Glossary - IBM Deskstar 14GXP Installation Manual

ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
ANSI is the lead organization for encouraging and developing technological standards. ANSI repre-
sents the United States in the IEC, International Electrotechnical Commission and the ISO, Interna-
tional Standards Organization.
ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)
ATA is the official name given to the IDE interface by ANSI. See IDE.
ATA-4
ATA-3 standard, with Ultra DMA capability.
Backup
Storing information from a hard drive on another storage area in order to prevent data loss. Tape drives
and Zip drives are two common mediums for saving vital information contained on a hard drive.
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
The BIOS is the first level of software contained in a computer. It provides basic, low level control for
keyboards, video, hard disk drives, and floppy drives. The BIOS provides the initial intelligence allow-
ing the computer system to find an operating system to run.
Boot/Boot-up
To prepare a computer system for operation by loading an operating system.
Capacity
The amount of information, expressed in bytes, that can be stored on a hard drive. Also known as
storage capacity.
CMOS
The CMOS is a memory chip which keeps a data record of the components installed in a computer.
The CMOS receives a minute flow of power from a small battery which allows it to retain its data, even
when the computer's main power is turned off.
Compatibility
The capability of a hardware or software component to conform with the interface requirements of a
given data processing system without adversely affecting its functions.
Cylinder
(1) In an assembly of magnetic disks, the set of all tracks that can be accessed by all the magnetic
heads of a comb in a given position.
(2) The tracks of a disk storage device that can be accessed without repositioning the access
mechanism.
Disk Drive
The primary data storage device used by computers. Disk drives are used to record, store and retrieve
digital information in a computer system.
DMA (Direct Memory Access)
Direct memory access is a process for transferring data directly to and from main memory without
passing it through the CPU. DMA improves speed and efficiency by allowing the system to continue
processing even while it is retrieving new data from the drive.
Dynamic Drive Overlay
Dynamic Drive Overlay is software that overwrites a computer's system BIOS.
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Glossary

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