what is BIOS?

The Basic Input Output System or as it is commonly referred to as
“BIOS” is considered to be a major command set which is mandatory for
any computer in order to function properly. It rests second in the line
of authority with the computer operating system itself being in first
place. The BIOS is a firmware installation which consists of a
customized standard designed to define a specific programmed interface.
Actually, it is basically a booted firmware which is intended to be the
initial code necessary to run a computer upon activation and initial
turn on.

• Basically, the BIOS’s primary functions are designed to
  test, initialized and identify the various system devices that reside
  inside the computer. These devices can range from the hard drives, the
  floppy drives, the video card and any other installed hardware that
  could be found inside your machine. These tasks are absolutely
  necessary in order to prepare your computer for your intended purpose.
  The BIOS sets your machine to a stable state where the installed
  software can effectively be loaded, properly controlled and executed in
  its intended purpose. The initial running and operation of the BIOS
  with your computer is officially termed bootstrapping but for
  simplicity is has been referred often to merely booting or booting up
  the operating system.

• The needed commands and programs found
  in the computer’s BIOS system are safely stored in a small microchip on
  the mother board. These programs are designed by the manufacturer to
  work effectively with many of the devices which are found on the modern
  machines. You may find several complimentary chipset within your
  computer system. In short, these BIOS programs are similar to
  mini-libraries composed of fundamental input and output functions which
  the operating system can instantly invoke anytime the need arises for a
  particular hardware capability. As an example, suppose you have a need
  to control the computer keyboard, the hard drives and any other device
  in the machine then the BIOS would send the necessary signals and
  commands to the microprocessor and active the hardware. In some types
  of PC’s such as the IBM or the older AT versions a few of the devices
  such as the hard drives and some video adapters could perhaps have
  their own BIOS.

• In our modern day computer
  systems most BIOS have the capability to be upgraded which is a very
  vital aspect of computer design. You can readily appreciate this idea
  when you consider all the updated hardware that arrives at the market
  place daily. Your computer would need to have some immediate way of
  knowing the critical details concerning this new equipment. This
  process is known as flashing the BIOS. It is a procedure that must be
  accomplished carefully and it is vital that you understand exactly what
  you are doing.

What is a Gigahertz?

• How often have you watched a TV commercial advancing the benefits of
  their computer in terms of the word Gigahertz and not fully understood
  the meaning of it? In this brief article we will attempt to provide you
  with a short introduction to that word.


• As a shopper who may
  be on the look out for a new and more advanced personal computer, you
  should be aware of the term gigahertz as it applies to your potential
  machine. While reviewing the specification listings relating to your
  possible new computer you will soon notice that the word Gigahertz
  appears prominently on the spec sheet. This is a very important aspect
  relating to any computer.


• Let’s first determine what a
  gigahertz actually is before we venture into its meaning with personal
  computers. Technically, one gigahertz is the equivalent of 1,000
  megahertz or MHz. Going even lower on the measurement chart we could
  say that it is equal to 1,000,000,000 Hz. In either case the higher the
  rated number of gigahertz that is specified for your potential computer
  the better the machine will perform in terms of computing speed. This
  higher figure refers to the processing speed that is associated with
  the computer – the higher the gigahertz the faster the machine and the
  faster the machine the better its performance will be.


• There
  was a period of time in the past when gigahertz was not used as the
  measurement associated with personal computer speeds. At that time the
  speed of the PC’s were measured in terms of megahertz which is really
  very slow by today’s standards. During the late 1990’s the speeds of
  the microprocessors were drastically improved moving way past the 1,000
  MHz level. Since it was necessary to establish a higher level for the
  speed measurement the gigahertz was selected for this task. Today this
  is the standard by which all computer processing speeds are calculated.


