Toshiba satellite a500 Manuel D’Utilisation

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file — A collection of related information, saved on disk with a unique 

name. A file may be a program, information used by a program, or a 
document. See also document.

file allocation table (FAT) — The section of a storage drive that keeps 

track of the location of stored files.

file name — A set of characters that uniquely identifies a file within a 

particular folder. It consists of two parts: the actual name and the file 
name extension. See also file extension.

file extension — The three characters following the period (pronounced 

“dot”) at the end of a file name. The extension indicates the type of 
file. Examples are .exe for program files and .hlp for help files. See 
also file name.

folder — Also called directory. A container for organizing files saved to 

a disk. A folder is symbolized on screen by a graphical image (icon) 
of a file folder. A folder can contain files and other folders.

format — (verb) To prepare a blank disk for use with the computer’s 

operating system. Formatting creates a structure on the disk so the 
operating system can write information to the disk or read 
information from it.

frontside bus — The primary pathway (bus) between the CPU and the 

computer’s main memory. Also called “system bus.” See also bus.

function keys — The keys labeled F1 through F12, typically located on 

the keyboard. Their function is determined by the operating system 
and/or individual programs.

ground — A conductor to which all components of an electric circuit are 

connected. It has a potential of zero (0) volts, is connected to the 
earth, and is the point of reference for voltages in the circuit.

hard disk — A storage device composed of a rigid platter or platters that 

can be magnetically coded with data. Hard disks hold much more 
information than diskettes and are used for long-term storage of 
programs and data. The primary (or only) hard disk in a computer is 
usually fixed, but some computers have secondary hard disks that 
are removable.

hardware — The physical components of a computer system. Compare