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Toshiba Portege M800 User Manual

Page 169

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User’s Manual

Glossary-8

Glossary

H

hard disk: A storage device composed of a rigid platter or platters that can

be magnetically coded with data. Hard disks hold much more

information than diskettes and are used for long-term storage of

programs and data. The primary (or only) hard disk in a computer is

usually fixed, but some computers have secondary hard disks that

are removable. By default, the hard disk is referred to as drive C.

hard disk drive (HDD): An electromechanical device that reads and writes

a hard disk. See also hard disk.

hardware: The physical electronic and mechanical components of a

computer system: typically, the computer itself, external disk drives,

etc. See also software and firmware.

hertz: A unit of wave frequency that equals one cycle per second.
host computer: The computer that controls, regulates, and transmits

information to a device or another computer.

hot key: The computer’s feature in which certain keys in combination with

the extended function key, Fn, can be used to set system

parameters, such as speaker volume.

HW Setup: A TOSHIBA utility that lets you set the parameters for various

hardware components.

I

icon: A small graphic image displayed on the screen or in the indicator

panel. In Windows, an icon represents an object that the user can

manipulate.

i.LINK (IEEE1394): This port enables high-speed data transfer directly

from external devices such as digital video cameras.

input: The data or instructions you provide to a computer, communication

device or other peripheral device from the keyboard or external or

internal storage devices. The data sent (or output) by the sending

computer is input for the receiving computer.

instruction: Statements or commands that specify how to perform a

particular task.

interface: 1) Hardware and/or software components of a system used

specifically to connect one system or device to another.

2) To physically connect one system or device to another to

exchange information.

3) The point of contact between user, the computer, and the

program, for example, the keyboard or a menu.

interrupt request: A signal that gives a component access to the

processor.

I/O: Input/output. Refers to acceptance and transfer of data to and from a

computer.

I/O devices: Equipment used to communicate with the computer and

transfer data to and from it.