User's Guide

system tray.
ns — nanosecond — A measure of time that equals one billionth of a second.
NVRAM — nonvolatile random access memory — A type of memory that stores data when the computer is
turned off or loses its external power source. NVRAM is used for maintaining computer configuration
information such as date, time, and other system setup options that you can set.
O
Optical Drive — A drive that uses optical technology to read or write data from CDs, DVDs, or DVD+RWs.
Example of optical drives include CD drives, DVD drives, CD-RW drives, and CD-RW/DVD combo drives.
P
parallel connector — An I/O port often used to connect a parallel printer to your computer. Also referred to
as an LPT port.
partition — A physical storage area on a hard drive that is assigned to one or more logical storage areas
known as logical drives. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives.
PC Card — A removable I/O card adhering to the PCMCIA standard. Modems and network adapters are
common types of PC Cards.
PCI — peripheral component interconnect — PCI is a local bus that supports 32-and 64-bit data paths,
providing a high-speed data path between the microprocessor and devices such as video, drives, and
networks.
PCMCIA — Personal Computer Memory Card International Association — The organization that establishes
standards for PC Cards.
PIN — personal identification number — A sequence of numerals and/or letters used to restrict unauthorized
access to computer networks and other secure systems.
PIO — programmed input/output — A method of transferring data between two devices through the
microprocessor as part of the data path.
pixel — A single point on a display screen. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A
video resolution, such as 800 x 600, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up
and down.
Plug-and-Play — The ability of the computer to automatically configure devices. Plug and Play provides
automatic installation, configuration, and compatibility with existing hardware if the BIOS, operating system,
and all devices are Plug and Play compliant.
POST — power-on self-test — Diagnostics programs, loaded automatically by the BIOS, that perform basic
tests on the major computer components, such as memory, hard drives, and video. If no problems are
detected during POST, the computer continues the start-up.
program — Any software that processes data for you, including spreadsheet, word processor, database, and
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