Solutions

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Basic ICT Skills - II
3.1 DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT OPERATING SYSTEMS

A. Multiple choice questions.

1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (c)
B. Answer the following questions.
1. An operating system (OS) is a software program that manages
the hardware and software resources of a computer. A key
component of system software, the OS performs basic tasks,
such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing the
processing of instructions, controlling input and output
devices, facilitating networking, and managing files.
2. This is where you place files you no longer need. Your
computers data files should be tidied up regularly and any
unwanted files deleted from the system. Any file you delete
from your hard drive will be placed first in the RECYCLE BIN.
Files you delete from the University Network drives will not
go into the recycle bin. The files from Recycle Bin can be
restored back to the folder from where it was deleted.
3.2 WORKING WITH FILES AND FOLDERS

A. Multiple choice questions.

1. (a) 2. (b)
B. Answer the following questions.
1. To copy a file or folder, follow the given steps.
a. Select the file/folder which is to be copied.
b. Click the Organize  Copy.
c. Select the location in the left pane where file/folder is
to be placed.

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 d. Click the Organize and click the Paste option. The selected
folder will be copied at the new location.
To move a file or a folder, follow the given steps:
a. Select the file/folder which is to be moved.
b. Click the Organize  Cut.
c. Select the location where the file is to be placed.
d. Click the Organize button and then click the Paste option.
The selected folder will be moved to the new location.
2. To create a file in the computer, follow these steps:
a. Right-click on the Desktop OR what folder you want to
create the file in.
b. From the context menu, go to New > [Type of file you
want to create].
The file of the type selected by you, will be created in the
folder/on Desktop.

3.3 APPLY BASIC SKILLS FOR CARE AND

MAINTENANCE OF COMPUTER

A. Multiple choice questions.

1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (b)
B. Answer the following questions.
1. Spyware is a software which is installed on your computer
to spy on your activities. It reports the data to people willing
to pay for it.
2. There are two types of threats that can affect a computer
system. These are:
• Natural threats • Human threats
Natural Threats There are threats posed by the environment.
Some such threats are:
• Fire: Since computer machinery is made up of delicate
components, irreparable damage may be caused due to
exposure to fire of the computer. The hard disk data may
be erased permanently if exposed to such heat. If the
temperature around the computer is high, we must wait
for the temperature to return to normal and then start the
computer.
• Flood: This is a kind of disaster that can destroy a computer.
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 So, the computer should be housed in a place where it is
safe from natural calamities like flood. As computer is an
electronic machine, its parts exposed to water can cause
severe damage to it.
• Lightning: This is a natural calamity that can cause a severe
increase in voltage in the electrical connection to the
computer. Such an increase in voltage in an electric line in
known as a spike. Such a spike can cause damage to the
motherboard. Apart from some of the measures discussed
above, a method used to prevent damage is to back up the
data of a computer onto other magnetic media which would
help to recover data, once some version of it is destroyed. It
is imperative that the backed up copies of data be secured in
a safe place. Human threats These are threats from human
agents that may attempt to lay their hands on sensitive data
which is of great importance to the owner.
Human threats can be broadly categorised into the
following:
• Physical theft: There is often an attempt to steal the computer
or laptop in which the data is stored. The thieves next try
to steal data from the hard disk. These attempts can be
prevented by encrypting the hard disk. Encryption of the
hard disk renders it impossible to read the data without
the ciphertext that will decrypt it. Another way to disallow
such stealing is by placing the computer in a safe and secure
location.
• Virus, Trojan Horse and Worm: If the user of the computer
is in the habit of downloading files from Internet or his (or
her) mailbox without checking its credentials, he is putting
the computer at a risk against infected files that can damage
the computer. These infected files may be viruses. These
viruses if made operational can lead to malfunctioning of
the operating system. Antivirus software is often installed
on the computer to prevent presence of any virus on the
computer.
a. Trojan horse: This is a kind of software which seems useful
in the beginning, but will cause damage to the computer
once installed.
b. Worm: This is a file that replicates itself into many copies
filling a large part of the hard disk and thus slowing down
the computer. Examples of some worms are Bagle, Blaster
and Sasser.
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c. Spyware: This is a software that gets installed on the
computer without the user’s knowledge. These software
are used to send out data regarding the computer user’s
browsing habits and personal information.
d. Online predators: These are human agents that get people
to fall into unethical or dangerous relationships. Due to this
often reactively they destroy lives of the immature minds
among us.
e. Online scams: We often get emails in our mailbox promising
large amount of money in exchange of our bank account
details, address or more. However, these are false emails
aimed at harming us. We should not fall for such false
promises.
3. Computers are provided with some measures to prevent
unvarnished access by users. Some of these are:
• Setting up users and passwords: By setting up a list of
authorized users on the computer, we can limit how users can
enter the computer. To access data on the computer, the user
must log in with his/her username and the corresponding
passwords. Anybody without the knowledge of the password
is not allowed into the system.
• Using secure passwords: Passwords are very important to
a computer user. Password is the only knowledge based on
which one can enter either the computer or one’s inbox
(or mailbox). You should ensure that your password is not
easily guessable. It should not be a dictionary word and also
must contain a mix of different types of characters from the
keyboard (like numbers and alphabet). You should not share
your password with anyone and must not type it on the
keyboard in the presence of other suspicious people around
you. If you guess that your password has been compromised,
you should immediately change it before any damage is done
to your user account.
• Use of protective software: It is advisable to use software that
will scan the drives or downloads for presence of suspicious
software in them. These software scan the files and ascertain
whether there could be suspicious material part of any file.
Antivirus software is one such software for example. McAfee,
Symantec, Kaspersky, Norton etc.
• Lock your computer: It is useful to be able to lock your
account, when the computer is left unattended. This way,

