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Frequently Asked Questions

OS/Bios/System Software

1.     What is system software?  System software is a computer program that runs the hardware and applications of the computer.  Some system software runs by itself in the background.  Some system software is designed to be used by a user.

2.  What are the different types of system software?  The main types of system software are the operating system (OS) and the utility programs.  Examples of utility programs are disk defragmenter and file managers.  Windows, mac OSX, and Linux are the most popular OS systems.

3.  What is an operating system?  An operating system is a set of programs that control functions of your computer.  The user interacts with the operating system by using a GUI (graphical user interface).  Windows 10 is the current OS offering from Microsoft, it combines the best features from previous offerings and provides users with current tools for today’s computing.

4.  How does the OS manage the processor?  The OS organizes task like a traffic controller and tells the CPU which procedure to execute. CPU (central processing unit) is the brains of the computer.  The OS organizes in a systematic way.

5.  What activities are coordinated by the operating system?  Every keystroke or click on the mouse creates an action in the device being used.  The action is then sorted by the OS.  So, all activities are coordinated by the OS, printing or word processing.

6.  How the operating system manages the computer’s memory?  The OS uses RAM or random-access memory to manage the computer’s memory.  When the operating system no longer needs the information, it clears the RAM.  RAM may be up-gradable if you need more memory space.

7.  What virtual memory is and how does it work?  “Virtual memory uses storage (hard drive or solid-state drive) to temporarily hold what was in RAM” (NA, 2017, para 1).  You can get a message that you need more virtual memory.  In this case you can upgrade the RAM or sometimes free up mores space on the hard drive for memory.

8.  How the operating system manages peripheral devices?  The OS uses programs referred to as device drivers to manage peripherals.  “A device driver is a small piece of software that tells the operating system and other software how to communicate with a piece of hardware” (Fisher, 2017, para. 1).  Without proper device drivers these devices would not work.

9.  What is Plug and Play?  Plug and Play (PnP) is used in PC’s from Microsoft. According to Microsoft, PnP is a mixture of hardware and software that allows a computer to identify and adjust the configuration changes seamlessly without user involvement (Sherer, 2017, para.1).  Some exaples of PnP ready devices are digital cameras, mice and keyboards.

10.  How the operating system coordinates software?  The OS coordinates software through an application program interface (API).  API is a block of code the operating system uses to connect with the computer.  The ability to copy a chart in Excel and use it in Word is a product of API.

11. What is BIOS?  BIOS (basic input/output system) is the beginning stage in the boot process.  BIOS manages the data between the operating system and input and output devices.  The first task in BIOS is a procedure called POST (power on self-test) which makes sure peripheral devices are connected and working.  The POST will succeed if the if it matches the hardware arrangement in CMOS.  Next in BIOS the computer will load the system files into the random-access memory then the kernel is loaded.  The kernel is tasked to manage the processor and all mechanisms of the computer.  When the kernel is complete it is the operating system that takes over.  In BIOS you may encounter some sounds, these sounds are called beep codes and using these tones you can determine what is loading or not loading.

 (Acer Community, 2016, para. 5)

12. What are three popular Operating Systems?  The three-main computer operating systems are Windows from Microsoft, mac OSX from Apple and Linux.  Because of its longevity and wide spread usage, I would recommend Windows.  These OS offerings have their pros and cons but for the everyday user I believe having an Windows system gives users the safest and most enjoyable experience. 

References

Community, A. (2016). RL80, boot problem, fan comes on, beep continuosly. Retrieved from community.acer.com: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/migration/10664iA4D9277A987B8BD8.png

Fisher, T. (2017, September 7). What is a Device Driver? Retrieved from Lifewire.com: https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-device-driver-2625796

NA. (2017). Encyclopedia. Retrieved from PCMag.com: https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/53929/virtual-memory

Sherer, T. (2017, June 6). Retrieved from docs.microsoft.com: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/kernel/introduction-to-plug-and-play