UNIT-TWO: INSTALL AND ADMINISTER BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

2.1. Installing basic computer applications

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device that can accept store and process data under the control of a set of instructions.

Figure 1 Parts of Computer categories into two categories - Hardware and Software

Computer software/Application, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that
provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it.
Application Software: Application software is that, which is designed for the end-users and hence known as end-
user programs. It employs the capabilities of a computer to execute the tasks that the user wishes to perform on a
computer system.
Examples of application software are:

 Word Processing Software  Desktop Publishing Software
 Presentation Software  Database Management Software
 Spreadsheet Software

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System Software: It is computer software that manages and controls hardware in order to enable application
software to perform its tasks. System software performs the functions like transferring data from memory to the
disk or delivering text onto a display device.
E.g. Operating systems (Like Windows, Linux. etc)
What is Utility Software?
System utility software is a set of tools that helps configure, analyze and optimize computer resources to help users
perform multiple tasks efficiently.
The best Utility Software provides key functionality such as data compression, data recovery, disk
defragmentation, computer resources and files management, system diagnosis, and more.
Most of the operating systems have input built-in utility tools, but additional software like antivirus tools, disk
tools and data backup tools further ensure improved functionality. Utility software focuses on computer
components such as hardware, software, operating system, and storage parts.

 Backup Utilities  Screen Savers

 Antivirus  Clipboard Managers
 Backup Software  Disk Space Analyzers
 Data Synchronization Tools  Network Utilities
 File Management System  System Monitors
 Disk Management Tools  Cryptographic Utilities
 Disk Clean-Up Tool  Registry Cleaners
 Debuggers
Software Requirements
To be used efficiently, all computer software needs certain hardware components or other software resources to be
present on a computer.
With increasing demand for higher processing power and resources in newer versions of software, system
requirements tend to increase over time.
Recommended system requirements
Often times manufacturers of games will provide the consumer with a set of requirements that are different than
those that are needed to run software. These requirements are usually called the
Recommended Requirements
These requirements are almost always of a significantly higher level than the minimum requirements, and
represent the ideal situation in which to run the software.

 Hardware requirements

The most common set of requirements defined by any operating system or software application is the hardware. A
hardware requirements list is often accompanied by a hardware compatibility list (HCL)

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Architecture (Structural design) All computer operating systems are designed for a particular computer
architecture. Most software applications are limited to particular operating systems running on particular
architectures.
Processing power
The power of the central processing unit (CPU) is a fundamental system requirement for any software. Most
software running on x86 architecture define processing power as the model and the clock speed of the CPU.
Memory
All software, when run, resides in the Random-Access Memory (RAM) of a computer. Memory requirements are
defined after considering demands of the application, operating system, supporting software and files, and other
running processes.
Secondary storage
Hard-disk requirements vary, depending on the size of software installation, temporary files created and
maintained while installing or running the software, and possible use of swap space (if RAM is insufficient).
Display adapter
Software requiring a better than average computer graphics display, like graphics editors and high-end games,
often define high-end display adapters in the system requirements.
Peripherals
Some software applications need to make extensive and/or special use of some peripherals, demanding the higher
performance or functionality of such peripherals. Such peripherals include CD-ROM drives, keyboards, pointing
devices, network devices, etc.

 Software requirements

Software requirements deal with defining software resource requirements and pre-requisites that need to be
installed on a computer to provide optimal functioning of an application.
Platform
In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software
to run. Typical platforms include a computer’s architecture, operating system, or programming languages and their
runtime libraries.
APIs and Drivers
Software making extensive use of special hardware devices, like high-end display adapters, needs special API or
newer device drivers. A good example is DirectX, which is a collection of APIs for handling tasks related to
multimedia, especially game programming, on Microsoft platforms.

