1.1 Hardware Flashcards
Bus
Set of electrical paths etched on a motherboard, used to transfer data between parts
E.g. Expansion card and RAM
Caching
Method used to compensate for loss of efficiency which occurs when faster components try to communicate with slower components
CMOS
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
Type of memory storing BIOS settings that can be changed. Kept alive with a little battery.
CPU
Central Processing Unit
Handles all processing, can contain multiple cores and plugs into ZIF socket
CPU cache
Special type of high speed memory built into the CPU to maximize productivity
DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module
Rectangular electronic boards containing banks of RAM. Inserted into DIMM slots to upgrade computer
Disk cache
Certain amount of high speed memory on every hard drive. Used to cache data from slower disk to speed up subsequent calls
EEPROM
Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
Type of ROM that can be erased and flashed with new data electronically
Expansion slots
Slots on motherboard for plugging in additional circuitry to extend the computer
External connectors
Situated at the back
Examples: USB ports, VGA port, RJ45 port
FireWire
Transfer data faster than USB. Used for large file transfer
Firmware
Software hard-coded into chip used to control basic operations of a device
Flashing the ROM
Process by which ROM is formatted and new contents placed on it
GPU
Graphics Processing Unit
Dedicated graphics processor on graphics card for extra processing power
Hardware Interrupt
Dedicated communication channel allowing a device to contact the CPU that it needs its attention
Machine Cycle
Steps taken to execute instruction: 1⃣ Fetch instructions and data from RAM 2⃣ Decode instructions 3⃣ Encode instructions 4⃣ Transfer data back to RAM
Modular Design
Design philosophy incorporating a variety of separate components make maintenance and upgrading easy
Motherboard
Large circuit board that provides power and connects components
Plug-and-Play (PnP)
Technology automating the configuration process of a device before it can be used
Point-to-Point connections
Dedicated connection between two components
Examples: RAM and CPU
POST
Power On Self Test
Startup check that checks whether essential hardware is working
RAM
Random Access Memory
Temporary, volatile storage area for all running applications and data
ROM
Read Only Memory
Permanent memory associated with firmware. Found in ROM chip. Holds startup instructions (BIOS)
SATA connectors
Connectors on motherboard for attaching storage devices
Storage
Stores data and programs permanently
System Clock
Small quartz crystal that pulses at regular intervals measure in GHz. Coordinates activities
Thunderbolt
Super fast connection supporting simultaneous connections
USB
Universal Serial Bus
Most widely used port to attach devices to computer
Video card/graphics card
Hardware dedicated to generating graphics. Either onboard or card plugged in PCIe slot
Web caching
Storing recently visited web pages on the hard drive so they load faster the next time
ZIF Socket
Zero Insertion Force
Type of socket for connecting CPU
BIOS
Basic Input Output System
Essential startup instructions of a computer, in ROM chip on the motherboard. Represents the lowest level of programming in firmware
