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Understanding System Software

system software is the software that starts the computer
and keeps it running, performing basic system tasks such
as running applications, managing files, and correcting
errors.

System software includes BIOS, the operating system, and
utility programs.

Understanding System Software

 The System BIOS :

the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is the

built-in software on the motherboard that starts the computer. It

performs a power-on self-test (POST) at start-up, which ensures that

all the critical hardware devices are functioning properly, including

the CPU, the RAM, and the motherboard. If the hardware passes

the tests, the BIOS looks for an operating system on one of the

available drives, and then passes off control to the operating system

to complete the boot process. The BIOS has a list of default settings

it uses for managing memory and devices, but those settings can be

overridden by user settings that you specify.

 The Operating System:

The BIOS starts the computer at a basic level,

but the operating system does the bulk of work to keep it running and to

help the user accomplish tasks.

 It provides the user interface that humans use to communicate

commands and receive feedback.

 It communicates with the hardware, instructing it to take action to

accomplish tasks. For example, it communicates with the keyboard and

mouse to accept input, and it communicates with the display screen to

show output.

 It runs applications, and enables humans to interact with them.

 It controls and manages the file storage system.

Understanding System Software

Utility Software :

is the software that performs some useful service to

the operating system, such as optimizing or correcting the file storage

system, backing up files, or ensuring security or privacy.

most operating systems come with many utility programs built-in. For

example, Microsoft Windows comes with utilities for checking a disk

for errors and optimizing the way files are stored on an HDD (hard disk

drive).

Understanding System Software

Introduction to Windows 7

When referring to an operating system, Windows or win
is  an  operating  environment  created  by  Microsoft  that
provides  an  interface,  known  as  a  Graphical  User
Interface  (GUI),  for  computers.  Windows  eliminates  the
need to memorize commands for the command line (MS-
DOS) by using a mouse to navigate through menus, dialog
boxes, buttons, tabs, and icons.
Microsoft Windows was first introduced with version 1.0
on November 10, 1983. Since its release, there have been
over  a  dozen  versions  of  Windows.  The  most  current
version of Windows for end users is Windows 10.

The Windows 7 interface, called the desktop, is your starting
point for most of the activities you perform in Windows 7.
From the desktop, you can run programs, manage files,
access the Internet, check the status of devices, and more.
Your Windows desktop is like a physical workspace in some
ways. You can have multiple files and projects open at the
same time, spread out on the desktop so you can see each
one of them. The desktop can be changed to suit your
personal style. The desktop background can be a solid color

Introduction to Windows 7

Figure 1

The taskbar is the thin bar across the bottom of the screen. It is used to start

programs and to manage the programs that are already running. At the far-left

end is the Start button. The small graphics you see on the desktop are called

icons. An icon can sit on the desktop, as the Recycle Bin icon does in Figure 1,

or it can be pinned to the taskbar for easy access as in Figure 1, four pinned

icons appear to the right of the Start button. The center of the taskbar is blank

in Figure 1, but if any programs were running or windows open, buttons for

those programs or windows would appear there. Some other icons are at the

right end of the taskbar, but these

aren’t pinned there. That area is called the

notification area and the icons there represent information from programs or

system components that are running in the background, such as the Volume

Control and the Battery Meter. At the far-right end of the taskbar is a clock.

Introduction to Windows 7

When  you  click  the  Start button,
the Start menu opens, as shown
in  Figure2.  It  has  two  columns.
In  the  left  column,  the  top
section

contains

pinned

shortcuts  to  applications.  Figure
2  shows  pinned  shortcuts  for
Internet  Explorer  and  Outlook.
The  bottom  section  of  the  left
column  contains  shortcuts    to
recently

frequently

used

applications.  This  list  changes
depending    on  your  usage.
Below  that  is  the  All  Programs
command.

opens

hierarchical menu of all the
installed

programs

your

system;  At  the  bottom  of  the  left
column is a Search box; you can
type  in  this  box  to  narrow  down
what  appears on the Start menu
to find what you are looking for.

Figure 2

Starting Up and Shutting Down

When you turn on the

computer’s power, windows 7 loads

automatically. Depending on the way your copy of Windows
is  configured,  The  desktop  might  appear  automatically,  or
you  might  see  a  login  screen.  At  the  login  screen,  if  your
username  appears  with  a  password  box  under  it,  type  the
password  and  press  Enter  to  log  in.  If  several  different
usernames appear, click your account to select it.

Shutting Down or Restarting the PC

When you shut down the PC, Windows shuts down and the computer

stops using power. The next time you start the computer, Windows must

reload itself into memory, which takes a minute or two. You should shut

down a computer completely before moving it, storing it, or servicing it.

You should also shut down the computer when prompted to do so by

Windows itself. (A complete shutdown and restart is sometimes required

to complete the installation of certain updates.) When you shut down the

computer and then turn it back on again later,

that’s called a

cold boot

because the

computer’s circuitry has been off (and is therefore cold).

