UNIVERSITY OF EMBU
2023/2024 ACADEMIC YEAR
SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION
SECOND YEAR EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
COMPUTER SCIENCE, BACHELOR OF MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING,
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION
CSC 223: OPERATING SYSTEMS
DATE: 27/03/2024 TIME: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
INSTRUCTIONS:
Answer Question ONE and ANY Other TWO Questions.
QUESTION ONE (30 MARKS)
a) In file management, two terms are used during file organization. Differentiate with relevant
examples between the fixed-length records and the variable-length records (4 Marks)
b) In early memory management the fixed partitions scheme was developed to fix the problems of the
previous scheme but had its own problems. Briefly state how the scheme worked while listing one
advantage and one disadvantage of the scheme. (4 Marks)
c) The best-fit and first-fit are memory allocation schemes. Differentiate between the two while
identifying one advantage and one disadvantage of each scheme. (6 Marks)
d) Virtual memory with segmentation has many benefits over virtual memory with paging. Briefly
discuss two of these benefits (4 Marks)
e) Threads are a critical part of multithreading. Threads offer several benefits regarding performance.
Briefly discuss three of these benefits in regard to performance. (6 Marks)
f) Briefly discuss any three conditions necessary for a deadlock to occur. (6 Marks)
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QUESTION TWO (20 MARKS)
a) Worst-fit is an allocation algorithm that allocates the largest free block to a new job. It is the
opposite of the best-fit algorithm. Using the following configuration with jobs arriving in order (Job
A, B, C, and D) and with blocks shown in order from low-order memory to high-order memory
Job List: Memory Block List:
Job Number Memory Requested Memory Block Memory Block Size
Job A 44k Block 1 250K
Job B 220k Block 2 900K
Job C 670k Block 3 280K
Job D 64k Block 4 200K
Block 5 750K
i). Indicate which memory blocks are allocated to each of the arriving jobs.
(4 Marks)
ii). Using external and internal fragmentation explain which one would be expected in a worst-
fit memory allocation scheme. (3 Marks)
b) In a system using the fixed partitions memory allocation scheme, given the following situation:
After Job J is loaded into a partition of size 50K, the resulting fragmentation is 7168 bytes. Perform
the following:
i). Calculate the size of Job J in bytes (show working out) (4 Marks)
ii). Briefly discuss the type of fragmentation caused (3 Marks)
c) Explain the function of the Page Map Table within the page memory allocation scheme and demand
paging memory allocation scheme. (6 Marks)
QUESTION THREE (20 MARKS)
a) Five jobs arrive nearly simultaneously for processing and their estimated CPU cycles are,
respectively: Job A 52 ms , Job B 512 ms , Job C 515 ms , Job D 57 ms , and Job E 53 ms.
i). Using FCFS, and a timeline diagram show the order the jobs would they be processed
(5 Marks)
ii). Calculate the total time required to process all five jobs (2 Marks)
iii). Calculate the average turnaround time for each of these five jobs (3 Marks)
iv). Using SJN, and assuming that all jobs are present when the algorithm begins, show using a
timeline what order the jobs would they be processed (5 Marks)
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v). Using SJN, and assuming that all jobs are present when the algorithm begins, what is the
average turnaround time for all five jobs using these speeds: Job A 512 ms, Job B 52 ms,
Job C 515 ms , Job D 57 ms , and Job E 53 ms (3 Marks)
b) Explain the impact of the continuing evolution of computer hardware and the accompanying
evolution of operating systems software. (2 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR (20 MARKS)
a) Regarding the role played by the victim in deadlock resolution, give an example of such a deadlock
in real life and explain your answers to these questions.
i). Describe how you might choose the victim to be removed, and the consequences, both
positive and negative, of that removal. (2 Marks)
ii). Describe the fate of the victim and the chances of eventually completing its processing.
(2 Marks)
iii). Describe the actions required, if any, to complete the victim’s tasks. (2 Marks)
b) Given the following information, calculate which jobs will have arrived ready for processing by the
time the first job is finished or is first interrupted. Use a timeline for each of the following
scheduling algorithms.
Job Arrival Time CPU Cycle
A 0 15
B 2 2
C 3 14
D 6 10
E 10 2
i). SRT (8 Marks)
ii). Round robin (use a time quantum of 5) (6 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE (20 MARKS)
a) I/O devices like computers have undergone through evolution that has increased the complexity of
its functions. Discuss the 6 evolution steps (9 Marks)
b) Any file system is considered to have desirable properties. Discuss any three desirable properties.
(6 Marks)
c) Machine on the network with no internet access has different vulnerabilities compared to a machine
on a network with internet access. Differentiate between the two while identifying one unique
vulnerability for each. (5 Marks)
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