Chapter 1 A+ Terms (All Terms)

system BIOS

(basic input/output system) BIOS located on the motherboard that is used to control essential devices before the OS is loaded.

VGA (Video Graphics Array) port

A 15-pin analog video port popular for many years.

DB-15 port

A 15-pin female port that transmits analog video.

SATA power connector

A 15-pin flat power connector that provides power to SATA drives.

S-Video port

A 4-pin or 7-pin round video port that sends two signals over the cable, one for color and the other for brightness, and is used by some high-end TVs and video equipment.

Molex power connector

A 4-pin power connector used to provide power to a PATA hard drive or optical drive.

Berg Connector

A Berg connector is a brand of electrical connector used in computer hardware.

SIMM

A SIMM, or single in-line memory module, is a type of memory module containing random access memory used in computers from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. SIMMs contacts are redundant on both sides of the module.

microATX (MATX)

A USB connector that has five pins and is smaller than the Mini-B connector. It is used on digital cameras, cell phones, and other small electronic devices.

power supply

A box inside the computer case that receives power and converts it to provide power to the motherboard and other installed devices. Power supplies provide 3.3, 5, and 12 volts DC. Also called a power supply unit (PSU).

power supply unit (PSU)

A box inside the computer case that receives power and converts it to provide power to the motherboard and other installed devices. Power supplies provide 3.3, 5, and 12 volts DC. Also called a power supply unit (PSU).

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)

A bus common to desktop computers that uses a 32-bit wide or a 64-bit data path. Several variations of PCI exist. One or more notches on a PCI slot keep the wrong PCI cards from being inserted in the PCI slot.

CPU

A central processing unit (CPU), also referred to as a central processor unit, is the brains of a computer.

expansion card

A circuit board inserted into a slot on the motherboard to enhance the capability of the computer.

field replaceable unit (FRU)

A component in a computer or device that can be replaced with a new component without sending the computer or device back to the manufacturer. Examples: power supply, DIMM, motherboard, hard disk drive.

desktop case

A computer case that lies flat and sometimes serves double-duty as a monitor stand.

8-pin motherboard auxiliary connector

A connector on the motherboard used to provide additional power to the processor other than that provided by the P1 connector or the earlier 4-pin auxiliary connector.

4-pin motherboard auxiliary connector

A connector on the motherboard used to provide additional power to the processor other than that provided by the P1 connector.

power supply tester

A device that can test the output of each power cord coming from a power supply.

inverter

A device that converts DC to AC.

multimeter

A device used to measure the various attributes of an electrical circuit. The most common measurements are voltage, current, and resistance.

loopback plug

A device used to test a port in a computer or other device to make sure the port is working and might also test the throughput or speed of the port.

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port

A digital audio and video interface standard currently used on televisions and other home theater equipment and expected to ultimately replace DVI.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

A document that explains how to properly handle substances such as chemical solvents; it includes information such as physical data, toxicity, health effects, first aid, storage, disposal, and spill procedures.

floppy disk drive (FDD)

A drive that can hold either a 5½ inch or 3¼ inch floppy disk. Also called floppy drive.

floppy drive

A drive that can hold either a 5½ inch or 3¼ inch floppy disk. Also called floppy drive.

Class C fire extinguisher

A fire extinguisher rated to put out electrical fires.

serial port

A male 9-pin or 25-pin port on a computer system used by slower I/O devices such as a mouse or modem. Data travels serially, one bit at a time, through the port. Serial ports are sometimes configured as COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4.

ESD mat

A mat that dissipates ESD and is commonly used by technicians who repair and assemble computers at their workbenches or in an assembly line.

ground mat

A mat that dissipates ESD and is commonly used by technicians who repair and assemble computers at their workbenches or in an assembly line.

amp

A measure of electrical current.

volt

A measure of potential difference in an electrical circuit. A computer ATX power supply usually provides five separate voltages: +12 V, −12 V, +5 V, −5 V, and +3.3 V.

joule

A measure of work or energy. One joule of energy produces one watt of power for one second.

self-grounding

A method to safeguard against ESD that involves touching the computer case or power supply before touching a component in the computer case.

DIMM (dual inline memory module)

A miniature circuit board installed on a motherboard to hold memory. DIMMs can hold up to 16 GB of RAM on a single module.

Motherboard

A motherboard (sometimes alternatively known as the mainboard, system board, planar board or logic board,[1] or colloquially, a mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) found in computers and other expandable systems.

RJ-11

A phone line connection or port found on modems, telephones, and house phone outlets.

heat sink

A piece of metal, with cooling fins, that can be attached to or mounted on an integrated chip (such as the CPU) to dissipate heat.

S/PDIF (Sony Philips Digital Interface) sound port

A port that connects to an external home theater audio system, providing digital audio output and the nest signal quality.

