Computing Fundamentals

Explore the fundamentals of operating systems, including what an OS is, basic configurations, and how hardware and software—applications and the OS—work together to boost productivity using the Windows control panel.

Explore how applications and hardware interact with an operating system, uncover its history and usefulness, and learn essential features like file navigation and the importance of updates.

Explore how operating systems translate user actions into hardware tasks, from DOS to Windows, via drivers and a common interface. Understand file extensions and associations that map files to apps.

Explore the old days of the command line interface, where eight-letter commands and single-task runs limited productivity, and see how the operating system translates commands between applications, hardware, and drivers.

The modern operating system introduced a graphical user interface that provides a consistent look, feel, and behavior across applications, with icons, windows, and common commands.

Explore how to use a modern weather app to plan a 5k race in Danbury by enabling location services, searching for Danbury Connecticut, and viewing current conditions, forecasts, and maps.

Switch between calendar and weather to schedule post-race events for a New York 5K, check the forecast, and save the event with date and time.

Learn operating system features, including startup routines that check hardware, safe shutdown to prevent corruption, memory management with RAM and hard drives, and locking, hibernate, and log on/off for security.

Learn Windows 7 desktop basics: taskbar, start button, quick launch, and notifications, then manipulate and resize windows; understand file extensions and explorer views with Notepad, Word, and Excel.

Explore how directory infrastructure organizes data with folders and subfolders, and learn to move or copy files, search within structures, and secure data through encryption and compression.

Master Windows 8 file management using File Explorer, libraries, and ribbons. Copy, paste, cut, and move items, create folders, use keyboard shortcuts, and manage the recycle bin.

Explore how hardware enables input and output across devices like printers, keyboards, and mice. Learn how drivers translate commands to the operating system and why digital signing protects driver downloads.

Explore how graphical user interfaces ensure consistency across applications, reducing development costs and standardizing how you run programs, while the command line interface relies on typing commands.

Navigate windows via control panel, adjust security settings like Windows Firewall and Windows Defender, and tailor mouse behavior; use a web browser to search sites, go back, and save favorites.

Sign in to Windows 8 and organize the start screen by managing tiles, pinning or unpinning apps, resizing and moving tiles, and using all apps and the charm bar.

Explore how to access the account ID menu, switch users, sign out, lock, and log in, with a quick look at the admin CA support account and shutdown behavior.

Open the charms panel by moving the mouse to the top right; use the sidebar and search to access apps, settings, and mail app, then return to the start screen.

Master managing files and folders in Windows Explorer by creating folders, deleting or moving items, copying, using undo, drag-and-drop, cut, copy, paste, and the recycle bin restore.

Navigate the desktop and taskbar, use the start button and switcher, review pinned apps and the action center, observe the recycle bin, notification area, Windows Defender, and firewall.

Explore directory infrastructure that organizes information into folders and subfolders, uses Windows Explorer to search, view files with icons, and understand hidden system files and extensions viewed through options.

Learn how operating system updates and patches fix bugs and repair vulnerabilities, introduce new features, and sometimes provide hotfixes to keep your system safe and up to date.

Navigate the control panel, using category views and backtracking, then explore system and security updates, check for updates, install them, and review update history for security and reliability.

Configure the operating system to create a user-friendly environment by adjusting visuals, backgrounds, colors, and accessibility options, and customize input devices, drivers, and languages for better productivity.

Choose and customize your desktop by selecting a solid color or image as background, apply themes and font styles from cursive to printed, and explore screensavers to personalize the experience.

Learn how to customize the Windows background and colors while understanding resolution, pixels, and how higher resolutions create more screen space on your monitor for information.

Explore how to customize Windows appearance by adjusting themes, desktop background, colors, and resolution, and learn to access personalization via Start or control panel.

Explore the desktop window elements, manage and arrange multiple windows with snap, maximize, minimize, and taskbar features, and customize the quick access toolbar for faster document work.

Explore what an application is and how it interacts with the operating system, outlining what it takes for users to work with the software.

Explore how applications use the operating system to access input devices like a microphone, record audio, and save files via a graphical user interface and wizards for Access.

Understand software as data interpreted by the operating system through graphical user interfaces and input devices. Practice using applications and wizards to install features and master how programs request input.

Create individual user accounts and assign file permissions; use UAC and group policy to prevent unauthorized software installs and defend against zero-click attacks.

Explore how to use the control panel to configure your operating system, adjust software and hardware settings, manage display resolution and power options, and extend battery life.

Learn to manage software in Windows with add or delete programs, uninstall options, and optional features like games accessible via control panel.

