Dell Precision 410 Dell Precision WorkStation 410 Desktop Systems User's Guide - Page 215

Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor. Abbreviation for Desktop Management Interface. DMI enables the management of your computer system's software and hardware. DMI collects information about the system's components, such as the operating system, memory, peripherals, expansion cards, and asset tag. Information about the system's components is displayed as a MIF file or through the Dell Inspector program. Abbreviation for Desktop Management Task Force, a consortium of companies representing hardware and software providers, of which Dell Computer Corporation is a member. Abbreviation for dots per inch. NVRAM. The hard-disk drive(s) specified in your computer's System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the computer. The System Setup program also allows you to specify physical parameters (logical cylinders, logical heads, cylinder number, and logical sectors per pack) for drives not included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM. Abbreviation for digital signal processing. Abbreviation for data terminal equipment. Any device, such as a computer system, that can send data in digital form by means of a cable or communications line. The DTE is connected to the cable or communications line through a data communications equipment (DCE) device, such as a modem. Abbreviation for error checking and correction. Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) that defines the hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMScompliant when it is designed to enter a power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a computer's video controller. Abbreviation for dynamic random-access memory. A computer's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical charge indefinitely, your computer continually refreshes each DRAM chip in the computer. Your computer can recognize a number of specific hard-disk drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is stored in Abbreviation for Extended Capabilities Port. Acronym for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Abbreviation for enhanced integrated drive electronics. EIDE devices add one or more of the following enhancements to the traditional IDE standard: Data transfer rates of up to 16 MB/sec Support for drives other than just hard-disk drives, such as CD-ROM and tape drives Support for hard-disk drives with capacities greater than 528 MB Support for up to two controllers, each with up to two devices attached Glossary 5