• The
  choice of selecting the GHz was also for convenience purposes as well.
  It is much simpler and easier to merely state that a machine has a 3.0
  gigahertz speed as opposed to saying the speed was 3,000 megahertz.Although
  most people may perhaps believe that the term gigahertz is merely used
  as a means of measuring the processor speed of personal computers it is
  in reality used as a form of measurement concerning speeds relating to
  other parts of the computer as well. As an example, this particular
  measurement can readily be used to relate the performance of the
  systems RAM and also for the backside cache.  Just keep in mind that
  the higher the gigahertz of these various components is then the better
  performance that your computer will have. This boils down to the bottom
  line of better productivity for the end users

What is Bluetooth?

• If you were to perform a quick check upon many of the online market places
  which deal with electronic-communications equipment and gadgets you
  would readily notice a common form of technology. The technology of
  which I am referring to is universally known as Bluetooth. This
  technology is simply a certain specification that must be incorporated
  within the devices to enable that device to function and communicate
  over very short distances. As an example you may have two specific
  gadgets like a computer and a wireless telephone. These devices can
  work effectively together and even swap files with the use of a low
  power communications system assuming that both of these units
  incorporate and are equipped with the Bluetooth technology.


• 
  


• Initially
  when this technology was first introduced to the industry and placed on
  the marketplace it was first viewed as a viable alternative to the once
  popular RS232 data transfer system. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth
  technology was unable to upset the current trend for RS232 and failed
  to replace the system. This failure was principally because the
  technology of the RS232 can effectively connect a vast number of
  different devices together without having to deal with the common
  issues of synchronization. Bluetooth technology did however open its
  own avenues of importance and developed its own uses. It became
  especially known for its low power consumption within a short range.
  Two or more devices equipped with this Bluetooth technology can work
  with each other from at least one meter to as much as 100 meters
  without the lose of the signal and perform these tasks wirelessly. It
  is the Bluetooth’s ability to function in a short, limited distance and
  its wireless capability that provides it with its greatest asset. Keep
  in mind however that the moment one of the gadgets are no longer in the
  immediate range of each other then the equipment can no longer
  communicate with each other even if both of them are equipped with the
  Bluetooth technology.


• Since the Bluetooth uses the radio
  broadcast communications systems for its ability to function then all
  the equipment that is required to work together need not line up merely
  to facilitate its individual file sharing session. Multiple tasks can
  easily be accomplished according to the capabilities of the equipment
  itself.


• bluetooth has progressed to the
  status of a common everyday technology which is now popularly used on
  the majority of mobile cell phones and those which provide for hands
  free operation in particular. This technology is also a growing feature
  that is found more or less on many pieces of equipment that is being
  developed for the personal computers, communications devices as well as
  for the gaming consoles and entertainment devices popular with young
  people today. Bluetooth is definitely here to stay.

What is dual core?

• Dual
  core or the term dual core processor actual implies the same thing. The
  concept revolves around the idea of a multi-processor system which
  means that your computer has two microprocessors in one package or in a
  single chip. These dual processors work in tandem together to improve
  the responsiveness of your machine or as more simply put to better the
  speed of your computer. This is the primary reason for its current
  popularity and why most of the people today prefer this type of
  processor system. To most of the current users it is perceived to
  increase the total performance of their individual machines.

To
illustrate this point a bit more lets review the following bits of
information. When you are using your computer there are several types
of programs actively running within it. These are implicit and
explicitly working programs that function on a more or less continuous
basis inside of the processor. You can easily confirm this fact by
merely invoking the task manager menu and you will really see the long
list of these processes which are currently running. The more the
processes that you see running, the harder your processor is actually
working. If you merely had a normal type of processor it is highly
likely that you would experience a drastic slow down of your computer
operations. Without the dual core technology you may actually have a
considerable amount of “lag” in your program operations. This would
certainly be noticeable on many of the current high memory eaters on
the market today. Let’s face facts – You can not have all these
fabulous features in a program without the high memory consumption.