When you restart the PC, Windows shuts down, but the computer’s
power remains on, and Windows immediately restarts. Restarting is
also called a

warm boot

because the computer stays on (warm) as it

reboots. You should restart when Windows prompts you to do so (for
example, after updates have been installed), and also as a trouble
shooting technique if you begin to experience problems with windows.
To restart Windows, choose Restart from the Shut Down button’s menu.

Shutting Down or Restarting the PC

cold boot

To start up a computer from a power off state.

warm boot

To restart a computer that is already powered on.

Figure 3

Placing the PC in a Low-Power Mode

Windows supports two special modes that you can place the

computer in as an alternative to shutting down completely. In

each of these modes, when the computer resumes operation,

the desktop is just as you left it, including any open programs,

windows, and files. This saves you time because you

don’t have

to wait as long for Windows to start up as you normally would,

and when it does start up, you

don’t have to reopen the

applications and windows you want to continue working with.

Sleep mode

is a low-power state. It keeps the RAM powered, but shuts

down all other components. RAM

doesn’t use much memory, so the

computer  consumes  very  little  power.  On  a  desktop  computer,  that
means  it  uses  less  electricity.  On  a  battery-powered  computer,  that
means  the  battery  lasts  much  longer.  Waking  up  from  Sleep  mode  is
very quick

—only a few seconds.

Hibernate mode

is a no-power-needed

state. It copies the contents of RAM to a reserved area on the hard
drive, and then shuts the power down completely. When the computer
starts back up again, instead of booting normally, it reads the stored
data back into memory, so you can pick up where you left off. Hibernate
mode takes more time to wake up from than Sleep mode does (about
30 seconds, on the average), but

that’s less time than it would take to

start the computer from being completely shut down.

To wake up from Sleep mode, press any key on the keyboard.

To wakeup

from Hibernate mode, press the computer’s Power

button.

Placing the PC in a Low-Power Mode

Logging Off and Switching Users

Windows 7 supports multiple user accounts. When one user is finished,

he or she can log off, which shuts down any running programs, closes

any open data files, unloads all personal settings for that user, and returns
to the login screen, with all the available users listed. From that point
another user can log in. Logging off closes the user’s personal activities
down, but it does not completely restart Windows. Therefore, it takes less
time than a full restart.

If another user wants to use the computer for a short time, the first user

may not want to take the time to shut down all applications and data

files that he or she is working on. The Switch User command suspends
the current user’s session but does not end it, and returns to the login
screen. Another user can then log in. The users can switch back and forth
freely between the open accounts, and other users can even log in too.

log off

To close a user account’s session, closing all open programs

and data files and unloading all of that user’s personal settings.

Switch User

A Windows feature that enables another user to log in

without the original user logging off first.

Logging Off and Switching Users

Locking the PC

If you are going to be away from your computer for a while, you might

not want other people to be able to see what you were working on or

snoop on your computer while you are gone. To prevent such intrusion,

you can use the Lock command. Locking preserves the current

state of the computer but redisplays the login screen. You must retype

your password when you return to the computer to continue your

session. Locking is similar to switching users except the login screen

that appears shows the prompt only for the user who locked the PC,

and not the full list of users that you see when you use Switch User.

Running Applications

programs that perform some useful task (other than keeping

the computer itself running) are known as applications.

Running applications is the main reason Windows exists.

Windows comes with a variety of small applications that it

calls Accessories; these include a calculator, a text editor, a

simple word processor, and a drawing program. You can also

buy and install other applications on your own.

Starting an Application

The Start menu has a few shortcuts on it. The top section contains pinned

shortcuts, and below that are shortcuts to recently or frequently used

applications. If the application you want to run isn’t in either of those places,

you must click All Programs to open the full menu system. This menu system

contains both application shortcuts and folders. If you click a folder, you see the

shortcuts within it. The Start menu is hierarchically organized . There are

subfolders within folders, and files can exist at any level of the organizational

structure. Figure 4 shows the Accessories folder expanded to how its

subfolders, and the System tools subfolder expanded below that.

Figure 4

Because the Start menu can get

complicated with so many folders

and shortcuts, you may find it

easier to search for the application

you want to run rather than

browsing for it. To search for an

app, after opening the Start menu,

start typing the

application’s name.

The menu shows only the items

that match what you typed. It is a

full-featured search, and it finds all

files on your hard drive, not just the

applications on the Start menu.

However,

the

Start

applications appear at the top of the

list, for easy access.

You can also start applications from shortcuts on the desktop or that
are pinned to the taskbar or to the top of the Start menu. Just click the
item you want on the Start menu or taskbar, or double-click the desired
icon on the desktop.

Starting an Application

Pinning Shortcuts

An easy way to refined an application on the Start menu is to pin it, either to the

Start menu or to the taskbar . If you pin it to the Start menu, it appears in the

upper-left quadrant of the Start menu . If you pin it to the taskbar, it appears to

the right of the Start button . After locating the desired item on the Start menu,

but before clicking it to select it, right-click it . On the menu that appears,

choose Pin to Start Menu or Pin to Taskbar . To place a shortcut on the

desktop, minimize all open windows . Open the Start menu, locate the icon you

want, and then hold down the Ctrl key as you drag the application off the Start

menu; a copy will be created on the desktop . Make sure you hold down Ctrl as

you drag; otherwise, the shortcut will be removed from the Start menu .

