Asus CUWE-RM CUWE-RM User Manual - Page 120

7. APPENDIX Glossary 7. APPENDIX AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOEXEC.BAT is a special-purpose file that is automatically executed by DOS whenever the computer is turned ON or restarted. This file contains important commands that help configure the system to work with certain software and devices. Windows 95 and later has its own startup files and may not use or may ignore parts of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) BIOS is a set of routines that affect how the computer transfers data between computer components, such as memory, disks, and the display adapter. The BIOS instructions are built into the computer's read-only memory. BIOS parameters can be configured by the user through the BIOS Setup program. The BIOS can be updated using the provided utility to copy a new BIOS file into the EEPROM. Bit (Binary Digit) Represents the smallest unit of data used by the computer. A bit can have one of two values: 0 or 1. Boot Boot means to start the computer operating system by loading it into system memory. When the manual instructs you to "boot" your system (or computer), it means to turn ON your computer. "Reboot" means to restart your computer. When using Windows 95 or later, selecting "Restart" from "Start | Shut Down..." will reboot your computer. Bus Master IDE PIO (Programmable I/O) IDE requires that the CPU be involved in IDE access and waiting for mechanical events. Bus master IDE transfers data to/from the memory without interrupting the CPU. Bus master IDE driver and bus master IDE hard disk drives are required to support bus master IDE mode. Byte (Binary Term) One byte is a group of eight contiguous bits. A byte is used to represent a single alphanumeric character, punctuation mark, or other symbol. COM Port COM is a logical device name used by to designate the computer serial ports. Pointing devices, modems, and infrared modules can be connected to COM ports. Each COM port is configured to use a different IRQ and address assignment. Concurrent PCI Concurrent PCI maximizes system performance with simultaneous CPU, PCI and ISA bus activities. It includes multi-transaction timing, enhanced write performance, a passive release mechanism and support for PCI 2.1 compliant delayed transactions. Concurrent PCI provides increased bandwidth, reduced system latencies, improves video and audio performance, and improves processing of host based applications. CPU (Central Processing Unit) The CPU, sometimes called "Processor," actually functions as the "brain" of the computer. It interprets and executes program commands and processes data stored in memory. Currently, there are socket 370 (for Pentium Celeron-PPGA), socket 7 (for Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, IBM), slot 1 (for Pentium II and III), slot 2 (for Xeon), and slot A (for AMD) processors. 120 ASUS CUWE-RM User's Manual