Computer terms

Definitions of Computer Terms

• PCI Slot- Short for Peripheral Component Interconnect, PCI was introduced by Intel in 1992. The PCI bus came in both 32 bit and 64 bit versions and was used to attach hardware to a computer. Now called PCI express, is used in a variety of other standards, most notably in ExpressCard as a laptop expansion card interface, and in SATA Express as a computer storage interface.

• RAM Slot- allows computer memory to be inserted into the computer. Depending on the motherboard, there may be 2 to 4 memory slots and is what determine the type of RAM used with the computer. The most common types of RAM are SDRAM and DDR for desktop computers and SODIMM for laptop computers, each having various types and speeds. When a program is opened, that program is loaded from the hard drive into RAM storage for quick retrieval. Random access memory is composed of small memory chips that are stored inside a memory module, or RAM chip.

• AGP Slot- Short for Accelerated Graphics Port, AGP is an advanced port designed for video cards and 3D accelerators. Originally it was designed as a successor to PCI type connections, Since 2004, AGP has been progressively phased out in favor of PCI Express.

• FDD connector- Short for Floppy Disk Drive, is a computer disk drive that enables a user to save data to removable diskettes.

• IDE connector- Short for Integrated Drive Electronics, different from the small computer systems interface and enhanced small device interface because its controllers are on each drive, meaning the drive can connect directly to the motherboard or controller.

• ATX connector- most commonly found and used motherboards even today. It was the first major change in desktop computer enclosure, motherboard and power supply design in many years, improving standardization and interchangeability of parts.

• CMOS battery- Short for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor, is an on-board, battery powered semiconductor chip inside computers that stores information. This information ranges from the system time and date to system hardware setting for your computer.

• Northbridge chipset- Alternatively referred to as the PAC and sometimes abbreviated as “nb”, is an integrated circuit that is responsible for communications between the CPU interface, AGP, and the memory. Unlike the Southbridge the Northbridge is directly connected to these components and acts like a ‘bridge’ for the Southbridge chip to communicate with the CPU, RAM and graphics controller. Today, the northbridge is a single-chip that is North of the PCI bus, however, early computers may have had up to three separate chips that made up the northbridge.

• Southbridge chipset- an integrated circuit on the motherboard that is responsible for the hard drive controller, I/O controller and integrated hardware such as sound card, video card if present on the motherboard, USB, PCI, ISA, IDE, BIOS, and Ethernet. The southbridge gets its name for the commonly being South of the PCI bus.

• CPU socket- a connection that allows a computer processor to be connected to a motherboard. They are used in desktop and server computers. As they allow easy swapping of components, they are also used to prototyping new circuits.