Chapter 1

Part A: Computer operations

Basic computer operations

Last updated November 20266 sectionsabout 11 min read

Key takeaways

Install a program only from a trusted source, close other programs first, decline bundled extras, restart if asked, and confirm it opens at the expected version.
Group files by project, client or year rather than by file type, name them consistently with dates in YYYY-MM-DD order, and avoid special characters that have meaning to the operating system.
Each storage device suits a different need: a cloud drive for ongoing work and automatic backup, a flash disc for quick transfer between offline machines, a DVD (about 4.7 GB) for archival, and a CD (about 700 MB) for legacy media.
Capacity is not the only check: a flash disk formatted with FAT32 cannot hold any single file of 4 GB or more.
When a shared resource will not open, tell a local, a network and a permissions problem apart before blaming the resource; a document password is an entry-level control, not a substitute for access control, encryption and backup.

Before a technician can support office applications for a user, the user needs the basic operating skills every one of those applications assumes: installing a program, organising files, connecting a printer, reaching a shared resource, saving to the right place, and protecting a sensitive document. This chapter covers each in turn.

Installing application program

Installing an application program means running its installer, accepting the licence terms, choosing an install location (usually left at the default), and confirming the program appears in the start menu and launches correctly afterwards. On a managed office network, installation is often restricted to administrators, and software is deployed centrally so every machine runs the same approved version, rather than each user installing whatever they choose.

Check the program is from a trusted source (the vendor's site, an official app store, or the organisation's approved list) before running the installer
Close other running programs first, since some installers need exclusive access to files they will replace
Read what the installer offers to add, since many bundle extra toolbars or trial software that should be declined
Restart the computer if the installer asks, since some system files are only replaced on the next boot
Confirm the program opens and its version matches what was expected

Creating files and folders

Creating files and folders organises work from the start. A folder groups related files, and a clear naming and folder structure is what makes files findable months later, by the same person or by a colleague who has never seen them before. A folder is created from the file manager (right-click, New Folder) or from within an application's save dialog; a file is created either from within an application (File, New) or as an empty file of a chosen type from the file manager.

Group by project, client or year, not by file type; a project folder with a mixed set of documents is easier to hand over than five folders each holding one file type
Name files descriptively and consistently: a date in YYYY-MM-DD order sorts correctly, and a version number (v1, v2, final) avoids confusion over which copy is current
Avoid special characters (/ \ : * ? " < > |) in names, since they have meaning to the operating system and can break scripts and cloud sync
Keep folder depth shallow enough that a path does not become unwieldy, and avoid duplicating the same file in several folders

Using storage devices

A user saves and moves files across several kinds of storage device, each suited to a different need: how large the file is, whether it must survive a machine failure, and whether it needs to be reached from more than one device.

Cloud drive

Remote storage accessed over the internet (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox), available from any connected device and usually synchronised automatically, so it doubles as an off-site backup. It needs an internet connection to update and depends on the provider's own availability and security.

Flash disc

A small, portable USB drive (typically 8 GB to 256 GB) for transferring files between computers that are not on the same network, or for a quick backup. Cheap and convenient, but easily lost, and a common route for malware to move between machines if autorun is not disabled.

DVD

An optical disc with a capacity of about 4.7 GB (single layer), once common for larger transfers, software distribution and archival backups, now largely replaced by flash drives and cloud storage because most modern computers no longer include an optical drive.

An optical disc holding up to around 700 MB, the oldest of the four, still met occasionally with legacy audio discs or old software but effectively superseded for everyday storage.

Device	Typical capacity	Reached from	Best for
Cloud drive	A few GB to unlimited (subscription)	Any connected device	Ongoing work, automatic backup, sharing
Flash disc	8 GB to 256 GB	Any USB port	Quick transfer between offline machines
DVD	About 4.7 GB	A drive with an optical bay	Archival, distribution
CD	About 700 MB	A drive with an optical bay	Legacy media

