System software and computer management

1. SYSTEM SOFTWARE
AND COMPUTER
MANAGEMENT
Module 1.5
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2. SYSTEM SOFTWARE
AND COMPUTER
MANAGEMENT
Module 1.5
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3. Content
•Operating systems
•Operating system utilities
•Security tools
•Factors influencing performance
•Troubleshooting using utility software
•Test and improve your knowledge
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4. OPERATING SYSTEMS
System software that controls all activities that take
place in a computer
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5. What happens when a computer is switched on
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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
Find the operating system
Instructions perform some basic hardware tests
Computer looks for instructions to follow (on ROM)

6. The role of the operating system
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To allow us to
interact with
the computer
via a GUI
Providing
the user
interface
Manage
which
programs and
tasks can use
the CPU
Managing
programs
Disk
management
Memory
management
Input/Output
management
Managing
hardware
User and
password
control
Basic
protection
against
threats
Providing
basic
security
Multitasking: ability of the operating
system to load and process multiple
tasks at the same time

7. The Task Manager
• 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.
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8. 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
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9. Written module activity
• Read pages 61 – 63
• Study first section of summary on page 72 (until
Task Manager)
• Complete questions 1 – 11 on page 74
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10. OPERATING
SYSTEM UTILITIES
Programs that perform system maintenance and
administration tasks
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11. File management
• Naming files
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File names
• file name & file extension (full stop & 3 – 5 letters)
File extensions and file types
• identifies the file type or format and is automatically added
• also determines which program will open the type of file by
default
Path
• ‘succession’ of folders that leads to the location of a file

12. Common file types and extensions
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Graphicsfiles
JPEG, BMP,
GIF, WMF, TIF,
PNG
Created by a
graphics
program or it
can be
inserted into a
file by most
programs such
as MS-Word
Officefiles DOCX, XLXS,
PPTX, ACCDB
Word
processing
(Word),
spreadsheets
(Excel),
presentations
(PowerPoint)
and databases
(Access)
Audiofiles
MP3, MP4,
WAV, CDA,
WMA
Created by
any media
player
program
Videofiles
MPEG, ASF,
WMV, AVI
Created by
any media
player
program

13. 13
Textfiles
TXT
Similar to
word
processing
files, except
that no fonts,
styles,
colours or
formatting is
saved
Richtextfiles
RTF
Allows basic
formatting to
be applied
and saved.
Can be
opened in
any word
processor or
a utility like
WordPad
Programfiles
EXE or COM
Actual
programs,
not data files,
that run (or
execute)
when
opened
Common file types and extensions

14. 14
Portable
DocumentFormat
PDF
Used to
distribute
document files,
read by free
utility program,
cannot be
edited.
Compressedfiles
ZIP or RAR
Compressed to
save space.
The files in a
compressed or
‘zipped’ folder
have to be
decompressed
or ‘unzipped’ in
order to open
and use them.
HypertextMarkup
Languagefiles
HTML
Web page
which can be
opened in a
web browser.
Common file types and extensions

15. File management
• Information about files
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File property
• File name, size and date modified
File attribute
• A property of a file that can be set
• Read-only & Hidden
Metadata
• Additional data stored about a file that describes the
contents of the file, i.e. author & title properties

16. File management
• File manager functions
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Searching
• Searching for a file based on criteria: file size, type of file,
partial file name, file type, date accessed and text in the
contents of the file.
Compressing
• The process of reducing the size of a file by producing a
smaller, compressed version of the file.
Decompressing
• Converting a compressed or zipped set of files back to
their original size.

17. Updates
We update software to
• download patches and service packs to fix errors or bugs
in our programs
• close security loopholes
• add new features and improvements
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18. Updates
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Most software publishers will automatically notify
you when an update or new version of a program
is available. This is normally done via the
Internet.

19. Updates
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Many programs such as the Windows operating
system can be scheduled to check for updates at
fixed intervals (as specified by you).

20. Scheduling
• Why schedulers are useful:
• automatically check for updates
• set schedulers to run at off-peak times
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21. Printer management
Print file
Print job send
to disk:
spooling
Printer queue
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View information about the documents
waiting to print and manage by
deleting tasks
pausing the
tasks
restarting the tasks
(paper jam)

22. Backup – why?
• files can be accidentally overwritten or deleted
• hardware failures – a disk drive crashes
• hardware can be stolen
• disasters – fires, earthquakes and floods can destroy
hardware
• files can be corrupted by power fluctuations
• files can be deleted or corrupted by viruses, etc.
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23. 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
• compressing the files to save space on the backup media, etc.
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24. Backup
Backup tips
• Use software that automatically manages your
backup process.
• Only back up your data not programs.
• Back up your files onto external portable media.
• Keep the backups off-site.
• Perform ‘housekeeping’.
• Consider archiving large files.
• Check that the backups are actually working.
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25. Written module activity
• Read pages 64 – 68
• Study Operating system utilities in summary
(page 72, 73)
• Complete questions 12 – 26 on Page 74 – 76
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26. SECURITY TOOLS
Security measures and facilities to help control and
prevent the spread of malware.
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27. 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.
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28. Firewall
• A firewall is software or hardware that acts as a barrier
between your computer and the Internet.
• Built into the operating system.
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29. Security
• Action/Security Center in Windows operating systems
warns you about settings that could make your system
insecure. You can check settings for
• firewall
• Windows automatic updates
• anti-malware (virus and spyware) software settings.
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30. 30

31. FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERFORMANCE
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32. Memory (RAM)
• Programs and data need to be loaded
from disk into RAM (memory).
• If memory is full, parts of the data/programs that the
computer is not currently busy with are stored on an area
on the hard disk.
• These have to be loaded back into memory again when
needed – slows down the computer.
The more memory you have available, the better.
Adding more RAM is often the cheapest and most
effective upgrade.
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33. 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.
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34. CPU
The speed
(measured in
GHz)
• In general, the
higher the speed,
the faster the
CPU.
The number of
cores, e.g. dual-
core or quad core
• Number of
physical
processors
included in a
single ‘chip’.
• Each core is a
complete
processor that
can work
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.
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35. Hard drive
• Data and programs need to be loaded from disk into
memory.
• Changes to files need to be written back to disk.
• A ‘faster’ hard drive can improve the overall performance
of a computer system.
• Remember also:
When a hard drive is fragmented,
the files will take longer to retrieve.
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36. 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.
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37. TROUBLESHOOTING USING
UTILITY SOFTWARE
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38. 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.
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39. Disk defragmentation
• A disk defragmenter is a tool that reorganises the parts of
files and speeds your computer up again.
• Defragmentation does not free up disk space.
• Possible to schedule the running of a defrag operation.
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40. Disk filling up (too little space)
• 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.
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41. Written module activity
• Read pages 68 – 72
• Study last section from summary on page 73
(Security tools to the end)
• Complete questions 27 – 35 on page 76
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42. TEST AND IMPROVE
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
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43. Written module activity
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