Introduction to the

Personal Computer
Software side
Sections & Objectives
• Configure BIOS and UEFI Settings
• Describe POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI.
• Configure the computer firmware
• Modern Operating System
• Explain operating system requirements.
• Describe the functions of operating systems.
• Describe operating system software and hardware requirements.
• Explain the process of upgrading an operating system.
• Install Windows
• Install a Windows operating system.
• Describe custom installation options.
• Describe the boot sequence and registry files
POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI

POST
• When a computer is booted, the basic input/output system (BIOS)
performs a hardware check on the main components of the computer.
• This check is called a power-on self-test (POST).
• If a device is malfunctioning, an error or a beep code alerts the
technician of the problem.
• BIOS manufacturers use different codes to indicate different hardware
problems.
• Motherboard manufacturers may use different beep codes.
• Always consult the motherboard documentation to get the beep codes for
your computer.
• Installation Tip: To determine if POST is working properly, remove all
the RAM modules from the computer and power it on.
• The computer should emit the beep code for a computer with no RAM
installed.
• This will not harm the computer.
POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI

BIOS and CMOS

• All motherboards need a BIOS to
operate.
• BIOS is a ROM chip on the
motherboard that contains a small
program that controls the
communication between the operating
system and the hardware.
• Along with the POST, BIOS also
identifies:
• Which drives are available
• Which drives are bootable
• How the memory is configured and when
it can be used
• How PCIe and PCI expansion slots are
configured
• How SATA and USB ports are configured
• Motherboard power management features
POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI

BIOS and CMOS (Cont.)

• The motherboard manufacturer saves
the motherboard BIOS settings in a
Complementary Metal Oxide
Semiconductor (CMOS) memory chip.
• When a computer boots, the BIOS
software reads the configured settings
stored in CMOS to determine how to
configure the hardware.
• The BIOS settings are retained by
CMOS using a battery.
• If the battery fails, important settings can
be lost.
• Installation Tip: If the computer’s time
and date are incorrect, it could indicate
that the CMOS battery is bad or is
getting very low.
POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI

UEFI
• Most computers today run Unified
Extensible Firmware Interface
(UEFI).
• All new computers come with
UEFI, which provides additional
features and addresses security
issues with legacy BIOS.
• UEFI can run on 32-bit and 64-bit
systems, supports larger boot
drives, and includes additional
features such as secure boot.
• Secure boot ensures your
computer boots to your specified
operating system.
• This helps prevent rootkits from
taking over the system.
POST, BIOS, CMOS and UEFI

Lab – Investigate BIOS or UEFI

Settings
In this lab, you will boot the computer, explore the firmware setup utility program,
and change the boot order sequence.

Part 1: Enter BIOS or UEFI

Part 2: Explore the Settings
Modern Operating
Systems
Operating System Features

Terms
The following terms are often used when describing an operating system (OS):
• Multi-user - Two or more users have individual accounts that allow them to work with
programs and peripheral devices at the same time.
• Multitasking - The computer is capable of operating multiple applications at the same
time.
• Multiprocessing - The operating system can support two or more CPUs.
• Multithreading - A program can be broken into smaller parts that are loaded as
needed by the operating system. Multithreading allows different parts of a program to
be run at the same time.

The OS boots the computer and manages the file system. Operating systems can support
more than one user, task, or CPU.
Operating System Features

Basic Functions of an Operating

System
• The OS manages the interaction between the applications and the hardware.
• The OS creates a file structure on the hard disk drive to store data.
• The OS enables the user to interact with the software and hardware.
• The OS locates and application and loads it into the RAM of the computer.
Operating System Features

Windows Operating Systems

• Windows 7 – This is an upgrade from Windows XP or Vista.

• Windows 8 – This introduced the Metro user interface that unifies the
Windows look and feel on desktops, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets.
• Windows 8.1 – This is an update to Windows 8 with improvement to make
Windows familiar for users with devices that use touch of mouse and
keyboard interfaces.
• Windows 10 – This is an update from previous versions of Windows. It
was designed for PCs, tablets, embedded devices and Internet of Things
devices.
Customer Requirements for an Operating System

Compatible System Software and

Hardware Requirements
To make an OS recommendation, a technician must review budget constraints, learn how the
computer will be used, determine which types of applications will be installed, and whether a
new computer may be purchased. These are some guidelines to help determine the best OS
for a customer:
• Does the customer use off-the-shelf applications for this computer? Off-the-shelf
applications specify a list of compatible operating systems on the application package.
• Does the customer use customized applications that were programmed specifically
for the customer? If the customer is using a customized application, the programmer of
that application specifies which OS to use.
Customer Requirements for an Operating System

Minimum Hardware
Requirements and Compatibility
with OS
Customer Requirements for an Operating System

32-bit vs. 64-bit Processor

Architecture
Operating System Upgrades

Checking OS Compatibility
• An OS must be upgraded periodically to
remain compatible with the latest hardware
and software.

