MSI 845 PRO4 Manual page 81

Appendix A
Bus
A set of hardware lines within the computer system, through which the
data is transferred among different components. In a PC, the term bus
usually refers to a local bus that connects the internal components to the
CPU and main memory.
Cache
A special memory subsystem that is used to speed up the data traffer. It
stores the contents of frequently accessed RAM locations and the ad-
dresses where these data items are stored.
Chipset
A collection of integrated chips designed to perform one or more related
functions. For example, a modem chipset contains all the primary cir-
cuits for transmitting and receiving data; a PC chipset provides the elec-
tronic interfaces between all subsystems.
CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
CMOS is a widely used type of semiconductor, which features high speed
and low power consumption. PCs usually contain a small amount of
battery-powered CMOS memory to retain the date, time, and system setup
parameters.
COM
In MS-DOS system, the name of a serial communications port. DOS
supports four serial ports. For example, if a modem is connected to one
serial port and a serial mouse to another, they are identified as COM1
and COM2.
DIMM (dual in-line memory module)
A small circuit board that holds memory chips. A SIMM (single in-line
memory module) has a 32-bit path to the memory chips whereas a DIMM
has 64-bit path.
A-2