Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1600SC 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.
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.
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.
An individual number assigned to a system, usually by a system administrator, for security or tracking purposes.
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.
The backup battery maintains system configuration, date, and time information in a special section of memory when the system is turned off.
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.
Acronym for basic input/output system. Your system's BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip. The BIOS controls the following:
The smallest unit of information interpreted by your system.
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.
Abbreviation for bits per second.
Abbreviation for British thermal unit.
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.
Eight contiguous bits of information, the basic data unit used by your system.
Abbreviation for Celsius.
A fast storage area that keeps a copy of data or instructions for quicker data retrieval. For example, your system's BIOS may cache ROM code in faster RAM. Or, a disk-cache utility may reserve RAM in which to store frequently accessed information from your system's disk drives; when a program makes a request to a disk drive for data that is in the cache, the disk-cache utility can retrieve the data from RAM faster than from the disk drive.
The metal-contact section on the bottom of an expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector.
Abbreviation for compact disc. CD drives use optical technology to read data from CDs. CDs are read-only storage devices; you cannot write new data to a CD with standard CD drives.
Abbreviation for cost-effective RAID controller.
The device names for the first through fourth serial ports on your system 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.
As they relate to DMI, manageable components are operating systems, computer systems, expansion cards, and peripherals that are compatible with DMI. Each component is made up of groups and attributes that are defined as relevant to that component.
A chip that controls the transfer of data between the microprocessor and memory or between the micro-processor and a peripheral device such as a disk drive or the keyboard.
The part of the system that contains indicators and controls, such as the power switch, hard drive access indicator, and power indicator.
The first 640 KB of RAM. Conventional memory is found in all systems. Unless they are specially designed, MS-DOS® programs are limited to running in conventional memory.
A chip that relieves the system's microprocessor of specific processing tasks. A math coprocessor, for example, handles numeric processing. A graphics coprocessor handles video rendering.
Abbreviation for characters per inch.
Abbreviation for central processing unit. See also microprocessor.
Abbreviation for decibel(s).
Abbreviation for adjusted decibel(s).
Abbreviation for direct current.
Abbreviation for double data rate.
A program that allows the operating system or some other program to interface correctly with a peripheral device, such as a printer. Some device drivers—such as network drivers—must be loaded as memory-resident programs. Others—such as video drivers—must load when you start the program for which they were designed.
Acronym for dual in-line memory module. A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.
Acronym for Deutsche Industrie Norm.
Acronym for dual in-line package. A circuit board, such as a system board or expansion card, may contain DIP switches for configuring the circuit board. DIP switches are always toggle switches, with an ON position and an OFF position.
Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, "inverted tree" structure. Each disk has a "root" directory; for example, a c:\> prompt normally indicates that you are at the root directory of hard drive C. Additional directories that branch off the root directory are called subdirectories. Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off them.
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 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.
Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard that defines the hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to enter a power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a system's video controller.
Abbreviation for dynamic random-access memory. A system's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical charge indefinitely, your system continually refreshes each DRAM microprocessor in the system.
Your system can recognize a number of specific hard drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is stored in NVRAM. The hard drive(s) specified in your System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the system. 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 data terminal equipment. Any device, such as a 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 digital video disc. A read-only optical storage device that has greater capacity and bandwidth than CD. You can use DVD for multimedia and data storage.
Abbreviation for error checking and correction.
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:
Abbreviation for Electromagnetic Compatibility.
Abbreviation for electromagnetic interference.
Abbreviation for expanded memory manager. A utility that uses extended memory to emulate expanded memory on systems.
Abbreviation for Expanded Memory Specification.
Acronym for erasable programmable read-only memory.
Abbreviation for electrostatic discharge.
A technique for accessing RAM above 1 MB. To enable expanded memory on your system, you must use an EMM. You should configure your system to support expanded memory only if you run application programs that can use (or require) expanded memory.
Your system contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with controllers for peripheral devices, such as a network card or an internal modem.
A connector on the system board or riser board for plugging in an expansion card.
RAM above 1 MB. Most software that can use it, such as the Microsoft® Windows® operating system, requires that extended memory be under the control of an XMM.
