The hard drive of a PC, on which all programs and documents are stored. In speech it is referred to as C drive.

A section of high speed memory that sores data recently used by the PC's processor, thereby increasing the speed at which that data can be accessed again.

Compact disk read only memory.A storage device, identical in appearance to a normal cd containing up to 6 Mb of data.

A small rectangular section of a spreadsheet or database, into which texts or figures are entered.

A device that processes information at the most basic level within a computer. A processor chip carries out calculations and the memory chip sores data.

To press and release the left mouse button once. Used to select menu and dialogue box options and toolbar buttons.

Graphic images that can be inserted into text-based documents and then resized and manipulated.

When text is cut or copied from a document it is stored on the keyboard. It stored only one piece of data at a time, regardless of its size.

A menu option, usually found under the file menu, that shuts the active document, but not the program.

Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-conductor. A type of memory chip that stores the computer configuration settings and the date and time.

Files that have been temporarily condensed so that they can use less memory and can be copied or downloaded in a fraction of the time it would otherwise take.

The settings used to ensure hardware or software runs as the user requires.

Any adjustments made to your system or its settings are made via the control panel.Here you change the way your desktop looks, add new hardware or alter your PC's sound output.

To make a duplicate of a file, image or section of text.

Central Processing Unit. The brain of your PC which carries out millions of arithmetic and control functions every second.

Your PC has crashed if it has stopped working, the screen has 'frozen' and their is no response to keyboard or mouse commands.A crash usually requires you to restart the computer.

A marker, usually a flashing vertical line, that indicates where the next letter or digit typed in will appear in the document.

To remove selected text or images to the keyboard , where they are stored for later use.