9781111306366 ppt ch6

Guide to Operating Systems,
4th
ed.
Chapter 6: Configuring Input and Output
Devices

Guide to Operating Systems, 4th ed. 2
Objectives
2
• Understand how operating systems interface with
input and output devices
• Explain the need for device drivers and install
devices and drivers
• Describe popular input device technologies
• Discuss the types of printers and install printers
• Explain display adapter technologies
• Install circuit boards for new devices
• Explain the use of sound cards and other output
devices

Operating Systems and Devices: An
Overview
• A primary function of any OS is to provide basic I/O
support for application software
– To translate requests from software into commands that the
hardware can understand and carry out
• Two ways an OS does this:
– Through software(device drivers)
– Through hardware (controllers and adapter boards) controlled
by the OS
• Device drivers perform the communication between
the physical device and OS
• Adapters are the interface between hardware
components (such as display adapters to produce
video)

Operating Systems and Devices: An
Overview
• Configuration of device drivers and adapters varies
from OS to OS, but they function the same in each
OS
• Setting up or installing I/O devices involves three
general steps:
– Install any software drivers that are required
– Connect the input, output, or storage device
– Turn on the device and follow any configuration instructions

Using Device Drivers
• The OS provides basic I/O support for devices but
it doesn’t support specific features of each device
– For specific features to be supported and work properly, a
device driver for the device is needed
• Advantages of using device drivers:
– Only essential code is necessary to build into the OS kernel for
maximum performance
– Use of specific devices does not have to be linked to a single
OS
– The number of I/O devices can expand to offer the computer
user a broad range of device selections and features
– New devices can come on the market without requiring
extensive updates to OSs

• You should use the manufacturer’s driver instead of the
one supplied with your OS
– Using the driver shipped with your device gives you a better chance of
having the latest version designed for your specific hardware
• The procedure to install drivers varies
– If you download a new driver from a manufacturer’s Web site, you may
have to uncompress it
– Microsoft includes built-in zip support (starting in late 90’s)
– Some files may be supplied in self-extraction format (executable file
that usually uses an .exe file extension)
– If the file includes a .zip extension, you’ll need a program like PKZIP or
WinZip to expand the file before installing
– Mac OS X since version 10.3 Tiger has built-in zip support
– UNIX/Linux users may retrieve drivers in a tar format

• Once the driver is located, you generally have 3
options for install:
– Use your OS’s install utility
– Plug and Play (PnP) feature
– The install utility provided by the hardware manufacturer
• Procedures differ among different OSs and with
different equipment
– General process is very similar

• Manufacturer Driver Installation – most come with
an install utility that makes driver installation fully
automatic
– If problems occur, go to manufacturer’s Web site or looks for
a .txt file on the install disk for more information
• Windows XP (and later versions) Driver Installation
– Easiest way to install a driver is to use the PnP capability to
automatically detect new hardware
– Also can use the Add Hardware Wizard in Windows
– A third way is through the Control Panel
– A final way is to use Device Manager – install a new driver or
update an existing one

• Using PnP to Install a Device and Driver
– Install any software drivers that are required
– Connect the printer to the computer
– Plug the printer into a power outlet and turn it on
– Follow any configuration instructions
• Windows may try to find the built-in driver for the
device on the Windows distribution disk or
DVD/CD-ROM
• You can insert the manufacturer’s DVD/CD-ROM
into the appropriate drive when the OS asks for it

• Using a Windows Wizard to Install a Device/Driver
– Use the Add Hardware Wizard if:
• Windows doesn’t recognize newly installed hardware
• Want to conduct an installation manually
• To start automatic procedures to detect a hardware device
– Starting the Add Hardware Wizard varies from OS to OS (see
examples of how to start on page 310)
– When using the Wizard, the drivers may not be the most
current
• It is recommended to use the installation CD from the device
manufacturer (if available) to ensure the latest drivers are used

• Using Control Panel to Install a Device/Driver
– Many devices can be configured through Control Panel
– Examples are: monitor, game controllers, keyboard, mouse,
network interfaces, printers and faxes, scanners, etc…
– Double-click the icon and look for configuration options

• Using Device Manager to Install or Update a Driver
– Also use Device Manager to:
• Determine the location of device driver files
• Check to make sure a device is working properly
• Determine if there is a resource conflict for a device
– A conflict could occur more than once device is assigned the
same IRQ or I/O address
• Interrupt request (IRQ) line – channel within the computer that is
used for communications with the CPU
• I/O address range – memory reserved for use by a particular
device
– Hands-On Project 6-2 gives you the opportunity to use Device
Manager

• When a new I/O device is installed under Windows,
you have the option to make sure the driver has
been verified by Microsoft
• When it has been verified a unique digital signature
is incorporated into that driver (a process called
driver signing)
• Using driver signing helps to ensure that the driver
works properly with the device and in conjunction
with other devices
• Hands-On Project 6-3 shows you how to configure
driver signing in Windows XP and Server 2003/R2