Manipulating a Window

Microsoft Windows is based on windows

—movable rectangular blocks in

which different types of content appear. When you run an application, it
appears in its own window, and when you browse a file listing, that listing
appears in its own window too.

title bar

The bar across the top of

a window that shows the w

indow’s

name; click the title bar and drag
the window to move it.

minimize

To shrink the window to

a button on the taskbar.

maximize

To enlarge the window

to fill the entire screen.

Each window has a border around its edges. You can position the mouse pointer
over any part of the border and then drag to change the size of the window. If you
drag a corner of the border, you can resize in both dimensions at once.

Navigating in an Application

Most

Windows-based

applications

have one of two interfaces: a

interface

or a

Ribbon interface

. A menu

interface is typical of older applications

and applications not developed by

Microsoft; the Ribbon interface is

common

newer

Microsoft

applications. A menu-based interface

has a menu bar across the top of the

screen, immediately below the title bar.

You can click a menu name to open

the menu, Notice that some commands

have keyboard shortcuts listed next to

them. You can press those keys

instead of using the menu system if

you prefer.

Menu interface

Notice also that some commands
have ellipses after them (. . .).
These commands open dialog
boxes, which are windows that
prompt you for additional
information. For example, if you
click the Print command, the
Print dialog box opens,
prompting you to enter print
settings.

dialog box

A window that appears in

response to selecting a command,
prompting for more information
about how the user wants the
command to be executed.

Some menu commands open dialog boxes.

Dialog boxes have various ways of asking you for information. For example, the

dialog box iof print command has the following features:

 Scrollable list

: The list of printers at the top of the dialog box has a scroll

bar beneath it. You can drag the scroll box from side to side to scroll the

listing, or click the arrow at one end of the scroll bar to scroll in that

direction.

 Check box

: A check box toggles a feature on or off. Click it to change its

state.

 Text box

: A text box enables you to enter text or a number directly into it.

 Increment buttons

: Text boxes that only accept numeric values sometimes

have increment buttons, which appear as small up and down arrows. You

can click an arrow to increment (increase) or decrement (decrease) the

number shown in the text box as an alternative to manually typing a

number.

 Option buttons

: Option buttons present a group of mutually exclusive

values. When one option button in a group is selected, the previous

selection is cleared.

 Command buttons

: Command buttons are large rectangular buttons with

text labels on them. Clicking a command button performs an action, such

as the Print, Cancel, or Apply buttons in Figure 5.8, or opens another dialog

box, as with the Preferences and Find Printer buttons.

Ribbon-based applications do not have a menu bar or toolbar. Instead, they
have  a  tabbed  Ribbon,  which  is  somewhat  like  a  large  multi-page  toolbar.
Each  tab  represents  a  different  page  of  tools.  Click  a  tab  to  access  the
buttons  and  other  tools  on  that  tab.  The  Figure  shows  an  app  called
WordPad. It has two ordinary tabs, Home and View, containing commands
you can select. It also contains a File tab, which is the blue tab to the left of
the  other  two.  The  File  tab  opens  a  File  menu,  which  contains  commands
for saving, opening, closing, and printing files

Ribbon based interface

Exiting an Application

To close an application, close its window by clicking the
Close (X) button in the upper-right corner, or open its File
menu and choose Exit, or Press Alt+F4 when the pplication
window is active.

Managing Files

Selecting Files and Folders
Before you can issue a command that affects a file or folder (for

example, to move or copy it), you must first select that file or folder. If

you are selecting only one file or folder, it’s easy—just click it. It

becomes highlighted.(The highlighting color varies depending on the

color scheme you are using in Windows.) If, however, you want to act

upon multiple files or folders at once, you must select them all before

issuing the command.
When two or more files or folders are

contiguous

(adjacent) in the file

listing, you can select them by clicking the first one and then holding

down the Shift key while you click the last one. All the files between

the two are also selected. When the files you want are

non-contiguous

(not adjacent), hold down the Ctrl key and then click individually on

each one. See Figure 5.15. When you are finished making your

selections, release the Ctrl key. To cancel a selection, click anywhere

away from the selection.

Renaming and Deleting Files and

Folders

There are many different ways to rename a file or folder. You can do any
of the following:
 Select the file or folder and press F2 to make the name editable. Type the

new name and press Enter.

 Click the file or folder to select it and then click it again to move the

insertion point into the name. Edit the name and press Enter Right-click

the file or folder and click Rename. Edit the name and press Enter.

 Select the file or folder and then open the File menu and choose Rename.

Edit the name and press Enter.

To delete a file or folder, select it and then do any of the following:
 Press the Delete key on the keyboard.
 Right-click the file and folder and click Delete.
 Open the organize menu and click Delete.

Moving and Copying Files and Folders

There are many ways to move and copy items. You can use the
windows

Clipboard

, or drag and drop files from one location to another,

or you can use the Move to Folder or Copy to Folder command in
Windows Explorer.

Clipboard

A reserved area in memory for temporarily holding content

that has been cut or copied from an application or from Windows
Explorer.