Utility Programmes
UTILITY PROGRAMS/UTILITIES
These are programs which improve the performance of the operating system
These are used to generally enhance, support and expand the existing programs on a
computer system.
Examples of utility programs:
File viewer
This allows you to display and copy contains of a file.
Examples include windows explorer
File compression
This shrinks the size of a file and frees up room on storage media.
Examples include: PKZIP, WINZIP
Diagnostic utility
This compiles technical information about hardware and system software programs and
prepares a report outlining and identified problem for example Dr. Watson
Uninstaller
This removes an application as well as associated entries in the system files for example
McAfee’s uninstaller.
Disk scanner
This detects and corrects both physical and logical problems on hard disks and floppy
diskettes and also searches and removes unnecessary files.
The file allocation table is a table of information that the operating system uses to
locate files on a disk.
Disk defragmenter
This reorganizes files and unused space on a computer’s hard disk to access data more
quickly and programs to run faster.
Backup utility
This allows you to copy selected files or your entire hard disk onto another disk or tape.
It is also a program that will make duplicate copies of information from one storage
device to another.
It is helpful to avoid loss of sensitive data incase the storage media crashes.
Screen saver
This is a utility that causes a monitor’s screen to display a moving image or blank screen
if no keyboard or mouse activity occurs for a specified time period.
It is a moving pattern or bitmap that appears on your computer screen after the
computer has not been used for a specified time period.
Uses of a screen saver
- Provides security for your system when you are away
Business for example advertising - Entertainment by use of digital photos moving
- Prevents ghosting that involves images permanently being etched on a
monitor.
Anti virus utility
It is a utility that prevents, detects and removes viruses from a computer system.
Sorting utility
This is a program designed to arrange records into a pre-determined sequence.
Such programs are often used to sort files or data in a specific order to ease their access
and update.
Data recovery
It is a utility program used to delete a file or information that has been accidentally
deleted from a computer.
The data you are trying to recover may be on a hard disk or diskette.
Software monitors
These are utility programs designed to check the activity of specific aspect of a
computer system to ascertain where the bottleneck exists and try to fix them for
example software related problems which usually occur when there is a physical defect
on storage media.
Debugger
A special program used to find errors (bugs) in other programs. A debugger allows a
programmer to stop a program at any point and examine and change the values of
variables.
What is a Bug?
An error or defect in software or hardware that causes a program to malfunction. Often
a bug is caused by conflicts in software when applications try to run in tandem
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