UNIX/Linux Driver Installation
• Concept of drivers is a little different in UNIX/Linux
• Central portion of the OS, the kernel, is where most
of the device drivers are loaded
• Drivers are either in the form of:
– Kernel modules – pieces of code that must be linked into the
kernel
– Loadable modules – pieces of code that are not linked into the
kernel, but are loaded when the OS is started
• Device support in most UNIX/Linux versions is
limited compared to other OSs

• UNIX/Linux devices are managed through the use of
device special files (contain information about I/O
devices)
• Three types of device special files:
– Block special files – used to manage random access devices that
involve handling blocks of data (hard drives, DVD/CD-ROM drives)
– Character special files – handle byte-by-byte streams of data (USB
connections such as mice, keyboards, printers, etc…)
– Named pipes – handling internal communications, such as redirecting
file output to a monitor
• Device special files are usually stored in the /dev
directory
– To view, use the ls command to see all of the files in the /dev folder

Mac OS X Driver Installation
• Mac OS X systems come with device drivers for
most hardware
• When you obtain new hardware, follow these
general steps:
– Shut down the OS and turn off the computer
– Attach the new hardware
– Restart the computer and OS
– Insert the DVD/CD-ROM for the hardware
– Run the installer program on the DVD/CD-ROM for that
hardware

Standard Input Devices
• Mouse and Keyboard Drivers – highly standardized
across OSs, it is unlikely you will need to setup
these devices (drivers are usually standard)
• Wireless mice and keyboards require batteries to
operate, along with a USB receiver (usually shared
by both mouse and keyboard)
– May come with drivers and additional software on DVD/CD-
ROM
• Some OSs include keyboard and mouse
configuration utilities
– Example – you can set the double-click speed of a mouse

Changing mouse preference in Snow Leopard

• Touch Input Drivers – most often, drivers are
included in the OS or preloaded by the computer
manufacturer
– Touch Screen controlled by using your fingers
– Multi-touch technology allows you to use multiple fingers
• Windows 7 and Linux/Fedora support multi-touch
capabilities
– Apple will most likely be incorporating the touch technology
already used in the iPad and iPhone
• Touch pad is an example of touch input
– Usually found below the keyboard on laptops

Touchpad settings

Other Input Devices
• Digital Pads – different kind of mouse
– Used to draw pictures, sign you name, color a detailed graphic
image (tasks that require a high degree of manual dexterity)
– Uses a USB port and requires special drivers/installation
– Can range from standard to specialty devices that include LCD
panels that mirror your computer’s video display
• Scanners – scans text and images to be
manipulated by software
– May also be used with optical character recognition (OCR)
software
– Installation (in Windows) is usually automatic through PnP
– To get the best performance, install drivers that shipped with
scanner instead of the driver in Windows

Other Input Devices
• Joysticks, Game Pads, and Other Controllers
– Joystick is more like a mouse instead of a digital pad
• Offers more control than a mouse when it comes to detailed
movements of graphical screen objects
• Can be used for any application task, given the proper driver
• Specialized joysticks: flight yoke systems, 3D joysticks, attack
joysticks
– Game Pads – designed for interaction with games and include
multiple buttons, wheels or balls
• Some are wireless and programmable
• Sends standard signals to the USB port where the OS takes data
and passes it off to an application program or customer driver for
interpretation

Other Input Devices
• Digital Sound Input – today’s computer is supplied
with some kind of digital sound card
– May be built into the motherboard or a separate card
– Can connect a microphone to a USB port and record voice
– Can download custom sounds or music from Internet sites for
use with software applications
– There are multiple audio I/O standards, but most devices come
with a USB port

Other Input Devices
• Digital Picture and Video Input/Output
– Works similarly to digital audio I/O
– Need a digital I/O interface and drivers to allow your OS to use
the USB device
– In some cases, use a utility supplied by the manufacturer to
import digital images
– Some manufacturers include the ability to link their hardware
drivers directly into editing software
• You can import and export digital files and edit them from the
same application

Other Input Devices
• 1394 Technology – IEEE 1394 is the original
specification for a high-speed digital interface that
supports data rates at 100, 200, or 400 Mbps
– The newer 1394b standard supports 800 Mbps, 1.6 and 3.2
Gbps
• Enables data transfer over twisted-pair and fiber-optic cable
– Currently targeted at multimedia peripherals
• FireWire – an IEEE 1394 implementation for bus
communications, is used by Apple Computer and
Texas Instruments

Printers
• Printer types:
– Ink-jet printers – create characters by squirting tiny drops of ink
directly onto the page
– Laser printers – use an imaging technology similar to copiers to
produce computer output
• Typical laser printer contains its own CPU and memory
– Multifunction printers – combine ink-jet or laser printing,
scanning, copying, and faxing into one physical device
– Plotter – used in engineering, architecture, and other fields
where hard copy output won’t fit on standard paper sizes
– Other types available: 3D printers, label printers, dot-matrix,
line printers, portable printers, thermal-wax transfer printers,
and dye sublimation

