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Hardware/Software > hard-soft vocab > Flashcards

hard-soft vocab Flashcards

1
Q

A register in a CPU in which intermediate arithmetic and logic results are stored

A

accumulator

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2
Q

Older slot design

A

AGP (accelerated graphics port)

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3
Q

An integrated circuit within a microprocessor that performs arithmetic and logic operations.

A

ALU (arithmetic logic unit)

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4
Q

This form factor has serial and parallel ports attached to the case in an expansion slot and connected to the board through cables. It has a single keyboard connector soldered onto the board at the back of the board. The processor is at the front of the board and can sometimes get in the way of expansion cards.

A

AT form factor

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5
Q

A connection specification which defines a data cable

A

ATA

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6
Q

Developed by Intel in 1995; has Integrated I/O Connectors soldered onto the motherboard; components rotated 90 degrees to improve air circulation; power supply blows air into the case instead of out.

A

ATX (advanced technology eXtended) Form Factor

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7
Q

Software built into the PC and first software run by a PC when powered on. The fundamental purpose of it is to initialize and test the system hardware components

A

BIOS

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8
Q

A channel or path for transferring data and electrical signals; A subsystem that transfers data between computer components inside a computer or between computers

A

bus

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9
Q

A small, but fast memory that transparently improves the performance of a larger, but
slower memory or storage device

A

cache

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10
Q

A miniaturized electronic circuit (consisting mainly of semiconductor devices, as well as
passive components) that has been manufactured in the surface of a thin substrate of
semiconductor material

A

chip (integrated circuit)

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11
Q

A group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together; usually marketed
as a single product.

A

chipset

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12
Q

Refers to the frequency at which a CPU is running; normally determined by the frequency of an oscillator crystal.

A

clock rate

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13
Q

Oscillates between a high and a low state and is utilized like a metronome to coordinate actions of circuits.

A

clock signal

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14
Q

An on-board semiconductor chip, powered by a battery that used to store information such
as system hardware settings and system time. At present, systems setting are often stored
on EEPROM or other flash media, with this chip maintaining the system clock.

A

CMOS

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15
Q

The portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program

A

CPU (central processing unit)

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16
Q

A circuit board that holds memory chips; these have a 64-bit path because of the Pentium
Processor requirements. Because of the new bit path, these chips can be installed one at a
time.

A

DIMM (dual in-line memory module)

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17
Q

A type of random-access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit.

A

DRAM (dynamic random-access memory)

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18
Q

A video display interface used to connect a video source to a display device

A

DVI

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19
Q

A type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off.

A

EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory)

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20
Q

A printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard to add functionality to a computer system

A

expansion card

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21
Q

Software that is embedded in a piece of hardware.

A

firmware

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22
Q

A type of non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed.

A

flash memory

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23
Q

The name used to denote the dimensions, power supply type, location of mounting holes,
number of ports on the back panel, etc. of the motherboard.

A

form factor

24
Q

The process of laying out a structure on the disk that will enable the disk to receive information.

A

format Disk

25
Q

A computer storage read/write device, usually of substantial capacity, which has
fixed/permanent surfaces. Data on these surfaces may be randomly accessed.

A

hard disk drive (HDD)

26
Q

A compact audio/video interface for transferring encrypted uncompressed digital audio/video data from a device to a compatible digital audio device

A

HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface)

27
Q

An interface standard for the connection of storage devices; the device controller is ‘integrated into the device’

A

IDE (integrated device electronics)

28
Q

Any peripheral piece of computer hardware equipment used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system

A

input device

29
Q

The communication between an information processing system (such as a computer), and
the outside world possibly a human, or another information processing system

A

input/output

30
Q

A common performance measurement used to benchmark computer storage devices like hard disk drives (HDD)

A

IOPS (input/output operations per second)

31
Q

Devices that are used to store data or programs (sequences of instructions) on a temporary or permanent basis for use in an electronic digital computer

A

memory

32
Q

A large circuit board into which can be plugged a number of smaller boards

A

motherboard

33
Q

A collection of computers and devices connected by communications channels that facilitates communications among users and allows users to share resources with other users

A

network

34
Q

Computer memory that can retain the stored information even when not powered.

A

non-volatile memory

35
Q

One of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a PC motherboard. This chip typically handles high-speed devices

A

northbridge

36
Q

Set of software that manages computer hardware resources and provide common services for computer programs.

A

operating system

37
Q

A disk drive that uses laser light or electromagnetic waves near the light spectrum as part of the process of reading or writing data to or from optical discs

A

optical disc drive

38
Q

An older (slower) connection specification that calls for 80-pin ribbon cable that supports up to two devices and constitutes a single data channel to the motherboard.

A

PATA

39
Q

A device attached to a host computer but not part of it

A

peripheral

40
Q

A plug-and-play, processor independent (the CPU and this bus can process concurrently)
component connectors slot. These slots are typically white.

A

peripheral component interconnect (PCI)

41
Q

A connector slot which utilizes a switch to prioritize and routes data creating a faster, more
reliable transmission. Most commonly used for video cards. These slots are typically white.

A

peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe)

42
Q

A form of digital memory where the setting of each bit is locked by a fuse or antifuse. These are used to store programs permanently.

A

PROM (programmable read-only memory )

43
Q

A unit of the computer that converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC for the power of all the computer components

A

PSU (power supply unit)

44
Q

An umbrella term for computer data storage schemes that can divide and replicate data among multiple hard disk drives in order to increase reliability

A

RAID (redundant array of independent disks)

45
Q

A memory chip used for the main memory of a microcomputer. Application software will both store and retrieve information from this type of chip.

A

RAM (random access memory)

46
Q

A small amount of storage available as part of a CPU or other digital processor; addressed by mechanisms other than main memory and can be accessed more quickly.

A

register

47
Q

A memory chip on which a series of instruction have been permanently stored. This type of chip might store a copy of your favorite word processor or spreadsheet on your laptop computer.

A

ROM (read only memory)

48
Q

A newer connection specification for transferring data between the motherboard and storage devices in serial mode

A

SATA

49
Q

Dynamic random access memory that is synchronized with the system bus.

A

SDRAM (synchronous dynamic random-access memory)

50
Q

A chip that contains random access memory (RAM) for the computer. Older chips contain 30 pins and the newer chips contain 72 pins; contains as little as 256 KB and as much as 128 MB of memory.

A

SIMM (single in-line memory module)

51
Q

A data storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently this device does not contain moving mechanical components.

A

solid state drive (SSD)

52
Q

A data storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently.

A

solid-state drive (SSD)

53
Q

One of the two chips in the core logic chipset; typically implements the slower capabilities of the motherboard. In Intel chipset systems

A

southbridge

54
Q

A semiconductor memory that does not need to be periodically refreshed.

A

SRAM (static random-access memory)

55
Q

A peripheral device used for backups that allows only sequential access to data.

A

tape drive

56
Q

An electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system

A

terminal

57
Q

A specification to establish communication between devices and a host controller (usually personal computers). USB is intended to replace many varieties of serial and parallel ports.

A

USB (universal serial bus)

Hardware/Software (2 decks)

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