Operating Systems and Windows

What is an Operating System?

•The most important program that runs on

your computer. It manages all other programs
on the machine.

•Every PC has to have one to

run other applications or
programs. It’s the first thing
“loaded”.
Operating System

•It performs basic tasks, such as:

•Recognizing input from the

keyboard or mouse,

•Sending output to the monitor,

Operating System

•Keeping track of files

and directories on the
disk, and

•Controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives

and printers.
Is There More Than One Type of OS?
•Generally, there are four types, based on the type of computer they control and the
sort of applications they support.

1.Single-user, single task

This type manages the computer so that one

user can effectively do one thing at a time.
2. Multi-user, multi-task : Allows two or more
users to run programs at the same time. Some
operating systems permit hundreds or even
thousands of concurrent users.
3. Real Time Operating Systems: RTOS scientific
instruments, and industrial are used to control machinery,
systems.

There is typically very little userinterface capability.

Resources are managed so that a particular operation executes precisely the

same every time.

4. Single-user, Multi-tasking

This is the type of operating system most desktops and laptops use
today.
Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s MacOS are both examples of
operating systems that will let a single user have several programs
in operation at the same time.

OS’s Manage Applications

•Operating systems provide a

software platform on top of which
other “application” programs can run.

•The application programs must be written to run on a particular operating

system.
 •So, your choice of operating
system determines what
application software you can run.
Operating System Functions

•Besides managing hardware and

software resources on the system, the
OS must manage resources and
memory.

•There are two broad tasks to be

accomplished.
OS - Memory Storage and Management
1. Each process must have enough memory
in which to execute, and

It can neither run into the memory space of

another process,

Nor be run into by another process.

OS - Memory Storage and Management

1. The different types of memory in the system must be

used properly so that each process can run most
effectively.

Cache Memory
•Cache - A section of a computer's memory
which temporarily retains recently accessed
data in order to speed up repeated access to
the same data.

• It provides rapid access without

having to wait for systems to
load.
RAM Memory

•Random access memory (RAM) is the

best known form of computer memory.

• RAM is considered
"random access" because you
can access any memory cell
directly if you know the row
and column that intersect at that
cell.
RAM Memory

• The more RAM your computer has,

the faster programs can function. The two
main types are called DRAM and SRAM.
SRAM is faster than DRAM, but, more
expensive.

Remember, that if the power is turned off, then all data left in RAM, that has not been
saved to the hard drive, is lost.
 Virtual Memory
•Virtual Memory – a method of using hard disk space to provide extra memory. It
simulates additional RAM.

•In Windows, the amount of virtual memory available, equals

the amount of free RAM plus the amount of disk space allocated
to the swap file.
Virtual Memory – Swap File

A swap file is an area of your hard disk that is set aside for virtual memory.
Swap files can be either temporary or permanent.
Okay – So Now What?
OS - Wake up call

•When you turn on the power to a PC, the first program that runs is a set
of instructions kept in the computer's read-only memory (ROM).
OS - Wake up Call

•It checks to make sure

everything is functioning
properly.
 •It checks the CPU, memory,

and
basic input-output systems (BIOS) for
errors.
OS – Wake up Call

•Once successful, the

software will begin to activate
the computer's disk drives.

•It then finds the first piece of the operating system: the bootstrap

loader.
•The bootstrap loader is a small program that has a single function: It loads
the operating system into memory and allows it to begin operation.
•The bootstrap loader sets up the small driver programs that interface with and
control the various hardware.

•It sets up the divisions of

 • memory

• user information, and

• applications.
•It establishes the data structures
needed to communicate within
and between the subsystems and
applications of the computer.

•Then it turns control of the

computer over to the operating
system.
 Windows Desktop

Your Desktop
look
may like
this…
Windows
Desktop

…Or like.
this
How Do I Tell The OS What I Want To Do?

•You must continue to give the operating system

commands that are accepted and executed.

•The first command was pushing the “ON” button which

started the “boot” process.
Enter Commands

•Commands can be entered several ways:

•Through a keyboard.

•Pointing or clicking on an object with a

mouse.
(Graphical User Interface or GUI)

•Sending a command from another

program.

Windows and Mac are GUI’s

•Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh operating systems are “graphical user
interfaces” or GUI’s.
GUI is defined as: A picture used in place of a word or words to issue commands.
GUI – Standards

• GUI interfaces have standards that are usually the same or similar in all
systems and applications.

• Standards apply to:

• Pointers and pointing devices

• Icons, desktops, windows and menus

Windows - GUI Pointers

•GUI uses pictures, symbols, or icons rather than words to represent some object or
function. For example:

•A pointer or mouse pointer is a small arrow or other

symbol that moves on the screen as you move a mouse.

• An I-Beam
pointer is
used by
many desktop
publishing systems
 and word processors to mark blocks of text and move the
insertion point.
GUI – Cursors / Pointers

•The term “cursor” typically is used to show where your typing

will appear. Otherwise, the term “pointer” is the better choice.
Windows - GUI Icons

• Icon - A small picture that represents a command, object, file, or window.

•Point and click with a mouse to execute a command or convert the icon into a
window.

•Icons are moveable around the display screen, just like moving things around on your
desk.
Object Icons & Shortcut Icons

You can create

•One type of and use a icon is an shortcut icon

to object icon. open any It allows application
you to open quickly. You
applications don’t have to and use the Start
documents Menu to access on your PC. a program
or
 document.
Windows - GUI Windows & Desktop

• You can divide the screen into different areas.

