Unit 1 Question and Answer

OPERATING SYSTEM – UNIT I QUESTIONS
2 Marks Questions:
1. Define Operating System.
2. What is Batch system?
3. Define System Calls.
4. What are the difference between library functions & System calls?
5. Define Kernel.
6. What are the difference between kernel & distributions?
7. What is time sharing system?
8. Define Virtual Machine.
5 Marks Questions:
1. Briefly explain about the command interpreter system.
2. Explain the components of Operating System.
3. Explain the concepts of Virtual machine and its advantages.
12 Marks Questions:
1. Explain the following types of operating system
a)Batch
b)Time-sharing
c)Distributed
d)Real-time
e) Interactive
2. What is operating system? Explain different services of an operating system.
3. What is the purpose of system calls? Categorize and list the system calls typically provided by
an operating system.
4. Briefly explain about the different structures of Operating System Design.

1. An operating system (OS) is a software program that manages computer hardware
resources, provides common services for computer programs, and enables
communication between computer hardware and software.
2. A batch system is a type of operating system that processes a large number of similar
jobs as a group, or batch. In a batch system, the user submits jobs to the computer
system, which are then processed one after another without any user interaction until all
jobs are completed.
3. System calls are the mechanism used by programs to request services from the
operating system. They provide an interface between user-level applications and the
kernel, allowing programs to interact with hardware resources and other system
services.
4. Library functions are pre-written functions that are included in programming languages
or libraries and can be called by programs to perform specific tasks. System calls, on the
other hand, are specific requests made by programs to the operating system to perform
privileged operations that cannot be performed by user-level code.
5. The kernel is the core component of an operating system that provides low-level access
to computer hardware and manages system resources such as memory, CPU, and
input/output devices.
6. The kernel is the central component of an operating system, whereas a distribution is a
complete package of software that includes the kernel, along with system utilities,
libraries, and applications. In other words, a distribution is a collection of software built
on top of the kernel that provides a complete user experience.
7. A time-sharing system is a type of operating system that allows multiple users to share a
single computer simultaneously by dividing the CPU time into small time slices, which
are then allocated to each user in turn.
8. A virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a physical computer system that
allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on the same physical machine.
The virtual machine provides an isolated environment for each operating system to run,
allowing multiple applications to run on the same physical machine without interfering
with each other.
1. A command interpreter system, also known as a command line interface or shell, is a
program that allows users to interact with an operating system by typing commands in
a terminal window. The command interpreter system processes the user's input and
executes the requested command by communicating with the operating system kernel.
The user can perform a wide variety of tasks such as managing files and directories,
running programs, and configuring system settings using command line interface.
2. An operating system consists of several components that work together to manage
computer resources and provide services to users. The major components of an
operating system are:
 Kernel: The core component of an operating system that manages system resources
such as memory, CPU, and input/output devices.
 Device drivers: Software components that provide a bridge between hardware devices
and the operating system, allowing the system to communicate with hardware devices
such as printers, keyboards, and network adapters.
 System utilities: Programs that perform tasks such as managing files and directories,
configuring system settings, and monitoring system performance.
 User interface: The interface between the user and the operating system, which can be
graphical, command line-based or a combination of both.
3. A virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a physical computer system that
allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on the same physical machine.
The virtual machine provides an isolated environment for each operating system to run,
allowing multiple applications to run on the same physical machine without interfering
with each other. Some of the advantages of virtual machines are:
 Resource utilization: By using virtual machines, multiple operating systems can run on a
single physical machine, allowing efficient use of hardware resources.
 Isolation: Each virtual machine runs in an isolated environment, providing better security
and stability compared to running multiple applications directly on a physical machine.
 Flexibility: Virtual machines can be easily created, modified and deleted, allowing system
administrators to easily deploy and manage multiple operating systems on a single
physical machine.
 Compatibility: Virtual machines can be used to run legacy operating systems and
applications that may not be compatible with the latest hardware and software
platforms.
1. Types of Operating System:
a) Batch Operating System: In a batch operating system, jobs are submitted to the
computer as a batch and the system processes them in sequence. The user does not
interact with the system while jobs are running. Examples include COBOL and FORTRAN.
b) Time-sharing Operating System: In a time-sharing operating system, multiple users