Printers
• Printer Connections
– Most new printers come standard with a USB port
– Many printers support wireless printing
– Some printers have a direct network connection option that lets
you place the printer on a LAN
• If a printer does not include this, you can purchase a network
printer interface from a third party
– More efficient to use a direct network-attached printer rather
than a printer attached to a computer and configured for
sharing on a network
• Network interface is always on, making the printer always available
to network users

Installing Printers
• Installing Windows Printers – usually installed by
connecting the printer to the computer and letting
PnP initiate the installation
– Can also connect the printer and use Add Hardware Wizard
– Best approach is to insert the DVD/CD-ROM that came with the
printer and follow the instructions
– If you need to perform a manual installation or to initiate
automatic detection and setup, use the Add a Printer option
through Control Panel

Installing Printers
• Installing UNIX/Linux Printers
– When a print job is sent from an application, a print queue
temporarily stores the print job until it is sent to the printer
– In order to configure a printer, you must first define the printer
parameters and the print queue
• All definitions are kept in the file /etc/printcap
• File is in ASCII text and can be edited by hand – there are utilities
that make the job easier (utilities vary by version)
– Linux uses a printer configuration utility called printtool

Installing Printers
Using the printtool command in Red Hat Enterprise
Linux

Installing Printers
• Installing Mac OS X Printers
– Most printer drivers are already installed when you install the
OS
– If not, use the Printer Setup Utility and the DVD/CD-ROM that
came with the new printer
– You can configure the following types of printers:
• LPR – for connecting to a shared network printer that uses the
traditional UNIX-based LPR configuration
• IP – for printing on a network through TCP/IP
• FireWire – for connecting through an IEEE 1394 interface
• USB – most typical type of printer connection
• FAXstf – for sending a print file to a fax machine

Display Adapters
• Display adapters have evolved through many bus
standards
– Today, the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)
standard enables high-performance graphics

Display Adapters
• The display adapter is part of a standard computer
package
– Basic display consists of a number of pixels (small dot of light)
both horizontally and vertically
– The more pixels on the screen, the larger the monitor needs to
be
• 19” monitor is recommended for 1280X1024 resolution
• 21” monitor is recommended for 1600X1200 resolution
• Major considerations in choosing an adapter are:
– Resolution capabilities
– Amount of memory included onboard the adapter
– Type of video processor (optional, used to speed things up)
– Cost

Display Adapters
• Bit density – how many pixels can be shown in an
inch of the display
– Referred to as pixels per inch (ppi)
• Digital Visual Interface (DVI) – developed as a
very high visual quality standard for flat panel LCD
and digital projectors
• High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) – a
way to connect digital audio/video devices in
televisions and computers
• Display-Port – digital interface standard that is
projected to replace DVI and HDMI

Installing Display Adapters
• May need to install a new adapter if upgrading to a
better one
• Today, most adapters plug into the PCIe slot on the
motherboard
• Installing a display adapter is similar to installing
circuit boards (detailed later in this chapter)

Sound Cards
• Today, most computers include high-end audio
support
– Sound cards come preinstalled and the OS includes support for
sound input and output
• Two types of sound devices :
– Bus cards (installed in a bus slot)
– Integrated with the motherboard (onboard)
• Onboard sound hardware may be harder to update
or change

Other Output Devices
• Digital video – let you capture and output digital
video to a camera or DVR
• Multiport sound cards – permit a computer to serve
as a fully digital, multichannel recorder for sound
studio applications
• Most specialty output devices have some software
required to make everything work properly

Installing Circuit Boards
• Biggest enemy to circuit boards is static
• To avoid damage during installation:
– Leave the card inside its protective cover until you are ready to
install it
– Disconnect all power to the computer
– Prepare the computer by removing the case and any slot
covers
– Position the card inside its over, near the computer
– Touch a grounded part of the computer (ex - power supply)
• Without moving your hand from the computer, use other hand to
open the cover, remove the card
– Insert the card into the slot and press it firmly into place

Installing Circuit Boards
Typical card being placed in a computer

Chapter Summary
• An OS handles input and output device communications through
device drivers (software) and hardware such as adapter boards
• Device drivers are often provided with an OS, but the most up-to-
date device drivers come directly form each device manufacturer
• Manufacturer device and device driver installations typically are
performed from a manufacturer’s DVD/CD-ROM. Current drivers
can also be downloaded from the manufacturer’s Web site
• Installing devices and drivers in Windows can be done using PnP,
the Add Hardware Wizard, Control Panel options, and Device
Manager
• UNIX/Linux systems use device special files for managing input
and output devices
• For Mac OS X devices, most drivers come with the OS or can be
installed from the DVD/CD-ROM that came with the device

Chapter Summary
• Common input devices include a mouse, keyboard, touch
input, digital pad, scanner, joystick, game pad, digital sound
devices, digital picture devices, and devices that use 1394
technology
• Printers are common output devices
• Most OSs include tools for installing printers, such as Add
Printer Wizard in Windows, printtool in Fedora Linux, and the
Printer Setup Utility in Mac OS X
• Besides printers, other examples of common output devices
include display adapters and sound cards

9781111306366 ppt ch6

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