Demonstrates adding and removing software with a guided installer and uninstall via the control panel. Emphasizes verifying digital signatures from Apple Incorporated and reviewing the end user license agreement.

Discover how computer hardware powers operations through the system board, CPU, memory, and hard drives at gigahertz speeds. Explore peripherals and network interface cards, wired and wifi.

Explore visual devices, or output monitors, and how resolution affects information visible on screen. Learn to use two monitors to extend or duplicate your desktop and connect projectors for presentations.

Set and synchronize date and time from desktop or control panel, and learn why a network time protocol server (A.P. server) keeps clocks accurate for encryption and prevents man-in-the-middle warnings.

Learn how a client-server network shares resources through file, print, mail, and web servers. See how clients such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones access these centralized resources.

Explain what the operating system and application software are, how to configure the OS and control panel, and how OS, apps, and hardware interact, including data organization and security.

Explore computer and networking terminology by defining hardware and peripherals, contrasting temporary and permanent storage, and examining connectivity devices and network components that enable computer-to-computer communication.

Explore hardware and peripherals, focusing on processors such as microprocessors and their role in computers, and examine input and output devices.

Understand how the central processing unit processes instructions per second, from single, dual, and quad cores, and how input and output devices, monitors, printers, mice, keyboards connect to the computer.

Explore storage concepts by examining storage device types and how a hard drive works. Learn how read and write operations retrieve and store information in storage.

Adjust your computer’s audio output and mouse settings—balance volume, tune double-click speed, and customize pointer size, shadow, trails, and other input behavior.

Trace how memory evolved from volatile RAM and nonvolatile ROM and flash memories to solid-state drives, USB drives, and magnetic hard disks, using bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, and other storage scales.

Understand how a hard drive stores data in sectors through formatting and a file system with addresses, how the read/write head accesses files, and NTFS permissions and encryption.

Explore fundamental storage concepts, including hard drives and removable usb drives, view capacity and free space, organize files, and safely eject devices.

Explore connectivity devices and the different types of servers, and understand the client–server design, including how a desktop operates as a client.

Servers are powerful computers that provide centralized resources and services. Domain controllers authenticate users, file and collaboration servers share data, web servers host pages, and cloud services enable internet access.

Explore client-server architecture by examining why a server provides centralized resources and how diverse clients—from desktops to laptops, tablets, and smartphones—access them, highlighting bring your own device trends.

Discover how devices are interconnected and learn the roles of switches, routers, and firewalls in network security.

Explore how Ethernet networks use MAC addresses and switches to forward traffic, manage broadcasts, and partition broadcast domains to reduce congestion in multi-switch topologies.

Block broadcast traffic by using routers to segment networks, assign IP addresses to identify broadcast domains and hosts, and route traffic between networks with a zip-code analogy.

Learn to view and troubleshoot Windows network settings by checking connections in the notification bar, opening the network and sharing center, and using ipconfig to view IP, gateway, and DNS.

Describe how a firewall protects a local area network by tracking allowed sessions, blocking unsolicited traffic, and using next-generation layer 7 inspection to identify apps and malware.

Explore hardware peripherals, storage types (solid state flash, hard drives), RAM, connectivity devices, and network components to understand terminology and basic device functions for networks and security.

Explore software and operating systems, cover licensing to ensure lawful use, and demonstrate installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling software, plus utilities that enhance system safety.

Explore software and concepts by examining software management and mapping how we use software in practice.

Install and manage software on Windows using the control panel, handle OEM preinstalled programs, and troubleshoot uninstall and reinstall through the Windows registry to maintain system health.

Identify malware types such as viruses, worms, and trojans and how attachments or downloads can spread them, and learn how Windows Defender, anti-virus scanning, and digital signatures help prevent infection.

Understand how software updates fix bugs and close vulnerabilities, provide new features via patches and service packs, and manage upgrades, hotfix, and upgrade paths with a license.

Explore Windows Defender settings, including real-time protection, definitions updates, and the history view with admin prompts. Learn to customize exclusions, scanning options, and quick scans for protection.

Explore software licensing and upgrades, learn why most software requires payment, review different licensing types, and understand the hazards of pirating.

Explore freeware, shareware, and open source licenses (including Linux), and learn how end user license agreements govern use, changes, and redistribution.

Learn how BitTorrent and peer-to-peer networks enable software piracy and the legal risks, including penalties, while emphasizing reading the end user license agreement and digital signatures for security.

Identify licensing terms from the Free Software Foundation and distinguish freeware, shareware, and open source while evaluating download sources and avoiding piracy risks.

