Basic of Computer Course

Duration: Practical: 40 hrs.

Topics Practical Hours

1. Parts of computer 3
2. Data representation using bits and bytes 3
3. Software 2
4. Typing tutorial 2
5. PC Tools 2
6. Creating documents 9
7. Email Handling 3
8. Power point presentation 6
9. Excel 10
Total Hours 40

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 Contents

S.No. Experiments Hrs

1 Parts of computer 3
1.1 Computer architecture 0.5

1.2 CPU, types of memory (RAM, ROM, Cache), Disk drive, identify all parts in side computer. 1.5

Input devices, Keys of keyboard and mouse, Output devices, monitor, various connectors and cables of
1.3 1.0
computer
2 Data representation using Bit and Byte 3
2.1 Binary to decimal and decimal to binary conversion, Binary coded decimal, Hexadecimal, Kb, Mb, Gb, Tb 2.0

2.2 ASCII codes 0.5

2.3 Computer specifications 0.5

3 Software 2
3.1 Operating system, GUI tools, directory, files, create, delete, recycle bin 1.0

3.2 Display resolution setting, personalisation setting, Install and uninstall applications, Taskbar setting 1.0

4 Typing tutorial 2
4.1 Familiarize typing in standard QWERTY keyboards. 0.5
Touch Typing Course: Learn positions of all keys, keys for each finger. Achieve speed of 20 words per
4.2 1.5
minute. Use all keys of keyboard.
5 PCTools 2
5.1 Internet concepts, IP address settings 1.0
5.2 Remote desktop, task manager, system date & time 1.0
6 Creating document (word file) 9
A text of about 100 words to be typed. Practice: Tab setting, font, font colour, text highlight, bold, italics,
1.0
underline, superscript, subscript, set case
Practice: Bullet, Numbering, indenting, alignment, line spacing, heading styles, find and replace, cut, copy
1.0
and paste.

Layout: Margin, orientation, page size, columns. Insert: Pictures (text wrapping, format picture), shapes,
2.5
3D models, chart, table, comment, header, footer, page number, page break

Create: Envelops, Labels, Mail merge 2.0

Macro, Insert symbols and equations, Hyperlink 1.5
Create table of contents, page colour, page border, water mark 1.0
7 Email Handling 3
Setting layout, CC and BCC, create address book, email filter 1.0
Create folders, set rules, auto reply, create signature, create groups 1.0
Setting calendar, email recall, sorting emails, attachments 1.0
8 Power point presentation 6
Adding new slide, layout, Indenting and text direction, slide show 0.5
Insert shapes, icons, 3D models, chart, video and audio 1.5
Insert table, screen shots, symbols, equations 1.0

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 Add comments, hyperlink and action, header and footer 1.0
Transition, animation and recording slide show, slide hide 1.0
Format shape, slide master, best practices 1.0
9 Excel 10
Concept of cells, Rows and columns, fonts 0.5
Format cells: Category, border, fill, protection 0.5
Insert and delete: rows, columns and cells. Sort and filter 1.0
Conditional formating, create new rules 1.0
Insert functions: sum, average, if, countif, counta, countifs, max, min, value, text, date, datevalue, round,
roundup, rounddown 2.0
Iferror, AND, OR, Day, Days, Datevalue, GCD, LCM, ABS 1.0
Chart, pivot table, group, subtotal, filter 2.0
Freezepanes, hide, macro, page layout 1.0
Copy-paste options, Vlookup function 1.0

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 1. PARTS OF COMPUTER

What is computer?
A computer is a machine or device that performs processes, calculations and operations based on
instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It is designed to execute applications and provides
a variety of solutions by combining integrated hardware and software components.

1 - Monitor
2 - Speaker
3 - Keyboard
4 - Mouse
5 - CPU (Central Processing Unit)
6 - Floppy Drive

Computer manipulates information or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve and process data.
You can use a computer to type documents, send email and browse the Web. You can also use it to
handle spreadsheets, accounting, database management, presentations, games, and more.

1.1 Computer Architecture

The computer architecture as shown in
Figure performs basically five major
operations or functions irrespective of their
size and make. These are
a. Accepts data or instructions by way
of input.
b. Store data.
c. Process data as required by the
user.
d. Gives results in the form of output.
e. Controls all operations inside a
computer.

Functional Units
In order to carry out the operations mentioned in the previous section the computer allocates
the task between its various functional units. The computer system is divided into three separate
units for its operation. They are:
a. Arithmetic logical unit
b. Control unit
c. Central processing unit
a. Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU)
The data entered through the input device is stored in the
primary storage unit. The actual processing of the data and
instructions are performed by Arithmetic Logical Unit. The

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 major operations performed by the ALU are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, logic
and comparison. Data is transferred to ALU from storage unit when required. After processing,
the output is returned back to storage unit for further processing or is sent to appropriate output
device.
b. Control Unit (CU)
The next component of computer is the Control Unit, which acts
like the supervisor and also controls all operations of the computer.
The control unit determines the sequence in which computer programs
and instructions are executed. Things like processing of programs
stored in the main memory, interpretation of the instructions and issuing
of signals for other units of the computer to execute them. It also acts
as a switch board operator when several users access the computer
simultaneously. Thereby it coordinates the activities of computer’s
peripheral equipment as they perform the input and output. Therefore,
it is the manager of all operations.
c. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The ALU and the CU of a computer system are jointly known as the
central processing unit. CPU as the brain of computer system. It is just
like brain that takes all major decisions, makes all required calculations and directs
different parts of the computer functions by activating and controlling the operations.