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 no one can pry into your account if you are away from the
computer for a while. The key combination that will allow
to lock the computer depends on the particular operating
system.
4. The physical components of a computer system are called
hardware. Hardware devices can be seen and touched. CPU,
Monitor, Printer, Scanner, Hard Drive, CD’s, RAM, Modem,
Port and Cables are all hardware devices of a computer
system.
5. A hardware keylogger is a small piece of hardware that is
manually attached to the keyboard wiring plugged into the
PC’s CPU. It is placed at an intermediate position between the
CPU plug and keyboard’s wire. It captures all your keyboard
strokes while typing. You need not worry about keylogger
for your personal computer until a close one uses this.
6. A copy of data that can be used to restore and recover the
data is called a backup. It allows you to restore data after
a failure. A copy of data that can be used to restore and
recover the data is called a backup. It allows you to restore
data after a failure.
7. An antivirus software is a program that detects, prevents
from malicious programs such as viruses. You can protect
your system against viruses by using Antivirus software.
There are many antivirus programs available in the market.
You may install an antivirus program on your computer to
protect it from viruses.
8. You can perform the scan on a particular drive or a folder.
Follow the given steps to scan a drive or folder.
a. Click the Norton Internet Security icon from the system tray
on the taskbar.
b. Click the Scan Now option on the Norton Internet Security
Window.
c. Click the Custom Scan option.
The Scans dialog box appears on the screen.
d. Now, select the option you want to use. Click the Run button.
e. The Scan Drives dialog box appears on the screen. Select the
drive name to Scan.
f. Click on Scan button.
g. The scanning starts and displays the window on your
screen.
h. After the scan is complete, a “All Threats Resolved” window
appears on your screen.
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A. Multiple choice questions.
1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a)
B. Short answer questions (I).
1. You should update your antivirus regularly, so that it can
detect new viruses.
To update your Antivirus, follow the given steps:
a. Connect to the Internet : You should check your Internet
connection first.
b. Click the Norton Internet Security icon from the system tray
on the taskbar.
c. The Norton Internet Security window appears on your
monitor screen.
d. Click the LiveUpdate option. The update process starts on
your computer. When the update is completed, you will see
the Completed window.
e. Click OK to complete the scan.
2. User Account Control (UAC) can help in preventing
unauthorised changes to your computer. This can prevent
the security of your computer or can affect settings for other
people that use the computer.
To turn UAC on or off, use the following steps:
• Open Control Panel  User Accounts.
• Click Change Under User Accounts Control Settings option.
The UAC Settings window appears.
• To turn off UAC, move the slider to the “Never notify”
position and then click OK.
• To turn on UAC, move the slider to the “Always notify” and
then click OK.
3. Any four antivirus programs are Norton, Bit Defender,
Symantec and Avast.
4. Application software is used to take care of business tasks,
like word processing, accounting, presentation creation, etc.
It does not require much technical knowledge of computers
to work on application software.
System software is the software makes the computer run
on its hardware. OS is a best example of system software.
It may require good technical knowledge to run the system
software on the computer.
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 5. A file is the means by which data is stored within the
computer. It is a unit of data storage. There are many kinds
of files and files that require different applications to open
them, have different file extensions in general.
Folders are structures that organize the file structure of the
computer. Folders are required to arrange the files neatly on
the computer. Folders allow logical separation of files, more
than anything else.
C. Short answer questions (II).
1. You delete a file from the computer by clicking on the file
and either pressing Delete button from keyboard, OR Right-
click on the file and choose Delete from the context menu.
Both of these will not delete the file but send the file to
the Recycle Bin. If you really want to permanently delete
the file, press Shift + Delete from the keyword. The system
will warn you about the permanent deletion. If confirmed,
it will delete the file permanently.
2. If your computer is connected to a network, firewall acts as a
bridge between your computer and other systems or server
from which you are getting the data. To turn on windows
firewall:
• Click Start button  Control Panel. The Control Panel window
appears.
• Click System and Security option. The following window
