Glossary of Acronyms

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FAT - File Allocation Table. A system maintained by the operating system to keep track of the status of the various segments of disk space used for file storage. It contains a listing of all files and directories on a hard or floppy disk. The FAT table includes the directory, the file name, and the location of the file on the disk. The 32 bit implementation in Windows 95 is called the Virtual File Allocation Table (VFAT).

FDPT - Fixed Disk Parameter Table. In standard BIOS, the FDPT contains information about geometry of the harddisk(s). It more or less contains the same information as the drive type entry in the CMOS setup. A program that wants to use the harddisk on a low level, bypassing DOS, normally uses the BIOS' int13 functions to achieve this.

This table returns additional information for BIOS drive numbers 80H and 81H. The FDPT for BIOS drive 80H is pointed to by INT 41H, while drive 81H is pointed to by INT 46H. The FDPT does not have a AxH signature byte. This table format returns a single set of CHS information. The L-CHS information returned is probably the same as the P-CHS and is also probably the same as the L-CHS returned by INT 13H=08H. However, not all BIOS properly account for the IBM defined CE Cylinder and this can cause a one or two cylinder difference between the number of cylinders returned in the AH=08H data and the FDPA data. IBM gets the credit for the definition of this type of table.

FIFO - First In First Out. A buffer that stores and forwards data items in the same order in which they were received.

FM - Frequency Modulation. A method of encoding data as a series of magnetic flux reversals on disk or tape, commonly known as single-density recording. In frequency modulation, a series of clock pulses are written at regular intervals, with one data bit for each clock pulse. See also MFM and RLL.

FP - Floating Point. A type of math that handles very small and very large numbers, typically used for scientific calculations.

FPM - Fast Page Mode. Typical RAM such as DRAM, SRAM, and VRAM as opposed to EDO RAM.

FPU - Floating Point Unit. A math coprocessor installed in/with the CPU chip. Became commonplace with the DX chip and all others thereafter. Contains circuitry that executes numeric intensive instructions exceptionally fast.

FRC - Functional Redundancy Checking. A function supplied the Intel Pentium processor that has the ability to use one or two pairs of Pentium Pro processors for functional redundancy checking.

FST - Flat Square Tube. The shape of the face of the picture tube. The curved space dips backward in all four corners as if it were cut off out of a large shear. Refer to Shadow Mask.

FX - The Intel Triton I motherboard chip. The FX only supports SIMMs.

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Compiled by Scott McArdle, MagnaCom Limited. I hope this list has helped you and if there is an item that should be on this list, please let me know. Thanks. PS, I've spent 100's of hours maintaining this list, please don't be a LAMER.