1.2 CPU, Types of memory, Disk drive and parts inside computer

Processor/CPU

It is also called as the brain of the computer. It is referred as

processor, central processor or microprocessor. The computer CPU is

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responsible for handling all instructions it receives from hardware and software running on the
computer.
CPU are characterized by CPU model, clock speed and number of cores. Clock speed is
expressed in gigahertz (GHz) and is a rough indication of how many calculations a processor can
make in a second – the higher the number, more the calculations.

Modern CPUs have at least two cores, with many having four, eight or even more.
Having multiple cores give a speed boost. A quad-core processor can perform some tasks,
such as video editing, almost twice as fast as a dual-core chip.
Memory

A memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data and instructions.
Computer memory is the storage space in computer where data is to be processed and
instructions required for processing are stored.

Memory is primarily of three types:

a. Primary Memory/Main Memory
b. Cache Memory
c. Secondary Memory

a. Primary Memory (Main Memory)

This is the main memory of the
computer. CPU can directly read or write
on this memory. It is fixed on the
motherboard of the computer. Primary
memory holds:
i. The data and instructions on which
computer is currently working.
ii. The instructions and data provided
by the manufacturer to configure
and control the all the operations of
the system through the control unit.

Primary memory is further divided into two

types:
a. RAM (Random Access Memory)
b. ROM (Read Only Memory)

RAM (Random Access Memory)

It is a temporary memory. The information stored in this memory is lost when the power
supply to the computer is turned off. That’s why it is also called Volatile Memory. It stores the
data and instruction given by the user and also the results produced by the computer temporarily.

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ROM (Read only Memory)

Information stored in ROM is permanent in nature,

i.e., it holds the data even if the system is switched off. It
holds the starting instructions and the instructions and data
required for controlling all the operations of the computer.
The ROM is pre-written by the manufacturer. Therefore, this
data cannot be erased. ROM cannot be overwritten by the
computer. Hence it is called Non-Volatile Memory.

b. Cache Memory
As CPU fetches instructions from main memory. The speed of CPU is more than that
of main memory. CPU contains internal memory which has fast access. But they are limited in
number as well as costly. Cache memory is a very high speed memory that is placed
between the CPU and main memory, to operate at the speed of the CPU.

It is used to reduce the average time to access data from the main memory. The
cache is a smaller and faster memory which stores copies of the data from frequently used
main memory locations.

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c. Secondary Memory or Secondary Storage
This type of memory is also known as storage devices. These are used for storing
Data/Information permanently. Hence these are non-volatile ie. The data is stored permanently
even when power supply is switched off. It is slower than main memory.
CPU does not access this memory directly. These are accessed through intermediate
devices and instructions called input/output routines (device drivers). Contents of secondary
memories are first transferred to main memory and then CPU can access it. For example, disk, CD-
ROM, DVD, magnetic Tape etc.
These memories are portable ie. Disconnect from one system and connect to another with all
the data intact in it.

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Activity:
a. Open a computer and identify: Processor (with fan), ROM, RAM (size of RAM).
b. Identify the hard disk. Remove and fit the cable back.

1.2 Input and Output Devices

The computer will be of no use unless it is able to communicate with the outside world.
Input/output devices are required for users to communicate with the computer. In simple terms, input
devices bring information into the computer and output devices bring information out of a computer
system. These input/output devices are also known as peripherals since they surround the CPU and
memory of a computer system.

Input Devices Output Devices

Keyboard Monitor
Mouse LCD
Joystick Plotter
Scanner Printer
Light Pen Speaker
Touch screen Projector

Keyboard
It is a text-based input device that allows the user to input alphabets, numbers and other
characters. It consists of a set of keys mounted on a board.
This unit contains devices with the help of which we enter data into the computer. This unit creates
a link between the user and the computer. The input devices translate the information into a form

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understandable by the computer.
Few keys in combination have assigned specific functions.

Windows Shortcut Keys

 Windows Key + R: Opens the Run menu.
 Windows Key + E: Opens Explorer.
 Alt + Tab: Switch between open programs.
 Windows Key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window.
 Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager.
 Windows Key + Break: Opens system properties.
 Windows Key + F: Opens search for files and folders.
 Windows Key + D: Hide/display the desktop.
 Alt + Esc: Switch between programs in order they were opened.
 Alt + Letter: Select menu item by underlined letter.
 Ctrl + Esc: Open Start menu.
 Ctrl + F4: Close active document (does not work with some applications).
 Alt + F4: Quit active application or close current window.
 Alt + Spacebar: Open menu for active program.
 Ctrl + Left or Right Arrow: Move cursor forward or back one word.
 Ctrl + Up or Down Arrow: Move cursor forward or back one paragraph.
 F1: Open Help menu for active application.
 Windows Key + M: Minimize all windows.
 Shift + Windows Key + M: Restore windows that were minimized with previous keystroke.

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  Windows + F1: Open Windows Help and Support.
 Windows + Tab: Open Task view.
 Windows + Break: Open the System Properties dialog box.
 Hold Right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Switch Filter Keys on and off.
 Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen: Switch High Contrast on and off.
 Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock: Switch Mouse keys on and off.
 Press Shift five times: Switch Sticky keys on and off.
 Hold Num Lock for five seconds: Switch Toggle keys on and off.

