 A Computer consists of hardware, firmware and software.

o Hardware –
 Any physical component of a computer system with a definite shape is called a
hardware.

o Firmware) –
 The booting instructions stored in the ROM (Read Only Memory) are called
firmware.
 The whole initial operations or process of a computer is called booting which means
that an Operating System is loaded into the RAM (main memory).

 How the initial operations of a computer are performed

Power ON
(Basic Input Output
System - BIOS) activated

Power - On Self Test

Displays User Interface (POST)
to the user Activated using CMOS
Memory

Reads the MBR

Loading Operating (Master Boot Record)
System into computer's in boot drive in
main memory (RAM) accordance with the
firmware
 o Software –
 Software is a set of instructions given to the computer to perform some activity using
a computer.
 There are many types of software. They can be broadly classified as follows:

1. System Software 2. Application Software

a) Operating System Eg –
(Eg.) Windows, Mac OS, Ubuntu,  Word Processing
Android, Hanthana Linux
 Spread Sheets
b) Utility Software  Database
i. Anti -Virus Software – to protect the
 Computer Games
computer from virus infections
ii. Disk Formatting – to prepare the storage  Web Browsers
device in
order to save the files and folders

c) Language Translators
 Assembler
 Compiler
 Interpreter

1. System Software:

a) Operating System:

 It is a Software
 This perform the functions of a computer by managing the hardware and software.
b) Utility Software –

 These are used to manage and analyze the software in the computer.
 Utility software helps in managing the resources of the computer
 The utility software differ from the application software in their complexity and operational
activities

c) Language Translators –

 A computer program (software) is made up by using a set of instruction codes. These instructions
are written in high level languages which are very close to the human languages. These high level
languages are translated into machine language by language translators.

2. Application Software:

 The application software which runs on the Operating System is used to carry out computer based
activities of the user such as creating documents, mathematical functions, data entry and,
computer games.
 The Operating system can be classified according to its function as follows:
 Types Functions Examples
1. Single user provides service to one person at a time MS Dos Operating System
allows multiple users to use a system is
2. Multi user Linux, Windows Server
simultaneously
allows to run multiple process at the same time Windows 7, Windows 8,
3. Multi-tasking Ubuntu , Mac OS
which gives the output in real time without ATM machines,
4. Real time
any observable delays. Calculators

 Operating system to classify commercially:

Types Examples
i. Microsoft Windows
1. proprietary software or have to pay for
Versions : Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10
software license
ii. Mac OS
i. Fedora
ii. Ubuntu
2. Free and Open Source Software
iii. Hanthana Linux
iv. Isuru Linux

 Classify the operating system based on the User interface?

Types Examples

i. MS DOS (Disk Operating System)

1. (CLI -Command Line Interface)

i. Microsoft Windows
2. (GUI - Graphical User Interface) Versions : Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10
i. Linux (Fedora, Ubuntu, Hanthana, Isuru..)

 Can you give examples of the operating system used in smart phones, tablets computers?
o Windows Mobile - by Microsoft
o Android – by Google
o BlackBerry OS - Research In Motion
o iOS - Apple
o Symbian OS – Nokia

 Give examples of the operating system used on service computers?

o Windows Server
o Mac OS X Server
o Linux (Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server)

 What are the main functions of the operating system?

1. Managing the hardware of a computer
2. Providing user interface

 What are the management tasks performed by the operating system?

 Specify the functions performed in the management tasks performed by the operating system?
Management tasks
1. Process Management
2. Memory Management
3. Device Management
4. File Management
5. Security Management
6. Network Management
 What software is used to control software components in the operating system device management?
o Device Drivers
Functions
 Resources management activities such as;
Allocation of CPU time, Memory,
Files (on secondary storage devices) and Input Output
devices in order to complete their task properly
 Memory management process makes sure that enough
memory is allocated for each process (in the RAM)
 It also makes sure that the memory is freed once a particular
process ends.
 Manages the devices in a computer system with a help of
device controllers and device drives.
 Process of manipulating files in a computer system such as:
- Creating File or Folder, Modifying, Deleting, Renaming,
Changing storage location and creating backups.
 Virus Management
 Firewall
 Passwords Protection / unauthorized access Protection
 Support wired and wireless connectivity for hardware
devices in the system such as: computers, printers, scanners
that exist in the network.
 Resource sharing (Ex. Printer, Scanner.. )
 Helps to access a computer remotely.
 What do you mean by device drivers?
o A device driver is a computer program that controls a particular device that is connected to
your computer.
o Typical devices are keyboards, printers, scanners, digital cameras and external storage
devices. Each of these need a driver in order to work properly.

