computer.
Because
the
data
in
memory is
not permanent,
it
is recommended
that
you frequently
save your
files
while you are working
on them,
and always save your
files
before you
shut
down
the
computer. Your computer
can
contain several
different
forms
of
memory, such
as
RAM,
ROM,
and video memory. Frequently,
the
word memory
is
used as a
s
y
nonym
for RAM.
memory address
— A
specific location where data
is
temporarily stored
in RAM.
memory
mapping — The
process by
which the computer
assigns
memory
addresses
to
physical
l
o
cation
s
at start-up.
Devices and software can
then identify information
that
the
processor can access.
memory module
— A
small
circuit
board
containing
memory chips,
which
connects
to the
system
board.
MHz —
megahertz
— A
measure
of
frequency
that equals
1 million
cycles per second.
The
speeds
for computer
processors, buses, and interfaces are
often
measured
in
MHz.
Mini PCI — A
standard
for
integrated peripheral devices
with
an emphasis
on
communications such
as
modems
and
NICs. A Mini PCI
card is a small external card
that is
functionally
equivalent
to
a standard
PCI
expansion
card.
Mini-Card — A
sma
ll
card designed
for integrated
peripherals, such
as
communication
NICs. The
Mini-
Card is
functionally
equivalent
to
a standard
PCI
ex
p
a
n
s
i
o
n
c
a
rd
.
modem
— A
device
that
allows your computer
to
communicate
with
other computers over
analog
telephone lines. Three types
of
modems include:
e
xternal,
PC
Card, and internal. You typically use your modem
to
connect
to the Internet
and exchange
e
-mail.
module bay
—
See media
bay.
MP —
megapix
e
l
— A
measure
of
image resolution
used
for digital
camera
s.
ms
—
millisecond
— A
measure
of time that
equals
one
thousandth
of
a second. Access times
of
storage
devices
are
often
measured
in ms.
N
network adapter
— A chip that
provides
network
capabilities.
A
computer may include a network
adapter
on its
system board,
or it
may contain a
PC
Card
with an
adapter
on it. A
network adapter is
a
l
so
referred
to
as a
NIC
(network interface
controller).
NIC —
See network
adapter.
notification
area
— The
section
of the Windows taskbar
that
contains icons
for
providing quick
access
to
programs
and computer functions, such
as
the
clock,
volume
control, and
print
status. Also referred
to
as system tra
y
.
ns
—
nanosecond
— A
measure
of time that
equals
one
billionth of
a
second.
NVRAM —
nonvolatile random
access
memory
— A type
of
memory
that
stores data when
the
computer is
turned
off or
loses
its
external power source.
NVRAM
is used
for
maintaining computer configuration
information
such as
date,
time,
and other system setup options
that
you
can
set.
O
optical
drive
— A
drive
that
uses
optical technology
to
read
or write
data
from
CDs,
DVDs, or
D
V
D+R
W
s.
Example
of
optical drives include
CD
drives,
DVD drives,
CD-RW
drives, and
CD-RW/DVD
combo
drives.
P
parallel
connector
— An I/O port often
used
to
connect a
parallel
printer to
your computer. Also referred
to
as
an
LPT port.
partition — A
physical storage area
on
a hard drive
that is
assigned
to
one
or
more logical storage areas known as
logical drives. Each
partition
can contain
multiple logical
drives.
PC Card — A
removable
I/O
card adhering
to the
PCMCIA
standard. Modems and network adapters
ar
e
common types
of PC
Car
d
s.
PCI —
peripheral component interconnect
— PCI
is a
local bus
that
supports 32-and
64-bit
data
paths,
154
Glossary
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