Lecture Notes Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes.

Ports

Connection points that we can connect devices to that extend the functionality of our computer.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The brain of our computer; it does all the calculations and data processing.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Our computer's short-term memory.

Hard drive

Holds all of our data, which includes all of our music, pictures, and applications.

Motherboard

The body or circulatory system of the computer that connects all the pieces together.

Power Supply Unit

Converts AC electricity from the wall outlet into DC current the computer and all its components can use to operate.

Charge cycle

One full charge and discharge of a battery.

Programs

Instructions that tell the computer what to do.

External data bus (EDB)

A row of wires that interconnect the parts of our computer. Data sent through the EDB from the MCC to the CPU.

Memory Controller Chip (MCC)

Bridge between CPU and RAM that takes data instructions from RAM and sends it through the EDB to the CPU.

Address Bus

Connects CPU to MCC and sends the location of data but not the data itself.

Cache memory

Small amount of recently used data stored in either hardware or software.

Clock speed

The maximum number of clock cycles that it can handle in a certain period.

Overclocking

Sets CPUs to run at a higher Clock frequency rate (often in GHz) than manufacturers' original specifications, allowing for higher volume of instructions per nanosecond, resulting in faster performance.

PGA Socket

Has pins coming out of the processor itself.

DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)

Sorts each bit in microscopic capacitors and transistors.

DIMM sticks (Dual Inline Memory Module)

Have different sizes of pins on them that connect RAM chips to the Motherboard.

DDR (Double data rate SDRAM)

Transfers data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal.

Northbridge

Interconnects RAM and video cards.

Southbridge

Maintains input/output (IO) controllers.

Peripherals

External devices we connect to our computer, like a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

Expansion slots

Give us the ability to increase the functionality of our computer.

Form Factor

Determines the amount we can put in and the amount of space we’ll have.

Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

Spinning magnetic platters and a mechanical arm that read and write information. The speed the platters rotate allows you to read and write data faster (RPM).

Solid State Drive (SSD)

No moving parts, where data is stored on microchips. Much faster and safer data storage than HDDs.

ATA

The most common interface that hard drives use to connect to a system.

SATA (Serial ATA)

Interface that uses one cable for data transfers. Usually used for HDDs.

Advanced Technology eXtended (ATX)

The most common form factor for motherboards.

Information Technology eXtended (ITX)

Smaller form factor for motherboards compared to ATX boards.

Hot swappable

Don’t have to turn off your machine to plug in a SATA drive.

NVME (Non-Volatile Memory Express)

Expansion slot designed for greater data transfer for the new SSDs.

Wattage

The amount of volts and amps that a device needs. (P = V * I)

System on a Chip (SoC)

Packs the CPU, RAM, and sometimes even the storage onto a single chip.

BYOD

Bring your own device

Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)

Cables transmitting voice

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

Provides access to high-speed networks or internet

Cable Internet

Uses a cable TV infrastructure and a modem to provide high-speed internet access

Fiber-optic cables

Contain strands of glass fibers inside an insulated casing that send data long-distance and allow for higher bandwidth communication

Molex

Connectors provide power to drives or devices inside the computer. Molex connectors are also used for hard drives, disc drives, or video cards

Drivers

Program instructions for the CPU to communicate and utilize external devices like mouses, keyboards etc.

Basic Input Output Services (BIOS)

Software that helps initialize the hardware and gets our operating system up and running. Stored in CMOS.

Unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI)

Performs the same function of starting your computer as the traditional BIOS, but it’s more modern and has better compatibility and support for newer hardware.

Disk Image

Copy of an operating system

Reimaging

Wiping and reinstalling an operating system, often through a USB or CD ram

Standoffs

Used to raise and attach your motherboard to the case

Factory reset

Removes all data, apps, and customizations from the device

Liquid Crystal Display(LCD)

Liquid Crystals that have the properties of liquid and solid that can be aligned then manipulated with electricity. LCD’s require a backlighting unit(BLU) which often are LED’s making displays larger and less flexible.

Power on Self Test (POST)

Figures out what hardware is on the computer and makes sure it is running properly