RJ-45

A port that looks like a large phone jack and is used by twisted-pair cable to connect to a wired network adapter or other hardware device. RJ stands for registered jack.

Thunderbolt

A port that transmits both video and data on the same port and cable. The port is shaped the same as the DisplayPort and is compatible with DisplayPort devices.

DVI (Digital Video Interface) port

A port that transmits digital or analog video.

DisplayPort

A port that transmits digital video and audio (not analog transmissions) and is slowly replacing VGA and DVI ports on personal computers.

Ethernet port

A port used by a network cable to connect to the wired network.

network port

A port used by a network cable to connect to the wired network.

FireWire port

A port used for high-speed multimedia devices such as camcorders. Also called an IEEE 1394 port.

IEEE1394 port

A port used for high-speed multimedia devices such as camcorders. Also called an IEEE 1394 port.

modem port

A port used to connect dial-up phone lines to computers.

PS/2 port

A round 6-pin port used by a keyboard or mouse.

POST (power-on self test)

A self-diagnostic program used to perform a simple test of the CPU, RAM, and various I/O devices. The POST is performed by startup BIOS when the computer is first turned on, and is stored in ROM-BIOS.

form factors

A set of specifications on the size, shape, and configuration of a computer hardware component such as a case, power supply, or motherboard.

external SATA (eSATA)

A standard for external drives based on SATA that uses a special external shielded SATA cable up to 2 meters long. eSATA is up to six times faster than USB or FireWire.

ESD strap

A strap you wear around your wrist that is attached to the computer case, ground mat, or another ground so that ESD is discharged from your body before you touch sensitive components inside a computer. Also called static strap, ground strap, ESD bracelet.

antistatic wrist strap

A strap you wear around your wrist that is attached to the computer case, ground mat, or another ground so that ESD is discharged from your body before you touch sensitive components inside a computer. Also called static strap, ground strap, ESD bracelet.

ground bracelet

A strap you wear around your wrist that is attached to the computer case, ground mat, or another ground so that ESD is discharged from your body before you touch sensitive components inside a computer. Also called static strap, ground strap, ESD bracelet.

dual voltage selector switch

A switch on the back of the computer case where you can switch the input voltage to the power supply to 115 V used in the United States or 220 V used in other countries.

POST card

A test card installed in a slot on the motherboard that is used to help discover and report computer errors and conflicts that occur when a computer is first turned on and before the operating system is launched.

POST diagnostic card

A test card installed in a slot on the motherboard that is used to help discover and report computer errors and conflicts that occur when a computer is first turned on and before the operating system is launched.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) port

A type of port designed to make installation and configuration of I/O devices easy, providing room for as many as 127 devices daisy-chained together.

Berg power connector

A type of power connector used by a power cord to provide power to a floppy disk drive.

ATX

ATX (for Advanced Technology eXtended) is a form factor for motherboards.

central processing unit (CPU)

Also called a microprocessor or processor. The component where almost all processing of data and instructions takes place. The CPU receives data input, processes information, and executes instructions.

microprocessor

Also called a microprocessor or processor. The component where almost all processing of data and instructions takes place. The CPU receives data input, processes information, and executes instructions.

processor

Also called a microprocessor or processor. The component where almost all processing of data and instructions takes place. The CPU receives data input, processes information, and executes instructions.

serial ATA (SATA)

An ATAPI interface standard that uses a narrower and more reliable cable than the 80-conductor cable and is easier to configure than PATA systems.

ATX12V power supply

An ATX Version 2.1 power supply that provides a 12 V power cord with a 4-pin connector to be used by the auxiliary 4-pin power connector on motherboards used to provide extra power for processors.

transformer

An electrical device that changes the ratio of current to voltage. A computer power supply is basically a transformer and a rectifier.

rectifier

An electrical device that converts AC to DC. A computer power supply contains a rectifier.

parallel ATA (PATA)

An older IDE cabling method that uses a 40-pin flat or round data cable or an 80-conductor cable and a 40-pin IDE connector. See also serial ATA.

parallel port

An outdated female 25-pin port on a computer that transmitted data in parallel, 8 bits at a time, and was usually used with a printer. The names for parallel ports are LPT1 and LPT2. Parallel ports have been replaced by USB ports.

electrostatic discharge (ESD)

Another name for static electricity, which can damage chips and destroy motherboards, even though it might not be felt or seen with the naked eye.

alternating current (AC)

Current that cycles back and forth rather than traveling in only one direction. In the United States, the AC voltage from a standard wall outlet is normally between 110 and 115 V. In Europe, the standard AC voltage from a wall outlet is 220 V.

direct current (DC)

Current that travels in only one direction (the type of electricity provided by batteries). Computer power supplies transform AC to low DC.