The output unit consists of devices with the help of which we get the information from the computer. This
unit is a link between the computer and the users. Output devices translate the computer's output into a
form understandable by the users.

Activity:
a. Observe all the functions of mouse: Roller, buttons, movement, double click.
b. Understand functions of all types of keys on the keyboard.
c. Practice all the keyboard short cut keys.
d. Identify various output devices: Monitor (different types), printer, projector, speakers.

1.3 Connectors and cables

All the peripherals (input and output) devices are connected to the computer using different types
of cable.

Video Cables: There are different types of video cables.

VGA (Video Graphics Array) Cable

Used for connecting analog monitor. It has 15 pins. Connect one end to: computer monitor, television (PC
input port)

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Connect other end to: VGA port on computer

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) Cable

Connect one end to: computer monitor

Connect other end to: DVI port on computer

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) Cable

It is an audio/video interface for transmitting data and digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source
device, such as a display
controller, to a compatible
monitor, video projector, digital
TV. HDMI is a digital replacement
for analog video standards.

Connect one end to: computer monitor, television

Connect other end to: HDMI port on computer
Note: If you're hooking up a television to your computer, then use a HDMI cable as your PC cable
connection since it is able to transmit both display and sound - So you can not only use your TV screen as
a monitor, but also make use of your TV speakers to play PC audio.

PS/2 (personal System/2) Cable

Connect one end to: PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse
Connect other end to: PS/2 ports on computer
 Purple PS/2 port: keyboard
 Green PS/2 port: mouse

Ethernet Cable
This cable is used for connecting network to the computer. Also known as RJ-45

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cable

Connect one end to: router, network switch

Connect other end to: Ethernet port on computer

3.5mm Audio Cable

Also known as phone connector (since 3.5mm jacks are often found on mobile phones too)
Connect one end to: computer speakers, 3.5mm headphones, 3.5mm microphone
Connect other end to: audio ports on computer
Green audio port: computer speakers or headphones
 Pink audio port: microphone
 Blue audio port: MP3 player, CD player, DVD player, turntable, electric guitar etc (line-in port to
play and record sounds from the above devices)

USB (Universal Serial Bus) Cable

USB was designed to standardize the connection of peripherals to personal computers, both to
communicate with and to supply electric power.

There are two popular formats: USB 2.0 and the newer USB 3.0

Identification of USB 2.0 and 3.0 cables: USB 3.0 cables have a blue tip,
and sometimes you can find a SS "Super Speed" label on it.

USB was intended to be the one computer cable connection to replace

many other cables. Possible uses for a USB port are quite mind-blowing.
For this computer cable guide, we have listed its more common uses
below:

Connect one end to: USB device

 Storage devices: USB flash drive, external hard drive, external optical drive

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 Input devices: USB keyboard (wired and wireless), USB mouse (wired and wireless), webcam,
scanner, gamepad
 Output devices: printer, all-in-one office machine, USB speaker
 Wireless adapters: network (Wi-Fi) adapter, bluetooth adapter, 3G adapter
 Data (and charging) cable for mobile devices such as mobile phone, tablet, MP3 player

Connect other end to: USB ports on computer

USB 2.0 ports have black tips while USB 3.0 ports come with blue
tips.
USB 3.0 is backwards-compatible... meaning that you can connect
a USB 2.0 device to a USB 3.0 port and vice versa (but the USB
3.0 devices hooked up to a USB 2.0 port will perform at lowered
rates)
There are also USB cables which connect new external backup
drives, these are described as USB-A to Micro-B

ThunderBolt

Mostly seen on laptops and Apple Macs these cables are high speed and are capable of carrying Data,
video and other information.
There are 2 current types of Thunderbolt, the older version Thunderbolt 2 is
seen below but this can also be confused with Mini Display ports as they
look identical and only visual difference is the picture beside the port.
Thunderbolt 2 (left) has a lightning symbol and carries Data and video.

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The Mini Display Port (right) will only carry Video.

Activity:
a. Disconnect and connect different types of monitor cables (VGA, HDMI).
b. Disconnect and connect mouse and keyboard cables.
c. Disconnect and connect audio cables.
d. Identify different types of USB cables and thunderbolt cable.
e. Open the computer system, and practice disconnecting and connecting various cables:
Power cables connecting mother board, hard disk connector, CD ROM connector.
f. Familiarise with all the peripheral connectors of the computer.
g. Practice correct method of connecting and the precautions to be taken.

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 2. DATA REPRESENTATION USING BITS AND BYTES

Computers work with a binary number system that consists of only two types of digits - zero and
one. Inside the computer binary number is represented by an electrical pulse. One means a pulse of
electricity and zero means no pulse. All the data entered into computers is first converted into the binary
number system. One digit in binary number system is called bit and combination of eight bits is called
byte. A byte is the basic unit that is used to represent the alphabetic, numeric and alphanumeric data.

