Dell PowerEdge 4600 User Manual
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parameter
A value or option that you specify to a program. A parameter is sometimes called a switch or an argument.
partition
You can divide a hard drive into multiple physical sections called partitions with the fdisk command. Each partition can contain multiple logical drives.
After partitioning the hard drive, you must format each logical drive with the format command.
PCI
Abbreviation for Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for local-bus implementation developed by Intel Corporation.
peripheral device
An internal or external device—such as a printer, a disk drive, or a keyboard—connected to a system.
PGA
Abbreviation for pin grid array, a type of microprocessor socket that allows you to remove the microprocessor chip.
pixel
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.
Plug and Play
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.
POST
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.
ppm
Abbreviation for pages per minute.
PQFP
Abbreviation for plastic quad flat pack, a type of microprocessor socket in which the microprocessor chip is permanently mounted.
Program Diskette Maker
The Program Diskette Maker allows you to create program diskette sets, or master copies, of software that Dell installed on your system. It is essential that
you create these diskette sets as soon as possible. You may need a set of master diskettes if you ever experience problems with your hard drive and need to
reinstall your Dell-installed software. If your system includes Dell-installed software, you can select this program from the Dell Accessories program folder.
program diskette set
The set of diskettes from which you can perform a complete installation of an operating system or application program. When you reconfigure a program, you
often need its program diskette set.
protected mode
An operating mode supported by 80286 or higher microprocessors, protected mode allows operating systems to implement:
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A memory address space of 16 MB (80286 micro--processor) to 4 GB (Intel386 or higher micro-processor)
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Multitasking
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Virtual memory, a method for increasing addressable memory by using the hard drive
The Windows NT, OS/2, and UNIX® 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.
PS/2
Abbreviation for Personal System/2.
PXE
Acronym for Preboot Execution Environment.
RAID
Acronym for redundant array of independent disks.
RAM