A RAM cache using SRAM chips. Because SRAM chips operate at several times the speed of DRAM chips, the microprocessor can retrieve data and instructions faster from external cache memory than from RAM.
Abbreviation for Fahrenheit.
Acronym for file allocation table. The file system structure used by MS-DOS to organize and keep track of file storage. Some other operating systems can optionally use a FAT file system structure.
Abbreviation for Federal Communications Commission.
A type of EEPROM chip that can be reprogrammed from a utility on diskette while still installed in a system; most EEPROM chips can only be rewritten with special programming equipment.
To prepare a hard drive or diskette for storing files. An unconditional format deletes all data stored on the disk.
Abbreviation for feet.
Abbreviation for file transfer protocol.
Abbreviation for gram(s).
Abbreviation for gravities.
Abbreviation for gigabyte(s). A gigabyte equals 1,024 megabytes or 1,073,741,824 bytes.
See coprocessor.
A video mode that can be defined as x horizontal by y vertical pixels by z colors.
As it relates to DMI, a group is a data structure that defines common information, or attributes, about a manageable component.
Acronym for graphical user interface.
Abbreviation for hexadecimal. A base-16 numbering system, often used in programming to identify addresses in the system's RAM and I/O memory addresses for devices. The sequence of decimal numbers from 0 through 16, for example, is expressed in hexadecimal notation as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, 10. In text, hexadecimal numbers are often followed by h.
A metal plate with metal pegs or ribs that help dissipate heat. Most microprocessors include a heat sink.
A host adapter implements communication between the system's bus and the controller for a peripheral device. (Hard drive controller subsystems include integrated host adapter circuitry.) To add a SCSI expansion bus to your system, you must install or connect the appropriate host adapter.
Abbreviation for hertz.
Abbreviation for Interface-Causing Equipment Standard (in Canada).
Abbreviation for identification.
Abbreviation for integrated drive electronics.
Abbreviation for input/output. A keyboard is an input device, and a printer is an output device. In general, I/O activity can be differentiated from computational activity. For example, when a program sends a document to the printer, it is engaging in output activity; when the program sorts a list of terms, it is engaging in computational activity.
A technique for increasing video resolution by only updating alternate horizontal lines on the screen. Because interlacing can result in noticeable screen flicker, most users prefer noninterlaced video adapter resolutions.
A technique for storing data more efficiently by arranging parts of one sequence of data so they alternate with parts of another sequence of the same data. When the data is retrieved, the system puts the sequence back together again.
An instruction and data cache built in to the microprocessor. The Intel Pentium microprocessor includes a 16-KB internal cache, which is set up as an 8-KB read-only instruction cache and an 8-KB read/write data cache.
Acronym for internetwork packet exchange.
Abbreviation for interrupt request. A signal that data is about to be sent to or received by a peripheral device travels by an IRQ line to the microprocessor. Each peripheral connection must be assigned an IRQ number. For example, the first serial port in your system (COM1) is assigned to IRQ4 by default. Two devices can share the same IRQ assignment, but you cannot operate both devices simultaneously.
Abbreviation for information technology equipment.
Jumpers are small blocks on a circuit board with two or more pins emerging from them. Plastic plugs containing a wire fit down over the pins. The wire connects the pins and creates a circuit. Jumpers provide a simple and reversible method of changing the circuitry in a printed circuit board.
Abbreviation for kilo-, indicating 1,000.
Abbreviation for kilobyte(s), 1,024 bytes.
Abbreviation for kilobyte(s) per second.
Abbreviation for kilobit(s), 1,024 bits.
Abbreviation for kilobit(s) per second.
A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. For example, you can reboot your system by pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination.
Abbreviation for kilogram(s), 1,000 grams.
Abbreviation for kilohertz, 1,000 hertz.
Acronym for local area network. A LAN system is usually confined to the same building or a few nearby buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring dedicated specifically to the LAN.
Abbreviation for pound(s).
Abbreviation for light-emitting diode. An electronic device that lights up when a current is passed through it.
On a system with local-bus expansion capability, certain peripheral devices (such as the video adapter circuitry) can be designed to run much faster than they would with a traditional expansion bus. Some local-bus designs allow peripherals to run at the same speed and with the same width data path as the system's microprocessor.
