Managing A PC Essay Example For Students

Managing A PC Essay Managing A Personal Computer1.1 The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is one of files which loads every time the computer is booted. It contains command lines and procedures to run programs and load settings for the systems hardware and software configuration. It also may contain command lines procedures to run programs which may clean your systems hard drive of temporary files and viruses. An example of this file is shown below:@ECHO OFFPROMPT $P$GSET PATH=C:DOSLH C:SBCDDRVMSCDEX.EXE /S /D:MSCD001 /M:8 /VSET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4SET SOUND=C:SBPROC:MOUSEMMOUSE.COMThe first line of this batch file, @ECHO OFF, is programming command which hides all the command lines procedures from the user. The second line is also a programming command that configures the CUI command prompt. The parameters after PROMPT tell the CUI what to show. The $P stands for current drive and path and $G stands for the greater than sign (). Apart from those two parameters, a user can add any characters after PROMPT and itll be s hown as the command prompt. The next command configures the CUI to search for files in that directory first before looking in its current location. The SET and PATH command procedures, even though different commands, are used in conjunction to configure CUI environment variables and the parameters displayed after that are what the CUI will search in first. The next command is loading DOSs CD-Rom drive letter allocater (The CD-Rom driver must be loaded first in the CONFIG.SYS). The parameters after the executable file inform the CUI to allocate a particular drive letter for the CD-Rom and also may inform the CUI to allocate extended memory or how to read the CD-Rom in terms of speed and sectors. The LH configures the CUI to load this command procedure in high or extended memory. The next command procedure allocates the Interrupt and Drive Memory allocation for the systems sound card as well as informing the CUI of the sound cards input/output range. The next command procedure informs the CUI to look for all the drivers for the sound card in its parameters which will be a directory on the hard disk. The last command loads the driver for the mouse. This command procedure doesnt need any parameters and is just a single command procedure telling the CUI to load that executable file. 1.2 A Batch File Which Asks For User Input:@echo offclsIF %1==C GOTO DRIVEIF %1==D GOTO DRIVEif %1==c goto driveif %1==d goto driveecho Please type INSTALL X (Replace X with your hard drive letter)echo eg. INSTALL Cgoto :quitinstall:DRIVEecho Welcome to the Batch Input Demo written by Leon Douglas. echo. echo Do You wish to continue?choice /n Yes or Noclsecho offmd %1:minstallcd %1:minstallecho offcopy a:inst2.batinst2:quitinstallWithout going into excessive detail of this batch program, what it is accomplishing is a drive letter to install a program into as well as a yes or no instruction to continue. The first part of the batch file which is in bold is the piece of programming that requires a drive letter to be typed as a parameter to the batch file. It will only recognise C or D as drive letters, whether it be as uppercase or lowercase. If the user does not type a parameter or types a different drive letter other than C or D, the batch file will display a message that states a drive letter is required before continuing. In the second piece of programming which is in italics is what the user will see if they type C or D as a parameter next to the batch files name as the command procedure. This part of the programming asks the user whether to continue with the installation or not. I f the user types anything apart from yes,no,y or n the program will not proceed until the correct parameter is typed. If the user enters the correct parameter the program will proceed to the next step which is shown above in bold and Italics. This part of the batch program makes a directory on the given drive and then copies another batch file from the same location as itself to the directory it created. From here, this batch file terminates after the command procedure is given to start the other batch file.1.3 Macros That Automate Procedures Within A GUI (Windows) Within Windows 95 there are several ways that procedures can be automatically loaded without the input of a user. The two most common methods are by placing command line procedures as icons within the Startup folder of Windows or by placing the command line procedures in the LOAD= line of the WIN.INI. Another method is by placing the command line procedure within the Windows Registry but that is the most complex method. T o automate procedures via the Startup folder is a very easy task. Simply make a new icon or shortcut within the folder and browse for the executable file you would like to load. Simply save the icon and next time windows is loaded, that executable will be loaded at the start up as well. To add command line procedures into the WIN.INI file is just as easy, here is an example: windows spooler=yes load=c:scenesscenes.exe navpopup.exe There are two executables as you can see, navpopup.exe and scenes.exe, and these are loaded at the startup as well. The space between the two is all that is needed for Windows to differentiate between the two programs but parameters can also be placed in as well. As you can also see, navpopup.exe doesnt have a directory path so the file must be within the SET PATH command line procedure in the AUTOEXEC.BAT. 1.4 To produce single keystroke operations for various tasks, also known as Hot Keys, is very simple. For an example, within Windows 95, a hot key can be assigned to open a particular executable. This is done by opening the properties of the executable icon and adding a letter in the Shortcut Key box. 2.1 Installing or Upgrading a software package within a CUI is a very easy task. An example would be to install a game that doesnt have any sub-directories. The game will be on a floppy disk and we will have to make a directory on the hard disk. It would go as follows:C: {Enter} MD GAME{Enter} CD GAME {Enter}COPY A:{Enter} The game no can be played by simply typing the executable file name under the directory GAME. Communication And Race Essay3.3 Installing anti-virus software is the easiest part. The hardest part is finding the right package for you which will perform all the tasks you need it to. When I look for an anti-virus package, it MUST be able to do a surface scan of my computer each day apon booting in the CUI by loading the AUTOEXEC.BAT. The other crucial task it should be able to do is sit resident in the background of my GUI, scanning everything I open and automatically disinfects or informs me of any virus it finds. Category: Technology