2.1 Binary to decimal and decimal to binary conversion, Binary coded decimal, Hexadecimal, Kb,
Mb, Gb, Tb

Data is the combination of characters, numbers and symbols collected for a specific purpose.
Data is divided into three types:
a. Alphabetic data – A to Z, blank space and a to z.
b. Numeric data - ten digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, two signs + and - and decimal point.
c. Alphanumeric data - alphabetic data, numeric data, special character and symbols.
There are different types of number system that are used to represent numeric data. These number
systems are
a. Binary number system
b. Octal number system
c. Decimal number system
d. Hexadecimal number system.

Alphabetic data is used to represent 26 alphabets. It consists of capital letters from A to Z, small
letters from a to z and blank space. Alphanumeric data is used to represent alphabetic data, numeric data,
special character and symbols.
Data is represented inside a computer as a series of on (1) and off (0) pulses.
A bit is a single numeric value, either '1' or '0', that encodes a single unit of digital information. A
byte is a sequence of bits; usually eight bits equal one byte.

Converting a Decimal Number to a Binary Number

To convert a decimal number to its binary equivalent, the remainder method can be used. (This
method can be used to convert a decimal number into any other base.) The remainder method involves
the following four steps:

(1) Divide the decimal number by the base (in the case of binary, divide by 2).
(2) Indicate the remainder to the right.
(3) Continue dividing into each quotient (and indicating the remainder) until the divide operation
produces a zero quotient.
(4) The base 2 number is the numeric remainder reading from the last division to the first (if you start at
the bottom, the answer will read from top to bottom).

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 Conve
rting a
Binary
Numb
er to a
Decim
al
Numb
er

To
determine the value of a binary number (10012, for
example), we can expand the number using the
positional weights as follows:

Binary Coded Decimal (BCD)

In the BCD numbering system, each
deci
mal
digit

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is represented using 4 binary bits. Each decimal digit is represented by its weighted binary value
performing a direct translation of the number. So, a 4-bit group represents each displayed decimal digit
from 0000 for a zero to 1001 for a nine.

For example, 35710 (Three Hundred and Fifty-Seven) in decimal would be presented in Binary Coded
Decimal as:
35710 = 0011 0101 0111 (BCD)

Hexadecimal
Hexadecimal number systems uses 16 symbols: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and A, B, C, D, E, F.

Where A, B, C, D, E and F are single bit representations of decimal value 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15
respectively.

Kb (kilo bytes), Mb (Megabytes), Gb (Giga bytes), Tb (Tera bytes)

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 Memory of a Computer (RAM, ROM, Cache) is any physical device capable of storing information
whether it is large or small and stores it temporarily or permanently.

A group of eight bits is known as a byte. 1 byte can represent numbers between zero
(00000000) and 255 (11111111), or 28 = 256 distinct positions. These bytes are combined to
represent larger numbers.
In practical, memory is measured in Kilobytes (KB) or Megabytes (MB). A kilobyte is not
exactly, as one might expect, of 1000 bytes. Rather, the correct amount is 2 10 i.e. 1024 bytes.
Similarly, a megabyte is not 1,000,000 bytes, but instead 1024 2 i.e. 1,048,576 bytes.
Both computer memory and disk space are measured in these units.

Types of various Units of Memory-

 Byte
 Kilo Byte
 Mega Byte
 Giga Byte
 Tera Byte
 Peta Byte
 Exa Byte
 Zetta Byte
 Yotta Byte
Byte
In computer systems, a unit of data that is eight binary digits long is known as a byte. A byte is the
unit that computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number or a typographic symbol.
A byte is abbreviated with a big “B” whereas a bit is abbreviated with a small “b”. Computer storage
is generally measured in multiples of byte. For example, a 640 MB hard drive holds a nominal 640 million
bytes – or megabytes – of data.
Kilo Byte
A kilobyte should be 103 or 1,000 bytes abbreviated as ‘KB’. In practice we say 210 ie. 1024 as One
kilobyte.
210 = 1 Kilobyte (20) = 1
211 = 2 Kilobytes (21) = 2
212 = 4 kilobytes (22) = 4
215 = 32 kilobytes (23) = 32
216 = 64 kilobytes (26) = 64
Mega Byte
A megabyte should be 106 or 1000 Kilobytes abbreviated as ‘MB’. In practice we say 220 ie.
1,048,576 bytes as One megabyte.
220 = 1 Megabyte
221 = 2 Megabytes
222 = 4 Megabytes

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 225 = 32 Megabytes
226 = 64 Megabytes
Giga Byte
A gigabyte should be 109 or 1000 MB bytes abbreviated as ‘GB’. In practice we say 230 ie.
1,073,741,824,048,576 bytes as One gigabyte.
230 = 1 Gigabyte
231 = 2 Gigabytes
232 = 4 Gigabytes
235 = 32 Gigabytes
236 = 64 Gigabytes
Tera Byte
A terabyte should be 1012 or 1000 GB bytes abbreviated as ‘TB’. In practice we say 240
ie.1,099,511,627,776 bytes (1024 GB) bytes as One gigabyte.
240 = 1 Terabyte
241 = 2 Terabytes
242 = 4 Terabytes
245 = 32 Terabytes
246 = 64 Terabytes

Activity:
a. Convert decimal 15, 201, 256,
1023, 1024 in to binary and
hexadecimal.
b. Convert above binary back to decimal.
c. Convert decimal 32, 85, 105, 2910 into binary coded decimal.
d. Convert above BCD back to decimal.
e. How many bits are required to hold bit, byte, KB, MB, GB, TB?

