Abbreviation for Desktop Management Interface. DMI enables the management of your computer system's software and hardware. DMI collects information about the system's components, such as the operating system, memory, peripherals, expansion cards, and asset tag. Information about the system's components is displayed as a MIF file or through the

Dell OpenManage Client Administrator program.

DMTF

Abbreviation for Desktop Management Task Force, a consortium of companies representing hardware and software providers, of which Dell Computer Corporation is a member.

dpi

Abbreviation for dots per inch.

DPMS

Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA(r)) that defines the hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to enter a power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a computer's video controller.

DRAM

Abbreviation for dynamic random-access memory. A computer's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical charge indefinitely, your computer continually refreshes each DRAM chip in the computer.

drive-type number

Your computer can recognize a number of specific hard-disk drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is stored in NVRAM. The hard-disk drive(s) specified in your computer's System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the computer. The System Setup program also allows you to specify physical parameters (logical cylinders, logical heads, cylinder number, and logical sectors per pack) for drives not included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM.

DTE

Abbreviation for data terminal equipment. Any device, such as a computer system, that can send data in digital form by means of a cable or communications line. The DTE is connected to the cable or communications line through a data communications equipment (DCE) device, such as a modem.

SIMM

Acronym for single in-line memory module. A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.

Slot 2 SEC

Abbreviation for Slot 2 single-edge contact. Newer Intel processors, such as the Intel Pentium II Xeon™ processor, use this type of connector as an interface between the processor and the system board.

SMART

Acronym for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. A technology that allows hard-disk drives to report errors and failures to the system BIOS, which then displays an error message on the screen. To take advantage of this technology, you must have a SMART-compliant hard-disk drive and the proper support in the system BIOS.

SNMP

Abbreviation for Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is an industry-standard interface that allows a network manager to remotely monitor and manage workstations.

SRAM

Abbreviation for static random-access memory. Because SRAM chips do not require continual refreshing, they are substantially faster than DRAM chips.

SVGA

Abbreviation for super video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than previous standards.

To display a program at a specific resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution. Similarly, the number of colors that a program can display depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video driver, and the amount of video memory installed in the computer.

switch

On a computer system board, switches control various circuits or functions in your computer system. These switches are known as DIP switches; they are normally packaged in groups of two or more switches in a plastic case. Two common DIP switches are used on system boards: slide switches and rocker switches. The names of the switches are based on how the settings (on and off) of the switches are changed.

syntax

The rules that dictate how you must type a command or