COM ports have always been known to be one of the slowest connections in modern
computers. However, the newest version of Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Serial ATA, is set to
sweep parallel ATA off its feet.

Parallel ATA (PATA) has been the industry standard for connecting hard drives and other devices in computers
for well over a decade. However, due to a few major limitations, PATA could be a quickly dying breed with the
introduction of Serial ATA (SATA). To compare, PATA cables are limited to only 18 inches long, while SATA
cables can be up to 1 meter in length, which is less than 40 inches. It is possible to have longer cables but, due
to attenuation, these longer cables are generally more trouble than they are worth.

PATA cables are large and bulky and can easily restrict airflow. With the onslaught of better and faster devices,
computers continue to generate more heat and this can cause many problems including complete computer
failure. PATA cables are 40 wires wide and they block precious space, which can restrict airflow greatly.
SATA cables are only 7 pins wide and, with their longer maximum length, can be easily routed to not restrict
any airflow at all. The change to serial transfer is what allows the cable to be so thin, only two data channels are
required, one for sending and one for receiving data. Parallel cables use multiple wires for both sending and
receiving and this technology uses a total of 26 wires for data transfer.

Another comparison is that SATA devices require much less power than PATA. Chip core voltages continue to
decline and, because of this, PATA's 5-volt requirement is increasingly difficult to meet. In contrast, SATA
only requires 250 mV to effectively operate. SATA is also hot-swappable meaning that devices can be added or
removed while the computer is on.

The last, and most important, difference is the maximum bandwidth between the two technologies. The true
maximum transfer rate of PATA is 100 MB/sec with bursts up to 133 MB/sec. With the first introduction of
SATA, the maximum transfer rate is 150 MB/sec. This is supposed to increase every 3 years with a maximum
transfer of 300 MB/sec in 2005 and 600 MB/sec in 2008. Finally, SATA doesn't require any changes to existing
operating systems for implementation. SATA is 100% software compatible and, with SATA adapters, some
hardware doesn't have to be immediately replaced