The device names for the first through third parallel printer ports on your system are LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3.
Abbreviation for meter(s).
Abbreviation for milliampere(s).
Abbreviation for milliampere-hour(s).
See coprocessor.
Abbreviation for megabit.
Abbreviation for megabyte(s). The term megabyte means 1,048,576 bytes; however, when referring to hard drive storage, the term is often rounded to mean 1,000,000 bytes.
Abbreviation for megabytes per second.
Abbreviation for megabits per second.
Abbreviation for master boot record.
A system can contain several different forms of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and video memory. Frequently, the word memory is used as a synonym for RAM; for example, an unqualified statement such as "a system with 16 MB of memory" refers to a system with 16 MB of RAM.
A specific location, usually expressed as a hexadecimal number, in the system's RAM.
A utility that controls the implementation of memory in addition to conventional memory, such as extended or expanded memory.
A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.
Abbreviation for megahertz.
The primary computational chip inside the system that controls the interpretation and execution of arithmetic and logic functions. Software written for one microprocessor must usually be revised to run on another microprocessor. CPU is a synonym for microprocessor.
Abbreviation for musical instrument digital interface.
Acronym for management information format. A MIF file contains information, status, and links to component instrumentation. MIF files are installed into the MIF database by the DMI service layer. The content of a MIF is defined by a DTMF working committee and is published in the form of a MIF definition document. This document identifies the groups and attributes that are relevant to DMI-manageable components.
A type of data redundancy that uses a set of physical drives to store data and one or more sets of additional drives to store duplicate copies of the data. Mirroring is the preferred data redundancy technique in lower-capacity systems and in systems where performance is extremely important.
Abbreviation for millimeter(s).
A device that allows your system to communicate with other systems over telephone lines.
A pointing device that controls the movement of the cursor on a screen. Mouse-aware software allows you to activate commands by clicking a mouse button while pointing at objects displayed on the screen.
Acronym for Motion Picture Experts Group. MPEG is a digital video file format.
Abbreviation for millisecond(s).
Abbreviation for mean time between failures.
A monitor that supports several video standards. A multifrequency monitor can adjust to the frequency range of the signal from a variety of video adapters.
Abbreviation for millivolt(s).
Abbreviation for Network Driver Interface Specification.
Acronym for network interface controller.
Abbreviation for NetWare® Loadable Module.
Abbreviation for nonmaskable interrupt. A device sends an NMI to signal the microprocessor about hardware errors, such as a parity error.
A technique for decreasing screen flicker by sequentially refreshing each horizontal line on the screen.
Abbreviation for nanosecond(s), one billionth of a second.
Abbreviation for the NT File System option in the Microsoft Windows NT® operating system.
Abbreviation for nonvolatile random-access memory. Memory that does not lose its contents when you turn off your system. NVRAM is used for maintaining the date, time, and system configuration information.
A service that typically provides access to the Internet, e-mail, bulletin boards, chat rooms, and file libraries.
Abbreviation for one-time programmable.
An I/O port used most often to connect a parallel printer to your system. You can usually identify a parallel port on your system by its 25-hole connector.
A value or option that you specify to a program. A parameter is sometimes called a switch or an argument.
A feature of the operating system that allows you to divide a hard drive into multiple physical sections called partitions. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives.
Abbreviation for Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for local-bus implementation.
An internal or external device—such as a printer, a disk drive, or a keyboard—connected to a system.
Abbreviation for pin grid array, a type of microprocessor socket that allows you to remove the microprocessor chip.
A single point on a video display. Pixels are arranged in rows and columns to create an image. A video resolution, such as 640 x 480, is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down.
An industry-standard specification that makes it easier to add hardware devices to personal systems. Plug and Play provides automatic installation and configuration, compatibility with existing hardware, and dynamic support of mobile computing environments.
Acronym for power-on self-test. Before the operating system loads when you turn on your system, the POST tests various system components such as RAM, the disk drives, and the keyboard.
Abbreviation for pages per minute.