• In each window, you can run a different program or display a different file.

• You can move windows around the display screen, and change their shape and
size at will.
of options for using a
program. It can also be a
list of categories with many
other menu options under
it. Menus can "pop up" or
"pull down."

Windows - GUI Menus

•Menu - is an on-screen list
 GUI – Share Data

•Because the formats are well-defined, different programs that run under a
common GUI can share data. This makes it possible, for example, to copy a graph
created by a spreadsheet program into a document created by a word processor.
Parts of the Desktop

Windows - Taskbar

•Taskbar – shows you the windows or programs that are

currently open on the desktop. You can switch between
windows by clicking on the applicable button.

Windows – System Tray

•System Tray – shows you running programs that were
started automatically by the operating system, like anti-
virus programs, the clock and volume controls. These
programs are running in the background.
 Windows - Quick Launch Toolbar

•Quick Launch Toolbar – contains one-click buttons, or

shortcuts, which open programs. You can customize this
toolbar however you like.
 Start Button

•The start button allows you to easily access your computer

programs or configure Windows. By default the start
button is located at the bottom left side of the screen.

Parts of a Window
 Title Bar

•At the top edge of the window, inside its border, is the title bar
which extends across the width of the window. It contains the title
of the application or document.

•A small icon in the far left corner of the title bar represents the
object being viewed in the window.
Minimize, Maximize and Resize Windows

•The title bar contains three little buttons in the upper right-corner of
the window and are used to manage the window size or close it
altogether.
Minimize - Maximize
•The first button is the minimize button and it will hide the
window. The window can be opened again by clicking its
button on the taskbar.

•The second button is maximize, which makes the window

take up all the screen space. Clicking again turns the window
back to the size it was. The double-box image is known as the
restore button.
Close Window
 •The last button will close a window. If it is

the last window of a certain

type of program, it will exit or quit that
program.
Move a Window
•You can move a window to any location on the desktop
by “clicking and dragging” the title bar with your mouse.
•This is also referred to as “drag and
drop”.

•You can also

drag and drop
icons to move
the location of
files or
shortcuts.
Menu Bar
 •Menu bar - The horizontal bar near the top of a window that
displays the names of menus from which you can access features
and perform tasks for the current application.
Types of Menu Items

• Arrow: another menu will cascade

from it.

• Three dots: a dialog

box will open, containing

choices for you to make.
Types of Menu Items

•Checkmark: clicking this item will toggle the

feature on or
off.

•If a keyboard shortcut is shown in the menu, you can

use those
keys to run the command without having to open the menu.
 Scroll Bar

•Scroll bar - the narrow rectangular bar at the far right of

windows.

•Clicking on the up or down arrow enables you to

move up and down through a document.

• A movable square indicates your location in the

document.

Windows Frame & Resizing

•You can also resize a window by a click and drag move.

Put the mouse cursor on the edge of a window (that is not

maximized) and when the pointer changes to a
double arrow, click and drag for the new size.
Some windows have a handle on them for resizing.

Status Bar

•Status bar – is located at the bottom of a window

and contains information about formatting options,
errors, prompts, messages, or the status of an
application.
Dialog Boxes
1.
List

box

2. Spin control box

3. Slide
4. Drop-down list
5. Radio button
6. Checkbox
 7. Text box
Windows – Start Menu
• Start Menu – gives you access to all programs and functions on your PC, including
“help” files and “search” capabilities.
•Access Windows 95 HELP menu
Windows HELP through the Start menu.
Windows HELP
Windows 98 HELP menu
 Windows HELP
•Windows XP HELP menu
Windows System Programs

•Windows has a number of internal programs as part of the operating system

that help keep you organized and your PC healthy.

•Here are a few:

Windows HELP
 Windows HELP

Al
th so k
e
Ex Wi now
plo nd n a
rer ows s

•My Computer – inside this icon you can fin

folder and file
that your PC has access to.
Windows - My Computer
 4.
Windows – Recycle Bin
•Recycle Bin – Deleted files and folders go here first, where they wait to be permanently
deleted by you, or by rules that you set up. This is a temporary storage area on your hard drive.
 Windows – My Docs

•My Documents – a place to store the documents and files you create. Clicking on
this opens an explorer window displaying the detail.

•It’s wise to keep the files you create separate from the
program files, so when you backup your data, it’s all
located in one location. You can then backup just this area
of your storage.
My Documents – Explorer Window
Windows – Network Neighborhood

•Network Neighborhood – serves as a window into the

network resources you have on your PC.

•If you are connected to a

network you will see all the other
PC’s linked to your network and
you can share files, printers or
other hardware.
Network Neighborhood
 Logoff

•If your have multiple users on a PC with separate “profiles”

or user logons, use the logoff process to close out of your
profile or to switch users.

Shutdown Windows

•There is a “graceful” way of shutting down your PC that

will save your program settings and
 files.
•This shutdown process basically put
the operating system to bed.

Which Explorer?

•Tip: Don't confuse Windows Explorer with Internet Explorer.

•Windows Explorer is the program that lets you explore things

"inside" your own computer.

•Internet Explorer lets you explore things "outside" your

computer -- namely things on the Internet.