Operating Systems and Programming Terminology

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following best describes a 'process' in an operating system?

A temporary storage area for data processing

A random collection of jobs submitted by the user

A job that cannot be divided into smaller tasks

A sequence of instructions executed by the processor (correct)

What is the primary function of an operating system as a resource manager?

To develop new software applications for the user

To increase the overall processing speed of the computer

To execute software programs directly without any user input

To manage and allocate system resources efficiently and resolve conflicts (correct)

What role does the operating system play in multiprogramming?

It combines all job steps into a single program

It limits the number of processes that can run concurrently

It allocates resources fairly among competing processes (correct)

It prevents any job from being executed until all are completed

What is the role of the control unit in a computer system?

To coordinate the execution of instructions in a processor Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'job' in operating system terminology?

A collection of activities needed to perform a task Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the operating system in resource management?

Collecting user data for personalization Signup and view all the answers

What types of processes are typically managed by an operating system?

I/O processes and CPU processes Signup and view all the answers

When a user submits a job to the operating system, what happens next?

The OS creates several process from the job Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of I/O processors?

To operate I/O devices Signup and view all the answers

Which type of I/O channel can only service one device at a time?

Selector channel Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum number of devices that a multiplexor channel can service simultaneously?

256 Signup and view all the answers

Which I/O device types are typically serviced by multiplexor channels?

Card readers and card punches Signup and view all the answers

What is a key advantage of I/O channels in computer systems?

They allow multiple devices to be connected to a single channel Signup and view all the answers

How does the CPU communicate with the I/O processor?

By means of interrupts Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of the disparity in speed between the CPU and I/O devices?

Creation of I/O processors Signup and view all the answers

What instruction type typically takes significantly longer to execute compared to typical CPU instructions?

READ CARD instruction Signup and view all the answers

What is required to execute a START I/O instruction?

The Channel number and the beginning address of the channel program Signup and view all the answers

Which bit range is used to contain the channel address in the I/O instruction format?

Bits 16-23 Signup and view all the answers

What does the condition code '2' indicate after executing an I/O instruction?

The device is busy Signup and view all the answers

Which technique allows the processing of I/O operations to overlap with CPU operations?

Double Buffering Signup and view all the answers

How many cards can the multiple card buffering technique support at a time?

60 cards Signup and view all the answers

What is the format of the Channel Status Word (CSW)?

Provides detailed status of an I/O device Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of interrupts in CPU I/O processing?

To save the CPU status for later restart Signup and view all the answers

Which I/O instruction indicates that the operation has completed successfully and the device is not busy?

TEST I/O Signup and view all the answers

What does the Program Status Word (PSW) store regarding the CPU?

Instruction sequencing and system status Signup and view all the answers

Which instruction is NOT associated with managing the Program Status Word?

Reset System Status Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interrupt is used when an operation requiring additional attention is needed?

I/O Signup and view all the answers

Which function of memory management is focused on tracking memory usage?

Memory Tracking Signup and view all the answers

Which memory management technique allows for non-contiguous allocation?

Paged Memory Management Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main types of memory management mentioned?

Paged and Segmented Memory Management Signup and view all the answers

In a multiprogramming environment, what is a key responsibility of memory management?

Allocate memory to concurrent processes Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interrupt is associated with an issue detected in hardware?

Machine-check Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic structure of a single contiguous memory allocation?

Main memory is divided into two partitions. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a requirement for single contiguous memory allocation?

Memory management does not need special hardware. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the boundary register in memory protection?

To intercept instructions that access OS memory incorrectly. Signup and view all the answers

What happens if a user process tries to access an address outside its allocated memory area?

The operating system generates a memory protection violation interrupt. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the functions of memory management in single contiguous allocation?

To allocate memory for user processes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about single contiguous allocation is incorrect?

It supports efficient multiprogramming. Signup and view all the answers

In single contiguous memory allocation, how is the operating system memory typically structured?

It has a fixed size separated from the user area. Signup and view all the answers

When is a memory protection violation intercept generated?

When a user process attempts to access OS memory. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Programming Terminology

Software consists of programs that carry out tasks, while a program is a sequence of instructions.
Programs reside in main memory during execution but are stored on secondary storage devices like disks, drums, or tapes.
The operating system (OS) creates an environment for executing programs, such as compilers.

Operating System Terminology

A job comprises multiple activities submitted by a user to the OS.
Jobs can be broken down into sequential units known as job steps.
Once a job is accepted, the OS generates processes that run concurrently.
Address spaces include I/O processes and CPU processes.

Multiprogramming

Systems may run several processes simultaneously.
Two main execution states exist: user state and supervisor state.

Operating System Resource Management

The OS functions as a resource manager for memory, processors, and peripheral devices.
It resolves conflicts for resource allocation to ensure fair and efficient operations.
The OS maintains a status log for each resource and makes decisions on allocation and deallocation.

I/O Programming

Early computer systems consisted of the CPU, main storage, and I/O devices.
I/O instructions managed device operations one at a time, revealing speed disparities between the CPU and I/O devices.
I/O processors (or channels) enable data flow between I/O devices and main memory.

Types of I/O Channels

Simple and complex I/O channels can service multiple devices; up to 256 devices can connect to one channel.
Selector channels attend to one high-speed device at a time.
Multiplexor channels serve multiple slow devices simultaneously.

I/O Programming Concepts

The CPU starts, tests, and halts I/O operations using designated instructions and communicates with the I/O processor via interrupts.
Status codes indicate whether a device is busy, operational, or ready.

Buffering Techniques

Single buffering uses one area for reading while the CPU processes data, often leading to idle time for either the CPU or the I/O channel.
Double buffering accelerates card processing by reading into one buffer while another is printed.

Interrupt Structure and Processing

An interrupt signifies an asynchronous event and saves the CPU's state for later resumption.
The Program Status Word (PSW) preserves the CPU's condition during interrupts, influencing instruction sequence and system status.
Interrupts classified into five types: I/O, program, supervisor call, external, and machine-check.

Memory Management

Memory management is crucial for handling primary memory within the OS.
Functions include tracking memory usage, deciding process allocations, and memory allocation and deallocation.

Memory Management Techniques

Includes various strategies: contiguous, partitioned, paged, demand-paged, segmented, and combined segmented/demand-paged methods.
Swapping and overlays are additional memory management techniques implemented for efficiency.

Contiguous vs Non-Contiguous Storage Allocation

Contiguous allocation requires programs to occupy single memory blocks.
Non-contiguous allocation permits programs to be divided into blocks scattered throughout memory.

Single Contiguous Allocation

Simplistic memory management divides memory into OS and user process partitions.
No specialized hardware is required, but it does not support multiprogramming.

Boundary Register

The boundary register holds the highest address used by the OS, ensuring user processes do not access OS memory.
Violations lead to interrupts, terminating the offending job with an error message.

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Description

This quiz covers essential concepts related to operating systems and programming. Topics include the relationship between programs and software, job management, multiprogramming, and resource management within an OS. Test your knowledge of how these elements interact in a computing environment.