WGU D386 Hardware and Operating
Systems Essentials – Objective
Assessment (2025–2026) Complete Exam
Questions with Verified Correct Answers
operating system
system software that acts as a "go-between", allowing computer
hardware and other software to communicate with each other
What is the purpose of a computer operating system?
It functions as a resource manager.
Which kind of software are Mac OS X and Windows 10
programs?
Operating system (OS)
What is an example of a server operating system?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
What is an example of a Microsoft-based mobile operating
system?
Surface Duo
What is a fundamental building block of an operating system
that keeps track of each process in memory, including whether
to run it or wait for some event?
Process control management
,Which operating system uses the Bourne-Again shell (bash)
scripting tool?
Linux
What is an example of a system call used by the POSIX API for
POSIX-based systems running UNIX, Linux, and macOS?
Read ()
Which part of a hard disk drive is responsible for storing actual
data?
Platters
What is a disadvantage of solid-state drives (SSD) when
compared to hard disk drives (HDD)?
Longevity
How do computers avoid burdening the main central
processing unit (CPU) with programmed I/O (PIO)?
By offloading to a direct-memory-access (DMA) controller
Which problem is managed by implementing a file system?
Logical structure for organizing and storing files on a storage
device
What is the primary function of the file system interface?
To provide a way for the system to access and use files
There are a number of different types of components of a
motherboard. Which motherboard component is used for
support of slower onboard peripherals?
Southbridge
Which chipset is a set of circuitry that provides support to the
slower onboard peripherals?
Southbridge
Which cache memory is the smallest but fastest?
L1
,Which memory type is stored on a drive and is referred to as a
paging file?
Virtual RAM
Which memory type is characterized by its independence from
the CPU's external clock?
Asynchronous DRAM
Which memory type shares a common clock signal with the
computer's system-bus clock?
Synchronous DRAM
Which cloud feature allows different types of clients and
devices to access the resources?
Broad network access
Which virtual machine tool involves testing out an application
where files are not saved to the drive or memory and never
affect the physical machine?
Virtual sandbox
What is another term for a type 1 hypervisor?
Bare metal hypervisor
A user is working on a critical mission project and needs to
access a system and network during peak and off-peak hours.
Which non-functional requirement (NFR) addresses the
likelihood the system will be accessible to the user at a
specified time within an organization's network?
Availability
Which automatic configuration process occurs when a
Windows-based dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
client is unable to reach a DHCP server?
Automatic private IP addressing (APIPA)
, Which Windows tool is referred to as a centralized
authentication server?
Domain Controller
Which device offers passive protection against attacks on
network- and cloud-based resources?
Intrusion detection system (IDS)
Which networking solution helps to distribute the traffic across
multiple servers capable of fulfilling the same tasks?
Load balancing
Which server makes requests for resources on behalf of a
client?
Proxy server
What is the top of the reconfigurable computing software
pyramid?
Scripting
Which type of programming language is compiled?
Java and C/C++
Which component implements decision-making in the
programming logic in an application?
Branching
Which scripting or programming language is considered to be
an object-oriented programming language?
C++
Which scripting or programming tool makes use of cmdlet
(Command let) that performs a specific function?
PowerShell
Which type of network topology is cheap and easy to install but
difficult to reconfigure?
Bus
Systems Essentials – Objective
Assessment (2025–2026) Complete Exam
Questions with Verified Correct Answers
operating system
system software that acts as a "go-between", allowing computer
hardware and other software to communicate with each other
What is the purpose of a computer operating system?
It functions as a resource manager.
Which kind of software are Mac OS X and Windows 10
programs?
Operating system (OS)
What is an example of a server operating system?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
What is an example of a Microsoft-based mobile operating
system?
Surface Duo
What is a fundamental building block of an operating system
that keeps track of each process in memory, including whether
to run it or wait for some event?
Process control management
,Which operating system uses the Bourne-Again shell (bash)
scripting tool?
Linux
What is an example of a system call used by the POSIX API for
POSIX-based systems running UNIX, Linux, and macOS?
Read ()
Which part of a hard disk drive is responsible for storing actual
data?
Platters
What is a disadvantage of solid-state drives (SSD) when
compared to hard disk drives (HDD)?
Longevity
How do computers avoid burdening the main central
processing unit (CPU) with programmed I/O (PIO)?
By offloading to a direct-memory-access (DMA) controller
Which problem is managed by implementing a file system?
Logical structure for organizing and storing files on a storage
device
What is the primary function of the file system interface?
To provide a way for the system to access and use files
There are a number of different types of components of a
motherboard. Which motherboard component is used for
support of slower onboard peripherals?
Southbridge
Which chipset is a set of circuitry that provides support to the
slower onboard peripherals?
Southbridge
Which cache memory is the smallest but fastest?
L1
,Which memory type is stored on a drive and is referred to as a
paging file?
Virtual RAM
Which memory type is characterized by its independence from
the CPU's external clock?
Asynchronous DRAM
Which memory type shares a common clock signal with the
computer's system-bus clock?
Synchronous DRAM
Which cloud feature allows different types of clients and
devices to access the resources?
Broad network access
Which virtual machine tool involves testing out an application
where files are not saved to the drive or memory and never
affect the physical machine?
Virtual sandbox
What is another term for a type 1 hypervisor?
Bare metal hypervisor
A user is working on a critical mission project and needs to
access a system and network during peak and off-peak hours.
Which non-functional requirement (NFR) addresses the
likelihood the system will be accessible to the user at a
specified time within an organization's network?
Availability
Which automatic configuration process occurs when a
Windows-based dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
client is unable to reach a DHCP server?
Automatic private IP addressing (APIPA)
, Which Windows tool is referred to as a centralized
authentication server?
Domain Controller
Which device offers passive protection against attacks on
network- and cloud-based resources?
Intrusion detection system (IDS)
Which networking solution helps to distribute the traffic across
multiple servers capable of fulfilling the same tasks?
Load balancing
Which server makes requests for resources on behalf of a
client?
Proxy server
What is the top of the reconfigurable computing software
pyramid?
Scripting
Which type of programming language is compiled?
Java and C/C++
Which component implements decision-making in the
programming logic in an application?
Branching
Which scripting or programming language is considered to be
an object-oriented programming language?
C++
Which scripting or programming tool makes use of cmdlet
(Command let) that performs a specific function?
PowerShell
Which type of network topology is cheap and easy to install but
difficult to reconfigure?
Bus
