| A | B |
|---|
| Active partition | on a hard drive, primary partition that contains an operating system |
| AutoDetect | process through which new disks are automatically recognized by the BIOS |
| Basic disk | hard drive partitioned in the “classic” way with a master boot record(MBR) and partition table |
| Boot sector | first sector on a PC hard drive or floppy disk, track 0. The boot-up software in ROM tells the computer to load whatever program is found there. If a system disk is read, the program in the boot record directs the computer to the root directory to load the operating system |
| CHKDSK (check disk) | hard drive error detection and, to a certain extent, correction utility in Windows. Originally a DOS command; also the executable for the graphical Error-checking tool |
| Cluster | Basic unit of storage on a floppy or hard disk. Multiple sectors are contained in a cluster. When Windows stores a file on a disk, it writes those files into dozens or even hundreds of contiguous clusters. If there aren’t enough contiguous clusters open clusters available, the operating system finds the next open cluster and writes there, continuing this process until the entire file is saved. The FAT or MFT tracks how the files are distributed among the clusters on the disk |
| Data structure | scheme that directs how an OS stores and retrieves data on and off a drive. Used interchangeably with the term file system |
| Defragment | procedure in which all the files on a hard disk are rewritten on disk so that all parts of each file reside in contiguous clusters. The results is an improvement in disk speed during retrieval operations |
| Disk cleanup | utility built into Windows that can help users clean up their disks by removing temporary Internet files, deleting unused program files , and more |
| Disk Management | Snap-in available with the Microsoft Management Console that enables techs to configure the various disks installed in a system, available in the Computer Management Administrative Tool |
| Disk quotas | Application allowing network administrators to limit hard drive space usage |
| Dual-boot | refers to a computer with two operating system installed, enabling users to choose which operating system to load on boot. Can also refers to kicking a device a second time just in case the first time don’t work |
| Dynamic disk | special feature of Windows that enables users to span a single volume across two ormore drives. Dynamic disks do not have partitions; they have volume. Dynamic disks can be striped, mirrored, and striped or mirrored with parity |
| Encrypting file system | the encryption utility in NTFS |
| Error-checking | windows XP/Vista/7 name for the Checkdisk and ScanDisk tools |
| Error correction code (ECC) | special software, embedded on hard drives, that constantly scans the drives for bad sectors. |
| Extended partition | type of non-bootable hard disk partition. May only have one extended partition per disk. Purpose is to divide a large disk into smaller partitions, each with a separate drive letter |
| Expand | command-line utility program included with window used to access files within CAB files. |
| FAT32 | file allocation table that uses 32 bits for addressing clusters. Commonly used with Windows 98 and window Me systems. Some windows 2000 Professional and windows XP systems also use FAT32, although most modern windows system use the more robust NTFS |
| FDISK | disk-partitioning utility included with windows |
| File allocation table (FAT) | hidden table that records how files on a hard disk are stored in distint clusters; the only way DOS knows where to access files. Address of first cluster of a file is stored in the directory file |
| File allocation unit | another term for cluster |
| File system | scheme that directs how an OS stores and retrieve data |
| Formatting | Magnetically mapping a disk to provide a structure for storing data; can be done to any type of disk, including a floppy disk, hard disk, or other type of removable disk |
| Fragmentation | Occurs when files and directories get jumbled on a fixed disk and are no longer contiguous. Can significantly slow down hard drive access times and can be repaired by using the DEFRAG utility included with each version of Windows |
| High-level formatting | Format that sets up a file system on a drive |
| Logical drive | Sections of a hard drive that are formatted and assigned a drive letter, each of which is presented to the user as if it were separate drive |
| Master boot record(MBR) | Tiny bit of code that takes control of the boot process from the system BIOS |
| Master file table (MFT) | Enhanced file allocation table used by NTFS |
| Mirrored volume | Volume that is mirrored on another volume |
| New Technology File System (NTFS) | Robust and secure file system introduced by Microsoft with Windows NT. NTFS provides an amazing array of configuration options for user access and security. Users can be granted access to data on a file basis |
| Operating system(OS) | series of programs and code that create an interface so users can interact with a system’s hardware |
| Partition | section of the storage area of a hard disk. Created during initial preparation of the hard, before the disk is formatted |
| Partition table | table located in the boot sector of a hard drive that lists every partition on the disk that contains a valid operating system |
| Partitioning | electronically subdividing a physical hard drive into groups called partitions (or volume) |
| Raid 5 volume | striped set with parity |
| Simple volume | volume created when setting up dynamic disks. Act like a primary partition on a dynamic disk |
| Spanned volume | volume that uses space on multiple dynamic disk |
| Stripe set | two or more drives in a group that are used for a striped volume |
| Volume | physical unit of a storage medium, such as tape reel or disk pack, that is capable of having date recorded on it and subsequently read. Also refers to a contiguous collection of cylinders or blocks on a disk that are treated as a separate unit |
| Volume boot sector | first sector of the first cylinder of each partition; stores information important to its partition, such as the location of the operating system boot files |
| Primary partition | Partition on a Windows hard drive designated to store the operating system |
