|
Term
|
Description
|
|
Safe Mode
|
A diagnostic mode that Windows95 or 98 can start
in, with minimal configuration and generic drivers so that system errors can
possibly be corrected. You can access this mode by pressing F5 or F8 when you
see the words "Starting Windows" on the screen at startup.
|
|
SCSI
|
Small Computer System Interface. A high-speed
parallel interface used to connect a computer to several devices through one
controller. Devices can be connected together (daisy-chained) and accessed
through the controller by an individual ID number.
|
|
SDRAM
|
Synchronous Dynamic RAM. A type of RAM that is
stored on DIMMS and synchronized with the system clock. SDRAM runs at the
same speed as the system bus.
|
|
Secondary Storage
|
Secondary Storage is the non-volatile or
semi-permanent storage in your computer for holding files and information
until it is needed. Secondary Storage includes devices like hard drives,
floppies, CD-ROMS and tape drives. As opposed to Primary Storage which is the
volatile or temporary storage (RAM) that the CPU uses for processing data and
instructions. When the computer is shut off or loses power, all data in
Primary Storage is lost but anything in Secondary Storage is retained.
|
|
Sector
|
When a disk is low-level formatted, it's divided
into tracks, and each track is divided into 512-byte segments. Each segment
is called a Sector.
|
|
Serial Port
|
A computer input/output port that transmits data
sequentially, one bit at a time. The serial ports on the back of your
computer are the DB-9 and DB-25 Male connections. (DB connectors are the
'D-shaped' ports).
|
|
Server
|
A computer that allows access to it's resources
and files by other computers over a network.
|
|
SIMM
|
Single In-line Memory Module. A small circuit
board with integrated circuit chips used to hold RAM (Random Access Memory).
SIMMS clip into the memory bank sockets on the motherboard.
|
|
Sleep Mode
|
"Green" computers have a mode that
allows them to shut down and reduce power to (suspend) the monitor or hard
drive (or the whole computer) when the keyboard, mouse or hard drive have
been inactive for a set period of time. Settings are in CMOS setup and
sometimes Desktop/Properties.
|
|
Software
|
A set of instructions or programming code that is
written to instruct a computer to do a certain task or function.
|
|
Software Interrupt
|
A request sent to the CPU by a program asking for
access to a specific device.
|
|
Spam
|
Unwanted or junk e-mail. Internet advertisers and
marketers sometimes send unrequested e-mail to a large number of recipients.
Spamming is becoming a huge problem on the internet and has always been
considered poor form. Spammers have sometimes even lost their ISP privileges.
|
|
SPGA
|
Staggered Pin Grid Array. See PGA.
|
|
Static RAM
|
Used mostly for Cache Memory, Static RAM holds
information in memory as long as the power is on. It doesn't have to be
constantly refreshed, like standard Dynamic RAM (DRAM). Static RAM is faster
than DRAM but it's more expensive and takes up more space.
|
|
Subdirectory
|
A directory within another directory. Also called
a 'child directory'. The directory that the subdirectory is in, is called the
parent directory.
|
|
Surge Protector
|
A power bar designed to protect computers from
power spikes and surges.
|
|
Swap File
|
A section of the hard drive that is reserved to
temporarily store parts of running programs or information that is swapped
out of memory to make room for other running programs. A Swap File is
sometimes called Virtual Memory.
|
|
System Board
|
See Motherboard.
|