Asus 850 ATX Computer Hardware User Manual


 
ASUS P4T-EM Users Manual94
7. APPENDIX
7. APPENDIX
Glossary
PS/2 Port
PS/2 ports are based on IBM Micro Channel Architecture. This type of architecture transfers
data through a 16-bit or 32-bit bus. A PS/2 mouse and/or keyboard may be used on ATX
motherboards.
RDRAM (Rambus DRAM)
Developed by Rambus, Inc., this type of memory can deliver up to 1.6GB of data per second.
RDRAM is the first interface standard that can be directly implemented on high performance
VLSI components such as, CMOS DRAMs, memory controllers, and graphics/video ICs.
RAM (Random Access Memory). The computers primary storage area used to write, store,
and retrieve information and program instructions which are passed to the CPU for process-
ing. The information in RAM can be repeatedly re-written with new data. Compared to other
storage media like magnetic tape, floppy disk, and hard disk, RAM has an extraordinarily fast
access rate. RAM, however, is volatile, which means that the data stored in it are lost when
the system power is turned off, or if power glitches occur. See also DRAM and SDRAM.
ROM (Read Only Memory)
ROM is nonvolatile memory used to store permanent programs (called firmware) used in
certain computer components. Flash ROM (or EEPROM) can be reprogrammed with new
programs (or BIOS).
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)
High speed multi-threaded I/O interface defined by the X3T9.2 committee of the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) for connecting many peripheral devices. The standard
started from 10MBytes/sec to 160MBytes/sec available today.
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM)
A type of DRAM with access signals that are synchronized with the CPU clock, eliminating
the delay associated with data transfers between the CPU and memory. SDRAM takes memory
access away from the CPU control; internal registers in the memory accept the request, and
lets the CPU do something else while the data requested is assembled for the next time the
CPU talks to the memory.
SPD for SDRAM module
Serial Presence Detect (SPD) is most like an ID detect for SDRAM module, it using a EE-
PROM component on DIMM module for storing module configuration information inside.
The Serial Presence Detect function is implemented using a 2048 bit EEPROM component.
This nonvolatile storage device contains data programmed by the DIMM manufacturer that
identifies the module type and various SDRAM organization and timing parameters.
System Disk
A system disk contains the core file of an operating system that boots up the operating system.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The communications proto-
col used by the UNIX system and the Internet. TCP checks for lost packets, puts the data from
multiple packets into the correct order, and requests that missing or damaged packets be
resent.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
A 4-pin serial cable bus that allows up to 127 plug and play computer peripherals such as
keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, printer, modem, and monitor to share a bandwidth through
a host scheduled token based protocol. This allows attaching or detaching while the host and
other peripherals are in operation. Supports synchronous and asynchronous transfer types
over the same set of wires up to 12Mbit/sec. USB 2.0 provides twice the transfer rate com-
pared to USB 1.0 and competes with the 1394 standard.
Wake-On-LAN
Computer will automatically wake-up upon receiving a wake-up packet through a Network
interface when it is under power soft-off, suspend or sleep mode.