• It
  is widely accepted today that the dual core processor has become the
  new desktop computer standard by which all processors are being
  compared to. More and more companies are switching to this technology
  since it is more effective and allows better performance then a single
  processor. This switch is quite likely possibly because of the many
  obvious benefits that this dual processor seems to provide to the end
  user as well as to the machine itself. A typical example would be with
  the dual core you can save energy while still delivering increased
  overall performance. Space within the computer board itself is yet
  another valuable advantage since you would only be required to house
  only a single chip instead of two. The most beneficial of these
  advantage points that should be considered is the dual core technology
  has proven beyond doubt to be very effective and reliable. This stable
  design alone has been instrumental in effectively promoting the units.
  It may perhaps take a long time before a more dependable processor
  design can replace the dual core units since the technology is so much
  more advanced and reliable.

new latest computer definations part 1

• Burning:Slang term meaning to write data to a CD-ROM. A CD burner is another name for a CD-R drive.


• LCD:LCD (liquid crystal display) is the technology used for displays in notebook and other smaller computers. Like light-emitting diode (LED) and gas-plasma technologies, LCDs allow displays to be much thinner than cathode ray tube (CRT) technology. LCDs consume much less power than LED and gas-display displays because they work on the principle of blocking light rather than emitting it.


• Laser Printer:A laser printer is a popular type of personal computer printer that uses a non-impact (keys don't strike the paper), photocopier technology. When a document is sent to the printer, a laser beam "draws" the document on a selenium-coated drum using electrical charges.


• LAN party:It is a gathering in which gamers (devotees of computer games) gather to share a local area network (LAN) and participate in extended gaming sessions of popular games such as Quake, Doom or Wolfenstein.


• LAN:A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link. Typically, connected devices share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building).


• TCP/IP:TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet.


• K Desktop Environment:It is an open source graphical desktop environment for Unix workstations.


• xD-card:An abbreviation for xD (Extreme Digital), the xD-Picture Card is a type of removable flash memory designed for use in digital cameras.


• Track Ball:A trackball is a computer cursor control device used in many notebook and laptop computers. The trackball is usually located in front of the keyboard toward the user. Essentially, the trackball is an upside-down mouse that rotates in place within a socket.


• Zombie: A zombie (also known as a bot) is a computer that a remote attacker has accessed and set up to forward transmissions (including spam and viruses) to other computers on the Internet.


• Zigbee:ZigBee is a specification for wireless personal area networks (WPANs) operating at 868 MHz, 902-928 MHz and 2.4 GHz. A WPAN is a personal area network (a network for interconnecting an individual's devices) in which the device connections are wireless.


• QWERTY keyboard:This term is used to describe a standard (Latin alphabet-based) keyboard. It has been named so because the first six keys in the upper-left part of the keyboard spell out Q-W-E-R-T-Y.


• Nanofactory:A machine that can make a product atom by atom that basically undertakes the process of molecular nanotechnology.


• Virus:Software used to infect a computer. After the virus code is written, it is buried within an existing program. Once that program is executed, the virus code is activated and attaches copies of itself to other programs in the system. Infected programs copy the virus to other programs.


• Virus Hoaxes:Considering the speed with which messages can be copied and sent via e-mail on the Internet, pranksters love to spread phony warnings just to upset as many people as they can.


• IMAP:IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a standard protocol for accessing e-mail from your local server. IMAP (the latest version is IMAP Version 4) is a client/server protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet server.


• ILOVEYOU virus:The ILOVEYOU virus comes in an e-mail note with "I LOVE YOU" in the subject line and contains an attachment that, when opened, results in the message being re-sent to everyone in the recipient's Microsoft Outlook address book and perhaps more seriously, the loss of every JPEG, MP3 and certain other files on the recipient's hard disk.


• Identity theft:Identity theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, in order to impersonate someone else.


• iDEN:iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) is a wireless technology from Motorola combining the capabilities of a digital cellular telephone, two-way radio, alphanumeric pager and data/fax modem in a single network.


• Image Spam:Image spam is junk email that replaces text with images as a means of fooling spam filters. Image delivery works by embedding code in an HTML message that links to an image file on the Web.


• iButton:An iButton is a microchip similar to those used in a smart card but housed in a round stainless steel button of 17.35mm x 3.1mm - 5.89mm in size (depending on the function).


