Operating Systems and Utility Programs

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Chapter 8

• Operating Systems and Utility Programs

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System Software

• What is system software?

• Definition Programs that control operation of
  computer
• Including
• Operating system (OS) (also called platform)
• Utility programs

• What is a cross-platform application?
• ----Runs identically on multiple operating
  systems
• Operating system that computer uses is sometimes
  called the platform

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Operating System Functions

• What is booting?

• Process of starting or restarting a computer

• Cold boot Turning on computer that has been
  powered off
• Warm boot Restarting computer that is powered on

Warm boot from Windows desktop
Warm boot from system unit
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What messages display on the screen when you
boot the computer?
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Operating System Functions

• What is a recovery disk?
• --- Contains system files that will start
  computer when computer cannot boot. Also called
  boot disk
• ---floppy disk, Zip, CD, DVD

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Operating System Functions

• What is single user/ multitasking?

• Working on two or more programs that reside in
  memory at same time

• Foreground contains application you are using
• Background contains programs that are running
  but are not in use

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Operating System Functions

• What are other program management features of
  operating systems?

• Multiprocessing
• Can support two or more processors running
  programs at same time
• Multiuser
• Enables two or more users to run programs
  simultaneously
• Fault-tolerant computer
• Continues to operate when one of its components
  fails
• Has duplicate components such as processors,
  memory, and disk drives

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Operating System Functions

• Optimizing use of RAM
• What is spooling?
• Sending print jobs to buffer instead of directly
  to printer
• Print jobs line up in queue

• What is a device driver?
• Program that tells operating system how to
  communicate with device Also called driver
• With Plug and Play, operating system
  automatically configures new devices as you
  install them

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Types of Operating Systems

• What are three categories of operating systems?

Stand-alone complete operating system working on
PC, laptop, mobile computing device. like DOS,
Windows, Mac OS X, Unix, Linux Network OS
designed specially to support a network, like
netware, windows server 2003,Unix, Linux and
Solaris Embedded OS on most PDA and small
devices Like, windows CE.net, windows mobile
2003, Palm OS and Symbian OS

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is DOS (Disk Operating System)?

• Developed in early 1980s for personal computers
• Hardly used today because it does not offer GUI
• Used command-line interface when first
  developed, later included menus

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• How do Windows versions compare?

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is Windows XP?

• Microsofts fastest, most reliable Windows
  operating system

• Available in three editions 1. Home Edition,
• 2. Professional Edition, and
• 3. Tablet PC Edition

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characteristics of operating systems

• Device-dependent
• Runs only on specific type of computer
• Proprietary software
• Privately owned and limited to specific
  vendor or computer model
• Device-independent
• Runs on many manufacturers computers
• Downward compatible
• Works with application software written for
  earlier version of operating system
• Upward compatible
• Runs on new versions of operating system

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is Mac OS X?

• Available only for computers manufactured by
  Apple
• Macintosh operating system has been model for
  most GUIs

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is OS/2 Warp Client?

• IBMs GUI multitasking operating system
• Supports networking, Java, the Internet, and
  speech recognition

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is UNIX?

• Used by power users because of its flexibility
  and power
• Most versions offer GUI
• Both a stand-alone and a
• network operating system

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Stand-Alone Operating Systems

• What is Linux?

• Popular, free, multitasking UNIX-type operating
  system
• Open-source softwareecode is available to
  public
• Both a stand-alone and a network operating
  system

Red Hat provides a version of Linux called Red
Hat Linux. The GNOME graphical user interface is
shown in this example.
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Network Operating Systems

• Allows users to share printer, Internet access,
• files, and programs on a network
• Administers security by establishing
• user name and password for each user

OS/2 Warp Server for e-business IBMs network
operating system for businesses
Windows Server 2003 Upgrade to Windows 2000
Server
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Embedded Operating Systems

• What is an embedded operating system?

• Found on most mobile computers, PDAs, and other
  small devices
• Windows CE .NET is scaled-down version of Windows

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Embedded Operating Systems

• What are two operating systems for PDAs?

• Pocket PC 2002 for Pocket PC
• Palm OS for Palm, Visor, and CLIE

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Utility Programs

• utility program

• System software that performs maintenance-type
  tasks

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Utility Programs

• What is a disk scanner?

• Detects and corrects problems on hard disk or
  floppy disk
• Searches for and removes unnecessary files

What is a backup utility?

• Copies selected files or entire hard disk onto
  another disk or tape
• compress files during backup to require less
  storage space

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Utility Programs

• What is a disk defragmenter?

• Reorganizes files and unused space on hard disk
  so programs run faster

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Utility Programs

• What is a screen saver?

• Causes monitors screen to display moving image
  or blank screen if there is no activity for a
  specified time

• To secure computer, user configures screen saver
  to require password to deactivate

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Utility Programs

• What is a diagnostic utility?

• Compiles technical information about hardware and
  some software
• Prepares report outlining problems

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Stand-Alone Utility Programs

• What is a virus?

• Potentially damaging computer program
• Affects computer without users knowledge

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Stand-Alone Utility Programs

• What is an antivirus program?

• Identifies and removes viruses in memory, storage
  media, and incoming files
• Must be updated frequently

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Stand-Alone Utility Programs

• What is a file compression utility?

• Shrinks size of files to free up room and improve
  performance
• Compressed files are sometimes called zipped
  files
• Two popular utilities PKZIPTM and WinZip

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Stand-Alone Utility Programs

• What is a personal firewall?

• Protects personal computer from unauthorized
  intrusions
• Monitors all transmissions to and from computer