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2.2 ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) Codes

Based on the English alphabet, ASCII encodes 128 specified characters into seven-bit
integers as shown by the ASCII chart. 95 of the encoded characters are printable: these include
the digits 0 to 9, lowercase letters a to z, uppercase letters A to Z, and punctuation symbols. In
addition, the original ASCII specification included 33 non-printing control codes which originated
with Teletype machines; most of these are now obsolete. A few are still commonly used, such as
the carriage return, line feed and tab codes.
For example, lowercase i would be represented in the ASCII encoding by,
‘i’ represented as = binary 1101001 = hexadecimal 69 = decimal 105.

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Activity:
Note: Staff to assist the trainees to use excel sheet as demo.
a. Use excel functions CODE() and CHAR() to know the ascii codes for various alphabets,
numbers and symbols.

2.3 Computer Specifications

Computer hardware specifications are technical descriptions of the computer's components and
capabilities.

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Processor – The brains of the computer. Processor speed, model and manufacturer. Processor speed is
typically indicated in gigahertz (GHz). These typically come in the flavour of i3, i5 or i7. In the most basic
terms, the bigger the number, the better the processor.

Screen – Size and resolution of screen will have a big impact on your experience. It's best not to go
smaller than a 13-inch screen Full HD resolution is fine. A small screen is great for portability, but you
might struggle to make out the finer details of a spreadsheet.
Screen resolution is also something to watch out for. It signifies the number of pixels that are shown
onscreen – the bigger the number, the higher the detail. Most monitors will have an HD resolution of 1920
x 1080, which is good enough for daily work and movies, but if you're looking to do some gaming or
carryout some image editing, then you'll benefit from a higher resolution.
You should also consider whether a matt or glossy screen will suit you better. Glossy can look nice
but can be problematic outside when used in bright sun due to screen glare.

Storage Space – Hard disk space. This is typically indicated in gigabytes (GB) and refers generally to the
amount of information (like documents, music and other data) your computer can hold.
Storage space can be a tricky thing to work out. Do you want all your files accessible locally, or are
you happy to make use of the practically infinite space of the cloud?
Do you go for a traditional hard disk (HDD) or a solid state (SSD) one? SSDs are faster and can
really ramp up the time it takes to load your programs, or even your operating system. It's best not to have
less than 256GB for a solid-state drive (SSD), which helps computer run faster), or less than 1TB for a
traditional hard drive.

Ram – More Ram can give you a speed boost. These days, 8GB Ram is the minimum to aim for. 16GB or
32GB is only needed for high-end machines. RAM is vitally important in computers. It controls the number
of functions the machine can do at once. Your system is constantly multi-tasking, juggling your
requirements and keeping many operations running at the same time.

Graphics card – Do you need a graphics card? If you’re an avid gamer or someone who wants to edit a lot
of images and video, then the answer is yes. If you’re mainly emailing, surfing and writing the odd office
document, then no.
There are two things to know about graphics cards on laptops. Unlike desktops PCs, they’re
practically impossible to retrofit, and they’re expensive. This means that if you want one, not only do you
need to buy a laptop top with one installed from the off, you also have to make sure that it’s future proof
and will stand you in good stead for a few years.

Activity:
a. Write complete specifications of the laptop issued.
b. Write complete specifications of one of the lab desktops.

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 3. SOFTWARE

3.1 Operating system, GUI tools, directory, files, create, delete, recycle bin

Basics of operating system

An operating system (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources
and provides common services for computer programs. An operating system is a program that acts as an
interface between the user and the computer hardware and controls the execution of all kinds of
programs.
An operating system (OS), after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program,
manages all of the other application programs in a computer. The application programs make use of the
operating system by making requests for services through a defined application program interface (API).
In addition, users can interact directly with the operating system through a user interface such as a
command line or a graphical user interface (GUI).

Following are some of important functions of an operating System.

 Memory Management (Handling ROM, Ram and Cache)
 Processor Management (Execution of programs)
 Device Management (Hard disk, LAN, USB etc)
 File Management (Word files, pics, audio etc files)
 Security (Login, passwords and protection of data)
 Control over system performance (Controlling all programs under execution)
 Error detecting aids
 Coordination between software and users

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Operating system-Windows
Windows computer operating system (OS) developed by Microsoft Corporation is a
popular OS running on laptops and PCs.

GUI (Graphic User Interface) Tools

The taskbar is an element of an operating system located at the bottom of the screen. It allows us
to locate and launch programs through Start and the Start menu, or view any program that is currently
open. It also allows them to check the date and time, items running in the background through
the Notification Area, and with early versions of Windows access to the Quick Launch.

Icons

An icon is a small graphical representation of a program or file.

When you double-click an icon, the associated file or program will be
opened. For example, if you double-click on the ‘This PC’ icon, it would

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open Windows Explorer. Icons are a component of GUI operating systems.
Menu bar
Every program running under windows OS has a menu bar at the top. A menu bar is
a thin, horizontal bar containing the labels of drop-down menus. It provides the user with a
standard place in a window to find majority of the functions of a program, such as opening
and closing files, editing text, and quitting the program.

Windows OS menu bar

Click on the windows icon (left bottom corner of laptop) to view the Windows OS menu bar.

Directory
A directory structure is the way an operating system's file system and its files are displayed to
the user. Files are typically displayed in a hierarchical tree structure.