appears on your screen.
• Click Windows Firewall. The windows firewall window
appears.
• Choose the option “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” from
the left pane of the window. If you are prompted for an
administrator password or confirmation, type the password
or provide confirmation.
• Now click under each network location that you want to
help protect and then click OK.
If you want the firewall to prevent all programs from
communicating including programs that you have previously
allowed to communicate through firewall, then select Block
all incoming connections.
3. You can perform the scan on a particular drive or a folder.
Follow the given steps to scan a drive or folder.
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 a. Click the Norton Internet Security icon from the system tray
on the taskbar.
b. Click the Scan Now option on the Norton Internet Security
Window.
c. Click the Custom Scan option.
The Scans dialog box appears on the screen.
d. Now, select the option you want to use. Click the Run button.
e. The Scan Drives dialog box appears on the screen. Select the
drive name to Scan.
f. Click on Scan button.
g. The scanning starts and displays the window on your screen.
h. After the scan is complete, “All Threats Resolved” window
comes up.
4. User Account Control (UAC) can help in preventing
unauthorised changes to your computer. This can prevent
the security of your computer or can affect settings for other
people that use the computer.
To turn UAC on or off, use the following steps:
• Open Control Panel  User Accounts.
• Click Change Under User Accounts Control Settings option.
The following window appears.
• To turn off UAC, move the slider to the “Never notify”
position and then click OK.
• To turn on UAC, move the slider to the “Always notify” and
then click OK.
D. Long Answer questions.
1. Let us know about the various types of malicious software
and viruses.
a. Viruses: A computer virus is a malicious program that attacks
your computer system files. It requires a host machine.
Viruses spread from computer to computer and they replicate
themselves. Viruses can attack any part of computer software
such as operating system, files and application program
macros. File infectors, Boot sector viruses and Macro viruses
are some common examples of viruses. Damages Caused
by Viruses Virus can harm your data and make your system
unstable. It can also perform some damages like:
• Decreasing the hard disk space by duplicating files.
• Destroying parts of programs and files, which create bad
sectors on the disk.
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 • Causing the computer system to hang so that it does not
respond to any keyboard or mouse movements.
• Copying, deleting data in files, causing a loss of integrity in
the data.
• Slowing the processor speed by destroying File Allocation
Tables (FAT).
b. Malware: Malware is unwanted software that is introduced
into your system by a third person. It infects your computer,
making it behave in a way which you do not approve of.
c. Spyware: Spyware is a software which is installed on your
computer to spy on your activities. It reports the data to
people willing to pay for it.
d. Adware: These are the programs that display unwanted ads
to your computer in pop-up form.
e. Worms: A worm is a self replicating program which consumes
the entire disk space or memory. It keeps on creating its
copies until all the disk space is filled. It does not require a
host and can replicate across communication links.
f. Trojan Horse: A Trojan Horse is a program that appears
harmless but actually performs malicious functions such as
deleting or damaging files. It is a type of code hidden in
a program. It does not require a host program in which it
tries to embed itself. Trojan horse generally spreads through
e-mails.
2. To maintain the hardware security and safety, you must
follow some guidelines as given below:
a. Computers Must be Kept Clean: There must be regular
cleaning of dust and debris, and also we should avoid eating
and drinking near the computer.
b. Computers Should be Kept at Moderate Temperature: High
or low temperature may damage motherboard’s memory
and disk drives’ memory.
c. All Computers Should be Connected to Surge Protectors: The
surge protectors will prevent voltage surges from damaging
the system.
d. Computers and Disks Must be Kept Clear of Static Electricity:
Since static electricity can destroy stored information. To
avoid zapping your computer components (like computer
memory and hardware) with static electricity other
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 precaution is to ground the static electricity before touching
any of the internal components.
e. Aware of Keyloggers: A hardware keylogger is a small piece
of hardware that is manually attached to the keyboard wiring
plugged into the PC’s CPU. It is placed at an intermediate
position between the CPU plug and keyboard’s wire. It
captures all your keyboard strokes while typing.

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Summary of Annotations