TEST 1 - Unit 1 & 2 Flashcards
(46 cards)
What is Operating System?
A program that acts as an intermediary between a user of a computer and the computer hardware
Definition of OS
(Functions/Characteristics/Roles)
- OS is a resource allocator
- it manages all resources
- decides between conflicting requests for efficient and fair resource use - OS is a control program
- control program executions to prevent errors and improper use of the computer
What are the GOALS of OS?
- make computer system convenient to use
- execute programs & make solving user problems easier
What are the computer system components?
- hardware
- operating system
- application programs
- users
Explain each computer system components and provide examples.
- HARDWARE provides basic computing resources.
- CPU, memory, I/O devices - OS controls and coordinates use of hardware among various applications and users
- Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows - APPLICATION PROGRAMS are software applications that perform specific tasks or functions for users.
- compilers, video games, database systems - USERS are Users are individuals or entities who interact with the computer system to perform tasks and utilize software.
- people, machines, other computers
What is “kernel”?
A computer program that runs at all times
What are the two types of boot processes?
- Hard (cold) boot
- powering on the computer when it’s completely turned off - Soft (warm) boot
- restart while the computer is still powered but unresponsive
What are the 4 steps in Boot Process?
- Startup BIOS runs POST and assigns resources
- ROM BIOS startup program searches and loads an OS
- OS configures the system and completes its own loading
- Application software is loaded and executed
Explain Computer System Operations.
- in a comp system, one or more CPUs and device controllers are interconnected through a common bus
- this architecture allows them to
-> access shared memory
-> enabling the concurrent
execution of CPUs and devices
What are the 4 basic components of computer system?
- Processor
- Main Memory
- I/O Modules
- System Bus
What are INTERRUPTS?
Events that pause the normal sequence sequence of proessor
Why do Interrupts exist?
- I/O devices are slower than the processor.
- they allow the processor to continue other tasks while waiting for I/O operations to finish
What are the 4 classes of interrupts?
- Program
- generated when something goes wrong during instruction execution or accessing memory you’re not supposed to - Timer
- generated by a timer within processor
- allows OS to perform certain functions on a regular basis - I/O
- generated by an I/O controller
- signaling they have completed or require attention - Hardware Failure
- generated by a failure such as power failure or memory parity failure
Common Fucntions of Interrupts
- Transfer Control
- interrupts transfer control to specific interrupt service routines through an interrupt vector - Address Preservation
- interrupt architecture must save the address of the interrupted instruction - Interrupt Management
- new interrupts are disabled while another interrupt is being processed to prevent lost interrupt - Traps
- a software-generated interrupt caused either by and error or a user request - OS is interrupt driven
What is Interrupt Handling?
the process of managing interruptions in a computer’s normal operation
Explain about Interrupt Handling.
- CPU stops its current tasks when interrupted and immediately transfers execution to a fixed location
- OS saves the CPU’s state
- It identifies the type of interrupt occurred
- Separate segments of code are used to respond appropriately to each type of interrupt
Explain Interrupt Cycle
Processor checks for interrupt;
- If no interrupts fetch, next instruction of the program is executed
- If an interrupt is pending, suspend execution of the current program and execute interrupt handling
What are the 2 types of I/O Structure and their difference(s)?
Synchronous and Asynchronous
In synchronous I/O, control returns to user program only upon I/O completion while in Asynchronous IO, control returns to user program without waiting for I/O completion
What is Uniprogramming?
processor must wait for I/O instruction to complete before preceding
(1 program at a time)
What is Multiprogramming?
when one job needs to wait for I/O, the processor can switch to the other job
(allows multiple programs to be loaded into the computer’s memory at the same time)
What’s the importance of Multiprogramming?
it’s needed for efficiency
- single user cant keep CPU and I/O devices busy all the time
- MP organizes jobs so CPU always has one to execute
- a subset of total jobs in system is kept in memory
- one job selected and run via job scheduling
- when it has to wait, OS switches to another job
What is Job Scheduling?
to choose which job is the priority/more important
What is Time Sharing?
a logical extension in which CPU switches jobs so frequently that users can interact with each job while it is running, creating interactive computing
What is the concept of Time Sharing?
- use Multiprogramming to handle multiple interactive jobs
- allows multiple users to share a single computer’s resources simultaneously by dividing CPU time into small slices.