Dell 530 manual Atapi, Bios, Btu

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ATAPI

Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface. An interface used to connect CD, tape, and other drives with a computer.

Binary

A system of numbers having 2 as its base and using 0 and 1 for its notation. Binary code is used by computers because it works well with digital electronics and logic.

BIOS

Basic input/output system. Composed of software and data stored on a ROM chip. The BIOS initializes communication between the microprocessor and devices such as the keyboard and video adapter. The BIOS also controls system functions such as error messages and beep codes. The BIOS can be updated, or "flashed," which can correct errors, support new hardware, and so on. System setup allows you to configure certain options in the BIOS.

Bit

A shortened reference to binary digit. A bit is the smallest unit of storage and represents a quantity that can have only one of two possible values, such as true or false, or 0 or 1.

bps

Bits per second. A measurement of data transmission speed.

Bps

Bytes per second. A measurement of data transmission speed.

BTU

British Thermal Unit. A measurement of thermal energy that equals approximately 1055 joules (or 1055 watt-seconds), or the amount of thermal energy necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of pure liquid water by one degree F at the temperature at which water has its greatest density (39 °F).

Bus

An electronic pathway that links computer components such as the microprocessor, RAM, expansion cards, and so on. The "width" of a bus indicates the amount of data that can move along the bus and is determined by the number of parallel conductors in the bus. For example, a 32-bit bus has 32 conductors and can move 32 bits of data at once.

Bus Speed

The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a bus can transfer information. For example, PCI bus speeds are 33 or 66 MHz, and the AGP bus speed is 66 MHz. Intel Pentium® microprocessors have bus speeds of 66 or 100 MHz. The microprocessor operating speed is determined by a combination of the bus speed and multiplier; for example, 100 MHz bus speed x 4.5 multiplier = 450 MHz microprocessor speed.

Byte

A measurement of data storage that equals eight contiguous bits of information.

C

Celsius. A measurement of temperature that equals the conversion formula (Tf - 32) * (5 / 9), where Tf equals temperature in F.

Cache

An area of high-speed RAM set aside to store frequently accessed data. When data is accessed, a copy is stored in cache memory. The next time the microprocessor looks for information, it first checks the cache. If the data is there, the microprocessor retrieves it from the much-faster cache memory. Drive caching and RAM caching significantly improve the overall speed of the computer. See also L1 Cache and L2 Cache.

CD

Compact disc. An optical form of storage media, typically used for audio and application programs.

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