An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors, protected mode allows operating systems to implement:
Many 32-bit operating systems run in protected mode. MS-DOS cannot run in protected mode; however, some programs that you can start from MS-DOS, such as the Windows operating system, are able to put the system into protected mode.
Abbreviation for Personal System/2.
Acronym for preboot execution environment.
Acronym for redundant array of independent disks.
Acronym for random-access memory. The system's primary temporary storage area for program instructions and data. Each location in RAM is identified by a number called a memory address. Any information stored in RAM is lost when you turn off your system.
A read-only file is one that you are prohibited from editing or deleting. A file can have read-only status if:
A text file included with a software package or hardware product that contains information supplementing or updating the documentation for the software or hardware. Typically, readme files provide installation information, describe new product enhancements or corrections that have not yet been documented, and list known problems or other things you need to be aware of as you use the software or hardware.
An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors, real mode imitates the architecture of an 8086 microprocessor.
The rate at which the monitor redraws the video image on the monitor screen. More precisely, the refresh rate is the frequency, measured in Hz, at which the screen's horizontal lines are recharged (sometimes also referred to as its vertical frequency). The higher the refresh rate, the less video flicker can be seen by the human eye. The higher refresh rates are also noninterlaced.
Abbreviation for radio frequency interference.
Abbreviation for red/green/blue.
Acronym for read-only memory. Your system contains some programs essential to its operation in ROM code. Unlike RAM, a ROM chip retains its contents even after you turn off your system. Examples of code in ROM include the program that initiates your system's boot routine and the POST.
Abbreviation for revolutions per minute.
Abbreviation for real-time clock. Battery-powered clock circuitry inside the system that keeps the date and time after you turn off the system.
Acronym for small computer system interface. An I/O bus interface with faster data transmission rates than standard ports. You can connect up to seven devices (15 for some newer SCSI types) to one SCSI interface.
Abbreviation for SCSI device management system.
Acronym for synchronous dynamic random-access memory.
Abbreviation for second(s).
Abbreviation for single-edge contact.
An I/O port used most often to connect a modem to your system. You can usually identify a serial port on your system by its 9-pin connector.
A bar code label on the system that identifies it when you call for technical support.
A computer's system and video BIOS code is usually stored on ROM chips. Shadowing refers to the
performance-enhancement technique that copies BIOS code to faster RAM chips in the upper memory area (above 640 KB) during the boot routine.
Abbreviation for Single Instruction Multiple Data.
Acronym for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. A technology that allows hard drives to report errors and failures to the system BIOS, which then displays an error message on the screen. To take advantage of this technology, you must have a SMART-compliant hard drive and the proper support in the system BIOS.
Abbreviation for Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is an industry-standard interface that allows a network manager to remotely monitor and manage workstations.
Abbreviation for static random-access memory. Because SRAM chips do not require continual refreshing, they are substantially faster than DRAM chips.
Abbreviation for super video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than previous standards.
To display a program at a specific resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution. Similarly, the number of colors that a program can display depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video driver, and the amount of video memory installed in the system.
On a system board, switches control various circuits or functions in your system. These switches are known as DIP switches; they are normally packaged in groups of two or more switches in a plastic case. Two common DIP switches are used on system boards: slide switches and rocker switches. The names of the switches are based on how the settings (on and off) of the switches are changed.
The rules that dictate how you must type a command or instruction so that the system understands it.
As the main circuit board, the system board usually contains most of your system's integral components, such as the following:
Frequently used synonyms for system board are motherboard and logic board.
Data stored in memory that tells a system what hardware is installed and how the system should be configured for operation.
A comprehensive set of tests for your system. Refer to your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for more information about using diagnostics.
System diskette is a synonym for bootable diskette.
System memory is a synonym for RAM.
A BIOS-based program that allows you to configure your system's hardware and customize the system's operation by setting such features as password protection and energy management. Some options in the System Setup program require that you reboot the system (or the system may reboot automatically) in order to make a hardware configuration change. Because the System Setup program is stored in NVRAM, any settings remain in effect until you change them again.
Some devices (such as the last device at each end of a SCSI cable) must be terminated to prevent reflections and spurious signals in the cable. When such devices are connected in a series, you may need to enable or disable the termination on these devices by changing jumper or switch settings on the devices or by changing settings in the configuration software for the devices.
