PC hardware trivia Q&A (perpetual thread, feel free to contribute)

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:09 am

really simple..... ask (or answer) a trivia question (doing either or both would be grand). remember, part of the fun here is not to ask a question so obscure that nobody will get it (i.e. how many molecules of silicon on the PCB of an Iwill BD100+?), but to ask a question that is reasonable.

my question:

what role does the SPD EEPROM play on a standard memory module?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:56 am

Kind of like an identifier chip...so that the memory module is correctly identified by the motherboard at POST.

Question: AT motherboard had a larger keyboard port connector..what was it called?

Duzmor · Post by **Duzmor** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:38 am

a 5- Pin Din Connector !!!!

"what is best for you cd-rom -Dvd - Burner- a 40 wire cable or a 80 wire"

Duz !!

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:04 pm

40 wire, they only support ata/33

Question: What does ACPI stand for and what does it primarly handle

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:35 pm

ACPI..Advanced Configuration and Power Interface

Replaced two earlier technologies, APM, and PNPBios. APCI software (drivers) actually control power management and resources now.

Next question, twisting the above letters around, what is an APIC system?

Mytflyguy · Post by **Mytflyguy** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:17 pm

Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller

Mainly for Multi processor systems ...

With DPMS Support what does :

V/H SYNC+Blank option ( Found in Bios )

do ?

Massa · Post by **Massa** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:18 pm

This option shows the switching off mode for the screen:
- Blank Screen: the screen does not receive any display signal. Setting modifies for old monitors.
- V/H Synch+Blank: the screen receives the synchronism signal without signal of the colour. Some monitors work only with this setting.
- DPMS Support: the screen receives the signal for the best energy saving. Setting modifies only for the monitors which support the DPMS standard.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:26 pm

Originally posted by Mytflyguy
Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller

Mainly for Multi processor systems ...

Started out for multi procs...but on most new single proc motherboards now. What's nice is having up to..64 I believe...IRQ's. Say goodbye to having 6 devices share IRQ 9, all those headaches.

Mytflyguy · Post by **Mytflyguy** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:31 pm

I bet that's why my Current System is having problems loading all of my USB Devices into IRQ 9 !!! I dont' have an Apic ioption in my Bioos though ...

Oh Well the little one is getting this PC in about 3 weeks when I finish customizing the one I'm building

MAssumane : What's yer Q ??

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:33 pm

Quick...this one's for old timers, from the top of your head, what's the default I/O and IRQ for COM1/2/3/4, and LPT 1

Mytflyguy · Post by **Mytflyguy** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 2:53 pm

Coms 1/3 = (I/O) 3F8-3FFh/3E8-3EFh = IRQ 4
Coms 2/4 = (I/O) 2F8-2FFH/2E8-2EFh = IRQ 3

Confession :
I had to cheat just a little to refresh the Com 2 and 4 I/O

what is the common Purpose for Memory Address C0000-C7FFFh ??

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 2:59 pm

The first Pentium Pro CPU's were Socket __?

mvern2 · Post by **mvern2** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:22 pm

The first Pentium Pro CPU's were Socket __?

Socket 7 i believe

I still got my Pentium 166 Mhz for storage mainly music files
(thats all its good for anyway)

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:41 pm

Originally posted by mvern2
Socket 7 i believe

Nope, Pentium "Pro's". They didn't come in a 166 flavor. A 166 is either the classic P54 Pentium, or the mmx P55C. Those were socket 7.

mvern2 · Post by **mvern2** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:42 pm

mines the MMX P55C version

my bad!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:42 pm

Originally posted by Mytflyguy

Confession :
I had to cheat just a little

what is the common Purpose for Memory Address C0000-C7FFFh ??

Kinda guessed the area right, but had to look it up myself to find out the specific for sure, so won't post an answer since I neede Google.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:58 pm

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
The first Pentium Pro CPU's were Socket __?

Socket 8 387 pin zif

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 4:00 pm

Originally posted by Brent
Socket 8 387 pin zif

Yup...

Back quite a few years, I had an HP Vectra with dual PPro 180's in her. BIIIIG suckers compared to the P55c's.

Now where's yer ?

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 4:08 pm

[threadjack]
"what is best for you cd-rom -Dvd - Burner- a 40 wire cable or a 80 wire"
40 wire, they only support ata/33

so you guys are saying i should take off the 80 wire cables i use on my cd-roms ??

[/treadjack]

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 5:01 pm

Originally posted by the snake
[threadjack]
"what is best for you cd-rom -Dvd - Burner- a 40 wire cable or a 80 wire"
40 wire, they only support ata/33

so you guys are saying i should take off the 80 wire cables i use on my cd-roms ??

[/treadjack]

its a waste of an 80 wire cable

but it won't hurt anything by being there

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:06 pm

what is the NVRAM on a mainboard for?

Massa · Post by **Massa** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 2:31 am

storing data that isnt lost when the power turns off .. eg EEPROM ...

Question:

What is the technical name of a printer cable (the LPT port kind) connector:

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 2:34 am

i wanna say RS232, but i know that;s wrong... that;s the comm port commonly used on CNC machines. gimme a while.... it;ll come to me.

Mytflyguy · Post by **Mytflyguy** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 2:50 am

What is the technical name of a printer cable (the LPT port kind) connector:

Male DB 25 Parralel ( Can't speel ) Cable ...

What IRQ does the Mouse generally use for most PC's

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 3:44 am

Originally posted by Mytflyguy
Male DB 25 Parralel ( Can't speel ) Cable ...

What IRQ does the Mouse generally use for most PC's

12.

whats teh fastest cpu made?for sale for home or corporations.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 3:58 am

Originally posted by YARDofSTUF
whats teh fastest cpu made?for sale for home or corporations.

you stirring the pot again?

if not, what do you mean "fastest"? as in clock frequency?

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 4:01 am

Originally posted by Faust
you stirring the pot again?

if not, what do you mean "fastest"? as in clock frequency?

no like most powerful, crap forgot the name of the rating i was gonna use, so i guess i'll except clock speed

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 6:15 am

Originally posted by Massamune

What is the technical name of a printer cable (the LPT port kind) connector:

You looking for "Centronics"?

Max partition size we used to have on HD's back pre-Windows 95b...meaning Win95a and earlier.

Mytflyguy · Post by **Mytflyguy** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 9:18 am

512 MEgs ??? or is it 2 G ??

What is the Cluster size of a Fat32 15G Partition ??