 Presently Many devices are currently being made into plug-and-play devices. (Plug and play)
What is meant by?
o Driver programs for such devices are automatically installed in the operating system.
o There is no need to install driver software additionally
 Files / Folders have different properties or attributes in the Windows operating system. What are
they?
o Read-only
o Archive
o Hidden
o System

 Files have different properties or attributes in the Linux operating system. What are they?
o Read
o Write
o Execute

 The Operating System maintains many other information relevant to the file.

 File names consist of two components, namely file name and file extension.
  File types and examples;

File types File extension

Executable .exe
Word .docx
Excel .xlsx
PowerPoint .pptx
Access .accdb
Text .txt
Image .jpeg / .jpg / .png / .gif / .TIFF
Portable Document Format .pdf

 What is the temporary storage on the computer after deleting the deleted file / folder?

o Recycle Bin
o The deleted file can be restored by restoring it

 What are the application software found in the operating system? Briefly describe?
Application software Description
Backup Software o To copy files and take back up of hard drives
Disk scanner o To check the errors in hard drive
o Organizing the hard disk by rearranging clusters of small spaces
Disk defragmentation together and creating a larger free space.
o This increases the efficiency of the hard disk.
File/data compression o Compression of larger files into smaller files
o To display information regarding the processes and programmes
Task Manager in a computer
o To monitor errors in hardware, software and Network and
System diagnosis tools diagnosis system errors.
o Protecting the computer by identifying and eliminating
Anti-Virus Software malicious software
o temporary storage of data/files for cut/copy and paste operations
Clipboard
o to establish consistency among data from a source to a target
Data synchronization software data storage and vice versa
Disk partitioning software o can divide an individual drive into multiple logical drives
Screensavers o For blanking the screen when the computer is not in use.
o To provide detailed information about the software installed and
System profilers hardware attached to the computer.
o To analyze the computer's network connectivity, configure
Network utilities network settings, check data transfer or log events.


 What is a Partition?
o By default there will be only one physical drive in a hard drive.
o In windows environment, the process of dividing an individual drive into multiple
logical drives is called disk partitioning.

 Why do we need partitioning?

o When we need to save different items in different places.

o When we need to have more than one Operating System in the same machine
 Install both Windows and Ubuntu OS.
o To meet the requirement of the Operating System

 What is a Disk Formatting?

o Is the process of preparing a data storage device, such as a hard disk, solid-state disk, or
floppy disk, for initial use
o It is important to back up important files on the disk before performing the disk
formatting

 What is a Defragmentation?

o In windows environment, Disk defragmentation is the process of rearranging the

fragmented data on a volume
o Arranging the pieces of files stored in different places on the hard disk in the same
order.
o So the computer will work more efficiently.

 Give some commands that can be used in the Command Line Interface operating system?

o Time: – Used to change system time

o Date: – Used to change system date
o Get-Date: - Retrieves the current time and date.
o cd: - Used to change directories.

 What are the main components of Graphical User Interface (GUI)?

o These components are abbreviated as WIMP.

o WIMP stand for;
1. Windows
2. Icons
3. Menus
4. Pointer
Practice Questions
 Write down the names of the Operating System which uses the following file types;

a) FAT16 - MS-Dos, Windows 95

b) FAT32 - Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows Xp
c) NTFS - Windows NT, Xp, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X, Linux
d) Ext4 - Linux
e) ReiserFS - Linux

 Explain the following two methods used for accessing the files.
• Sequential Access
• Random Access

o Sequential Access:
 Information in the file is processed in order, one record after the other.
 (Punch cards, magnetic tapes) are approached in this method.
 This system can be used for payroll system.

o Random / Direct Access:

 no particular order
 There is no restriction on the order of reading and writing for a direct access file.
 Examples are hard disk, optical media (Compact disk - CD, Digital Versatile
Disc - DVD), flash memory.

 What is the new file system technology?

o NT file system (NTFS) introduced by Microsoft

 What are the advantages of this system?

o Large storage capacities because it supports large partitions and big files.
o This can help prevent hard disk failures and
o Makes it possible to recover files.