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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 computerDefinition: Programs that control operation of computer

Including: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?

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

Process of starting or restarting a computer

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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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Foreground contains application you are using

Background contains programs that are running but are not in use

Operating System Functions

What is single user/ multitasking?

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

all running processes

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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 devicesLike, 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?

Windows Version Year Released

Windows 3.x 1990

Windows NT 3.1 1993

Windows 95 1995

Windows NT Workstation 4.0 1996

Windows 98 1998

Windows Millennium Edition 2000

Windows 2000 Professional 2000

Windows XP 2001

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Microsoft’s fastest, most reliable Windows operating system

Stand-Alone Operating Systems

What is Windows XP?

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? IBM’s 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?

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

Popular, free, multitasking UNIX-type operating system

Open-source softwaree—code is available to public

Both a stand-alone and a network operating system

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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

NetWare

Designed for client/server

networks

Windows Server 2003

Upgrade to Windows 2000 Server

OS/2 Warp Server for e-business

IBM’s network operating system

for businesses

Solaris Version of UNIX developed by Sun

Microsystems

Specifically for e-commerce applications

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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?

file before defragmentingfragmented disk

file after defragmenting

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

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Utility Programs

What is a screen saver? Causes monitor’s 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?

SIGNS OF SIGNS OF VIRUS VIRUS

INFECTIONINFECTION

Potentially damaging computer program Affects computer without user’s 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