Dell PowerEdge 4600 User Manual download pdf (Page 29)

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Glossary

Dell™PowerEdge™4600SystemsUser'sGuide

The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in your system documents.

Abbreviation for ampere(s).

Abbreviation for alternating current.

adapter card

An expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector on the computer's system board. An adapter card adds some specialized function to the

system by providing an interface between the expansion bus and a peripheral device. Examples of adapter cards include network cards, sound cards, and

SCSI adapters.

application program

Software, such as a spreadsheet or word processor, designed to help you perform a specific task or series of tasks. Application programs run from the

operating system.

asset tag code

An individual code assigned to a system, usually by a system administrator, for security or tracking purposes.

backup

A copy of a program or data file. As a precaution, you should back up your system's hard drive on a regular basis. Before making a change to the configuration

of your system, you should back up important start-up files from your operating system.

backup battery

The backup battery maintains system configuration, date, and time information in a special section of memory when the system is turned off.

beep code

A diagnostic message in the form of a pattern of beeps from your system's speaker. For example, one beep, followed by a second beep, and then a burst of

three beeps is beep code 1-1-3.

BIOS

Acronym for basic input/output system. Your system's BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip. The BIOS controls the following:

l Communications between the microprocessor and peripheral devices, such as the keyboard and the video adapter

l Miscellaneous functions, such as system messages

bit

The smallest unit of information interpreted by your system.

boot routine

When you start your system, it clears all memory, initializes devices, and loads the operating system. Unless the operating system fails to respond, you can

reboot(alsocalledwarm boot) your system by pressing <Ctrl><Alt><Del>; otherwise, you must perform a cold boot by pressing the reset button or by turning

the system off and then back on.

bootable diskette

You can start your system from a diskette. To make a bootable diskette, insert a diskette in the diskette drive, type sys a: at the command line prompt, and

press <Enter>. Use this bootable diskette if your system will not boot from the hard drive.

bps

Abbreviation for bits per second.

BTU

Abbreviation for British thermal unit.

bus

An information pathway between the components of a system. Your system contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with

controllers for all the various peripheral devices connected to the system. Your system also contains an address bus and a data bus for communications

between the microprocessor and RAM.