Glossary

Address

The location where information is stored in a computer’s memory.

ATA-2

AT Attachment. A drive interface that provides high speed and high capacity data transfer.

BIOS

Basic Input/ Output System. Routines in ROM (Read Only Memory) that handle the transfer of information in your operating system.

Boot

The process a computer performs to check its components and then load the operating system into memory.

Cache

Ahigh-speed memory buffer that stores frequently used data where your processor can access it faster. Your computer includes 8KB of internal cache built into the processor and may include external cache installed on the main system board. The external cache can be expanded to 512KB by installing additional cache SRAM chips.

CMOS

Complimentary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. A low-power silicon chip used for RAM and switching operations. CMOS is backed up by a battery.

G l o s s a r y 1