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Web browser
Most web applications and software depending heavily on Internet technologies Make use of the default browser
installed on system.
Other requirements Some software also has other requirements for proper performance. Internet connection (type
and speed) and resolution of the display screen are notable examples.
Installing application
Computer Program (Application software) Installation

Some software can be executed by simply copying it to a computer and executing it with no further ado; no
installation procedure as such is required. Other programs are supplied in a form not suitable for immediate
execution, and require an installation procedure. Installation may include unpacking of files supplied in a
compressed form, copying them to suitable locations, tailoring the software to suit the hardware and the user's
preferences, providing information about the program to the operating system, and so on. The installer may test for
system suitability and available mass storage space.
Installation usually implies that once installed, the program can be executed again and again, without the need to
reinstall before each execution. Some software does not need installation at all. There is server-based software that
mimics locally-installed software, and can be run inside of a web browser, using only the local system's cache.
This allows portability among computers with access to the server. This technique is often referred to as cloud
computing.
Common operations performed during software installations include creation or modification of:

 Shared and non-shared program files  Configuration file entries

 Folders/directories  Environment variables
 Windows registry entries  Links or shortcuts

Type of Installations
 Silent installation
Installation that does not display messages or windows during its progress. "Silent installation" is not the
same as "unattended installation", though it is often improperly used as such.
 Unattended installation
Installation that is performed without user interaction during its progress or, in a stricter sense, with no user
present at all, except eventually for the initial launch of the process. An installation process usually requires
a user who "attends" it to make choices at request: accepting an EULA, specifying preferences and
passwords, etc. In graphical environments, installers that offer a wizard-based interface are common.

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 However, these installers may also provide command line switches that allow performing unattended
installations.
Answer file
Some unattended installations can be driven by a script providing answers to the various choices such as
the answer file which can be used when installing Microsoft Windows on a large number of machines.
 Self-installation
Unattended installation, without the need of initial launch of the process (i.e. Vodafone Mobile Connect
USB Modem or Huawei E220's Mobile Partner software that self-installs from the USB port).
 Clean installation
Given the complexity of a typical installation there are many factors that may interfere with its successful
completion. In particular files that are left over from old installations of the same program or an unstable
situation of the operating system may all act to prevent a given program from installing and working
correctly. An installation performed in absence of such interfering factors (which may vary from program
to program) is called a clean installation. In particular, a clean operating system installation can be
performed by formatting its destination partition before the actual installation process.
 Flat installation
An installation of a program performed from a copy (called a flat copy) of its original media contents
(mostly CDs or DVDs) to a hard drive, rather than directly from the media. This may help in some
situations where the target machine isn't able to cope with random access reads from CD/DVD at the same
time as performing the CPU-intensive tasks often required by an installation, or where the target machine
does not have an appropriate physical drive.
 Network Installation
An installation of a program from a shared network drive. This may simply be a copy of the original media
(as in a Flat Installation), but frequently, software publishers which offer site licenses for institutional
customers provide a version intended for installation over a network.

2.2. Computer Software Installation

The operating system of your computer is an important factor to be considered when you install any software. The
operating system is the program that is contrived to run the computer software on your computer. The operating
system is responsible for managing the computer software and hardware. Before you install a computer software,
the first important step is to check the configuration of your computer. Also, check the hardware and software
requirement of the software you are installing. The configuration of your computer must match the requirements of
the software to be installed. Sometimes, the software to be installed is compressed in a .RAR or .ZIP file. In these
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cases, before you install the software you have to decompress all the installation files and folders. To decompress
the files and folders, ensure that you have a decompression software application installed on your computer.
Every computer software comes with a 'Read me' file. This 'Read me' file contains all the instructions that are
required to install the software on your computer. Sometimes, when you install a software, the software may ask
you to install another program that is required for the proper execution of the software to be installed. The
computer may even prompt you to install the supporting software after you complete the installation. When you
install any software program on the computer, it is advisable to close all other programs and utilities.
Some antivirus software applications may require you to turn off the firewall and disable the antivirus in order to
install the software.
Note! When installing software applications related to computer networking or web browsing, it is recommended
to disable the antivirus and the firewall. Finally, to complete the installation, restart your computer system.
What means Upgrading?
The term upgrade refers to the replacement of a product with a newer version of the same product. Common
hardware upgrades include (for example) installing additional memory (RAM), adding larger hard disks, replacing
microprocessor cards or graphics cards, and installing new versions of software.
What are upgrading Risks?

