Dell PowerEdge 500SC - Manual (Page 25)

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Glossary
Dell™ PowerEdge™ 500SC Systems User's Guide
The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in Dell™ user documents.
A
Abbreviation for ampere(s).
AC
Abbreviation for alternating current.
adapter card
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.
application program
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.
asset tag code
An individual code assigned to a system, usually by a system administrator, for security or tracking purposes.
Executes programs stored in locations other than the active directory.
backup
A copy of a program or data file. As a precaution, you should back up your system's hard-disk 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.
backup battery
The backup battery maintains system configuration, date, and time information in a special section of memory when the system is turned off.
beep code
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.
BIOS
Acronym for basic input/output system. Your system's BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip. The BIOS controls the following:
l Communications between the microprocessor and peripheral devices, such as the keyboard and the video adapter
l Miscellaneous functions, such as system messages
bit
The smallest unit of information interpreted by your system.
boot routine
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 ; otherwise, you must perform a cold boot by pressing the reset button or by turning
the system off and then back on.
bootable diskette
You can start your system from a diskette. To make a bootable diskette, insert a diskette in the diskette drive, type sys a: at the command line prompt, and
press . Use this bootable diskette if your system will not boot from the hard-disk drive.
bps
Abbreviation for bits per second.
BTU
Abbreviation for British thermal unit.
bus
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