FOUNDATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING SYSTEMS
a) Operating Systems
Definition: An operating system refers to the computer software that provides the interface
between the hardware, the user and the application software. It governs and manages the
computer resources and activities.
Categories of operating systems
i) Resident components
ii) Non-resident
Resident component
These are programs of OS that must remain in the RAM at all times. Such programs are
loaded from the disk as soon as the computer is switched on. These include:
a) Task manager
b) Device drivers
c) File manager
The process of loading the OS from the disc into main memory is called booting the computer.
Booting refers to the process of starting up a computer.
There are two ways of booting up a computer;
a) Cold booting – done using the power button on the computer’s system
unit. Normally done when the computer is initially off.
b) Warm booting – this is done when the computer hangs (it temporarily
stops to receive instructions). It is done by use of the reset/restart button
on system unit or by a combination of the following keys from the
keyboard; CTRL + ALT +DEL.
1. During booting, a small program known as bootstrap which
is stored in ROM is executed.
2. During execution, the program checks:-
i) Mouse, keyboard and monitor, discs are functioning well
ii) Carries out diagnostic check of the CPU, RAM, ROM to confirm that none of
them is has a fault.

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iii) If all items are working well, the bootstrap loads program of the memory
resident portion of the OS from the disk into the memory.
iv) The bootstrap then passes control to the OS by causing the first instruction of
OS to be executed.
v) The OS then display on the screen an interface through which one can interact
with the computer.
Non-resident
They are only loaded into a RAM as and when it is needed. These include:-
i) Program development tools
ii) House-keeping utilities
iii) Sorting programs that manage data into some required order
iv) Special maths programs
TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS
a) OS is classified into;-
i) Number of tasks handled concurrently
ii) Number of users
iii) Human-computer Interface (HCI)
b) Classification according to tasks handled concurrently
i) Single program OS
ii) Multitasking OS
Single program
It allows processing of only one user program in the main memory at a time. User can only run
one interface program at a time. The user must exit from the program before loading and running
another program. Example Ms-DOS
Multitasking OS
It allows single CPU to execute what appears to be more than one program at the same time. The
CPU switches its attention between programs as it receives requests for processing, executing
instructions from one program and then from another using the concept of giving a time slices to
each application.

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reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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 FOUNDATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

c) Classification according to the number of users.

i) Single user
ii) Multi-user/multi access
Single user
Supports only one person and runs only one user application at a time.
Multi-user/multi access
It allows more than one user to interactively use the computer. It can be installed on a computer
that is accessed by many people at the same time.
Examples – UNIX, Novell, Windows NT/2000, Linux
d) Classification according to the interface
i) Command line user interface(CLUI)
ii) Menu driven interface
iii) Graphical user interface(GUI) eg windows operating systems
The Windows Operating System
 This is operating system software developed and marketed by Microsoft Inc. It a Graphic
User Interface (GUI) OS and has the WIMP (Window Icon Menu and Pointing device)
features that make it more user friendly.
 There are different version of Ms – windows e.g. Window 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, 2003,
XP, and Vista
b) Booting a Computer
Shut Down Procedure
 Click on the start button from task bar
 Click on shut down or turn off computer from the pull up menu
 Click on shut down or turn off from the dialog box that appears
 Wait as the computer goes off or prompts you to safely turn it off. This
depends on the type of the computer’s processor.

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© By Nyambane Moses Nyandusi. All rights reserved for this module. No part of this module may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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 FOUNDATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

