Software Utilities
Software utilities are computer programs that help maintain your computer's hardware and softwares and helps the user to manage settings. Utility softwares come with the operating system (OS) e.g. Mac OS X, Windows Vista, Windows XP etc.
Software utilities are computer programs that help maintain your computer's hardware and softwares and helps the user to manage settings. Utility softwares come with the operating system (OS) e.g. Mac OS X, Windows Vista, Windows XP etc.
Virus Protection
A virus is a program that is made to corrupt files and delete data. It spreads by reproducing itself which after all makes your computer work slower. Virus Protection or Anti-Virus software is a program used to avoid, detect, and wipe out computer viruses (that have already entered your PC). There are many types of Anti-virus softwares available to computer users, such as Norton and MacAfee that carry out the role of ensuring that Trojans and Worms are unable to invade your computer system.
This software utility has a little but significant effect on the computer's performance. It has an important effect on the computer's performance as a virus can erase data from your computer, hence an Anti-virus utility protects your computer against it. Some viruses don’t affect the computer a lot in the short term but they affect the computer a lot in the long term as if leaving your computer Virus free for example, it will have a higher chance of it being exposed to viruses.
Overall, an Anti-Virus software will keep your computer safe from viruses, hence it can make your computer run a lot smoother.
A virus is a program that is made to corrupt files and delete data. It spreads by reproducing itself which after all makes your computer work slower. Virus Protection or Anti-Virus software is a program used to avoid, detect, and wipe out computer viruses (that have already entered your PC). There are many types of Anti-virus softwares available to computer users, such as Norton and MacAfee that carry out the role of ensuring that Trojans and Worms are unable to invade your computer system.
This software utility has a little but significant effect on the computer's performance. It has an important effect on the computer's performance as a virus can erase data from your computer, hence an Anti-virus utility protects your computer against it. Some viruses don’t affect the computer a lot in the short term but they affect the computer a lot in the long term as if leaving your computer Virus free for example, it will have a higher chance of it being exposed to viruses.
Overall, an Anti-Virus software will keep your computer safe from viruses, hence it can make your computer run a lot smoother.
Firewalls
Firewall is a software utility in the computer that usually comes pre-installed. An example of a Firewall software is Windows Firewall Defence. Firewall is a software tool or hardware device that finds all the information which is being sent out and being received from the internet/network. It mainly denies ‘foreign’ access to a computer or local network by blocking or controlling network ports. They build a protective wall (metaphorically) around PCs that are connected to a network, so that only authorized programs (chosen by the user) can access data on a certain system. The best feature of firewalls it is that it allows you to control exactly which software has access to pass data in and out of the system.
e.g. automatic updates have access to update an already installed software
People use Firewalls in order to block hackers as they could try to access someone's computer to carry out illegal activities or access an individual’s data.
Firewalls highly affect a computer's performance as for example, if someone tries and hacks into a computer, then they can easily damage that computer internally. This means that the computer overall would be lower in performance than it had been before.
Firewall is a software utility in the computer that usually comes pre-installed. An example of a Firewall software is Windows Firewall Defence. Firewall is a software tool or hardware device that finds all the information which is being sent out and being received from the internet/network. It mainly denies ‘foreign’ access to a computer or local network by blocking or controlling network ports. They build a protective wall (metaphorically) around PCs that are connected to a network, so that only authorized programs (chosen by the user) can access data on a certain system. The best feature of firewalls it is that it allows you to control exactly which software has access to pass data in and out of the system.
e.g. automatic updates have access to update an already installed software
People use Firewalls in order to block hackers as they could try to access someone's computer to carry out illegal activities or access an individual’s data.
Firewalls highly affect a computer's performance as for example, if someone tries and hacks into a computer, then they can easily damage that computer internally. This means that the computer overall would be lower in performance than it had been before.
Cleanup tools:
Disk Clean-up is a software utility that is used to maintain the computer. It comes with the operating system for the Windows series. The purpose of this software utility is to free up space from the space that is filled up on the computer hard drive by checking for and reading the hard drive for files that are no longer in use, and then removes them. Hence, it deletes unnecessary files such as the internet history, cookies and registry, which overall will improve the performance of your computer.
Internet history: A copy of a page that is kept in the Temporary Internet Files folder as you access a website on the web. It is useful because when you use the Back and Forward buttons, the web page does not need to start up again. However, they can take up a lot of space.
Removal of cookies: Whenever you visit a new website and register on it (so that you can receive newsletter updates), a cookie is usually left on your PC so that the web address is being saved, (will be shown) to make it easier for the user to access it the next time you (the user) visits. These cookies are useful because they save time. However, if you do not wish to keep them into your computer, then you will have the choice of removing them all.
Registry: Contains the settings and layout of the software and hardware on a computer system. It needs to be cleared up in order to make the computer system run more effectively because it can speed up your PC.
Disk Clean-up is a software utility that is used to maintain the computer. It comes with the operating system for the Windows series. The purpose of this software utility is to free up space from the space that is filled up on the computer hard drive by checking for and reading the hard drive for files that are no longer in use, and then removes them. Hence, it deletes unnecessary files such as the internet history, cookies and registry, which overall will improve the performance of your computer.
Internet history: A copy of a page that is kept in the Temporary Internet Files folder as you access a website on the web. It is useful because when you use the Back and Forward buttons, the web page does not need to start up again. However, they can take up a lot of space.
