hardware &desktop

POST

Power-On Self-Test performed during computer startup.

BIOS/UEFI

Firmware that initializes hardware and begins the operating system boot process.

RAM

Volatile memory used by the computer for active programs and data.

Bad RAM

Can cause crashes, freezes, blue screens, memory errors, or boot failures.

SSD

Solid-state storage using flash memory with no moving parts.

HDD

Hard disk drive using magnetic disks and mechanical components.

Failing Storage

Can cause slow performance, corrupted files, boot errors, or drive-health warnings.

PSU

Power Supply Unit that provides electrical power to computer components.

NIC

Network Interface Card providing network connectivity.

Driver

Software that allows the operating system to communicate with hardware.

Blue Screen

A Windows critical system error that causes a system crash.

GPU

Graphics Processing Unit responsible for rendering graphical output.

CPU

Central Processing Unit that executes computer instructions.

Thermal Throttling

Performance reduction caused when hardware becomes too hot.

Device Manager

Windows utility for checking hardware devices and driver problems.

No Signal

A display condition that may result from a bad cable, wrong input, GPU, port, or system failure.