Ipx, Irq, Isa, Ite | Dell 610 guide

Abbreviation for ISA Configuration Utility.

I/O

Abbreviation for input/output. The keyboard is an input device, and a printer is an output device. In general, I/O activity can be differentiated from computational activity. For example, when a program sends a document to the printer, it is engaging in output activity; when the program sorts a list of terms, it is engaging in computational activity.

Abbreviation for identification.

interlacing

A technique for increasing video resolution by only updating alternate horizontal lines on the screen. Because interlacing can result in noticeable screen flicker, most users prefer noninterlaced video adapter resolutions.

internal processor cache

An instruction and data cache built in to the processor. The Intel Pentium processor includes a 16-KB internal cache, which is set up as an 8-KB read-only instruction cache and an 8-KB read/write data cache.

IPX

Acronym for internetwork packet exchange.

IRQ

Abbreviation for interrupt request. A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the processor. Each peripheral connection must be assigned an IRQ number. For example, the first serial port in your computer (COM1) is assigned to IRQ4 by default. Two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, but you cannot operate both devices simultaneously.

ISA

Acronym for Industry-Standard Architecture. A 16-bit expansion bus design. The expansion-card connectors in an ISA computer are also compatible with 8-bit ISA expansion cards.

ITE

Abbreviation for information technology equipment.

A method for increasing addressable RAM by using the hard- disk drive. For example, in a computer with 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of virtual memory set up on the hard-disk drive, the operating system would manage the system as though it had 32 MB of physical RAM.

virus

A self-starting program designed to inconvenience you. Virus programs have been known to corrupt the files stored on a hard-disk drive or to replicate themselves until a computer or network runs out of memory.

The most common way that virus programs move from one computer to another is via "infected" diskettes, from which they copy themselves to the hard-disk drive. To guard against virus programs, you should do the following:

Periodically run a virus-checking utility on your computer's hard-disk drive

Always run a virus-checking utility on any diskettes (including commercially sold software) before using them

VLSI

Abbreviation for very-large-scale integration.

Vpp

Abbreviation for peak-point voltage.

VRAM

Abbreviation for video random-access memory. Some video adapters use VRAM chips (or a combination of VRAM and DRAM) to improve video performance. VRAM is dual-ported, allowing the video adapter to update the screen and receive new image data at the same time.

Abbreviation for watt(s).

Abbreviation for watt-hour(s).

win.ini file

A start-up file for the Windows operating system. When you start Windows, it consults the win.ini file to determine a variety of options for the Windows operating environment. Among other things, the win.ini file records what printer(s) and fonts are installed for Windows. The win.ini file also usually includes sections that contain optional settings for Windows application programs that are installed on the hard-disk drive.

Running the Control Panel or Windows Setup program may change options in the win.ini file. On other occasions, you