Glossary 2 Flashcards
Address bus
Connects the CPU to the MCC and sends over the location of the data, but not the data itself
ATA
The most common interface that hard drives use to connect to our system
Backward compatible
It means older hardware works with newer hardware
ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended)
The most common form factor for motherboards. Advanced Technology eXtended (ATX) comes in different sizes. If you don’t want to use an ATX form factor, you could use an ITX or Information Technology eXtended form factor.
Bios (Basic Input Output Services)
The BIOS is software that helps initialize the hardware in
our computer and gets our operating system up and running. After running a POST, the BIOS initializes the hardware and loads up essential drivers. The BIOS settings are stored in the CMOS
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
Refers to the practice of allowing people to use their own
personal devices for work
Cache
The assigned stored location for recently or frequently accessed data; on a mobile app it is where anything that was changed or created with that app is stored
Charge cycle:
One full charge and discharge of a battery
Chipset
It decides how components talk to each other on our machine
Clock cycle
When you send a voltage to the clock wire
Clock speed
The maximum number of clock cycles that it can handle in a set in a certain time
period
Clock wire
When you send or receive data, it sends a voltage to that clock wire to let the CPU know it can start doing calculations
CPU
Central processing unit. The correct order when assembling the CPU
CPU > Thermal Paste > Heatsink > CPU Fan
CPU socket
A CPU socket is a series of pins that connect a CPU’s processor to the PC’s motherboard. Land Grid Array (LGA) and Pocket Grid Array (PGA) are two common types of CPU sockets.
Data sizes
Metrics that refer to data sizes including bit, byte, kilobyte, kibibyte, and megabyte
DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM)
A type of RAM that is faster, takes up less power,
and has a larger capacity than earlier SDRAM versions
Desktop
The main screen where we can navigate our files, folders, and applications
DIMM
Dual Inline Memory Module
Display port
Port which also outputs audio and video
DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory
Drivers
The drivers contain the instructions our CPU needs to understand external devices like keyboards, webcams, printers.
DVI
DVI cables generally just output video
Electrostatic discharge
Electrostatic discharge is a sudden and momentary flow of electric
current between two electrically charged objects caused by contact, an electrical short or dielectric breakdown
External Data Bus (EDB)
It’s a row of wires that interconnect the parts of our computer
Factory reset
Resetting a device to the settings it came with from the factory
Form factor
A mathematical way to compensate for irregularities in the shape of an object by using a ratio between its volume and height
Hard drive
It is a long term memory component that holds all of our data, which can include music, pictures, applications
Hardware
External or internal devices and equipment that help you perform major functions
HDD (Hard disk drive)
Hard disk drives, or HDDs, use a spinning platter and a mechanical
arm to read and write information
HDMI
A type of cable that outputs both video and audio
Heatsink
It is used to dissipate heat from our CPU
Instruction set
A list of instructions that our CPU is able to run
ITX (Information Technology eXtended)
A form factor for motherboards that is much smaller
than ATX boards
Land Grid Array (LGA)
It is a type of CPU socket that stick out of the motherboard
Lightning adaptor
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
Mb/s
megabit per second, which is a unit of data transfer rate
Memory controller chip (MCC)
A bridge between the CPU and the RAM. The MCC finds the instructions for step number three in RAM, grabs the data, and sends it through the EDB.
Micro display port
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in
mobile devices
Micro HDMI
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
Micro USB
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
Mini HDMI
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
Mini USB
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
Motherboard
The body or circulatory system of the computer that connects all the pieces together.
Northbridge
interconnects stuff like RAM and video cards
NVMe (NVM Express)
interface standard which allows greater throughput of data and
increased efficiency
Overclocking
it increases the rate of your CPU clock cycles in order to perform more tasks. Overclocking increases the rate of your CPU clock cycles in order to perform more tasks. This is commonly used to increase the performance in low-end CPUs
PCI Express
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. PCIe gives us the ability to increase the functionality of our computer such as upgrading the graphics card.
Peripherals
the external devices which we connect to our computer that add functionality, like: a mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor
Pin Grid Array (PGA)
CPU socket where the pins are located on the processor itself
Ports
Connection points that we can connect devices to that extend the functionality of our computer
POST (Power On Self Test)
Figures out what hardware is on the computer and makes sure it is running properly before the BIOS initializes the hardware or loads up essential drivers
Power supply
Converts electricity from our wall outlet onto a format that our computer can use
Programs
Basic instructions that tell the computer what to do
RAM
Random Access Memory. The type of motherboard you have determines what RAM sticks you should buy. A RAM chip stores temporary data and will wipe its data in a power failure.
Registers
An accessible location for storing the data that our CPU works with
Reimaging
The process of reimaging involves wiping and reinstalling an operating system using a disk image which is a copy of an operating system
Return merchandise authorization (RMA)
The process of receiving returned merchandise
and authorizing a refund
ROM chip (Read Only Memory)
A read-only memory chip where the BIOS is stored. A ROM chip stores permanent data and will keep its data if there is a power failure.
RPM
Revolutions per minute
Safe operating temperature
The temperature range in which rechargeable batteries must be
kept in order to avoid damage
SATA
The most popular serial ATA drive, which uses one cable for data transfers. PCs use SATA to power hard drives and SSDs
SDRAM
It stands for Synchronous DRAM, this type of RAM is synchronized to our systems’ clock speed allowing quicker processing of data
SOC (System On a Chip
Packs the CPU, Ram, and sometimes even the storage onto a
single chip
Southbridge
It maintains our IO or input/output controllers, like hard drives and USB devices that input and output data
SSD
Solid State Drive. SSDs have non-moving parts, are a smaller form factor, and utilize non-volatile memory.
Standoffs
Used to raise and attach your motherboard to the case
Thermal paste
A substance used to better connect our CPU and heat sink, so the heat transfers from to the other better
Type-C connector
A type of USB connector meant to replace many peripheral connections
UEFI
United Extensible Firmware Interface
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
A connection standard for connecting peripherals to devices such
as computers
USB-C adapter
One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices
