3.8 Utility Software

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 Utility Software: -

  • Utility software is a type of system software designed to help analyze, configure, optimize, and maintain a computer.
  • Utility software supports the infrastructure and core functionality of the operating system.
  • The primary Goal of utility software is to run the computer smoothly, efficiently, and securely.
  • The four major types of utility software:

                1. Antivirus

                2. Backup

                3. File compression

                4. System clean-up tools

 

1) Antivirus: -

  • Antivirus software is a utility program that protects the computer from malicious software such as viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, and ransomware.
  • It designed to detect viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and adware and prevent from it to protect the computer.
  • It scans files and programs for known virus signatures.
  • It monitors system activities for suspicious behaviour.it removes or quarantines infected files.
  • It provides real-time protection against threats.
  • It updates virus definitions regularly to detect new threats.
  • If you download a file from the internet, the antivirus scans it automatically. If it detects a virus, it either deletes the file or moves it to quarantine for safety.
  • Examples of Antivirus are:

                    Windows Microsoft Defender,

                    Avast Antivirus,

                    Quick Heal Antivirus,

                    Norton Antivirus,

                    McAfee Antivirus,

                    Kaspersky Antivirus,

                    Norton Antivirus,

                    McAfee Total Protection.

 

2) Backup: -

  • Backup software is used to create copies of data to protect against data loss due to system failure, malware attack, accidental deletion or natural disasters.
  • It is a tool that can be restored in case the original data is lost or corrupted.
  • It creates duplicate copies of files, folders, or entire drives.
  • It allows scheduling of automatic backups.
  • It enables easy data restoration when needed.
  • Types of backups:

                a) Full Back up: Copies all files and folders.

                b) Incremental Backup: Copies only changed files since the last backup.

                c) Differential Back up: Copies files changed since the last full backup.

  • Examples of backup are:

                    Windows Backup and Restore,

                    Acronis True Image,

                    Google Drive,

                    OneDrive,

                    Dropbox,

                    iCloud.

 

3) File compression: -

  • File compression is a utility software which reduces the size of one or more files and folders to save storage space, decrease transfer time, and simplify file sharing.
  • This is done by using algorithms to eliminate redundant data, allowing for more efficient storage and faster transmission over networks or the internet.
  • It compresses large files into smaller formats.
  • It decompresses (extracts) files back to original form.
  • It creates archives containing multiple files in a single compressed folder.
  • It saves disk space and improves data transfer speed.
  • Before emailing a folder containing multiple images, you can compress it into a .zip file, reducing its size and making it easier to send.
  • Common File Formats: .zip, .rar, .7z, .tar.gz
  • Examples of file compression software:

                    WinRAR,

                    WinZip,

                    7-Zip,

                    PeaZip,

                    Bandizip.

  • There are two types of file compression methods

 a) Lossless Compression: The original data can be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed         data. Used for applications where every bit must be preserved, such as executables (.exe),                 documents, and spreadsheets.

            Example: Zipping a .docx file. When unzipped, the document is identical to the original.

b) Lossy Compression: Permanently removes some data, typically data that is less critical to                 human perception (e.g., certain sound frequencies or colors). Used for images, audio, and                  video.

        Example: Converting a .WAV file to an .MP3 or a .BMP image to a .JPEG. The quality is reduced,                             but the file size is significantly smaller.

 

3) System clean-up tools: -

  • System clean-up tools are utilities that is designed to free up disk space by remove unnecessary files, fixing registry errors, managing start-up programs and optimize system performance by removing unnecessary, temporary, and redundant files that accumulate over time.
  • It deletes temporary files, cache, and browser history.
  • It cleans invalid registry entries.
  • It uninstalls unwanted programs and frees up disk space.
  • It improves system speed and start-up time.
  • Examples of system clean-up tools are:

                    Windows Disk Cleanup

                    CCleaner,

                    BleachBit,

                    CleanMyPC.



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