• Before upgrading the operating system,

check the minimum hardware requirements
of the new OS to ensure that it can be
installed successfully on the computer.

• Microsoft provides the Get Windows 10

application that is automatically downloaded
and installed via the Windows Update
service on computers running Windows 7
Service Pack 1 and Windows 8.1.
 Operating System Upgrades

Windows OS Upgrades
• The version of an OS determines available
upgrade options. For example, a 32-bit OS
cannot be upgraded to a 64-bit OS. Windows
7 and Windows 8 can be upgraded to
Windows 10 but Windows Vista and Windows
XP cannot.

• To upgrade Windows 7 or Windows 8 to

Windows 10, use the Windows 10 Update
Assistant available on the Download Windows
10 website. It walks you through all the steps
in the Windows 10 setup process.

• Computers running Windows XP or Windows

Vista do not have an upgrade path to Windows
10 and require a clean installation. Windows
10 installation media can be created using the
Create Windows 10 installation media tool.
Operating System Upgrades

Data Migration
• When a new OS installation is needed, user data must be migrated from the old OS to the
new one.
• The User State Migration Tool (USMT) is a command line utility to simplify user state
migration.
• Use Windows Easy Transfer when switching from an old computer to a new one.
• PCmover Express is a tool for transferring selected files, folders, profiles and applications
from an old Windows PC to a Windows 10 PC.
Install Windows
Basic Windows Installation

Lab – Windows Installation

In this lab, you will install the Windows 10 operating system.
Basic Windows Installation

Account Creation
Authentication is when users enter a
username and password to access a user
account. Windows uses Single-Sign On
(SSO) authentication, which allows users to
log in once to access all system resources.
User accounts allow multiple users to share
a single computer using their own files and
settings.

Windows 10 offers two account types:

Administrator and Standard User.
Administrator accounts have complete
control over a computer. Users with this
type of account can change settings
globally and install programs. Standard user
accounts have limited control over a
computer. Users with this type of account
can run applications, but they cannot install
programs.
Basic Windows Installation

Finalize the Installation

Windows Update
To update the OS after the initial
installation, Microsoft Windows
Update is used to scan for new
software and install service packs
and patches.

Device Manager
After installation, verify that all
hardware is installed correctly. The
Device Manager is used to locate
device problems and install the
correct or updated drivers in
Windows.
The figure shows the Windows
Update and Device Manager utilities
on Windows 10.
Basic Windows Installation

Lab - Finalize the Windows Installation

In this lab, you will add user accounts and finalize an installation of Windows 10.
 Custom Installation Options

Upgrade Methods
• In-place upgrade - This will update the
OS and migrate apps and settings to the
new OS. The System Center
Configuration Manager (Configuration
Manager) task sequence can be used to
completely automate the process. When
upgrading Windows 7 or Windows 8 to
Windows 10, the Windows installation
program (Setup.exe) will perform an in-
place upgrade, which automatically
preserves all data, settings, applications,
and drivers from the existing OS version.
• Clean install - Another way to upgrade to
a newer version of Windows is to perform
a clean upgrade. Because a clean install
will wipe the drive completely, all files and
data should be saved to some form of
backup drive.
Windows Boot Sequence

Windows Boot Sequence

After POST, the BIOS locates and reads
the configuration settings stored in the
CMOS memory. The boot device priority is
the order in which devices are checked to
locate the bootable partition. The BIOS
boots the computer using the first drive
that contains a valid boot sector. This
sector contains the Master Boot Record
(MBR). The MBR identifies the Volume
Boot Record (VBR) which loads the boot
manager, which for Windows is
bootmgr.exe.

Hard drives, network drives, USB drives,

and even removable media can be used in
the boot order, depending on the
capabilities of the motherboard.
Windows Boot Sequence

Windows 7 Startup Modes

Pressing the F8 key during the boot
process opens the Windows Advanced
Boot Options menu. Users can select how
to boot Windows. 4 startup options:
• Safe Mode – A diagnostic mode used
to troubleshoot Windows and Windows
startup. Functionality is limited as many
device drivers are not loaded.
• Safe Mode with Networking - Starts
Windows in Safe Mode with
networking support.
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt -
Starts Windows and loads the
command prompt instead of the GUI.
• Last Known Good Configuration -
Loads the configuration settings that
were used the last time that Windows
started successfully.
Windows Boot Sequence

Windows 8 and 10 Startup Modes

Both Windows 8 and Windows 10 boot
too quickly to use F8 to access startup
settings. Instead, hold the Shift key and
select the Restart option in the Power
menu. This will display the Choose an
Option screen. To get the startup
settings, select Troubleshoot, then from
the next screen select Advanced
options. Inside Advanced options select
Startup settings, then on the next screen
select Restart. The computer will then
restart and display the Startup Settings
menu shown in the figure. To choose a
startup option use number or function
keys F1-F9 that corresponds to the
desired option.
Chapter Summary