4 - Hardware Device Facts

IRQ

Interrupt Request - A signal from a hardware device, such as a modem or a mouse, indicating that it needs the CPU's attention.

I/O Address

also known as a port address, allows two devices in a computer to send information to each other.

USB and Firewire devices

examples of buses and devices designed specifically with hot swap support.

legacy device

A device that is based on old technology and isn't Plug and Play compatible, such as a non-PnP circuit board, an ISA board, or a device that connects to a COM port.

unsigned driver

A driver without a digital signature.

Safely Remove Hardware

A feature used to shut down the device before unplugging it from the system.

Plug and Play

Technology that gives a computer the capability to configure adapter cards and other peripherals automatically as a user installs them.

Hot swappable

Which feature in a computer or a laptop allows you to remove and replace components without reboot?

DMA

____ transfers data directly from the drive to memory without involving the CPU.

Driver

a small program that instructs the operating system on how to operate specific hardware