Short course name:

Computer Hardware, Configuration and Operating Systems 3

Module number:

COM 301

Course Syllabus:

Operating system issues:

Review of the role of the operating system in interfacing the user with the hardware

Taxonomy of operating systems

Operating system elements : High and low-level schedulers, dispatchers, semaphores, device drivers, and memory managers, resource managers and shell programs

Comparative study of the following operating systems from a theoretical and practical, hands-on, standpoint :

• Windows Operating Systems

• UNIX/LINUX

• Mobile Platform Operating Systems

The treatment of these operating systems will include:

• Their architecture

• Desktop layout

• Installation requirements and procedures

• Configuration processes e.g. Plug’n Play (PNP) and Registry aspects

• Utilities e.g. editors, multimedia applets and add-ons



Troublesshooting hardware and Operating System Areas:

Troubleshooting flowcharts for:

• System start-up, including POST error-codes

• Identifying I/O, IRO and DMA conflicts

• Operational failure of various peripherals such as modems, printers, display devices, pointing devices and multimedia equipment


• Disk storage problems

BIOS/CMOS Configuration Issues:

The role of the Computer BIOS

Plug’n Play BIOS schemes

Activating BIOS/COMS setup

Configuring motherboard chipset, memory and peripheral operation via BIOS setup