• Y2K:Y2K is an abbreviation for "year 2000." As that year approached, many feared that computer programs storing year values as two-digit figures (such as 99) would cause problems.


• Yagi antenna:A Yagi antenna, also known as a Yagi-Uda array or simply aYagi, is a unidirectional antenna commonly used in communications when a frequency is above 10 MHz.


• Yottabyte:A yottabyte is a measure of theoretical storage capacity and is 2 to the 80th power bytes or, in decimal, approximately a thousand zettabytes, a trillion terabytes or a million trillion megabytes.


• Ymodem:Ymodem is an error-correcting protocol for a modem that uses larger data blocks for greater efficiency.


• Yacc:Yacc or 'yet another compiler compiler' is the standard parser generator for the Unix operating system.


• EDI:EDI or Electronic Data Interchange is the exchange of business data using an understood data format.


• E-cycling: E-cycling is the practice of reusing or distributing for reuse, electronic equipment and components rather than discarding them at the end of their life cycle.


• Eggdrop:Eggdrop is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) program for Linux or Unix users that sits in the background of an IRC channel to manage and protect a chat.


• Easter egg:An Easter egg is an unexpected surprise, perhaps a message, an image, or a sound, hidden in a Web site or in an application program.
  

(n.) A group of two or more computer systems linked together. There are many types of computer  networks, including:

•  local-area networks (LANs) : The computers are geographically close together (that is, in the same building).


• wide-area networks (WANs) : The computers are farther apart and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves.


•  campus-area networks (CANs): The computers are within a limited geographic area, such as a campus or military base.


•  metropolitan-area networks MANs): A data network designed for a town or city.


• home-area networks (HANs): A network contained within a user's home that connects a person's digital devices.
  

In addition to these types, the following characteristics are also used to categorize different types of networks:

• # topology : The geometric arrangement of a computer system. Common topologies include a bus, star, and ring. See the Network topology diagrams in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.

• # protocol : The protocol defines a common set of rules and signals that computers on the network use to communicate. One of the most popular protocols for LANs is called Ethernet. Another popular LAN protocol for PCs is the IBM token-ring network .

• # architecture : Networks can be broadly classified as using either a peer-to-peer or client/server architecture.

Computers on a network are sometimes called nodes. Computers and devices that allocate resources for a network are called servers.

(v.) To connect two or more computers together with the ability to communicate with each other.

Are Wireless Networks Secure?

• No computer network is truly secure, but how does wireless network security stack up to that of traditional wired networks?

• Answer: Unfortunately, no computer network is truly secure. It's always theoretically possible for eavesdroppers to view or "snoop" the traffic on any network, and it's often possible to add or "inject" unwelcome traffic as well. However, some networks are built and managed much more securely than others. For both wired and wireless networks alike, the real question to answer becomes - is it secure enough?

• Wireless networks add an extra level of security complexity compared to wired networks. Whereas wired networks send electrical signals or pulses of light through cable, wireless radio signals propogate through the air and are naturally easier to intercept. Signals from most wireless LANs (WLANs) pass through exterior walls and into nearby streets or parking lots.

• Network engineers and other technology experts have closely scrutinized wireless network security because of the open-air nature of wireless communications. The practice of wardriving, for example, exposed the vulnerabilities of home WLANs and accelerated the pace of security technology advances in home wireless equipment.

• Overall, conventional wisdom holds that wireless networks are now "secure enough" to use in the vast majority of homes, and many businesses. Security features like 128-bit WEP and WPA can scramble or "encrypt" network traffic so that its contents can not easily be deciphered by snoopers. Likewise, wireless routers and access points (APs) incorporate access control features such as MAC address filtering that deny network requests from unwanted clients.

• Obviously every home or business must determine for themselves the level of risk they are comfortable in taking when implementing a wireless network. The better a wireless network is administered, the more secure it becomes. However, the only truly secure network is the one never built!

What Are the Benefits of Networking?

