Understanding Computers, O/S, File Management

Types of ComputersMicrocomputers

PC or Desktop

Laptop

Tablet

Netbook

Mobile Phone or Smart Phone

Business Computers

Servers (Help to share information like Word over all Business computers)

Mainframes (used in banks for massive amount of data computation)

Supercomputer (used in large computational projects like weather forecasting)

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HardwareHardware comes with system like mouse, monitor, keyboard

Input Device Hardware

Mouse

Keyboard

Scanner

Output Device Hardware

Monitor

Printer

Speakers

Storage Device Hardware

Hard Drive

External Hard Drive

Flash Drive

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Hard Drive Hard Drive has platters (plates) stacked on top of each

other and a spindle reads the platter

Platters are covered with metal oxide that stores data as compressions or magnetic spots on platter (e.g. tape used in car stereo)

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Basic Terms Answers BIOS (Basic Input/Output system)

Port (outside computer that plug peripheral devices)

CD-ROM drive, CD-R, CD-RW disk

CPU (central processing unit)—brain of computer/needs fan to cool it off

Motherboard—main circuit board that has other circuit boards on it like video and sound card

See link on Kaboose.com for picture of Motherboard, CPU, and BIOS

http://resources.kaboose.com/brain/comp-les2.html8/8/2012 2:09 PM 5

Pictures of parts of computerHard Drive

Keyboard

Video Card

MonitorMotherboard Power Supply

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What happens when computer starts? Turn on computer (boot up) or booting Booting is process of bringing on O/S BIOS (Basic Input/Output system) chip (also called ROM-BIOS because

permanent, repeated instructions) located on motherboard BIOS chip tells to look on hard disk for a special program called boot loader Boot loader is pulled into memory to start the real O/S

Boot loader looks for kernel and loads into memory Kernel is interface btwn application programs and CPU, devices, and memory;

kernel can also be called manager of system resources by managing the communication between application programs and CPU, devices, and memory

POST test (Power On Self Test) –CPU performs check of peripheral devices on-line like mouse, monitor, sound card, keyboard

POST checks storage devices (have good FAT table) Login screen

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What is the FAT table? File Allocation Table

Table of Contents tells what sector files are located

O/S uses FAT table to tell where files on hard drive (O/S writes new FAT table when save file)

A corrupted FAT table is a serious problem

Without good FAT table O/S can’t find location of files on hard drive

Can use scandisk at dos prompt to fix (two FAT table (Fat1 and Fat2); uses Fat2 to fix Fat1

Checked in boot up process

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What is the kernel? Picture of Kernel from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kernel_Layout.svg#file

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ROM vs. RAM ROM stands for Read Only Memory

Permanent memory like BIOS (hard-code instructions on what to do when boot up computer)

RAM stands for Random Access Memory

Temporary memory

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Types of CD Drives CD-ROM—Compact Disk – Read Only Memory

Can only read information on disk

CD-RW—Compact Disk Rewritable

Can read and write on disk

DVD (Digital Video Disc)

Holds more information than CD

Watch Movies or play Games

Want to usually buy computer with DVD disc drive

Remember DVD can play movies or CD but a CD drive can’t play DVD

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Bits and Bytes Computer reads data as switches

Off switch is 0

On switch is 1

A bit is a 0 or 1 switch

Eights bits make up a byte

Abbreviations

KB is about 1,000 bytes (thousand) kilobyte

MB is about 1,000,000 bytes (million) megabyte

GB is 1,000,000,000 bytes (billion) gigabyte

TB is one trillion bytes or 1,024 gigabytes

PB (petabyte) is 1015 bytes (1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) or 1,000 TB

Abbreviations help when knowing disk storage on hard drive when buying software or computer

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What types of Operating Systems are there? MS-DOS

(Eight versions that stopped making in 2000) created by Bill Gates and put on IBM machines as PC-DOS

Can still use by Start in search (put cmd.exe)

Command driven copy a:\*.* c:\files\*.*

Linux

Windows 3.1

Windows XP

Windows Vista

Windows 7 then 8 (tablets but can put on PC)8/8/2012 2:09 PM 13

Operating System Has Gui (gooey) interface that helps use to do tasks

like copy and paste files

Enables multitasking so can do several tasks at once like view e-mail and look at Web page

Helps to manage and keep track of peripheral devices like printers or mouse through Control Panel

Gives users availability to do Backups and manage fragmenting disk

Recycle bin can recover deleted files

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Is there a difference between Uninstall and Deleting Programs? Yes

Manually deleting doesn’t usually get all files deleted with software installation and some files that are used by other programs might accidently be deleted (maybe a printer driver)

Uninstall under Control Panel

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Backup--System Image vs. System Repair System Image backups Windows 7, hard drive (C:\ Drive), programs, and all files plus

system repair disc (booting up disc). System Repair Disc is included with Windows 7 Operation system and can load restore from Windows 7 installation disk or made system repair disc. This is preferred method of backup.

Custom backup—select what files want

System Repair Disc is booting up disc and can make separate in case have no Windows 7 software when got computer such as laptop or netbook (may have to download or borrow copy of Windows 7 installation disk and then use product code). The system repair disc can be used in case have crash on Windows 7 and no way of booting. In the case of Windows 7 not booting up, may just need to use System Repair disc to get to Startup Repair option that will fix problems in Windows 7 and not have to do complete System Image Recovery.

Driver/Utility Disc (loaded device drivers like for printer that may need after install or during restore) to get printer to work etc.

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On-line backups Several companies like SkyDrive (free for limited use)

or Mozy offer on-line backup solutions

Good in case of natural disaster

SOS On-line backup will back up computer and mobile phones (Android, iPhone, iPads)

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