Comprehensive summaries of learning unit 3, system software from the textbook: Exploring IT: Theory Grade 11 - 2nd Edition.
These summaries are suitable for an IEB learner in either grade 11 or 12, and contain all the information needed from this chapter in bullet form, as well as a list of all a...
System Software
Start Up and Boot Software
- Hardware needs to be checked on boot up
- If correct, operating system and hardware drivers are loaded in RAM
- A boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the computer performs when it is
switched on
- Boot/bootstrap loader is the program that performs the boot sequence
BIOS
- BIOS (basic input-output sequence)
- Low-level software
- Resides in non-volatile ROM chip
- Firmware: permanently resides on ROM
- Process when computer switches on:
● BIOS begins the POST (Power-On Self-Test) to check hardware
● Inventory of hardware obtained from CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-
Semiconductor)
● Hardware is tested
● BIOS locates MBR (Master boot record), a section of code on hard drive
responsible for loading and executing the operating system kernel, and
continues startup procedure
Kernel
- Core of operating system in RAM
- Translates input/output from software into instructions for CPU
- Handles memory and peripherals eg. keyboards, monitors, printers and speakers
CMOS
- Battery backed volatile memory (as different hardware can be installed and user
settings can change)
- Stores hardware details (types installed such as disk drive) and user settings (current
date and time)
- Referred to by BIOS in boot up process
, UEFI
- UEFI (Unified Extended Firmware Interface)
- More efficient start up process in terms of functionality and speed
- Firmware
- NOT POSSIBLE to switch from BIOS to UEFI: needs new hardware that supports it
- Backwards compatible with operating systems expecting BIOS
- Advantages:
● Can boot from drives 2.2 TB or larger
● Can run in either 32-bit or 64-bit mode
● More user-friendly setup screens (eg. graphics and mouse cursor support)
● Supports secure boot (checks operating system for malware)
● Supports networking features to aid in remote troubleshooting and
configuration
● Tiny operating system that runs on top of computer’s firmware - can do a lot
more that BIOS
● Stored on: flash memory, motherboard, hard drive, or shared on a network at
boot
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