The benefits of networking (either wired or wireless) in homes are:

• * file sharing - Network file sharing between computers gives you more flexibity than using floppy drives or Zip drives. Not only can you share photos, music files, and documents, you can also use a home network to save copies of all of your important data on a different computer. Backups are one of the most critical yet overlooked tasks in home networking.

• * printer / peripheral sharing - Once a home network is in place, it's easy to then set up all of the computers to share a single printer. No longer will you need to bounce from one system or another just to print out an email message. Other computer peripherals can be shared similarly such as network scanners, Web cams, and CD burners.

• * Internet connection sharing - Using a home network, multiple family members can access the Internet simultaneously without having to pay an ISP for multiple accounts. You will notice the Internet connection slows down when several people share it, but broadband Internet can handle the extra load with little trouble. Sharing dial-up Internet connections works, too. Painfully slow sometimes, you will still appreciate having shared dial-up on those occasions you really need it.

• * multi-player games - Many popular home computer games support LAN mode where friends and family can play together, if they have their computers networked.

• * Internet telephone service - So-called Voice over IP (VoIP) services allow you to make and receive phone calls through your home network across the Internet, saving you money.

• * home entertainment - Newer home entertainment products such as digital video recorders (DVRs) and video game consoles now support either wired or wireless home networking. Having these products integrated into your network enables online Internet gaming, video sharing and other advanced features.

Although you can realize these same benefits with a wired home network, you should carefully consider building a wireless home network instead, for the following reasons:

• 1. Computer mobility. Notebook computers and other portable devices are much affordable than they were a few years ago. With a mobile computer and wireless home network, you aren't chained to a network cord and can work on the couch, on your porch, or wherever in the house is most convenient at the moment.

• 2. No unsightly wires. Businesses can afford to lay cable under their floors or inside walls. But most of us don't have the time or inclination to fuss with this in our home. Unless you own one of the few newer homes pre-wired with network cable, you'll save substantial time and energy avoiding the cabling mess and going wireless.

• 3. Wireless is the future. Wireless technology is clearly the future of networking. In building a wireless home network, you'll learn about the technology and be able to teach your friends and relatives. You'll also be better prepared for future advances in network technology coming in the future.

What is Wireless Computer Networking?

1. Wireless networks utilize radio waves and/or microwaves to maintain communication channels between computers. Wireless networking is a more modern alternative to wired networking that relies on copper and/or fiber optic cabling between network devices.

1. A wireless network offers advantages and disadvantages compared to a wired network. Advantages of wireless include mobility and elimination of unsightly cables. Disadvantages of wireless include the potential for radio interference due to weather, other wireless devices, or obstructions like walls.

1. Wireless is rapidly gaining in popularity for both home and business networking. Wireless technology continues to improve, and the cost of wireless products continues to decrease. Popular wireless local area networking (WLAN) products conform to the 802.11 "Wi-Fi" standards. The gear a person needs to build wireless networks includes network adapters (NICs), access points (APs), and routers.

What is (Wireless / Computer) Networking?

• In the world of computers, networking is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a mix of computer hardware and computer software.

Area Networks

• Networks can be categorized in several different ways. One approach defines the type of network according to the geographic area it spans. Local area networks (LANs), for example, typically reach across a single home, whereas wide area networks (WANs), reach across cities, states, or even across the world. The Internet is the world's largest public WAN.

Network Design

• Computer networks also differ in their design. The two types of high-level network design are called client-server and peer-to-peer. Client-server networks feature centralized server computers that store email, Web pages, files and or applications. On a peer-to-peer network, conversely, all computers tend to support the same functions. Client-server networks are much more common in business and peer-to-peer networks much more common in homes.

A network topology represents its layout or structure from the point of view of data flow. In so-called bus networks, for example, all of the computers share and communicate across one common conduit, whereas in a star network, all data flows through one centralized device. Common types of network topologies include bus, star, ring and mesh.
Network Protocols

• In networking, the communication language used by computer devices is called the protocol. Yet another way to classify computer networks is by the set of protocols they support. Networks often implement multiple protocols to support specific applications. Popular protocols include TCP/IP, the most common protocol found on the Internet and in home networks.

