UNIT 2: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• explain how computer represents data;
• describe the components of the computer designed for input, and
output;
• compare the different types of software; and
• explore how to troubleshoot basic computer problems

Computer Hardware

This lesson discusses the computer hardware you need to enter, display, and save data.
Because the purpose of this hardware is to transfer or store data, you begin by learning how a
computer represents data. Next, you learn to identify the components inside the computer case
designed for input and output, and then explore the peripheral devices that can connect to
these components. Finally, you will compare types of devices and media for storing data.

Understanding How a Computer Represents Data

Modern computers perform an incredible array of complex tasks. At their most

fundamental level, however, computers are binary machines, meaning they understand only
two states—on and off, represented by 0 and 1, reflecting whether a circuit is receiving
electricity (on or 1) or is not receiving electricity (off or 0).
Each of these digits is called a bit, short for binary digit, which is the smallest unit of
data a computer can process. Eight bits grouped together are called a byte, which is roughly
equivalent to one character.
When you press a key on a computer keyboard, you are actually sending an electronic
signal to the circuitry in the computer. The circuitry converts the signal into binary form and
stores it as a byte in memory for processing. When the CPU processes that byte of data, it
converts it to the letter “a” so it can be displayed on a screen in a form user understands.

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 Processing a byte of data

Naturally, computer users work with much more than a byte of data at a time. Terms for
measuring data combine “byte” with a meaningful prefix. For example, “giga” means “billion,”
so the term “gigabyte” means one billion bytes, which is equivalent to about 450 digital songs.

Data measurement terms

System Components for Input and Output

• A port is a connecter located on the system case that you use to plug peripheral devices into
the computer. Inside the system unit, a port is attached to a bus on the motherboard.
• A bus is a sequence of electronic circuitry used to transfer data among computer components.
• Expansion cards expand the capabilities of the computer or let you attach a peripheral
device to the computer.
• An input device is a peripheral device you use to enter data and commands into the
computer. Examples are keyboard, mouse, touchpad, scanner, biometrics, bar code reader.
• Output devices refer to any hardware component that conveys information to one or more
people and include monitors, projectors, printers, and speakers.
• Storage media are the physical materials on which a computer keeps data, instructions and
information like hard drive, flash drive, CD/DVD, memory cards.

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Classification of Computers

• A desktop computer is a computer that fits on or next to a desk, is designed to be

stationary, and runs on power from a wall outlet.
• A laptop computer (sometimes called a notebook) is a lightweight mobile computer about
the size of a paper notebook that includes the system components, keyboard, pointing device,
and display screen in a single unit.
• A tablet computer is a one-piece handheld computer that typically includes a touchscreen.
• A smartphone is a cell phone that includes many features of a computer, allowing it to run
general-purpose computing applications.
• An embedded computer is a processor built into a household appliance or other device
such as an ATM, navigation system, refrigerator, television, or other consumer electronics.
• A server is a computer that provides network services such as e-mail to client computers.
• A mainframe computer is a powerful computer designed for processing huge amounts of
data for hundreds or thousands of users at the same time.
• A supercomputer is also a very powerful computer distinguished by its processing capacity,
especially its speed of calculation.

Software Usage

In this lesson, you learn about the purpose and use of application software, including
word-processing applications, presentation software, spreadsheets, and databases. You also
examine applications for desktop publishing, entertainment, and media editing. Finally, you
explore typical utility programs, including those that compress files, manage disks, and scan for
malware.

Using Application Software

The range of application software covers nearly every task you might need to perform,
including producing documents and other types of work, exchanging electronic messages,
accessing Web pages, watching movies, and playing games. You use productivity applications to
perform work and other activities effectively. Productivity applications include word processing,
spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, and presentation software. Entertainment software
is designed for viewing or playing music, videos, and photos, while media editing software is
designed for creating and modifying graphics, animations, video, music, and other media.

• You use word-processing software such as Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Google
Document, and Corel WordPerfect to produce written documents such as reports, letters,

