Round plastic or metal pegs that separate the motherboard from the case, so that components on the back of the motherboard do not touch the case.

Type of operating system that processes 32 bits at a time.

The properties assigned to a file. Examples would be read-only and hidden status.

a mini-app that appears on the Windows 7 desktop or Vista sidebar

The primary Windows 7/Vista utility used to manage network connections

a piece of metal, with cooling fins, that can be attached to or mounted on an integrated chip (such as the CPU) to dissipate heat.

Type of operating system that processes 64 bits at a time

a directory or folder contained in another directory or folder. also called a child directory or folder

a folder that contains compressed files. When files are put in the folder, they are compressed. When files are moved to a regular folder, the files are decompressed.

The number of dots or pixels on the monitor screen expressed as two numbers such as 1680 x 1050.

a creamlike substance that is placed between the bottom of the cooler heatsink and the top of the processor to eliminate air pockets and to help to draw heat off the processor.

a Windows 7 feature that gives you a look at the desktop when you move the mouse over the rectangle to the far-right side of the taskbar.

The first part of the name assigned to a file, which does not include the file extension.

a window containing several small utility programs called applets that are used to manage hardware, software, users, and the system.

The Windows 7/Vista user account type that can use software and hardware and make some system changes, but cannot make changes that affect the security of the system or other users.

a group of wires running from the front of the computer case to the motherboard.

The initial screen that is displayed when an OS has a GUI interface loaded

a drive and list of directories pointing to a file such as C:\Windows\System32

a minor update to software that corrects an error, adds a feature, or addresses security issues. also called an update. Compare to service pack.

Small programs stored on the hard drive and installed in Windows that tell Windows how to communicate with a specific hardware device such as a printer, network, port on the motherboard, or scanner.

Running a processor at a higher frequency than is recommended by the manufacturer, which can result in an unstable system, but is a popular thing to do when a computer is used for gaming.

Software that controls a computer. It controls how system resources are used and provides a user interface, a way of managing hardware and software, and ways to work with files.

The main directory, at the top of the top-down hierarchical structure of subdirectories, created when a hard drive or disk is first formatted. In Linux, it’s indicated by a forward slash. In DOS and Windows, it’s indicated by a backward slash

a Windows tool that provides details about a system, including installed hardware and software, the current system configuration, and currently running programs. The program file is Msinfo32.exe

a Windows 7/Vista security feature that displays a dialog box when an event requiring administrative privileges is about to happen.