IBM PC 300GL

PCI Bus
Your computer also has a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. PCI is an
advanced bus standard designed to keep up with performance improvements of
microprocessor buses and advanced peripheral devices. The PCI bus adds to the
capability of the ISA bus, speeding up the exchange of information among the
microprocessor and peripheral devices within your computer system.
Expansion with Adapters
By installing adapters, you can expand the capabilities of your computer and take
advantage of a variety of peripheral devices and applications. Your computer uses
a riser card for connecting adapters to the ISA bus or PCI bus.
High-Capacity Hard Disk Drives
Your computer comes with a hard disk drive that has an enhanced integrated drive
electronics (EIDE) interface. The hard disk drive is a SMART (self-monitoring,
analysis and reporting technology) drive capable of predicting potential problems.
When used with the proper software applications, the SMART hard disk drive
protects data and improves reliability.
CD-ROM Drive
In some models, a CD-ROM drive is preinstalled. A CD-ROM (compact disc
read-only memory) drive plays back or reads information from a CD providing
quick access to large amounts of information. A compact disc can store more than
650 MB of data, such as the large files needed for audio, full-motion video, and
animated graphics.
Parallel Port
Your computer has one parallel port. The parallel port is most often used to
communicate with a parallel printer, but it can also be used with other parallel
devices.
The parallel port can operate in several different modes. The default mode for your
computer is standard parallel port (SPP). However, your computer also supports
the extended capabilities port/enhanced parallel port (ECP/EPP) modes. For more
information, see “Changing Parallel Port Settings” on page 51.
4 Using Your Personal Computer