• Wired vs Wireless Networking

Many of the same network protocols, like TCP/IP, work in both wired and wireless networks. Networks with Ethernet cables predominated in businesses, schools, and homes for several decades. Recently, however, wireless networking alternatives have emerged as the premier technology for building new computer networks.

What Should I Do With Image Files?

A Tutorial by niraj chauhan:

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• 1. What's a image file?

(>) A image file is a CD/DVD, but instead of insert it into your CD/DVD-Rom, you open it from inside your Hard Disk. So, it's a file that replaces a normal CD/DVD. Inside the image are the CD/DVD files like if it were a CD/DVD.

• 2. What are the image files extensions?

(>) There's many extensions, but the most common are:
(>) iSO (Generic image file)
(>) BiN/CUE (Generic BiN image file)
(>) NRG (An image created using Nero Burning ROM)
(>) iMG/CCD/SUB (An image created using CloneCD)
(>) MDF (An image created using MagicISO Maker)

There are many other images, but these are the most common.

• 3. How to open a image file?

(>) The most common way to open image files, is to use a virtual CD/DVD-Rom. It's like a normal CD/DVD-Rom, only that you mount the images directly from your computer, installing a simple program.

• 4. What program should i use to create images files?

(>) Usually a CD/DVD Burning software has that option, but personally i use UltraISO. It allow me to create an ISO, BiN/CUE, NRG and iMG/CCD/SUB image file.

• 5. What program should i use to mount the images?

(>) Daemon-Tools is the most powerful one to use, and the most simple too.

• 6. How to burn a image file?

(>) Some image files must be burned using a certain software in order to work fine, but usually a common CD/DVD burning software works fine. I use Nero Burning ROM to burn my images.

• 7. How to work with Daemon-Tools?

1. (>) 1. Install the software into your Hard Drive. After installing reboot (or not) your PC.
2. (>) 2. After 1. , open Daemon-Tools. It will appear in your startup bar.

(>) 3. Right click on it, go to Virtual CD/DVD-ROM » Set number of devices » 2 Drives. If you want to use more drives you can set it on. I personally use 2. It's your decision.
(>) 4. Right click on it, go to Virtual CD/DVD-ROM » Device x: [X:](....). Here you will mount your image. Just choose the image to open it (x means Device 1 or 2, etc.)([X:] the letter of your device).
(>) 5. Done, now your image is working like a CD.

• 8. How to burn with Nero Burning ROM?

(>) 1. Install Nero Burning ROM.
(>) 2. Open it, choose what is the storage type you gonna use to burn the image, or is a CD or a DVD.
(>) 3. Go to Copy and Backup » Burn Image to Disc.
(>) 4. Choose the image you want to burn.
(>) 5. Done, let it burn baby!

• FiNAL NOTES:

(>) If you want to burn a BiN with Nero Burning ROM, you will have to have the CUE file. When you are going to open the image, if it's BiN, you open the CUE file. If you don't have the CUE and you don't want to download it, it's simple:
1. Open Daemon-Tools.
2. Mount your BiN file.
3. Open Nero Burning ROM.
4. Open it, choose what is the storage type you gonna use to burn the image, or is a CD or a DVD.
5. Go to Data » Make Data CD.
6. Now open the image you mounted through your virtual drive. Select all files, and drag the files into Nero Burning ROM window that is opened.
7. Done, let it burn.

Where Is Winipcfg In Windows xp?

•  If any body remembers or misses the old "winipcfg", which is missing from Windows XP, then there is a easy way to get this back from Microsoft.

• Instead of using the command line to display or configure your ip with "ipconfig", you can download wntipcfg from Microsoft which gives you the same GUI as the old winipcfg.

• Download:CODE


• http://microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/wntipcfg-o.asp
  

Then follow these steps:

Install it (the default is c:\program files\resource kit\ )
Copy wntipcfg.exe to c:\windows
Rename it to winipcfg.exe
Now you can just click on run, then type in "winipcfg".