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 memos, research papers, and flyers. A feature called word wrap keeps text within the
document margins. When the text you are typing fills a line, word wrap moves the text to the
next line, without requiring you to press the Enter key.
• Desktop publishing (DTP) software is similar to word-processing software because you use
it to create documents containing text and graphics. However, DTP software includes more
sophisticated features that enable you to use a personal computer to arrange text and
graphics on a page to create and print high-quality documents such as brochures, magazines,
newspapers, and books that would typically be produced by professional typographers.
• You use presentation software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, iWork Keynote, LibreOffice
Impress, and Prezi, to organize and present text, graphics, and other media as a slide show.
To guide you to create a slide show with visual appeal, presentation software provides layouts,
which are pre-set arrangements for slide content, including text and graphics.
• A spreadsheet is an arrangement of text and numbers in a rectangular grid or table. You
use spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, or LibreOffice Calc to
organize numeric data in such a way that you can calculate, analyze, interpret, and present
it. This type of software is ideal for tasks such as preparing budgets, balancing checkbooks,
forecasting loan payments, and maintaining grade books.
• You use database software such as Microsoft Access, FileMaker Pro, or MySQL (pronounced
“my sequel”) to enter, organize, update, retrieve, and produce reports on the electronic data
in a database.
• Entertainment software includes applications that let you download and listen to music or
the radio, watch movies and television shows, and play games.
• If you acquire digital media such as music, video, and image files, you often need to edit it to
suit your purposes. You use graphics software to correct any flaws in the photos, music-
editing software to play only a short segment of a song, and video-editing software to
edit the video recording and produce it with the photos and music.

Using Software Tools

Utility programs are tools you use to maintain your data files, software, and hardware.
File utilities include software that helps you manage files, convert files from one format to
another, and thoroughly delete files. Disk management utilities include software that helps
the operating system store files efficiently on a disk and removes unnecessary files. Software
utilities include software updating tools, virus and other malware scanners, and system
monitors.

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• File compression software is a type of file utility that reduces the size of a file by removing
redundant data.
• You use disk management software to maintain your hard disk by keeping it free of
problems that could prevent you from accessing your data.
• Spyware monitors your computing actions, usually while you are online, to collect
information about you. Sometimes, spyware passes information about your Web browsing
habits to advertisers, who use it to improve their products or Web sites.
• A special type of spyware called adware changes your browser settings to open pop-up ads,
which are windows that appear while you are viewing a Web page and advertise a product or
service.

Computer Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting means to take a logical, systematic approach to identify the source or

cause of the problem, and then apply a solution so that the computer is working normally again.

Getting Help from Online Resources. When you have any type of computer problem,
you can find valuable troubleshooting information on the Web. The best sources are knowledge
bases and online forums.

Common General Software Problems

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Using Troubleshooting Tools

• Managing Application Resources. Use Task Manager to track the system resources
(including CPU and memory) that applications, background processes, and Windows
processes consume. You can also use this information to troubleshoot application
problems.
• Using Automated Troubleshooters. For some software and hardware problems,
operating systems offer automated troubleshooters, which are dialog boxes or wizards
that check settings and then change them as necessary so you can perform certain tasks.
• Removing Malware. Your best protection against malware is to use the current version
of your antivirus and antispyware software to scan e-mail messages, attachments, and
other files on your computer for viruses, worms, and other types of malware.
• Using Safe Mode. If the operating system doesn’t start normally when you turn on your
computer, it might restart in Safe mode so you can resolve or troubleshoot the startup
problem. Safe mode is a troubleshooting option for operating systems that starts your
computer with only basic services and functionality.

Troubleshooting Hardware

Problems with a computer’s internal hardware affect the computer’s ability to start and
run, so they are major problems that need to be addressed as soon as you notice them.
Symptoms of internal hardware trouble include the following:

• Beeps during POST—Recall that when you start a computer, it performs the power-on self-
test (POST) to check critical system components and make sure they are running properly.
These components include the processor, RAM, and the video card. Some computers beep if
these components are working normally or do not beep at all. An error during POST usually
means one of the critical system components is damaged or failing and needs to be replaced.
After a POST error, the operating system might start in Safe mode or display a message
indicating you should start in Safe mode so you can troubleshoot the problem.

• Hard drive makes unusual sounds—If a mechanical hard drive makes an unusual sound,
such as grinding, clicking, or prolonged spinning, it might have a problem that will eventually
cause it to fail. If it suddenly takes a long time to save files, your hard drive is on the brink of
failure. Back up your data, use a disk-checking utility to scan the drive for errors, and plan to
replace the drive soon.

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• Display screen is blank, garbled, or includes blank areas—These are all symptoms of a
damaged video card, which can be affected by power surges. A power surge or spike is a boost
to the electrical charge that powers the computer, and can occur during lightning storms, power
outages, short circuits, and other disruptions to a computer’s power source.

• Frequent software crashes, unusual messages, or deteriorating performance—If the

operating system crashes or displays messages that don’t seem to relate to your current
activities, suspect a problem with RAM. Also suspect RAM failure if the computer performs a
task normally shortly after starting, but takes much more time to perform the same task later
in the session. Use tools such as Task Manager to track how much memory is installed on the
computer.

• Computer does not start at all—If the computer does not even complete POST or fails
shortly after POST, the power supply, processor, or motherboard might need to be replaced.
Considering that the processor is the most expensive component in your computer, you might
consider replacing the entire computer in this case.

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