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Lecture 4 - Operating System

This document provides an introduction to operating systems, including their components and functions. It discusses how system software manages computer resources and is made up of operating systems, device drivers, and utility programs. It describes the four main components of a computer system: hardware, operating system, application programs, and users. The key roles of the operating system are explained, such as controlling hardware resources, making the computer convenient to use, and efficiently using computer hardware. The document outlines the basic booting process and explains that the kernel manages the CPU and remains in memory to direct other programs.

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Hamza Mirza
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
72 views

Lecture 4 - Operating System

This document provides an introduction to operating systems, including their components and functions. It discusses how system software manages computer resources and is made up of operating systems, device drivers, and utility programs. It describes the four main components of a computer system: hardware, operating system, application programs, and users. The key roles of the operating system are explained, such as controlling hardware resources, making the computer convenient to use, and efficiently using computer hardware. The document outlines the basic booting process and explains that the kernel manages the CPU and remains in memory to direct other programs.

Uploaded by

Hamza Mirza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Computing

Lecture # 4
Operating System
Outline
• System software and its components

• Operating system

• Booting process

• OS Kernel

2
System Software
• System software enables the applications software to
interact with the computer and helps the computer
manage its internal and external resources. (Williams &
Sawyer)

• System software is a collection of computer programs


that manage the resources of a computer and
facilitate access to those resources. (Schneider & Gersting)
• There are three basic components of system
software:
1. Operating systems
2. Device drivers

3 3. Utility programs
The Components of System Software
1. Operating system -
the principal
component of
system software

2. Device drivers -
help the computer
control peripheral
devices

3. Utility programs -
support, enhance,
or expand existing
programs
Computer System Structure
• Computer system can be divided into four components:
– Hardware – provides basic computing resources
• CPU, memory, I/O devices
– Operating system
• Controls and coordinates use of hardware among various
applications and users
– Application programs – define the ways in which the system
resources are used to solve the computing problems of the
users
• Word processors, compilers, web browsers, database systems,
video games
– Users
• People, machines, other computers
Four components of a Computer System

6
The Operating System: What It Does
• The operating system consists of the master system
of programs that manage the basic operations of the
computer.

• These programs provide resource management


services of many kinds.

• They handle the control of and use of hardware


resources:
– Disk space
– Memory
– CPU
– Peripheral devices
7
What is an Operating System?
• A program that acts as an intermediary
between a user of a computer and the
computer hardware.

• Operating system goals:


– Execute user programs and make solving user
problems easier
– Make the computer system convenient to use
– Use the computer hardware in an efficient
manner
The Operating System: Booting

9
The Operating System: Booting

1. BIOS is loaded.
2. POST (Power-On-Self-Test) is performed.
Diagnostic routines test the main memory, the CPU, and
other parts of the system to make sure they are running
properly.
If un-successful then appropriate message is
conveyed (beeps).
If successful then go to step 3.
3. OS Kernel is located and loaded in main memory.
Once kernel is loaded, it becomes the in-charge of the
computer system.
4. System configuration is accomplished.
5. System utilities are loaded.
10
6. User is authenticated.
The Operating System: What It Does
• OS provides user interface: user-controllable display
screen that allows you to interact with your computer

11
The Operating System Kernel

• Supervisor (kernel) – manages the CPU. It


remains in main memory while the computer
is running, and directs other “non-resident”
programs to perform tasks that support
application programs.

• Example
– Writing a report using a word processor program
and want to print out a portion of it while continuing
to write.
– OS will select a printer
12
– Executing printer driver

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