Specifications

GG
Glossary
Page 3
Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): A fast, low power
semiconductor RAM used to store system configuration data.
Configuration Byte: A set up value in the EPC-30 BIOS enabling it to establish a
pointer to an ATA PC card configuration register. Once the pointer has been
established, the BIOS requires a register location to successfully complete an AT PC
card interface.
Conventional Memory: The first 640 KB of a computer’s total memory capacity. If a
computer has no extended memory, conventional memory equals the total memory
capacity. In typical computer systems, conventional memory can contain BIOS data,
the operating system, applications, application data, and terminate and stay resident
(TSR) programs. Also called system memory.
Cylinders/Heads/Sectors (CHS): A specification of disk drive operating parameters
consisting of the number of disk cylinders, disk drive read/write heads, and disk
sectors.
 D 
Default: The state of all user-changeable hardware and software settings as they are
originally configured before any changes are made.
Disk Operating System (DOS): One or more programs which allow a computer to
use a disk drive as an external storage device. These programs manage storage and
retrieval of data to and from the disk and interpret commands from the computer
operator.
Driver: A software component of the operating system which directs the computer
interface with a hardware device. The software interface to the driver is standardized
such that application software calling the driver requires no specific operational
information about the hardware device.
Dual In-Line Package (DIP): A semiconductor package configuration consisting of
a rectangular plastic case with two rows of pins, one row on each lengthwise side.
Dynamic Bus Sizing: The ability of the Intel386EX microprocessor, via a dedicated
signal from the memory/bus controller, to engage 16-bit to 8-bit conversion cycles
and adjust wait states when accessing an 8-bit device.
Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM): Semiconductor RAM memory
devices in which the stored data will not remain permanently stored, even with the
power applied, unless the data are periodically rewritten into memory during a refresh
operation.
 E 
Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM): Specifically, those
EPROMs which may be erased electrically as compared to other erasing methods.