System software Flashcards
Application software
A software that has been developed to solve a specific problem for users
System software
Runs at the most basic level of your computer. helps the computer manage
operating system
is the principal component of a computers system software
The OS manages
- Booting • CPU management • File management • Task management • Security management
Operating system
low-level, master system of
programs that manage the basic operations of the computer.
Booting involves four steps
- Turn the computer on.
- Diagnostic routines test main memory, CPU, and other hardware.
- Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) programs are copied to main memory.
• BIOS contains instructions for operating the hardware.
• The computer needs those instructions to operate the hardware and find a
copy of the OS. - Boot program obtains the OS and loads it into computer’s main memory.
Cold boot
turn on computers on system
warm boot
restart a computer thats already on
boot disk
use a CD or flash drive to boot OS
Memory Management
OS keeps track of memory locations to prevent programs and data from
overlapping each other
CPU Management: Queues
First-in, first-out (FIFO) sequence of data or programs that waits
in line for its turn to be processed
CPU Management: buffers
The place where the data or programs sit while they are waiting
A file is either a
a data file
or a system file
Task management: a task
an operation such as storing, printing or calculating
Multitasking
handling more than one program at one time
Security management
operating system controls access to computer
Device drivers
Come with software in physical form. CD
Utilities
Service programs that perform tasks related to the control and allocation of
computer resources.
Ex, Backup, virus protection, data recovery, data compression,
user interface
the medium of communication with the computer
graphical user interface (GUI)
Three main features of GUI are
desktop, icons, and menus.
rollover
a pop up window that explains something when your mouse is over it
desktop
systems main interface screen
icons
small pictoral figures that represent programs data files
menus
list of options to choose from. Pull up window goes up or down. cascading windows pops out