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Ever wonder what makes it go? Your computer that is. The OPERATING SYSTEM!
(OS) Yup! That “thing” that starts when you turn on your computer.
Otherwise known as DOS, WINDOWS, UNIX, LINUX, etc. The first and the last
thing that you see when using your computer. Also, when running correctly,
the proverbial drill sergeant that keeps your computer in line. And when
not running correctly, the one you want to shoot. “Fatal error”,
“Bad or missing DLL”, “Illegal operation” or the infamous “Blue
screen of death. Where do these come from? Right… the OS.
When
running in a stable mode your OS controls how your computer’s main
memory will be apportioned, how and in what order it will handle tasks and
how it will manage the information in and out of the Central Processing
Unit. (CPU). How it will get material and data to your printer and
displayed on your screen for viewing. Also, how it will receive
information from your keyboard, mouse, etc. It keeps track of all your
programs, where they are, if they’re still there and how they load too.
Think of the OS as a housekeeper or nanny. It keeps things running in a
effortless fashion.
But when
it becomes corrupt… Look out! Trouble with a capital “T” is afoot!
When your OS gets to a point where it throws it’s hands up and says “I
quit” is when you are bombarded with those dreaded error messages.
Many
things cause an operating system to become corrupt. Conflicting commands
from other programs, particularly drivers for hardware devices such as
printers, scanners, etc. and cheap software or “Freeware” and
“Shareware” downloaded from the internet. Some, but not all, freeware
and shareware may not have been thoroughly tested against ALL combinations
of operating systems and software in your computer. Major, well known,
software developers spend millions of dollars testing their product under
multiple circumstances in hundreds of computers. Freeware and Shareware is
often only tested on the computers of the person or persons who write the
code. Therefore only “bugs” pertaining to their situations are
discovered. When installed in your computer they can wreck havoc.
I’m not saying that all Freeware or Shareware
is bad. Just be aware of what it can do to your OS. So… if after
installing new drivers, games, freeware or shareware, your OS starts
acting like O’Leary’s cow and figuratively “Kicks the bucket”,
uninstalling and removing all reference to that program will probably put
the bucket upright again. Remember, cheap is not always best. You usually
get what you pay for.
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