Samsung MZ-7PC128N, User Manual

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DOS
DOS or Disk Operating System is a simple computer operating system that lacks
the now ubiquitous Graphical User Interface (GUI) of modern operating systems,
relying instead on simple text input. Its small size and simplicity allow it to be
easily installed on devices like UBS Flash disks, like the one Samsung SSD
Magician helps format to use
in updating the SSD’s firmware or performing a
secure erase.
Firmware
Firmware is a combination of software and hardware. Special, usually small
software is written to read-only memory (ROM). Many firmware chips are
designed to be updated via software updates so that manufacturers can improve
performance and quality.
Garbage Collection
By nature, SSDs are a bit obsessive about how they organize their data. They
prefer to have it neatly stacked together, and they run more efficiently when they
can keep it that way. Everyday use makes this type of neatness difficult,
because the OS is constantly writing and deleting data of various sizes, leaving
data strewn haphazardly throughout the SSD. Garbage Collection remedies
this by combing through the Swiss cheese of data left behind, collecting any
valid data and carefully placing it together.
IDE (or ATA, PATA)
IDE or Integrated Drive Electronics is an interface standard for connecting internal
storage devices (HDD, CD-ROM, etc.) to PCs. It is based on the premise that the
hard drive and its controller should be combined. First standardized by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as ATA (Advanced Technology
Attachment), it has evolved into EIDE (Enhanced IDE) and PATA (Parallel ATA).
Up to 4 HDDs or CD-ROM drives are supported by the IDE type interface. IDE
drives may be configured as
either “slaves” or “masters.” Configuration options
are available via the BIOS.
Over Provisioning
Over Provisioning refers to the practice of leaving a chunk of free space available
for use by the SSD controller. The SSD will perform better if it has free space
available to use as swap space. Swap space is used to perform routine SSD
maintenance (TRIM and Garbage Collection) in the background during idle time,