Device

A piece of equipment that is part of a computer system and performs a specific task, such as a disk drive, a monitor, or a printer.

Device driver

A file containing instructions that allow your computer to recognize and communicate with a device. The device may be a printer, monitor, or other type of device.

Diagnostics

See System diagnostics and Power-on diagnostics.

DIP switch

Dual Inline Package switch. A small rocker- or sliding-type switch on a device that controls a particular function.

Directory

A group of files stored in a particular area on a disk. A directory listing shows the name, location, and size of the files in the directory. A directory can contain both files and subdirectories.

Disk

The collective term for diskettes and hard disks, the devices on which the computer stores data magnetically.

Disk drive

The electromechanical device that reads data from and writes data to a disk, tape, or other storage media. A diskette drive accepts removable diskettes in its disk slot while a hard disk is sealed inside a protective casing.

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