CIS105 Chapter 5

File History

A Windows utility that automatically creates a duplicate of your libraries, desktop, contacts, and favorites and copies it to another storage device, such as an external hard drive.

Task Manager

A Windows utility that shows programs currently running and permits you to exit non-responsive programs when you click End Task.

Folder

A collection of files stored on a computer

file

A collection of related pieces of information stored together for easy reference.

track

A concentric circle that serves as a storage area on a hard drive platter.

Thrashing

A condition of excessive paging in which the operating system becomes sluggish.

Start Menu

A feature in Windows 10 that provides access to all applications in one convenient screen.

Recycle Bin

A folder on a Windows desktop in which deleted files from the hard drive are held until permanently purged from the system.

Directory

A hierarchical structure that include files, folders, and drives used to create a more organized and efficient computer.

Registry

A portion of the hard drive containing all the different configurations (settings) used by the Windows operating system (OS) as well as by other applications.

Spooler

A program that helps coordinate all print jobs being sent to the printer at the same time.

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)

A program that manages the data between a computer's operating system and all the input and output devices attached to the computer; also responsible for loading the operating system (OS) from its permanent location on the hard drive to random access memory (RAM).

file compression utility

A program that takes out redundancies in a file to reduce the file size.

real-time operating system (RTOS)

A program with a specific purpose that must guarantee certain response times for particular computing tasks or else the machine's application is useless.

Sector

A section of a hard drive platter, wedge-shaped from the center of the platter to the edge.

Application Programming Interface (API)

A set of software routines that allows one software system to work with another.

interrupt

A signal that tells the operating system that it's in need of immediate attention.

Utility Program

A small program that performs many of the general housekeeping tasks for the computer, such as system maintenance and file compression.

interrupt handler

A special numerical code that prioritizes requests from various devices. These requests then are placed in the interrupt table in the computer's primary memory.

Swap File (page file)

A temporary storage area on the hard drive where the operating system "swaps out" or moves the data or instructions from random access memory (RAM) that haven't recently been used. This process takes place when more RAM space is needed.

Menu Driven Interface (MDI)

A user interface in which the user chooses a command from menus displayed on the screen

System Restore

A utility in Windows that restores system settings to a specific previous date when everything was working properly.

Reset this PC

A utility program in Windows 10 that attempts to diagnose and fix errors in Windows system files that are causing a computer to behave improperly.

Linux

An open source operating system based on UNIX. Because of the stable nature of this operating system, it is often used on Web servers.

UNIX

An operation system originally conceived in 1969 by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie at AT&T's Bell Labs. In 1974, the UNIX code was rewritten in the standard programming language C. Today there are various commercial versions of UNIX

API

Application Programming Interface

GUI

Graphical User Interface

system restore point

In Windows, a snapshot of your entire system's settings used for restoring your system to a prior point in time.

Extension (file type)

In a file name, the three letters that follow the user-supplied file name after the dot (.)

Taskbar

In later versions of Windows operating systems, a feature that displays open and favorite applications for easy access.

command driven interface

Interface between user and computer in which the user enters commands to communicate with the computer system.

Distribution (Distros)

Linux download packages

Windows

Microsoft's operating system that incorporates a user-friendly, visual interface.

Windows 10

Newest release of Microsoft's operating system that provides an interface optimized for touch-screen devices and is designed to run across all devices: phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Microsoft Account

Registered user profile with specific user id and password to log into Windows account from any machine and access familiar desktop and applications.

Device driver

Software that facilitates the communication between a device and the operating system.

Multitask

The ability of an operating system to perform more than one process at a time.

Path Separator

The backslash mark (\) used by Microsoft Windows and DOS in file names. Mac files use a colon (:), and UNIX and Linux use the forward slash (/) as the path separator.

Platform

The combination of a computer's operating system and processor. The two most common platform types are the PC and the Apple.

kernel (supervisor program)

The essential component of the operating system that's responsible for managing the processor and all other components of the computer system. Because it stays in random access memory (RAM) the entire time the computer is powered on, the kernel is called memory resident.

File Path

The exact location of a file, starting with the drive in which the file is located, and including all folders and sub-folders.

Mac OS

The first commercially available operating system to incorporate a graphical user interface (GUI) with user-friendly point-and-click technology.

power-on self-test (POST)

The first job the basic input/output system (BIOS) performs, ensuring that essential peripheral devices are attached and operational. This process consists of a test on the video card and video memory, a BIOS identification process (during which the BIOS version, manufacturer, and data are displayed on the monitor), and a memory test to ensure memory chips are working properly.

File Name

The first part of the label applied to a file

System Files

The main files of an operating system.

File Explorer

The main tool for finding, viewing, and managing the contents of your computer by showing the location and contents of every drive, folder, and file;

File Management

The process by which humans or computer software provide organizational structure to a computer's contents.

Boot Process

The process for loading the operating system (OS) into random access memory (RAM) when the computer is turned on.

Authentication

The process of identifying a computer user, based on a login or username and password. The computer system determines whether the computer user is authorized and what level of access is to be granted on the network.

Disk Defragmentation

The process of regrouping related pieces of files on the hard drive, enabling faster retrieval of the data.

Paging

The process of swapping data or instructions that have been placed in the swap file for later use back into active random access memory (RAM). The contents of the hard drive's swap file then become less active data or instructions.

Pinning

The process through which you choose which applications are visible on the Windows Start screen.

Event

The result of an action, such as a keystroke, mouse click, or signal to the printer, in the respective device (keyboard, mouse, or printer) to which the operating system responds.

Cluster

The smallest increment in which data is stored on hard disks; hard disks are divided into tracks, then wedges, then sectors, then clusters.

Virtual Memory

The space on the hard drive where the operating system stores data if there isn't enough random access memory to hold all of the programs you're currently trying to run.

Plug and Play (PnP)

The technology that enables the operating system, once it is booted up, to recognize automatically any new peripherals and to configure them to work with the system.

Root Directory

The top level of the filing structure in a computer system.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Unlike the command- and menu-driven interfaces used in earlier software, GUIs display graphics and use the point-and-click technology of the mouse and cursor, making them much more user friendly.

preemptive multitasking

When the operating system processes the task assigned a higher priority before processing a task that has been assigned a lower priority.

Disk Cleanup

a Windows utility that removes unnecessary files from the hard drive

multi user operating system (network operating system)

an operating system that enables more than one user to access the computer system at one time by efficiently juggling all the requests from multiple users

User Interface

part of the operating system that enables individuals to interact with the computer

Desktop (part of computer screen)

the primary working area of the computer after initially logging in