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Setting Up Your Programs
In this chapter
m Installing or updating system software
m Installing your programs
m Working with several programs at a time
m Using the Scrapbook
m Using a RAM disk
Installing or updating system software
System software is the set of programs and other files that your
computer uses to start itself up, keep track of your files, and run
the application programs you use. When you turn on your
computer, it looks for a disk that contains the system software,
which is always in a folder called the System Folder. Any disk that
contains a System Folder with system software inside it is a startup
disk. The startup disk is usually the hard disk that’s inside your
computer, though another hard disk or a floppy disk can also be a
startup disk.
If your Macintosh cannot find a startup disk, it displays this icon in
the middle of the screen:
If you see this icon, you need to install system software on your
computer’s internal hard disk or you need to attach it to an
external hard disk that contains the system software.
v If your hard disk already has system software on it and you
see this icon: Your hard disk or system software may be
damaged, and you may need to reinstall the system software.
See the section on testing and repairing disks in the chapter
on disks. v
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Chapter 6