| A | B |
|---|
| basic input/output services (BIOS) | Classically, software routines burned onto the system ROM of a PC. More commonly seen as any software that directly controls a particular piece of hardware. A set of programs encoded in read-only memory (ROM) on computers. These programs handle startup operations and low-level control of hardware such as disk drives, the keyboard, and monitor. |
| system BIOS | Primary set of BIOS stored on an EPROM or Flash chip on the motherboard. Defines the BIOS for all the assumed hardware on the motherboard, such as keyboard controller, floppy drive, basic video, and RAM |
| beep codes | Series of audible tones produced by a motherboard during the POST. These tones identify whether the POST has completed successfully or whether some piece of system hardware is not working properly. Consult the manual for your particular motherboard for a specific list of beep codes. |
| bootable disk | Disk that contains a functional operating system; can also be a floppy disk, USB thumb drive, or optical disc. |
| bootstrap loader | Segment of code in a system's BIOS that scans for an operation system, looks specifically for a valid boot sector, and, when one is found, hands control over to the boot sector; then the bootstrap loader removes itself from memory. |
| chassis intrusion detection | Feature offered in some chassis that trips a switch when the chassis is opened. |
| chipset | Electronic chips, specially designed to work together, that handle all of the low-level functions of a PC. In the original PC, the chipset consisted of close to 30 different chips; today, chipsets usually consist of one, two, or three separate chips embedded into a motherboard. |
| CMOS setup program | Program enabling you to access and update CMOS data. |
| CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) | Originally, the type of nonvolatile RAM that held information about the most basic parts of your PC, such as hard drives, floppies, and amount of DRAM. Today, actual CMOS chips have been replaced by Flash-type nonvolatile RAM. The information is the same, however, and is still called CMOS-even though it is now almost always stored on Flash RAM. |
| device driver | Program used by the operating system to control communications between the computer and peripherals. |
| Device Manager | Utility that enables techs to examine and configure all the hardware and drivers in a Windows PC. |
| DriveLock | CMOS program enabling you to control the ATA security mode feature set. Also known as drive lock. |
| Southbridge | Part of a motherboard chipset; handles all the inputs and outputs to the many devices in the PC |
| system disk | Any device with a functional operating system |
| device driver | Program used by the operating system to control communications between the computer and peripherals. |
| Device Manager | Utility that enables techs to examine and configure all the hardware and drivers in a Windows PC. |
| DriveLock | CMOS program enabling you to control the ATA security mode feature set. Also known as drive lock. |
| Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) | Firmware created by Intel and HP that replaced traditional 16-bit BIOS and added several new enhancements |
| UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) | Consortium of companies that established the UEFI standard that replaced the original EFI standard |
| Firmware | Embedded programs or code stored on a ROM chip. Generally OS-independent, thus allowing devices to operate in a wide variety of circumstances without direct OS support. The system BIOS is firmware |
| flash ROM | ROM technology that can be electrically reprogrammed while still in the PC. Overwhelmingly the most common storage medium of BIOS in PCs today, as it can be upgraded without a need to open the computer on most systems |
| installation disc | Typically a CD-ROM or DVD that holds all the necessary device drivers |
| nonvolatile | Memory that retains data even if power is removed |
| Northbridge | Chip that connects a CPU to memory, the PCI bus, Level 2 cache, and AGP activities. Communicates with the CPU through the frontside bus. Newer CPUs feature an integrated Northbridge |
| option ROM | Alternative way of telling the system how to talk to a piece of hardware. Option ROM stores BIOS for the card onboard a chip on the card itself |
| POST card | Are simple cards that snap into expansion slots on your system |
| power good wire | Used to wake up the CPU after the power supply has tested for proper voltage |
| power-on self test | When the computer is turned on or reset, it initiates a special program, also stored on the system ROM chip |
| Registry | Complex binary file used to store configuration data about a particular system. To edit the Registry, users can use the applets found in the Control Panel or REGEDIT.EXE or REGEDT32.EXE |
| read-only memory (ROM) | Generic term for nonvolatile memory that can be read from but not written to. This means that code and data stored in ROM cannot be corrupted by accidental erasure. Additionally, ROM retains its data when power is removed, which makes it the perfect medium for storing BIOS data or information such as scientific constants |
| system ROM | ROM chip that stores the system BIOS |
| scan code | Unique code corresponding to each key on the keyboard sent from the keyboard controller to the CPU |
| services | A ROM chip that stores programs |
