OS Chapter 2 - Comprehensive Exam

Section 1: Operating System Services (12 marks)

Q1 [1 mark]

Which of the following is NOT an operating system service that helps users?

a) User Interface (CLI, GUI)
b) Program Execution
c) Resource Allocation
d) File-system Manipulation

Q2 [1 mark]

_____________ is one of the operating system services; it keeps track of which users use how much and what kinds of computer resources for billing and statistics purposes.

a) Access control
b) Resource allocation
c) Accounting
d) Protection and security

Q3 [2 marks]

Explain the difference between "Protection" and "Security" as operating system services.

Q4 [2 marks]

List TWO operating system services that help ensure efficient system operation rather than helping users directly.

Q5 [2 marks]

What does the "Error Detection" service do in an operating system? Give an example of where errors might be detected.

Q6 [2 marks]

Explain why the "Communications" service is important. What are the two methods of implementing communications between processes?

Q7 [1 mark]

Which service allows programs to read, write, create, and delete files?

a) I/O Operations
b) File-system Manipulation
c) Program Execution
d) Communications

Q8 [1 mark]

The I/O operations service is needed because:

a) Users prefer graphical interfaces
b) Files need to be manipulated
c) Programs need to communicate
d) User programs cannot execute I/O operations directly

Section 2: User Interfaces (8 marks)

Q9 [1 mark]

In a Command-Line Interface (CLI), the interpreters are sometimes known as:

a) Kernels
b) Shells
c) APIs
d) System calls

Q10 [2 marks]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of CLI compared to GUI?

Q11 [1 mark]

Touchscreen interfaces require new types of interactions. What are gestures used for in touchscreen interfaces?

a) Only for scrolling
b) For actions and selection
c) Only for text entry
d) For voice commands

Q12 [2 marks]

Describe the difference between a command interpreter that has built-in commands versus one where commands are just names of programs.

Q13 [1 mark]

Which operating system was the first to use GUI extensively?

a) MS-DOS
b) UNIX
c) Xerox PARC
d) Linux

Q14 [1 mark]

Modern operating systems typically include:

a) Only CLI
b) Only GUI
c) Either CLI or GUI but not both
d) Both CLI and GUI interfaces

Section 3: System Calls (15 marks)

Q15 [1 mark]

To access the services of the operating system, the interface is provided by:

a) Library
b) System calls
c) Assembly instructions
d) API

Q16 [2 marks]

What intercepts function calls in the API and invokes the necessary system calls within the operating system?

Q17 [2 marks]

System calls are made available through an API. What are the advantages of using an API instead of calling system calls directly?

Q18 [2 marks]

Name THREE common APIs mentioned in the chapter.

Q19 [3 marks]

What are the three general methods used to pass parameters to the operating system during a system call?

Q20 [2 marks]

Why do the block and stack methods of parameter passing NOT limit the number or length of parameters being passed, but the register method does?

Q21 [3 marks]

List the SIX categories of system calls and give one example of each.

Section 4: Operating System Structure (15 marks)

Q22 [1 mark]

Which operating system structure(s) allow(s) direct communication among all operating system services?

a) Layered approach
b) Microkernel approach
c) Modular approach
d) All of the above

Q23 [2 marks]

In the layered approach to OS design, what is the main principle regarding how layers interact?

Q24 [1 mark]

A microkernel is a kernel that:

a) Contains many components that are optimized to reduce resident memory size
b) Is compressed before loading to reduce resident memory size
c) Is compiled to produce the smallest size possible when stored to disk
d) Is stripped of all nonessential components

Q25 [3 marks]

What are THREE benefits of the microkernel approach?

Q26 [2 marks]

How does the modular approach differ from the layered approach? What makes it more flexible?

Q27 [1 mark]

Linux uses which type of kernel structure?

a) Pure microkernel
b) Pure layered
c) Monolithic plus modular
d) Simple structure

Q28 [2 marks]

Why are most modern operating systems considered "hybrid" systems?

Q29 [1 mark]

In microkernel systems, how do client programs communicate with services?

a) Direct function calls
b) Message passing
c) Shared memory only
d) Hardware interrupts

Q30 [2 marks]

What are the disadvantages of the layered approach?

Section 5: System Programs and Debugging (7 marks)

Q31 [1 mark]

System programs are:

a) Part of the kernel
b) Application programs
c) Programs that ship with the OS but are not part of the kernel
d) Hardware controllers

Q32 [2 marks]

What is the difference between a "core dump" and a "crash dump"?

Q33 [2 marks]

Explain the difference between "profiling" and "trace listings" in OS debugging.

Q34 [1 mark]

When an application fails, what file is generated?

a) Core dump file
b) Crash dump file
c) Log file
d) Trace file

Q35 [1 mark]

Performance tuning can optimize system performance using:

a) Only crash dumps
b) Trace listings and profiling
c) Only core dumps
d) Hardware replacement

Section 6: OS Design, Implementation, and Generation (8 marks)

Q36 [2 marks]

What are TWO important principles to consider when designing an operating system?

Q37 [1 mark]

What are the advantages of implementing an OS in a high-level language like C or C++?

a) Faster execution
b) Easier to understand and debug, more portable
c) Smaller code size
d) Better hardware control

Q38 [2 marks]

What is SYSGEN (System Generation) and why is it necessary?

Q39 [2 marks]

What is the difference between mechanism and policy in OS design?

Q40 [1 mark]

Most operating systems are written in:

a) A combination of assembly and high-level languages
b) Pure assembly language
c) Pure C
d) Java

Section 7: System Boot (5 marks)

Q41 [1 mark]

The bootstrap program is typically stored in:

a) RAM
b) Hard disk
c) ROM or EPROM (firmware)
d) Cache memory

Q42 [2 marks]

Describe the boot process from power-on to OS running.

Q43 [2 marks]

What is the purpose of a boot loader?

📚 Operating Systems

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