Will it fit, and how long will it take?
A field office must move three sets of files to head office.
  Task 1  2,400 site photos, each about 2.5 MB, onto a 32 GB flash disk
          2,400 x 2.5 MB                    = 6,000 MB = about 6 GB
          6 GB is well within 32 GB, so the photos fit with room to spare.
  Task 2  A 3.9 GB folder of reports onto a single-layer DVD (4.7 GB)
          3.9 GB is below 4.7 GB, so it fits on one disc.
  Task 3  A single 5 GB training video onto the same flash disk
          There is plenty of free space, yet the copy fails.
          Reason: many flash disks come formatted with the older FAT32
          file system, which cannot hold any single file of 4 GB or more.
          Fix: reformat the disk with a file system that allows large files
          (after copying off anything on it), or split the video.
  Alternative for Task 1: upload to a cloud drive at 10 Mbps upload speed
          6,000 MB x 8 bits per byte        = 48,000 Mb
          48,000 Mb / 10 Mbps               = 4,800 seconds = 80 minutes
  Reading it: capacity is the first check, but not the only one. The file
  system can refuse a large file, and a slow upload can make a physical
  device the faster choice.

Connecting printer to a computer

Connecting a printer means installing the correct driver, either via a direct USB cable or over a network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), then setting it as the default or selecting it explicitly when printing. For a USB printer, most modern operating systems detect it and install a driver automatically on connection; for a network printer, the printer's IP address or shared name must be added, and the driver may need installing separately. A printer that shows as installed but will not print is usually offline, out of paper or ink, or has a stalled job blocking its queue, checks that come before assuming a fault.

Use network resources

Using network resources means accessing shared items over a network rather than only what is stored locally on the machine in front of the user, which is what makes an office of separate computers work as one system.

Files

Documents stored on a shared network location such as a file server or a departmental drive, accessible to authorised users from any machine on the network, so the current version is always the one everyone sees.

Folders

Shared directories, often with access permissions controlling who can read, who can write to, and who cannot see them at all, mapped to a drive letter or a network path for convenience.

Printers

A shared printer accessible to multiple computers on the same network, installed once on a server or a network-capable printer and connected to by each user rather than attached to every desk.

When a network resource will not open

Distinguish a local problem (the resource has moved or been deleted) from a network problem (the connection to it is down) and a permissions problem (the user is not authorised). Checking the network connection and the user's permissions before assuming the shared resource itself is broken saves most support calls a return visit.

Protect files with password

Protecting files with a password restricts a document to those who know the password, set through the application's own security or save options (Save As, then Tools or Options, then a password to open or to modify). This is an entry-level control appropriate for a document leaving the organisation by email or on a flash disk; it is not a substitute for the fuller data-protection measures, access control, encryption at the disk level, and backup, covered in Information Systems Support and Integration, and a weak or shared password gives only the appearance of protection.

Self-check

(a) List four checks to make before and during installing a new application program. (4 marks)

(b) State three good practices for naming and organising files and folders. (3 marks)

(c) Compare a cloud drive, a flash disc and a DVD on capacity, where they can be reached from, and their best use. (6 marks)

(d) A user cannot print to a network printer that worked yesterday. State three things to check before assuming the printer is faulty. (3 marks)

(e) Distinguish a local file problem from a network problem when a shared folder will not open. (2 marks)

(f) Explain how to protect a document with a password and state one limitation of this method. (2 marks)

Show worked answer

(a) Check the installer is from a trusted source; close other running programs first; decline any bundled extra software offered; restart if asked; confirm the program opens and its version is correct. Any four.

(b) Group files by project or client rather than by file type; use consistent, descriptive names with dates in YYYY-MM-DD order; avoid special characters that have meaning to the operating system. Avoiding duplicate copies in several folders is also acceptable.

(c) Cloud drive: a few gigabytes to unlimited depending on subscription, reached from any connected device, best for ongoing work and automatic backup. Flash disc: 8 to 256 GB, reached from any USB port, best for quick transfer between offline machines. DVD: about 4.7 GB, reached only from a machine with an optical drive, best for archival storage or distribution.

(d) Check the printer is powered on and online, the network connection to it (cable or Wi-Fi), and whether a stalled job is blocking the print queue, before assuming the printer itself is faulty.

(e) A local problem means the resource has moved, been deleted or renamed, and would affect access from every machine. A network problem means the connection to the shared location itself is down, and other shared resources on the same server would also fail.

(f) Set a password to open or modify the document through the application's Save As or security options. Limitation: it protects only that one document and only as well as the password is kept secret, and is not a substitute for encryption, access control and backup at the system level.

Exam tip

Distinguish local resources (on the computer being used) from network resources (shared, accessed over a connection); a common scenario question describes trying to use a resource and asks why access failed, so check the network connection and permissions before assuming the resource itself is broken.