Sys tec revision

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND
COMPUTER MANAGEMENT
MODULE 1.5

1

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND
COMPUTER MANAGEMENT
MODULE 1.5

2

OPERATING SYSTEMS

SYSTEM SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS ALL ACTIVITIES
THAT TAKE PLACE IN A COMPUTER

4

Open Ended

Explain to someone who has never heard about System software what it is.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A COMPUTER IS SWITCHED ON

5
Process of loading the operating system is called booting the computer

Load operating system into memory - control of the computer handed over

to operating system

Try and find and load the operating system

Instructions perform some basic hardware tests

Computer looks for instructions to follow (on ROM)

Multiple Choice

What was the first step when switching on a computer?

• Computer looks for instructions to follow (on ROM)

• Try and find and load the operating system

• Instructions perform some basic hardware tests

THE ROLE OF THE OPERATING SYSTEM

6

To allow us to
interact with
the computer
via a GUI

Providing
the user
interface

Manage which
programs and
tasks can use
the CPU and
for how long

Managing
programs

Disk
management
Memory
management
Input/Output
management

Managing
hardware

User and
access control
Basic
protection
against threats

Providing
basic
security

Multitasking: ability of the operating system
to load and process multiple tasks at the
same time

THE TASK MANAGER

 Right-click on taskbar /

Ctrl+Alt+Del

 Provides some information about

the computer’s performance and
the applications and processes
running.

 Most often used to terminate a

process or program that is not
responding.

7

Multiple Choice

How do you access the Task manager?

• By waving a magic wand

• By pressing Ctr+Backspace+Del

• Ctr+Alt+Del

• By pressing the any key

SINGLE-USER VERSUS MULTI-USER
OPERATING SYSTEMS

 Single-user operating system

 Can only be used by a single user at a time

 Multi-user operating systems

 Allows multiple users to access a computer system at the same time
8

OPERATING
SYSTEM UTILITIES

PROGRAMS THAT PERFORM SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
AND ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS

9

Open Ended

Name three utilities from the previous slide

FILE MANAGEMENT

 Naming files

10

File names

• File name & full stop & file extension (3–5 letters)

File extensions and file types

• Identifies the file type or format and is automatically added when you save

the file

• Also determines which program will open the type of file by default

Path

• ‘Succession’ of folders that leads to the location of a specific file

FILE MANAGEMENT

 Information about files

11

File property

• Basic information about files, name, size and date modified

File attribute

• Property of file that can be set
• Read-only: read-only file cannot be modified or saved under same name in

same folder

• Hidden indicates if a file is visible or not, some system files are hidden

Metadata

• Additional data stored about a file: describes contents such as author and

title of the file

FILE MANAGEMENT

 File manager functions

12

Searching

• File Explorer allows you to search for a file based on certain criteria: file

size, type of file, partial file name, date accessed and even text in file

Compressing

• Process of reducing the size of a file
• Also referred to as ‘zipping’

Decompressing

• Refers to the process of converting (extracting) a compressed file back to

the original size

FILE MANAGEMENT

 Converting files from one format to another

13

Exporting

• Saving data om a format that can be read by different version of same

application or new application. Menu option ‘Export’ or ‘Save As’.

Importing

• Opening or ‘reading’ data created in different version of the same

application or new application.

SCHEDULING

14

• Program that is used to run certain programs at specific

times

• Automatically checks for updates
• Automatically perform certain routine housekeeping tasks
• Schedulers can be set to run in off-peak times

Save time and internet cap
When you need to update several
computers (network)

PRINTER MANAGEMENT

15

View information about the documents

deleting tasks

pausing tasks

restarting tasks

BACKUP

 files can be accidentally overwritten or deleted

 hardware failures – disk drive crashes

 devices can be stolen (with data and files stored on them)

 disasters – fires, earthquakes and floods can destroy hardware

 files can be corrupted by power fluctuations

 files can be deleted, encrypted or corrupted by viruses, etc.

16

BACKUP

Backup software

 Most operating systems provide backup utilities.

 Third-party vendors have specialised backup programs

 scheduling when to back up the files
 choosing to do a full backup of all the files or just those

that have been changed since the last backup

 encrypt backups to prevent unauthorised access
 compress the files to save space on the backup media, etc.

17

BACKUP

Backup tips

 Use software that automatically manages your backup process.

 Back up your files onto external portable media.

 Keep the backups off-site.

 Consider option of using a cloud backup service.

 Perform ‘housekeeping’.

 Consider archiving large files.

 Check that the backups are actually working.

18

SECURITY TOOLS

SECURITY MEASURES AND FACILITIES TO HELP
CONTROL AND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF MALWARE.

19

ACCESS CONTROL

 Access control means that the operating system specifically asks

your permission before any software can be installed.

 The purpose of access control is to try to make it impossible for

malware to be secretly installed on your computer without your
knowledge.

 Reason why your day-to-day account is not administrator level

account.

20

FIREWALL

 A firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the

internet. Checks which programs are trying to access your
computer via the internet, or internet via your computer.

 Built into most operating systems, can be included in anti-

virus software.

 Hardware firewalls can be stand-alone hardware devices,

usually used in a network.

21

22

FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERFORMANCE

24

MEMORY (RAM)

 Programs and data need to be loaded from disk into RAM

(memory).

The more memory you have available, the better.
25

MEMORY (RAM)

 Caching

 Cache memory is built into various components on a

computer, including the processor.

 It stores frequently or recently accessed data, based on the

assumption that it will probably be accessed again soon.

 This memory is more expensive, because it is faster than

normal memory (RAM) but it can increase the overall
performance of a computer quite dramatically.

26

CPU

The speed

(measured in

GHz)

• In general, the

higher the speed
of the CPU, the
faster it will
perform.

The number of
cores, e.g. dual-

physical
processors
included in a single
‘chip’.

• Each core is a

complete
processor - works
independently of
any other core on
the CPU chip.

Cache size

• A special high-

speed memory
used to store
recently or
frequently
accessed data.

• The larger the

cache memory on
the CPU, the
faster it is likely to
perform.
27

HARD DRIVE / SSD

 A ‘faster’ hard drive can improve the overall performance of a computer

 Electronic storage (SSDs) – no moving parts, much faster than magnetic hard

 New laptops only have SSDs, many computers have both types of storage.

 Remember also:

When a hard drive is fragmented,
the files will take longer to retrieve.

 Fragmentation has no affect on speed of SSDs.

28

Multiple Choice

Fragmentation has no effect on a SSD

• True

• Fals

INFLUENCE OF MALWARE

 Malware can slow your computer down by using up resources

such as free memory and hard drive space.

 Spyware can slow your Internet connection down if it

frequently connects to the internet.

 Your computer can become part of a botnet, without your

knowledge and slow your computer down.

29

Open Ended

What is spyware and present an example of how its used

TROUBLESHOOTING USING
UTILITY SOFTWARE

30

DISK SCANNING

 Generally, it is not recommended that you repair a hard drive that

you suspect is faulty unless you are sure you know how to do it.

 Problems on flash drives can be fixed quite easily by running a disk

scanner.

 Checks a drive for errors and ‘bad sectors’ and tries to fix them.

31

DISK DEFRAGMENTATION

 A disk defragmenter is a tool that reorganises the parts of files

and speeds your computer up.

 Defragmentation does not free up disk space.

 Possible to schedule the running of a defrag operation.

32

DISK FILLING UP

 Windows - Disk Cleanup Wizard:

 Removes temporary files downloaded from the internet

or temporary files created by Windows.

 Removes installed programs that you no longer or

seldom use.

33

TEST AND IMPROVE

34