Explore the limits of using software, compare data solutions for presentations, publishing, and media content, and learn how to use software to work with media.

Explore how hardware limitations affect software performance, including slow input devices, limited storage, insufficient memory, and processor constraints. Check minimum hardware requirements to ensure timely operations.

Explore PowerPoint and other presentation software, where slides with bullet points use arrows that fly in and text that appears, viewable on projectors or web pages.

Explore how publishing differs from on-screen presentation and learn to create printed media using Microsoft Publisher templates to design brochures, business cards, and pamphlets with correct formatting and folding.

Explore how content and entertainment shape advertising, branding, and web graphics, from logos to video production. See how Adobe software helps design graphics, create content, and publish videos on YouTube.

Explore the evolution of media work from slow, hardware-bound video editing and car-accident reconstruction to fast, modern tools, and discover freeware, shareware, and paid programs.

Explore applications used for publications and presentations, including PowerPoint for on-screen slides, Publisher for brochures, and spreadsheets for data, payroll, and inventory.

Explore practical software tools that may not be flashy but help present data and manage your operating system alongside other application options.

Explore why a database differs from a spreadsheet by maintaining data integrity across related tables using primary keys, relational links, and connected records, unlike standalone cells.

Compare database and spreadsheet data management using Excel and Access demos, highlighting tables, records, fields, and data integrity. Examine sorting, totals, and how databases support inventory and customer order tracking.

Explore how file compression uses algorithms to shrink data without losing integrity, replacing patterns with symbols to save space and speed up transmission, though decompression rebuilds data from symbol table.

Discover how to compress files and folders in Windows Explorer to save disk space. Apply compress contents on items or folders and learn when compression improves sharing for email transfers.

Manage partitions and volumes to protect data by separating operating system and documents, and explore striping and raid options for high availability across multiple drives.

Detect malware threats by scanning data for signatures across files, emails, and web data, triggering warnings when patterns match viruses, spyware, or unwanted software.

Explore core software concepts, including applications and operating systems, tools you would use, how to use software, repairing installations, removing software, and ensuring compliance with license agreements.

Identify common software and hardware issues, explore devices and peripherals, and implement backup and restore strategies to prevent data loss. Learn practical troubleshooting steps to safeguard information.

Learn software basics, keep updated versions, and remove malware. Boot Windows in safe mode, research issues via the knowledge base, and manage tasks and processes.

Keep software up to date by enabling automatic updates to fix bugs and add features, while enterprise change controls test patches before deployment to avoid downtime, noting patch risks.

Identify malware types such as viruses, worms, and trojan horses, and protect systems with antivirus software, firewalls, and virtualization snapshots; use restore points and imaging with backups to recover.

Boot Windows in safe mode with basic drivers to troubleshoot startup issues. Use f8 to access it, remove problematic drivers, and recover using last known good, versioning, or recovery disk.

Explore knowledge bases and online resources like TechNet, Yahoo Answers, Ask.com, and blogs to troubleshoot by researching similar problems and finding steps, such as enabling Outlook's index feature.

Explore how to use windows help and support to find step-by-step guidance, including keyword search, videos, and settings changes, plus online sources like TechNet for different versions.

Identify how the task manager monitors running processes, hardware indicators, network and memory usage, and how to diagnose bottlenecks. Learn to end unresponsive applications to improve performance.

Learn how to use task manager to view running applications and processes, sort by cpu and memory, and safely end tasks while monitoring cpu, memory, and network usage.

Explore hardware, devices, and peripherals, and examine firmware as the software installed on them, while checking cables, connections, and common device issues.

Explore how firmware powers hardware devices, how flashing updates the read-only memory, and why digitally signed firmware matters to prevent printer hacks.

Explore how serial, parallel, usb, firewire, and wireless connections affect data transmission, with troubleshooting tips for loose or broken cables and interference from walls. Longer cables increase break risk.

Explore how firmware and peripheral devices rely on drivers, and learn how updates and driver reinstallation fix bugs and corruption to keep hardware working.

Learn to back up your data regularly to protect against data loss when reinstalling the operating system or programs and to enable easy restoration.

Backups copy important data and store it offsite to guard against drive failure. Cloud backups and versioning keep files accessible across devices, with the service provider handling backup and security.

Explore how to perform a backup with Windows backup software, choose files and libraries to back up, and perform a restore using the same tool.

Learn practical software troubleshooting steps, from recognizing bugs and file corruption to performing updates or reinstalls, checking hardware cable connections, and restoring data from backups after a reinstall.

Explore the fundamentals of operating systems and programs, and learn computer and network terminology. Practice using software with the operating system and troubleshoot common issues.