Operating Systems Basics

Questions and Answers

To manage computer hardware resources and provide common services to computer programs

Single-User Single-Tasking OS

Managing hardware resources

To allow the OS to communicate with hardware devices Signup and view all the answers

To provide interfaces between the OS and applications Signup and view all the answers

To create, run, and manage processes Signup and view all the answers

To provide a file system, allowing users to create, delete, and manage files Signup and view all the answers

To manage input/output operations between devices and the system Signup and view all the answers

To provide mechanisms for controlling access to system resources Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

An operating system (OS) is a software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services to computer programs.
The OS acts as an intermediary between computer hardware and user-level applications.

Single-User Single-Tasking OS: Allows one user to perform one task at a time (e.g., MS-DOS).
Single-User Multi-Tasking OS: Allows one user to perform multiple tasks simultaneously (e.g., Windows, macOS).
Multi-User OS: Allows multiple users to access the system simultaneously (e.g., Linux, Unix).
Multi-Tasking OS: Allows multiple tasks to run concurrently (e.g., Windows, macOS).

Kernel: The core of the OS, responsible for managing hardware resources.
Device Drivers: Software components that allow the OS to communicate with hardware devices.
System Calls: Interfaces between the OS and applications, providing access to OS services.
System Libraries: Pre-built functions that applications can use to interact with the OS.

Process Management: Creates, runs, and manages processes (programs) running on the system.
Memory Management: Manages the allocation and deallocation of system memory.
File Management: Provides a file system, allowing users to create, delete, and manage files.
Input/Output (I/O) Management: Manages input/output operations between devices and the system.
Security: Provides mechanisms for controlling access to system resources.

Command Interpretation: Interprets and executes user commands.
Interrupt Handling: Handles interrupts generated by hardware devices.
Resource Allocation: Manages the allocation and deallocation of system resources.
Error Handling: Detects and responds to errors and exceptions.

Manages computer hardware resources and provides common services to computer programs.
Acts as an intermediary between computer hardware and user-level applications.

Single-User Single-Tasking OS: allows one user to perform one task at a time, e.g., MS-DOS.
Single-User Multi-Tasking OS: allows one user to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, e.g., Windows, macOS.
Multi-User OS: allows multiple users to access the system simultaneously, e.g., Linux, Unix.
Multi-Tasking OS: allows multiple tasks to run concurrently, e.g., Windows, macOS.

Kernel: manages hardware resources and is the core of the OS.
Device Drivers: software components that allow the OS to communicate with hardware devices.
System Calls: interfaces between the OS and applications, providing access to OS services.
System Libraries: pre-built functions that applications can use to interact with the OS.

Process Management: creates, runs, and manages processes (programs) running on the system.
Memory Management: manages the allocation and deallocation of system memory.
File Management: provides a file system, allowing users to create, delete, and manage files.
Input/Output (I/O) Management: manages input/output operations between devices and the system.
Security: provides mechanisms for controlling access to system resources.

Command Interpretation: interprets and executes user commands.
Interrupt Handling: handles interrupts generated by hardware devices.
Resource Allocation: manages the allocation and deallocation of system resources.
Error Handling: detects and responds to errors and exceptions.