36 Computer Service and Repair
Key Terms
The following key terms will become important pieces of your computer
vocabulary. Be sure you can define them.
app
application software
boot sequence
bootstrap program
bug
cloud computing
cold boot
command interpreter
command line interface (CLI)
command prompt
configuration file
cooperative multitasking
directory
dual-boot system
executable file
external commands
file
file extension
file system
file table
graphical user interface (GUI)
internal commands
kernel
multiple-boot system
multitasking
multithreading
operating system (OS)
pathname
power-on self-test (POST)
preemptive multitasking
registry
root directory
software driver
software patch
subdirectory
thin client
Tile
virtual machine
virtualization
warm boot
This chapter introduces you to the Microsoft
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and
Windows 8 operating systems. Understanding the
operating system is essential for troubleshooting
a PC. To gain in-depth knowledge of an operating
system, the operating system and its various
options must be put to use. It is imperative that
you supplement textbook studies through hands-
on practice with current Windows operating
systems. The Laboratory Manual for this textbook
will give you the necessary skills and first-hand
knowledge required to pass the A+ Certification
exams and to become a proficient PC technician.
What Is an Operating System?
An operating system (OS) is software that
provides a computer user with a file system
structure and with a means of communicating
with the computer hardware. The operating
system communicates with disk storage units,
monitors, printers, memory, and other computer
components. It is also the job of the operating
system to make sure programs running on the
computer do not interfere with each other. Before
operating systems were commonplace, users had
to write code for all of the common tasks. If you
wanted to save data, you had to write the code
that told your computer to do so.
Operating system software has evolved over
the years. Think of the evolution of computer
software and hardware as a group of inventors
constantly building a better mousetrap. What is a
leading-edge operating system one day may not be
the next day. In fact, it will likely become obsolete
only a few years later. It is the constant evolution
of the computer that makes it so confusing. Each
operating system has its individual strengths and
weaknesses.
The core of any operating system is referred to
as the kernel. Just as plants bud and grow from a
single seed or kernel, so does the operating system
software. The core program is enhanced by other
software applications that refine the computer
system. Associated with the core can be programs
that provide for user interface style, security, and
specialized file systems.