c) Functions of Operating Systems

The functions of the operating system are;
 Job scheduling – includes preparing, scheduling and monitoring jobs for
continuous processing by the computer.
 Resource control – includes controlling the use of computer resources by
other system software and application programs being executed.
 Input/output handling – it controls the allocation of i/o devices and
resolves an conflicts that may occur if more than one application program
or users request the same device at the same time.
 Memory management –it determines how much memory is allocated to
user programs.
 Error handling – it deals with errors which are produced during program
execution and keep the computer running when errors do occur.
 Example of operating system:
Ms DOS, PC DOS, UNIX, Linux, Windows etc.
Terms used in Windows OS
 Desktop – work area on the computer’s screen. It is analogous to the ordinary table top
where one can place different objects.
 Window – area on the desktop covered by an opened program.
 Icon - An icon is a small graphical picture that represents files, program, and folders e.t.c.
on the desktop.
 Active Window - It is the window that the user is working in. If lots of windows open,
one of them will have a different colour on title bar at the top. This is the active window.
 File – any collection of related information that is given a name and stored on a disk so
that it can be retrieved when needed. Can be a data file, system file or application
program file
 Folder – a ‘container’ or storage location that contains files and other folders.
 Drive – refers to secondary storage locations in the computer normally labelled by letters
of alphabet e.g. C: / for hard disk, A: / for floppy disk etc. store information organised in
files and folders.
d) Operating systems commands
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reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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Directories/folders/files management
i) Creating folders/files
Creating a file or folder on the desktop
a) Right click an empty location on the desktop
b) Point at New from the pop - up menu
c) To create a file, select the name of the program to create the file by e.g. Microsoft Word.
To create a folder, click on folder from the side kick menu
d) Type the name of the file or the folder
e) Press enter
Creating a file or folder in another folder window
a) Click on the file menu
b) Point at New from the pop - up menu
c) To create a file, select the name of the program to create the file by e.g. Microsoft Word.
To create a folder, click on folder from the side kick menu
d) Type the name of the file or the folder
e) Press enter
NB: A folder in another folder is called a subfolder.
ii) Copying files and folders
 Duplicating the file or the folder in the same storage location or another.
Steps
a) Select the file/folder to copy
b) Click on the edit menu
c) Click on copy from the pull down menu
d) Open the new location to copy the folder to
e) Click on edit menu again
f) Click on paste from the pull down menu
Assignment

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reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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 Locate the shortcut commands from the standard toolbar used for copying and pasting
files and folders.
iii) Moving/copying folders/files
 Relocating the file or the folder to same storage location or another location.
Steps
a) Select the file/folder to move
b) Click on the edit menu
c) Click on cut from the pull down menu
d) Open the new location to move the folder to
e) Click on edit menu again
f) Click on paste from the pull down menu
Assignment
 Locate the shortcut commands from the standard toolbar used for moving and pasting
files and folders.
iv) Renaming files/folders
 File and folder names can be changed
Steps
a) Select the file/folder to rename
b) Click on the file menu
c) Click on rename from the pull down menu
d) Type the new name and then press enter from the keyboard
Or
Right click the file or the folder to rename
Click on rename from the popup menu
Type the name then press enter key from the keyboard
v) Deleting files/folders

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 Folders stored in drive c: / are temporary send to the recycle bin when deleted and can be
later deleted permanently or restored to their original locations.
 Those stored in removable media like floppy disks and flash disks are not sent to the
recycle bin and may not be recovered.
Steps
a) Select the file/folder to delete
b) Click on the file menu
c) Click on delete and confirm deletion
OR
 Select the file/folder, press delete key form keyboard the confirm deletion
vi) Searching and sorting files
vii) File security and protection
 There are different methods used to ensure that files and folders are free from
unauthorized access. This may include
a) Assigning passwords to open and write files
b) Assigning log-in user names and password for the computers containing the files
c) Applying the read-only attributes to ensure that new data cannot be accidentally written
in the file
d) Write protecting storage media like the floppy disks
e) Applying hide attributes to ensure that the files are not visible to the unauthorised access
f) Encrypting data/information in the file
viii) Drive/file/folder properties
Relocating the file or the folder to same storage location or another location.
Steps
a) Select the drive/file/folder to view its properties
b) Click on the file menu
c) Click on properties from the pull down menu. The properties dialog box
appears.

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© By Nyambane Moses Nyandusi. All rights reserved for this module. No part of this module may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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 FOUNDATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

d) Properties window appears. Using the properties you be able to ascertain the
size and attributes of the drive/file/folder etc
e) Managing discs
i) Assigning a volume label
ii) Checking disc storage status
iii) Formatting a disc
iv) Scanning a disc

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© By Nyambane Moses Nyandusi. All rights reserved for this module. No part of this module may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author.