Although developers produce upgrades in order to improve a product, there are risks involved including the
possibility that the upgrade will worsen the product.
Upgrades of hardware involve a risk that new hardware will not be compatible with other pieces of hardware
in a system. For example, an upgrade of RAM may not be compatible with existing RAM in a computer.
Upgrades of software introduce the risk that the new version (or patch) will contain a bug, causing the
program to malfunction in some way or not to function at all Upgrades can also worsen a product subjectively. A
user may prefer an older version even if a newer version functions perfectly as designed.
When Should You Upgrade Your PC Software?
With new versions of the software we use being released regularly; one of the questions we get often is how
someone should decide whether they should upgrade their software to the current version.
We generally separate software upgrades into two categories:
1) Service releases or bug fixes and
2) New software versions.
For service releases or bug fixes, we tend to upgrade as soon as they are released since they usually make the
software more stable and reliable.
For new software versions, we should use four criteria to determine whether we want to upgrade:

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 Installing required device drivers.

Driver is software that a device uses to work with your PC. When your device isn’t working properly, you can
check if the driver is installed correctly. Faulty driver could always be the cause. To fix the problem, you need to
update the driver. For some devices, Windows can update the driver automatically. For some devices especially
external devices, you need to install the updated drivers yourself, then you need to download the driver manually.
Download the driver manually
To download new drivers, go to PC manufacturer’s website or device manufacturer’s website. Driver updates are
often available in the Support section of their website. If you are using a branded computer, it is recommended that
you go to the PC manufacturer’s website to check for the latest driver first, as they may customize the driver. You
are required to use the PC model and the operating system that you are using to download the correct driver.
Usually, the PC model can be found on the machine. See How to Get Operating System. If you need to download
the driver from device manufacturer, then you are required to know the device model.
How to install the driver
The downloaded driver file will be an executable file (File name ends in “.exe”.) or a zip file (File name ends in
“.zip”.).
For executable file, to install the driver, you just need to double-click on the file and follow the on-screen
instructions.
For zip file, you need to unzip it and find the executable file in the archive. If you cannot find an executable file,
you need to install the driver step by step using the “.inf” file. Following steps are for your reference how to install
the driver in this way.

Creating and administering user accounts

If you wanted to, you could have a single account on your computer that everyone could use. But having multiple
accounts has some advantages. If each user has his or her own account, then each person will have his or her own
desktop for organizing files and folders. Each person also will be able to choose a specific desktop background,
along with other personalization features. In addition, parents will be able to set Parental Controls for each child's
account.
Standard vs. administrator accounts
Before you start making new user accounts, it's important to understand the two types of accounts:
 Standard: Standard accounts are the basic accounts you use for normal, everyday tasks. As a Standard
user, you can do just about anything you would need to do, such as running software or personalizing your
desktop. Also, Parental Controls can be placed on Standard accounts.

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  Administrator: Administrator accounts are special accounts that are used for making certain changes to
system settings or managing other people's accounts. They have full access to every setting on the
computer. Every computer will have at least one Administrator account.
As you can see, Administrator accounts are more powerful. But for the same reason, Standard accounts are
safer, so they are generally better for everyday use. In fact, you can make Administrator-level
changes while logged into a Standard account; you will just need to provide an Administrator
password when making the changes.

 This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following content
coverage and topics –
 Introduction to computers operating system
 Internet browsers
 Existing new technology
 This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page. Specifically, upon
completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to – Apply the existing knowledge and techniques to
technology
 Utilize computer operating systems.
 Open and manipulate Internet browsers to search for, send and receive
information
 Identify situations where existing knowledge can be used as the basis for
developing new skills.
 Acquire mobile technology skills to enhance learning and provision of standard health care
 Use M health techniques to enhance efficient utilization of resources and avoid duplication of efforts
 Identify, classify and use New and/or upgraded equipment‘s, where appropriate, for the benefit of
customers as well as the health care system

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