can interact with the system at the same time. The operating system divides the CPU
time into small time slices and each user gets a time slice to execute their tasks.
Examples include UNIX and Linux.
c) Distributed Operating System: A distributed operating system is a collection of

independent computers that appear to users as a single system. The system manages
resources across multiple machines and provides a transparent interface to users.
Examples include Windows NT and Amoeba.
d) Real-time Operating System: A real-time operating system is designed for

applications that require a predictable response time. It responds to input within a fixed
time frame, typically in the order of milliseconds. Examples include VxWorks and
RTLinux.
e) Interactive Operating System: An interactive operating system allows users to interact
with the system in real-time. It provides an interface that users can interact with through
input devices such as a keyboard or mouse. Examples include Windows and macOS.
2. An operating system is a software program that manages computer hardware resources,

provides common services for computer programs, and enables communication
between computer hardware and software. The different services provided by an
operating system include:
 Memory management: The operating system manages computer memory, allocating
and deallocating memory to different processes as needed.
 Processor management: The operating system schedules processes for execution on the
CPU and manages CPU resources.
 Input/Output management: The operating system manages input/output operations,
allowing processes to interact with peripheral devices such as printers and disks.
 File management: The operating system manages files and directories, providing
services such as file creation, deletion, and access control.
 Device management: The operating system manages hardware devices, providing
services such as device drivers and device configuration.
1. What is the purpose of system calls? System calls are an essential mechanism that allows
programs to interact with the operating system. These are functions provided by the
operating system that programs can use to request services such as file management,
process management, network communication, memory management, and other
operating system resources.
System calls provide a safe and controlled way for programs to access system resources,
ensuring that programs do not interfere with each other or the operating system.
Without system calls, programs would need to implement low-level operations
themselves, which would lead to inconsistencies and potential security vulnerabilities.
2. Categorize and list the system calls typically provided by an operating system. System
calls can be broadly categorized into five categories:
 Process control: These system calls allow programs to create, modify, and terminate
processes. Examples include fork(), exec(), wait(), and exit().
 File management: These system calls provide access to file-related operations such as
create, open, read, write, close, and delete files. Examples include open(), read(), write(),
close(), and unlink().
 Device management: These system calls provide access to device-related operations
such as reading and writing to devices, controlling device status, and setting device
attributes. Examples include ioctl(), read(), and write().
 Information maintenance: These system calls provide information about system
resources such as time, date, and system configuration. Examples include time(),
getpid(), and getuid().
 Communication: These system calls provide a means for processes to communicate with
each other, either locally or over a network. Examples include socket(), bind(), listen(),
and accept().
3. Briefly explain about the different structures of Operating System Design
Operating system design structures can be broadly categorized into two types:
 Monolithic kernel: This design structure has all operating system services running in a
single address space. The kernel provides all services directly to the user-space
programs. It is a tightly integrated system, where all components share the same
memory space and communicate through function calls.
 Microkernel: This design structure has only a minimal kernel that provides a small set of
essential services such as scheduling and interprocess communication. Other operating
system services run in user space, known as servers, which communicate with the kernel
through message passing. This design provides greater flexibility and modularity, but
can incur additional overhead due to message passing between the kernel and servers.
In addition to these, there are hybrid designs that combine aspects of both monolithic
and microkernel architectures, such as the nanokernel architecture. In this design, a
minimal kernel provides basic services such as thread scheduling and interrupt handling,
and other operating system services run as loadable modules that can be dynamically
loaded and unloaded as required.

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OPERATING SYSTEM – UNIT I QUESTIONS

1. Define Operating System.

2. What is Batch system?

3. Define System Calls.

6. What are the difference between kernel & distributions?

7. What is time sharing system?

8. Define Virtual Machine.

1. Briefly explain about the command interpreter system.

2. Explain the components of Operating System.

3. Explain the concepts of Virtual machine and its advantages.

1. Explain the following types of operating system

2. What is operating system? Explain different services of an operating system.

4. Briefly explain about the different structures of Operating System Design.

b) Time-sharing Operating System: In a time-sharing operating system, multiple users

c) Distributed Operating System: A distributed operating system is a collection of

d) Real-time Operating System: A real-time operating system is designed for

2. An operating system is a software program that manages computer hardware resources,

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