DIMM

DIMM or dual in-line memory module comprises a series of dynamic random-access memory integrated circuits. These modules are mounted on a printed circuit board and designed for use in personal computers, workstations and servers.

DRAM

Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is a type of random-access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit. The main memory (the "RAM") in personal computers is dynamic RAM (DRAM).

BIOS (basic input/output system)

Firmware that can control much of a computer's input/output functions, such as communication with the keyboard and the monitor.

ESD gloves

Gloves designed to prevent an ESD (electrostatic discharge) between you and a device, as you pick it up and handle it.

antistatic gloves

Gloves designed to prevent an ESD (electrostatic discharge) between you and a device, as you pick it up and handle it.

IDE

IDE and ATA-1, the first version of what is now called the ATA/ATAPI interface was developed by Western Digital under the name Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE).

RIMM

In a computer, a RIMM is a memory module developed by Kingston Technology Corp. that takes up less space inside the computer than the older DIMM module and has different pin characteristics.

Linux+

Linux+ is a certification of knowledge of Linux operating systems, from their installation and use to the basics of applicable free software and open source licenses.

trip hazard

Loose cables or cords in a traffic area where people can trip over them.

RAM (random access memory)

Memory modules on the motherboard containing microchips used to temporarily hold data and programs while the CPU processes both. Information in RAM is lost when the PC is turned off.

video memory

Memory used by the video controller. The memory might be contained on a video card or be part of system memory. When part of system memory, the memory is dedicated by Windows to video.

Molex Connector

Molex connector (sometimes simply referred to as Molex) is the vernacular term for a two-piece pin and socket interconnection, most frequently disk drive connectors. Pioneered by Molex Connector Company, the two-piece design became an early electronic standard.

Network+

Network+ is a certification that is used to measure skill as a network technician: understanding of network hardware, installation, and troubleshooting.

startup BIOS

Part of system BIOS that is responsible for controlling the computer when it is first turned on. Startup BIOS gives control over to the OS once it is loaded.

RAM

Random-access memory (RAM) is a form of computer data storage. A random-access device allows stored data to be accessed directly in any random order.

Security+

Security+ is a certification dealing with computer security topics such as cryptography and access control, as well as business-related topics such as disaster recovery and risk management.

Server+

Server+ is a certification that focuses on server-specific hardware and operating systems, and certifies technical knowledge in areas such as RAID, SCSI, and multiple CPUs, as well as capabilities with server issues, including disaster recovery.

firmware

Software that is permanently stored in a chip. The BIOS on a motherboard is an example of firmware.

antistatic bags

Static shielding bags that new computer components are shipped in.

AT System Connector

The 12-pin power connector found on older motherboards that receives the P8/P9 pair of 6-conductor connectors from the power supply.

A+ certification

The A+ certification demonstrates competency as a computer technician.

CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), a non-profit trade association, was created in 1982 as the Association of Better Computer Dealers, Inc.(ABCD) by representatives of five microcomputer dealerships.

tower case

The largest type of personal computer case. Tower cases stand vertically and can be as high as two feet tall. They have more drive bays and are a good choice for computer users who anticipate making significant upgrades.

PCI Express (PCIe)

The latest evolution of PCI, which is not backward-compatible with earlier PCI slots and cards. PCIe slots come in several sizes, including PCIe x1, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, and PCIe x16.

main board

The main board in the computer, also called the system board. The CPU, ROM chips, DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged into the motherboard.

motherboard

The main board in the computer, also called the system board. The CPU, ROM chips, DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged into the motherboard.

system board

The main board in the computer, also called the system board. The CPU, ROM chips, DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged into the motherboard.

internal components

The main components installed in a computer case.

hard disk drive (HDD)

The main secondary storage device of a computer. Two technologies are currently used by hard drives: magnetic and solid state. Also called hard disk drive (HDD).

hard drive

The main secondary storage device of a computer. Two technologies are currently used by hard drives: magnetic and solid state. Also called hard disk drive (HDD).

ATX (Advanced Technology Extended)

The most common form factor for PC systems presently in use, originally introduced by Intel in 1995. ATX motherboards and cases make better use of space and resources than did the earlier AT form factor.

BIOS setup

The program in system BIOS that can change the values in CMOS RAM. Also called CMOS setup.

CMOS setup

The program in system BIOS that can change the values in CMOS RAM. Also called CMOS setup.

ohm (Ω)

The standard unit of measurement for electrical resistance. Resistors are rated in ohms.

watt

The unit of electricity used to measure power. A typical computer may use a power supply that provides 500W.

24-pin P1 connector

Used by ATX Version 2.2 power supply and motherboard and provides additional power for PCI Express slots.

20-pin P1 connector

Used by an older ATX power supply and motherboard and provided +3.3 volts, +5 volts, +12 volts, −12 volts, and an optional and rarely used −5 volts.