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 A directory may have sub-directory, sub-sub directory etc. Each directory
or sub directory or sub-sub directory will contain files.

To open windows explorer (file manager) press Windows button and E on the keyboard. Another
way is to click on the windows icon at bottom left corner and then on document icon as shown.
Create new directory
Navigate to the location where you want to create a directory. The fastest way to create a new
folder is to Hold down the Ctrl, Shift, and N keys at the same time. Windows will immediately create
the new folder with the not-very-imaginative suggested folder name of "New folder." Rename the folder as
you wish.

Another method to create directory:

 Navigate to the location where you want to create the folder.
 Right-click on a blank space in the folder location. Take care with this: If you right-click on an existing
item in the folder, you'll get the wrong menu.
 Select New then Folder from the contextual menu. Windows will create the new folder at your current
location.
Another simple way to create a new folder is to use the New folder button in the File Explorer-
Home menu.

Delete Directory
Select the directory you want to delete and then press the delete button.

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Recycle Bin
Click on windows start icon and then Recycle bin icon as shown. All
deleted files and directories are found in the recycle bin. You can restore any
file back into its original location by right click mouse button on the file to be
restored and chose restore option.

Activity:
a. Click on all the icons available on the taskbar and familiarize.
It includes time and date, calendar, icons of background running processes such
antivirus, wifi / internet network, battery status / settings and notification icon.
b. Use windows start icon to access various applications.
c. Open windows explorer and understand directory, sub-directory and files organization.
d. Create name and delete a directory.
e. Open recycle bin to restore the deleted files and directories. Learn deleting from
recycle bin also.

3.2 Display resolution setting, personalisation setting, Install and uninstall applications, Taskbar
setting
Monitor Resolution
The resolution of the monitor refers to the maximum number of pixels that can be displayed on
the screen. HD is a common standard resolution that is made up by a horizontal display of 1920 pixels
and a vertical display of 1080 pixel.
Right click anywhere on the blank screen and then click on Display Settings menu.
Change various aspects of display screen such as resolution, orientation, night light settings etc.
The screen also has facilities to personalize many other devices such as sound, storage, battery
etc.

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Taskbar setting
Right click on taskbar which at the bottom of the screen and choose the menu taskbar settings.
You can personalize background, colours, fonts etc.

The settings can also be accessed by clicking on the windows start icon and click on settings
menu.

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Install and Uninstall
Click on the windows start icon, then click on windows System
and select Control Panel.
Another method is to Click on the windows start icon and type Control
Panel and press enter key.
The control panel window will open.
In the window select the menu programs and Features.

This will open another window. All the applications installed are listed in this window. You can select the
application you wish to uninstall, change or repair and then click on Uninstall menu at the top. Follow the
instruction as prompted by the application to uninstall, change or repair.

Activity:
a. Open the monitor settings window and practice changing various parameters, such as
resolution, background, orientation.
b. Practice moving of taskbar to the side screen.
c. Click on settings through taskbar and learn to personalize fonts, themes, colours etc.

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 d. Open control panel and familiarize with various applications available. Select Programs
and features and understand uninstall process. Avoid actual uninstalling of any
applications.

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 4. TYPING TUTORIAL

4.1 Familiarise typing in standard QWERTY keyboards

A computer keyboard consists of alphanumeric or character keys for typing, modifier keys for altering
the functions of other keys, navigation keys for moving the text cursor on the screen, function
keys and system command keys – such as Esc and Break – for special actions, and often a numeric
keypad to facilitate calculations.

Modifier Keys
A modifier key modifies the action of another key when the two are pressed together. Common
modifier keys include Shift, Control, Alt and Function.

Shift - Used for capitalizing letters and entering different types of symbols (such as the ones found above
the number keys).

Function (Fn) - Commonly found on laptop computers and used to enter the F1 - F15 commands if the
function keys also have other functions (such as brightness and volume controls).

Control (Ctrl) - Windows key used for entering keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl+S for saving a file or
Ctrl+P for printing a document.

Alt - Windows key that is also called the Alternate or Alternative key; used in combination with the numeric
keypad for entering "Alt codes," which output special characters; may also be used in combination with the
Control key for entering keyboard shortcuts.

Escape Key
A key on keyboard that allows to stop an action, leave a program, or return to a previous menu. This
key is usually marked ‘Esc’.

Num Lock
A computer key that you press to make the number keys below it enter numbers and not be used
for moving up and down a document.

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Windows key
Pressing the Windows key by itself opens the Start menu. Holding down the Windows key and
pressing another key, to trigger a keyboard shortcut, can speed up common tasks. For example, pressing
the Windows key + E (press and hold the Windows key and then, while holding that key, press the "E"
key, and then let go of both buttons) opens Windows Explorer.

Alt+Tab
Switch between open applications in all versions of Windows. Reverse the direction by
pressing Alt+Shift+Tab at the same time.

Alt+Print Screen
Create a screenshot only for the active program window. For example, if you opened the calculator
and pressed these shortcut keys, only the calculator window would be created as a screenshot. If
the Print Screen key is pressed alone, the whole screen will be made into a screenshot.

Ctrl+Alt+Del
Open the Windows option screen for locking computer, switching user, Task Manager, etc.
Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del multiple times will reboot the computer.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc

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 Immediately bring up the Windows Task Manager in Windows 2000 and later.
Ctrl+Esc
Open the Windows Start menu in most versions of Windows.
Shift+Del
Will permanently delete any file or another object without throwing it into the Recycle Bin.