An application program for editing text files consisting exclusively of ASCII characters. Windows Notepad is a text editor, for example. Most word processors use proprietary file formats containing binary characters, although some can read and write text files.
A video mode that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters.
A specified period of system inactivity that must occur before an energy conservation feature is activated.
Abbreviation for tracks per inch.
Abbreviation for Underwriters Laboratories.
Abbreviation for upper memory blocks.
The 384 KB of RAM located between 640 KB and 1 MB. If the system has an Intel386 or higher microprocessor, a utility called a memory manager can create UMBs in the upper memory area, in which you can load device drivers and memory-resident programs.
Abbreviation for uninterruptible power supply. A battery-powered unit that automatically supplies power to your system in the event of an electrical failure.
Abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus. A USB connector provides a single connection point for multiple USB-compliant devices, such as mice, keyboards, printers, and system speakers. USB devices can also be connected and disconnected while the system is running.
A program used to manage system resources—memory, disk drives, or printers, for example.
Abbreviation for unshielded twisted pair.
Abbreviation for volt(s).
Abbreviation for volt(s) alternating current.
Abbreviation for Voluntary Control Council for Interference.
Abbreviation for video cassette recorder.
Abbreviation for volt(s) direct current.
Abbreviation for video graphics array. VGA and SVGA are video standards for video adapters with greater resolution and color display capabilities than previous standards.
To display a program at a specific resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution. Similarly, the number of colors that a program can display depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the video driver, and the amount of video memory installed for the video adapter.
On some systems with a built-in VGA video adapter, a VGA feature connector allows you to add an enhancement adapter, such as a video accelerator, to your system. A VGA feature connector can also be called a VGA pass-through connector.
The logical circuitry that provides—in combination with the monitor—your system's video capabilities. A video adapter may support more or fewer features than a specific monitor offers. Typically, a video adapter comes with video drivers for displaying popular application programs and operating systems in a variety of video modes.
On some systems, a video adapter is integrated into the system board. Also available are many video adapter cards that plug into an expansion-card connector.
Video adapters often include memory separate from RAM on the system board. The amount of video memory, along with the adapter's video drivers, may affect the number of colors that can be simultaneously displayed. Video adapters can also include their own coprocessor for faster graphics rendering.
A program that allows graphics-mode application programs and operating systems to display at a chosen resolution with the desired number of colors. A software package may include some "generic" video drivers. Any additional video drivers may need to match the video adapter installed in the system.
Most VGA and SVGA video adapters include memory chips in addition to your system's RAM. The amount of video memory installed primarily influences the number of colors that a program can display (with the appropriate video drivers and monitor capabilities).
Video adapters normally support multiple text and graphics display modes. Character-based software displays in text modes that can be defined as x columns by y rows of characters. Graphics-based software displays in graphics modes that can be defined as x horizontal by y vertical pixels by z colors.
Video resolution—800 x 600, for example—is expressed as the number of pixels across by the number of pixels up and down. To display a program at a specific graphics resolution, you must install the appropriate video drivers and your monitor must support the resolution.
A method for increasing addressable RAM by using the hard drive. For example, in a system with 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of virtual memory set up on the hard drive, the operating system would manage the system as though it had 32 MB of physical RAM.
Abbreviation for very-large-scale integration.
Abbreviation for peak-point voltage.
Abbreviation for video random-access memory. Some video adapters use VRAM chips (or a combination of VRAM and DRAM) to improve video performance. VRAM is dual-ported, allowing the video adapter to update the screen and receive new image data at the same time.
Abbreviation for watt(s).
Abbreviation for watt-hour(s).
Read-only files are said to be write-protected. You can write-protect a 3.5-inch diskette by sliding its write-protect tab to the open position or by setting the write-protect feature in the System Setup program.
Abbreviation for extended memory manager, a utility that allows application programs and operating systems to use extended memory in accordance with the XMS.
Abbreviation for eXtended Memory Specification.
Acronym for zero insertion force. Some systems use ZIF sockets and connectors to allow devices such as the microprocessor chip to be installed or removed with no stress applied to the device.