Removal of cookies: Whenever you visit a new website and register on it (so that you can receive newsletter updates), a cookie is usually left on your PC so that the web address is being saved, (will be shown) to make it easier for the user to access it the next time you (the user) visits. These cookies are useful because they save time. However, if you do not wish to keep them into your computer, then you will have the choice of removing them all.
Registry: Contains the settings and layout of the software and hardware on a computer system. It needs to be cleared up in order to make the computer system run more effectively because it can speed up your PC.
Disk Defragmentation:
Disk Defragmentation is software utility that can be carried out by the user and it makes a computer run more conveniently.
When you save a file, the space on the hard disk begins to fill and if files are saved in different places, it will then result in your computer becoming overall slower than it was before because the access time increases. When you delete a file, space becomes available. The space that is available is shown as ‘gaps’ on the map of the disk. Then, when you save new files, these gaps are being filled randomly. However, this also takes up some space.
Disk Defragmentation is software utility that can be carried out by the user and it makes a computer run more conveniently.
When you save a file, the space on the hard disk begins to fill and if files are saved in different places, it will then result in your computer becoming overall slower than it was before because the access time increases. When you delete a file, space becomes available. The space that is available is shown as ‘gaps’ on the map of the disk. Then, when you save new files, these gaps are being filled randomly. However, this also takes up some space.
Drive formatting:
This is used in order to get rid of unnecessarily programs and files. For instance, if a program has viruses on it, you can use drive formatting to delete them. Drive formatting can be used to erase all data on a hard drive. However, it isn’t always secure as the data on the hard drive can be lost. Before you upgrade or change an operating system, you might think of applying this utility to you computer in order to allow you to have a fresh start without bringing any harmful viruses/trojans with you to the new operating system.
This affects the computer's performance positively as it ensures that all the data (with all viruses/trojans) is wiped.
This is used in order to get rid of unnecessarily programs and files. For instance, if a program has viruses on it, you can use drive formatting to delete them. Drive formatting can be used to erase all data on a hard drive. However, it isn’t always secure as the data on the hard drive can be lost. Before you upgrade or change an operating system, you might think of applying this utility to you computer in order to allow you to have a fresh start without bringing any harmful viruses/trojans with you to the new operating system.
This affects the computer's performance positively as it ensures that all the data (with all viruses/trojans) is wiped.
How can software utilities improve the performance of computer systems?
Disk Defragmentation improves the performance of a computer system by decreasing the access time (time taken to recover data from storage) on the computer. This is done by organising your files and data inside your computer so they become easier to read.
Therefore, the use of disk defragmenter has some effect on a computer's performance as it can make your computer faster by decreasing the access time. This is done by organising your files and data inside your computer in order to make them easily readable.
Drive formatting is needed in every storage device in order for the device to be used. However, if there were any files stored on the drive, they would be lost due to the formatting. The results of this process gives the hard drive a new fresh start as it has been reset. When this utility is applied, you have to be ready to lose all of your data. However, this shouldn't be a concern as you can always have a back up for that data, in case you really needed it. This leads to having less files on your device, and so the hard drive will be able to read data faster. Hence, drive formatting can improve speed and performance over a long period of time.
By not using the Disk clean-up tool, the user will experience a slow computer as there will be a high number of unnecessary files on their PC (since they keep adding up). The purpose of this software utility is to free up space from the space that is filled up on the hard drive, and make the read time of the hard drive faster (as there will be less files on it needed to be read). It checks and reads the hard drive for files that are no longer in use and then removes them. Therefore, by deleting unnecessary files such as the internet history, cookies and registry, it gives the computer extra storage, so it improves the performance of your computer, which for instance could lead to lowering the computer's boot up time.
Disk clean-up tool has a major effect on the computer's performance because whenever the disk clean-up process is activated, it frees up space so it makes the computer have extra storage. Therefore, the performance increases and it can also lower the boot up time of your computer.
Therefore, the use of disk defragmenter has some effect on a computer's performance as it can make your computer faster by decreasing the access time. This is done by organising your files and data inside your computer in order to make them easily readable.
Drive formatting is needed in every storage device in order for the device to be used. However, if there were any files stored on the drive, they would be lost due to the formatting. The results of this process gives the hard drive a new fresh start as it has been reset. When this utility is applied, you have to be ready to lose all of your data. However, this shouldn't be a concern as you can always have a back up for that data, in case you really needed it. This leads to having less files on your device, and so the hard drive will be able to read data faster. Hence, drive formatting can improve speed and performance over a long period of time.
By not using the Disk clean-up tool, the user will experience a slow computer as there will be a high number of unnecessary files on their PC (since they keep adding up). The purpose of this software utility is to free up space from the space that is filled up on the hard drive, and make the read time of the hard drive faster (as there will be less files on it needed to be read). It checks and reads the hard drive for files that are no longer in use and then removes them. Therefore, by deleting unnecessary files such as the internet history, cookies and registry, it gives the computer extra storage, so it improves the performance of your computer, which for instance could lead to lowering the computer's boot up time.
Disk clean-up tool has a major effect on the computer's performance because whenever the disk clean-up process is activated, it frees up space so it makes the computer have extra storage. Therefore, the performance increases and it can also lower the boot up time of your computer.