Activity:
a. Know and practice functions of all the keys.
b. Try out all the combination keys explained above.

4.2 Touch Typing Course: Learn positions of all keys, keys for each finger.

As shown below, the fingers on your left hand should be

placed over the A, S, D, and F keys and the fingers on your right
hand should be placed over the J, K, L, and ; keys. These keys
are considered the home row keys. Your thumbs should either
be in the air or very lightly touching the spacebar key.
When typing, your palms should be raised and not
resting on any surface, including a wrist pad, and held at a 10 to
30-degree angle. Raising or lowering your wrists too much in
either direction or resting them while typing can cause
stress.
 Keep keyboard home row height as close to elbow
level as possible.
 Center the spacebar with your body.
 Do not angle or bend your wrists. While typing keep
your wrists elevated and as straight as possible.

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 Avoid hunt-and-peck typing as it causes strain on the neck from having to look down at the keyboard
often.
 Don't use more force than needed to press the keys.
The small bumps or ridges found on the F and J keys on a
computer keyboard are to help correctly position your left and
right hands without having to look at the keyboard. For example,
without looking at your hands, you can feel the correct position
of your left index finger on the F and the right index finger on the
J by feeling the small bumps on the keys. Once your hands are
on the home row key position, you should be able to locate the
remainder of the keys on the keyboard.

Activity:
a. Know and practice correct placing of hands on the keys.
b. Use the correct fingers to type. Time your typing speed. Practice to achieve typing
speed of 20 words per minute.

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 5. PC TOOLS

5.1 Internet Concepts and IP address setting

The internet is a global network of computers that communicate using a common language. It is
similar to the international telephone system – no one owns or controls the whole thing, but it is connected
in a way that makes it work like one big network. The internet uses a common protocol to communicate
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet protocol). TCP/IP is a simple protocol because it had
to be implemented consistently on all computers and operating systems. Using the Internet, you can send
electronic mail, chat with colleagues around the world, and obtain information on a wide variety of
subjects.
 For any device to get online through internet, requires signing up for a specialised service for
accessing the internet.
 These internet access services are of two types: Internet fixed to a specific location and provided
by internet service providers or mobile internet provided by mobile phone networks.
 People use one or the other (or both) types of internet access — fixed or mobile — depending on the
device being used.

IP Address
Each computer on the Internet has a unique address, for example, 193.25.84.100. Each number is
a value in the range 0 through 255, which means the internet have more than 256*256*256*256, or
approximately 4,000,000,000 computers. To accommodate a large number of users, internet service
providers use a pool of addresses (since not all users connect at once, 256 addresses may accommodate
100 users or more. It would be nice if we all had a unique IP address, like an e-mail address, but this is
not possible, if we did, we could build wide area networks that span the globe easily. However, every time
you connect to your internet service provider you get a different IP address.

Intranet
Unlike internet, which is a global network, intranet is a private network. It uses the internet
communication standards to provide information to the restricted users. For example, a company may
setup a web site that is accessible only to its employees.

An intranet is also operating on the TCP/IP protocol. Unlike the world wide web, intranets don’t have
more than one server. This machine supplies all the documents required by the client. Many corporation
use intranets to provide information to their employee, and they run another web site for external users.

IP Address Setting

a. Open Control Panel.

b. Click on Network and Internet.
c. Click on Network and Sharing Centre.
d. On the left pane, click the Change adapter settings link.

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e. Right-click the network adapter and select Properties.
f. Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.
g. Click the Properties button.

h. Select the Use the following IP address option.

i. Set the IP address (example 10.1.2.220).

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j. Set the Subnet mask. Usually, on a home network, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0.
k. Set the Default gateway. This address is typically your router’s IP address
(example 10.1.2.1).
l. Under the “Use the following DNS server addresses set Preferred DNS server” section,
which is usually your router’s IP address, or IP address of the server providing DNS
resolutions (e.g., 10.1.2.1).
m. (Optional) Enter set the Alternative DNS server, which your computer will use if it
can’t reach the preferred server.
n. Click the OK button.

Click the Close button again to close the network adapter properties.

Once you complete the steps, you can open your web browser and try loading a website to see if the
configuration works.

Troubleshooting: Ping
One of the first things to try when your connection doesn’t seem to be working properly is the ping
command. Open a Command Prompt window from your Start menu and run a command like ping
google.com or ping howtogeek.com.

This command sends several data packets to the address you specify. The web server responds
to each data packet it receives. In the command below, we can see that everything is working fine –
there’s 0% data packet loss and the time each packet takes is fairly low.

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 If you see data packet loss (if web server didn’t respond to one or more of the packets you sent),
this can indicate a network problem. If the web server takes a much longer amount of time to respond to
some of your other packets, this can also indicate a network problem. This problem can be with the
website itself, with your Internet service provider or on your network (for example, a problem with your
router).
Note that some websites never respond to pings. For example, ping microsoft.com will never results in
any responses.

Activity:
a. Know and practice setting of IP address.
b. Use ping to know quality of connection.

