|
Term
|
Description
|
|
Large
Mode
|
Using
the CHS (Cylinder, Heads, Sectors) method of translation, your
computers BIOS could not recognize hard drives over 528 Mb. The
Enhanced BIOS feature, Large Mode supports hard drives larger
than 528 Mb, up to 1 GB. |
|
Latency
|
The
read/write heads in a drive have to move from track to track on
the disk and read or write information to individual sectors.
Because the disk is spinning, once a read/write head is in position,
there may be a very short delay before the targeted sector is
under the head. This delay is known as the latency factor and
values are given in milliseconds. |
|
LBA
|
Logical
Block Addressing. An Enhanced BIOS translation method that allows
for larger hard drive sizes (up to 2 terabytes), by providing
the Operating System with a long list of Logical Block Addresses
instead of the Cylinder, Heads, Sector configuration. |
|
Legacy
|
An
older style adapter card that does not support Plug & Play.
It may have to be configured using a software configuration program
or by physically arranging jumpers on the board. |
|
Level
1 Cache
|
See
Internal Cache. |
|
Level
2 Cache
|
See
External Cache. |
|
Loadhigh
|
Loadhigh
or LH is a DOS command used in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file that allows
you to load some devices or TSRs into upper memory freeing up
precious conventional memory. |
|
Local
Bus
|
A
bus or electronic pathway that allows access to the CPU at a speed
synchronized with the CPU. |
|
Local
Printer
|
A
printer attached to a stand-alone computer. Or, in networking,
it refers to a printer attached to a specific workstation instead
of a file server or print server. |
|
Logic
Board
|
See
Motherboard. |
|
Logical
Drive
|
The
partitioning or division of a large hard drive into smaller units.
A single, large Physical Drive can be partitioned into two or
more smaller Logical Drives. |
|
Login
|
The
process of typing in a password, and possibly a user name, to
gain access to a computer, a network or an Internet Service Provider. |
|
Logoff
|
The
process of ending a session with a certain computer, network,
or Internet Service Provider. |
|
Lost Chain
|
One
or more clusters on your hard drive that used to be part of a
file but have lost their connection with the file and now have
no entry in the File Allocation Table. Programs like CHKDSK and
SCANDISK can delete these chains and free up disk space. |
|
Lost Clusters
|
A
cluster on your hard drive that used to be part of a file but
now has no entry in the File Allocation Table. Programs like CHKDISK
and SCANDISK can remove these clusters and free up space on your
hard drive. |
|
Low-level
Format
|
Low-level
Formatting creates the Tracks and Sectors on a blank hard drive.
The drives you buy today are Low-level Formatted at the factory.
Low-level Formatting these hard drives yourself is not recommended
by the manufacturer. |
|
Lowercase
|
As
opposed to Uppercase, Lowercase letters take the form of a,b,c
instead of A,B,C. Programs that are 'case-sensitive' can differentiate
between upper and lowercase. |
|
LPT Port
|
A
parallel communications port often used by a printer. On the back
of your computer you will see a DB-25 female port. It's a D-shaped
port with 25 holes arranged in two lines. |
|
Lurking
|
Reading
or watching online messages or chat room conversations without
taking part in the discussion. |
