User's Manual

216 Glossary
CMOS
Acronym for complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor. In computers, CMOS memory chips
are often used for NVRAM storage.
COMn
The device names for the first through fourth serial
ports on your computer are COM1, COM2, COM3,
and COM4. The default interrupt for COM1 and
COM3 is IRQ4, and the default interrupt for COM2
and COM4 is IRQ3. Therefore, you must be careful
when configuring software that runs a serial device so
that you don't create an interrupt conflict.
component
As they relate to DMI, manageable components are
operating systems, computer systems, expansion cards,
or peripherals that are compatible with DMI. Each
component is made up of groups and attributes that
are defined as relevant to that component.
config.sys file
The config.sys file is executed when you boot your
computer (before running any commands in the
autoexec.bat file). This start-up file contains commands
that specify which devices to install and which drivers
to use. This file also contains commands that determine
how the operating system uses memory and controls files.
controller
A chip that controls the transfer of data between the
microprocessor and memory or between the
microprocessor and a peripheral device such as a disk
drive or the keyboard.
control panel
The part of the computer that contains indicators and
controls, such as the power switch, hard drive access
indicator, and power indicator.
conventional memory
The first 640 KB of RAM. Conventional memory is
found in all computers. Unless they are specially
designed, MS-DOS
®
programs are limited to running
in conventional memory.
COO
Acronym for cost of ownership.
cooling unit
Sets of fans or other cooling devices in a system chassis.
coprocessor
A chip that relieves the computer's microprocessor of
specific processing tasks. A math coprocessor, for
example, handles numeric processing. A graphics
coprocessor handles video rendering. The Intel
Pentium microprocessor for example, includes a built-in
math coprocessor.
cpi
Abbreviation for characters per inch.
CPU
Abbreviation for central processing unit. See also
microprocessor .
CRC
Abbreviation for cyclic redundancy code, which is a
number derived from, and stored or transmitted with,
a block of data in order to detect corruption. By
recalculating the CRC and comparing it to the value
originally transmitted, the receiver can detect some
types of transmission errors.
CSR
Abbreviation for certificate signing request. A complex
text file generated by a Web server to identify and
authenticate systems that seek connections to
other systems. The digital signature that is present in
every CSR contributes to secure identification
of systems.
When a remote access controller is present on a system
running Server Administrator, the CSR that comes
with the remote access controller belongs to Dell. If
your company wants to generate its own CSR, you can
request a unique CSR from a certificate authority and
overwrite the Dell CSR.