5.2 Remote desktop, Task manager, System date & time

Remote desktop
Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) is allows a local
computer to connect to and control a remote PC over a network
or the Internet. It is done through a Remote Desktop Service
(RDS) or a terminal service that uses the company's proprietary
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
Remote desktop allows users to access a workplace
workstation when at home or vice versa, fix a computer problem
remotely, perform administrative tasks easily and accomplish
demonstrations of a process or software application.
You can launch the Remote Desktop Connection from
the Start Menu. Open the Start Menu and scroll through the apps
list until you find the folder called Windows Accessories. In it, click
or tap on the Remote Desktop Connection to open it.

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 Type the full name of the computer to
which you want to connect, and then click
or tap on the Connect button. The
computer name is how the host computer
identifies itself on the network. If you are
not sure what the computer name is, you
can see it in the "System
Properties" window on the remote
computer. Also, if you have troubles
connecting using a computer name, you
can connect using the host's local IP
address.
Then, the Remote Desktop
Connection app asks for the user
credentials that you want to use to sign in

on the remote Windows computer. If the user account

selected by default is the one you want to use, enter its
password and press OK.
If you want to sign in using another user account defined
on the remote computer, click or tap on "More choices" and
then enter the credentials of that user account.
After you press on OK, the Remote Desktop
Connection app attempts to connect to the remote computer
you specified. Sometimes, like when you use an IP
address to connect, you might see a warning about the
server name on the certificate not matching the computer
name you entered. This may also happen if you did not use
the same capitalization when entering the computer name.

As long as the certificate name displayed is

something you recognize, it is safe to
click/tap Yes and continue.
After connecting, if everything works
OK, after a couple of moments, you should
see the remote machine in a window of its
own. To give the remote machine keyboard
and mouse focus, click or tap inside the
window or make it full screen. To close the
connection, simply close the window.

Task manager
The Task Manager enables a user
to view each of the tasks currently running
on the computer, each of the processes,
and the overall performance of the
computer.

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 The Task Manager is opened by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc on the keyboard. You can also open the
Task Manager by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting "Task Manager." Another way to open the
Task Manager is by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del on the keyboard and selecting "Task Manager".

The Task Manager window lists the applications running on your desktop. You can select an
application and right click “End Task” to close it. This is useful if an application isn’t responding—in other
words, if it’s frozen—and you can’t close it the usual way.
Open File Location: Open a File Explorer window showing the location of the program’s .exe file.
 Processes: A list of running applications and background processes on your system along with CPU,
memory, disk, network, GPU, and other resource usage information.
 Performance: Real-time graphs showing total CPU, memory, disk, network, and GPU resource usage
for your system. You’ll find many other details here, too, from your computer’s IP address to the model
names of your computer’s CPU and GPU.
 App History: Information about how much CPU and network resources apps have used for your
current user account. This only applies to new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps—in other
words, Store apps—and not traditional Windows desktop apps (Win32 applications.)
 Startup: A list of your startup programs, which are the applications Windows automatically starts when
you sign into your user account. You can disable startup programs from here, although you can also do
that from Settings > Apps > Startup.
 Users: The user accounts currently signed into your PC, how much resources they’re using, and what
applications they’re running.
 Details: More detailed information about the processes running on your system. This is basically the
traditional “Processes” tab from the Task Manager on Windows 7.
 Services: Management of system services. This is the same information you’ll find in services.msc, the
Services management console.
You should not end tasks unless you know what the task does. Many of these tasks are background
processes important to Windows itself.
Performance tab

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 The Performance tab shows real-time graphs displaying the usage of system resources like CPU,
memory, disk, network, and GPU. If you have multiple disks, network devices, or GPUs, you can see them
all separately.
You’ll see small graphs in the left pane, and you can click an option to see a larger graph in the
right pane. The graph shows resource usage over the last 60 seconds.

In addition to resource information, the Performance page shows information about your system’s
hardware. Here are just some things the different panes show in addition to resource usage:
CPU: The name and model number of your CPU, its speed, the number of cores it has, and whether
hardware virtualization features are enabled and available. It also shows your system’s “uptime,” which is
how long your system has been running since it last booted up.
Memory: How much RAM you have, its speed, and how many of the RAM slots on your motherboard are
used. You can also see how much of your memory is currently filled with cached data. Windows calls this
“standby.” This data will be ready and waiting if your system needs it, but Windows will automatically dump
the cached data and free up space if it needs more memory for another task.
Disk: The name and model number of your disk drive, its size, and its current read and write speeds.
Wi-Fi or Ethernet: Windows shows a network adapter’s name and its IP addresses here.
GPU: The GPU (Graphic Processor Unit) pane shows separate graphs for different types of activity—for
example, 3D vs. video encoding or decoding. The GPU has its own built-in memory, so it also shows GPU
memory usage. You can also see the name and model number of your GPU here and the graphics driver
version it’s using. You can monitor GPU usage right from the Task Manager without any third-party
software.

System Date and Time

System date and time is displayed on the right bottom corner of the monitor. Right-click on the time
and select Adjust Date/Time.

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 A window will open. On the left side of the window select the Date & time tab. Then, under "Change
date and time" click Change

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Note: Both Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically must be Off to make this change.
Enter the time and press Change

The system time has been updated.

Activity:
a. Practice remote desktop manager between 2-3 trainees.
b. Access task manager and learn about all the menus available. Know about the
processes important for OS and therefore should not be closed.
c. Practice setting of date and time.

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 Units 6 to 9 are under revision

45