Operating instructions

30 MIKE MEYERS’ A+ CERTIFICATION PASSPORT
Passport / Mike Meyers‘ A+ Certification Passport / Meyers / 226308-3 / Glossary
form factor A standard for the physical organization of motherboard compo
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nents and motherboard size. The most common form factors are ATX, BTX,
and NLX.
formatting The process of magnetically mapping a disk to provide a structure
for storing data; can be done to any type of disk, including a floppy disk, hard
disk, or other type of removable disk.
FPM (fast page mode) DRAM that uses a “paging”function to increase access
speed and to lower production costs. Virtually all DRAMs are FPM DRAM. The
name FPM is also used to describe older style, non-EDO DRAM.
FPT (forced perfect termination) A method for terminating SCSI devices that
uses diodes instead of resistors.
FPU (floating-point unit) A formal term for the math coprocessor (also called
a numeric processor) circuitry inside a CPU. A math coprocessor calculates using
floating point math (which allows for decimals). Before the Intel 80486, FPUs
were separate chips from the CPU.
fragmentation Occurs when files and directories get jumbled on a fixed disk
and are no longer contiguous. Fragmentation can significantly slow down hard
drive access times and can be repaired by using the DEFRAG utility that is in-
cluded with each version of Windows. See also defragmentation (DEFRAG), file
fragmentation.
freeware Software that is distributed for free, with no license fee.
frontside bus Name for the wires that connect the CPU to the main system
RAM. Generally running at speeds of 66–133 MHz.Distinct from the expansion
bus and the backside bus, though it shares wires with the former.
FRU (field replaceable unit) Any part of a PC that is considered to be replace
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able “in the field”(i.e., a customer location). There is no official list of FRUs—it
is usually a matter of policy by the repair center.
FTP (file transfer protocol) A set of rules that enables two computers to talk
to one another as a file transfer is carried out. This is the protocol used when you
transfer a file from one computer to another across the Internet.
fuel cells A type of power source that uses chemical reactions to produce
electricity. Lightweight, compact, and stable, these devices are expected to
replace batteries as the primary power source for portable PCs.
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