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Basic Concepts of System Software

The document discusses system software concepts, including operating systems, utility programs, and device drivers. It provides details on the functions of operating systems like disk management, hardware management, and process management. It also describes different types of operating systems such as stand-alone, network, and embedded operating systems. Utility programs and device drivers are also system software that help users manage and maintain their computers. Device drivers allow communication between operating systems and hardware.

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78 views13 pages

Basic Concepts of System Software

The document discusses system software concepts, including operating systems, utility programs, and device drivers. It provides details on the functions of operating systems like disk management, hardware management, and process management. It also describes different types of operating systems such as stand-alone, network, and embedded operating systems. Utility programs and device drivers are also system software that help users manage and maintain their computers. Device drivers allow communication between operating systems and hardware.

Uploaded by

Johnie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter

4
BASIC
CONCEPTS OF
SYSTEM
SOFTWARE
 System software concepts
 In Chapter 1 you learnt that software refers to the lines of code and
computer instructions that tell the hardware of a computing device
what to do. In this unit, we will learn more about system software and
its other components, namely, operating systems, utility programmes,
and device drivers.

 SYSTEM SOFTWARE
A system software is a specific type of software that manages a
computing device. The system software comprises the operating system,
utility programmes, and device drivers. We will look at each of the three
parts.
An Operating System

An operating system is software that manages hardware, software and other applications on a
computing device. The operating system has different functions and tasks it carries out on a computing
device. In order to make these functions easy to understand, they are grouped into the following
categories:

•Graphics User Interface


Disk management: Used •Hardware management: 
(GUI) management:
to manage the drives •Managing the interaction
Provides and manages the
installed in a computer between hardware and
user interface that
e.g. partition drives, software, as well as the
interacts with graphics
format drives, assign different hardware
and visual content on a
drive letters. devices.
computing device.
An Operating System

•I/O management: •Process management: 


• Managing the signals •Managing the •File management:
received from an input applications and the  Managing the storage of
device and sending the resources used by files and folders on your
correct signals to an applications (Apps) on a storage device.
output device. computing device.

•Memory management: 
•Managing the data stored •Storage
on a computing device’s management: Processes
memory and once the used to improve the
processing is complete, performance of data
this function tends to free storage resources.
up some space.
Types of operating systems
Up to now, you have been learning about and working with Microsoft Windows as an example of an operating
system. This particular type of operating system is commonly known as a stand-alone operating system. In this unit,
we will focus on the following three types of operating systems namely, stand-alone, network and embedded
operating systems.

THE NETWORK OPERATING


SYSTEM
THE STAND-ALONE Network or server operating systems are THE EMBEDDED
OPERATING SYSTEM operating systems designed to help OPERATING SYSTEM
These operating systems function computers work together on a network, The embedded operating system
entirely independently from a rather than used in a stand-alone mode. is designed for a specific purpose
network on a computer or mobile For example, a large company may have
e.g. Smart TVs that connect to
device. This ensures that the tasks a server running the Windows Server
operating system in the organization. A the internet, a video camera (Wi-
of an operating system can be Fi) that can stream live footage
computer can connect to the same
performed on the device. and the GPS system that is
network to gain access to its information,
resources, etc. Examples installed in most mobile devices.
include: Windows Server, Red Hat
Enterprise, Ubuntu Server, and UNIX.
TYPES OF OPERATING
SYSTEMS
EVOLUTION of MAC OS

BIG SUR MONTEREY


UTILITIES AND DRIVERS
Operating systems are not the only type of system software in the IT field. There are
other additional types of system software. In this unit we will look at the following two types:
•utility programs
•device driver programs

UTILITY PROGRAMS
A utility program is system software that helps users to analyse, configure, monitor, or help
maintain their computers. Most operating systems include a set of basic utilities for users,
and additional utilities that could be downloaded if needed. Examples of utilities include:

•back-up software that helps a user create back-up copies of the files on their computer
•a device manager that helps a user install new hardware such as a mouse, USB, etc.
•disk cleaners that helps a user to free up space on a storage device
•file managers that allow users to manage the files that are stored on their computers
•system (Task Managers) monitors that summarise a computer’s performance for the user.
DEVICE DRIVER PROGRAMS

A device driver is software that contains a set of instructions that command a computer’s
operating system on how to communicate with the hardware so that it can function properly.
Device drivers allow communication between the operating system and all the devices, such as the
mouse, keyboard, printer, etc.

The field of IT is forever changing, so it would be impossible to create an operating system that
knows how each device functions or works (especially devices those that have not yet been
invented). It is for this reason that each hardware manufacturer is responsible for developing
drivers for their own manufactured devices.
INSTALLING OF DEVICES (USING PLUG & PLAY)
Each time new hardware is connected to a computer, the operating system detects and identifies
the hardware. Installation of a new device can then happen in either of the following manners:

•Automatic driver installation


The operating system locates the correct driver for the identified device in its driver database. Then
it installs them automatically, allowing the computer to communicate with the new device without
having to reboot the computer.

• Manual driver installation


If a driver is not available from the operating system, a manual installation is required. A manual
installation is usually done in Windows via the device manager or the file set-up. This can be found
on the hardware’s accompanying DVD or downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. The DVD
will include the driver for that hardware, and it will allow it to function and communicate with the
operating system.

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