1.7 System Software

1.7 System Software

1. A type of software that controls the computer's hardware

2. Provides an interface between the user of the computer and the hardware

3. Operating System (OS)

   • A type of System Software
   • Said to provide a Virtual Machine
     • Hides the complexities of the hardware from the user
       • No need to understand where the date is being saved on the disk
   • Allocates memory between the different programs that are open at the same time (Multitasking)

4. Multitasking

   • A technique used by the processor which makes it seem to us that many tasks are done at the same time
   • The processor does a small time slice for each task/program which, in reality, has resources such as memory and the processor being shared among all tasks
   • Splits the time it takes for each task to be executed

5. Drivers

   • A piece of software used to control as a piece of hardware
   • Allows a peripheral device to be connected to a computer and be used by the Operating System
   • Can get drivers for graphics cards, mouse, sound cars and network interface cards
   • Are OS specific and are regularly updated by companies

6. Peripheral Management

   • A piece of hardware not directly connected to the CPU e.g. Keyboard, Mouse
     • e.g. Window Device Management
   • OS manages all peripheral devices connected to the computer - allows them to be disabled or drivers to be updated

7. File Management

   • OS must identify where files are stored in long term storage
   • OS must know where the file is located (specific track, sector, surface address) to accurately find the file on the hard disk drive

8. Utility Software

   • Designed to do just one or two tasks
   • Interacts with the computers hardware
   • Built into the OS
   • Types of Utility Software
     • File Compression
     • Disk Defragmention
     • File Repair
     • Disk Copying
     • Disk Formatting
     • Disk Backup/ Restore
     • Anti-Virus

9. Compression

   • Reducing the size of the file by performing an algorithm on the original data
   • Lossess - The original file can be recreated as no data is lost
   • Lossy - Some of the original data is lost and cannot be recreated

10. Defragmentation Software

    • Groups fragmented files back together