Chapter 5 Vocab Flashcards
Controller
A chip that connects the device to the CPU
Platform controller hub
With so many chipset functions newly built into the CPU, almost all chipsets are now single chip — Intel’s name to the chip is platform controller hub (pch)
Chipsets
- extends the data bus to every device on the PC
- The cpu uses the data bus to move data to and from all devices on the PC
Keyboard controller
In early computers, keyboards connected to the data bus via a special chip known as the keyboard controller
Scan code
Every-time you press a key on your keyboard, a scanning chip in the keyboard noticed which key you pressed. Then the scanner sends a coded patter of 1s and 0s called scan code to the keyboard controller
Device driver
CPU doesn’t automatically know how to talk to any controller; needs some kind of programming, a code book of commands , ready to go in memory. This is called a device driver
ROM
Read only memory chip. Stores code exactly like RAM, but with two important differences.
- ROM chips are nonvolatile, meaning that the info stored on ROM isn’t erased when the computer is turned off
- Traditional ROM chips are read only meaning that once you store a program on one, you can’t change it unless you go through a specific reprogramming process
UEFI
Modern systems use firmware programming called Unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI)
- this is a programming standard that defines how we configure utilities that every system needs: device drivers, boot support and system setup — all on the motherboard’s flash ROM chips
- provides the programming that enables the CPU to communicate with other hardware
APPEARS DURING THE BOOT UP PROCESS
- are called a service
BIOS
Before UEFI was invented, these functions were called BIOS (basic input/output system)
- UEFI replaced BIOS but “ BIOS “ the term is still commonly used. (UEFI and BIOS are used interchangeably
Complementary metal oxide semi conductor (CMOS)
Writable memory is a tiny bit of specialized RAM hooked up to a small battery to keep it working when the PC is off and unplugged - you call this CMOS
- CMOS use to be its own chip now it’s been added to the chipset
- UEFI comes with a system setup utility that enables you to access the modify CMOS data
Administrator password
Locks or unlocks access to the system setup utility
Used password
Lock it unlocks the computer booting to an operating system
BIOS/UEFI password
Set this up when you encounter a scenario like installing computer kiosks at a convention or installing systems in a public library
a virtual machine
Is a powerful type of program that enables you to run a 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc software based machine inside your physical PC. This requires a powerful PC.
Hardware assisted virtualization
Was made to support the virtual machine.
Intel calls its version “ Intel virtualization technology (Intel VT)
AMD call its version “ AMD virtualization technology (AMD V )
Secure boot
Is a UEFI protocol that secures the boot process by requiring properly signed software.
- Requires an Intel CPU, UEFI/BIOS, and OS designed for it
- uses drive encryption. Various types of encryption essentially scrambling the info to make it inaccessible to bad guys —- secures all sorts of processes and data in modern computing.
Trusted platform module (TPM)
Acts as a secure crypto processor, which is to say that it is a hardware platform for the acceleration of crypto — graphic functions and the secure storage of associated info.
- can be a small circuit bored plugged into the motherboard, or it can be built directly into the chipset
POST - power on self test
Checks out the system everytime the computer boots — sending out a command telling all devices to check themselves — all devices then run their own diagnostic — if something is wrong you will get a beep code or an error message on the screen — motherboard manuals will have the meaning of the beep codes.
POST CARD
For when POST is not working causing your system to go in an endless loop
- if POST card shows no reading then the issue is probably B4 the POST like the power, CPU, RAM, Or the motherboard.
Power good
When you first power a PC the power supply support circuitry tests for proper voltage and then sends a signal down a special wire called the “ power good “ wire to awaken the CPU
2nd once power good wire wakes it up, every Intel and clone CPU immediately sends a built in memory address via its address bus
This address is the 1st line of the POST program in the system ROM! That’s how the system starts the POST
Bootstrap loader
More than a few dozen lines of BIOS code tracked to the end of the POST program — its job is to find the OS
- reads CMOS info to tell it where to look 1st
Boot sequence
Your PCs system strip utility has an option that you can configure to tell the bootstrap loader which devices to check for an OS and in which order — that’s the boot sequence
Boot sector
Hard disk drivers, solid state drivers—-
Almost all storage devices — hard disk drives, solid state drivers, optical drivers, and USB drives, can be configured to boot an OS by setting aside a specific location called the boot sector
Preboot execution environment (PXE)
Enables you to boot a PC with out any local storage by retrieving an OS from a server over a network
