CAT Grade 12 - Module 1.5 System Software & Computer Management
summary 2023
Operating System (OS)
♦ - The system software that controls the way in which a computer system
functions, including the management of hardware, peripherals, and
software.
♦ - Refers to as a software platform.
What happens when a computer is switch on
➢ Computers follow instructions = stored on special memory chips (ROM)
o Switch on
o Perform some basic hardware test to ensure everything works.
o Try to find & load the OS from the disk drive
o OS has been found = loaded into memory -> control of the computer is handed
over to the OS
= "BOOTING" the computer
Role of Operating System
❖ Once the OS is loaded, user can interact with the computer.
Functions:
1. Providing the user interface
2. Managing programs
3. Managing hardware
4. Providing basic security
1. Providing the user interface
- Allow to interact with the computer via GUI.
(Graphical User Interface)
- Using small pictures = icons & other visual aids like menus, buttons.
2. Managing programs
, - Allow to choose & run software by loading programs into memory & coordinating the
processing programs with CPU
- Manages which programs & tasks use the CPU & how long.
❑ Facts about OS
❖ OS can multitask quite effectively.
- Run several tasks at the same time
- Ensures that each task is allocated resources such as memory & CPU time fairly that
programs perform at their best.
3. Managing Hardware
Disk management
• - Manage how data is organized & how & when programs access on
storage device.
o Saves us from having to know how to load & saves files on
different types of disks = click saves.
Memory Management
▪ - Controls how programs use the RAM memor
▪ - Ensures that programs don't use the same area of
memory at the same time & corrupt each other's data.
Input/Output Management
▪ - Manage how programs use the input & output devices.
4. Providing basic security
- Provides basic security functions such as user & access control.
- Can also provide basic protection against threats to our computer = handled by other
utility programs.
Task Manager
Shows you the programs, processes, and services that are currently running on your
computer (Ctrl + Alt + Del)
Single User Operating System
A type of operating system that is designed for one user at at time.
Multi-user operating system
summary 2023
Operating System (OS)
♦ - The system software that controls the way in which a computer system
functions, including the management of hardware, peripherals, and
software.
♦ - Refers to as a software platform.
What happens when a computer is switch on
➢ Computers follow instructions = stored on special memory chips (ROM)
o Switch on
o Perform some basic hardware test to ensure everything works.
o Try to find & load the OS from the disk drive
o OS has been found = loaded into memory -> control of the computer is handed
over to the OS
= "BOOTING" the computer
Role of Operating System
❖ Once the OS is loaded, user can interact with the computer.
Functions:
1. Providing the user interface
2. Managing programs
3. Managing hardware
4. Providing basic security
1. Providing the user interface
- Allow to interact with the computer via GUI.
(Graphical User Interface)
- Using small pictures = icons & other visual aids like menus, buttons.
2. Managing programs
, - Allow to choose & run software by loading programs into memory & coordinating the
processing programs with CPU
- Manages which programs & tasks use the CPU & how long.
❑ Facts about OS
❖ OS can multitask quite effectively.
- Run several tasks at the same time
- Ensures that each task is allocated resources such as memory & CPU time fairly that
programs perform at their best.
3. Managing Hardware
Disk management
• - Manage how data is organized & how & when programs access on
storage device.
o Saves us from having to know how to load & saves files on
different types of disks = click saves.
Memory Management
▪ - Controls how programs use the RAM memor
▪ - Ensures that programs don't use the same area of
memory at the same time & corrupt each other's data.
Input/Output Management
▪ - Manage how programs use the input & output devices.
4. Providing basic security
- Provides basic security functions such as user & access control.
- Can also provide basic protection against threats to our computer = handled by other
utility programs.
Task Manager
Shows you the programs, processes, and services that are currently running on your
computer (Ctrl + Alt + Del)
Single User Operating System
A type of operating system that is designed for one user at at time.
Multi-user operating system
