COS3721 EXAM PACK Mcq
Operating System Questions & Answers
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Basics”.
1. What is operating system?
a) collection of programs that manages hardware resources
b) system service provider to the application programs
c) link to interface the hardware and application programs
d) all of the mentioned
Answer: d
2. To access the services of operating system, the interface is provided by the ___________
a) System calls
b) API
c) Library
d) Assembly instructions
Answer: a
3. Which one of the following is not true?
a) kernel is the program that constitutes the central core of the operating system
b) kernel is the first part of operating system to load into memory during booting
c) kernel is made of various modules which can not be loaded in running operating system
d) kernel remains in the memory during the entire computer session
Answer: c
4. Which one of the following error will be handle by the operating system?
a) power failure
b) lack of paper in printer
c) connection failure in the network
d) all of the mentioned
Answer: d
5. What is the main function of the command interpreter?
a) to get and execute the next user-specified command
b) to provide the interface between the API and application program
c) to handle the files in operating system
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: a
6. By operating system, the resource management can be done via __________
a) time division multiplexing
b) space division multiplexing
c) time and space division multiplexing
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: c
7. If a process fails, most operating system write the error information to a ______
a) log file
b) another running process
c) new file
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: a
8. Which facility dynamically adds probes to a running system, both in user processes and in the kernel?
a) DTrace
b) DLocate
c) DMap
d) DAdd
Answer: a
,9. Which one of the following is not a real time operating system?
a) VxWorks
b) Windows CE
c) RTLinux
d) Palm OS
Answer: d
10. The OS X has ____________
a) monolithic kernel
b) hybrid kernel
c) microkernel
d) monolithic kernel with modules
Answer: b
Operating System Questions & Answers – Processes
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Processes”.
1. The systems which allow only one process execution at a time, are called __________
a) uniprogramming systems
b) uniprocessing systems
c) unitasking systems
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: Those systems which allows more than one process execution at a time, are called multiprogramming
systems. Uniprocessing means only one processor.
2. In operating system, each process has its own __________
a) address space and global variables
b) open files
c) pending alarms, signals and signal handlers
d) all of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
3. In Unix, Which system call creates the new process?
a) fork
b) create
c) new
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
4. A process can be terminated due to __________
a) normal exit
b) fatal error
c) killed by another process
d) all of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
,5. What is the ready state of a process?
a) when process is scheduled to run after some execution
b) when process is unable to run until some task has been completed
c) when process is using the CPU
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: When process is unable to run until some task has been completed, the process is in blocked state and if
process is using the CPU, it is in running state.
6. What is interprocess communication?
a) communication within the process
b) communication between two process
c) communication between two threads of same process
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: None.
7. A set of processes is deadlock if __________
a) each process is blocked and will remain so forever
b) each process is terminated
c) all processes are trying to kill each other
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
8. A process stack does not contain __________
a) Function parameters
b) Local variables
c) Return addresses
d) PID of child process
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
9. Which system call returns the process identifier of a terminated child?
a) wait
b) exit
c) fork
d) get
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
10. The address of the next instruction to be executed by the current process is provided by the __________
a) CPU registers
b) Program counter
c) Process stack
d) Pipe
Answer: b
, Operating System Questions & Answers – Process Synchronization
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Process Synchronization”.
1. Which process can be affected by other processes executing in the system?
a) cooperating process
b) child process
c) parent process
d) init process
View Answer
Answer: a
2. When several processes access the same data concurrently and the outcome of the execution depends on the
particular order in which the access takes place, is called?
a) dynamic condition
b) race condition
c) essential condition
d) critical condition
View Answer
Answer: b
3. If a process is executing in its critical section, then no other processes can be executing in their critical section. This
condition is called?
a) mutual exclusion
b) critical exclusion
c) synchronous exclusion
d) asynchronous exclusion
View Answer
Answer: a
4. Which one of the following is a synchronization tool?
a) thread
b) pipe
c) semaphore
d) socket
View Answer
Answer: c
5. A semaphore is a shared integer variable __________
a) that can not drop below zero
b) that can not be more than zero
c) that can not drop below one
d) that can not be more than one
View Answer
Answer: a
6. Mutual exclusion can be provided by the __________
a) mutex locks
b) binary semaphores
c) both mutex locks and binary semaphores
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: Binary Semaphores are known as mutex locks.
7. When high priority task is indirectly preempted by medium priority task effectively inverting the relative priority of
the two tasks, the scenario is called __________
a) priority inversion
b) priority removal
Operating System Questions & Answers
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Basics”.
1. What is operating system?
a) collection of programs that manages hardware resources
b) system service provider to the application programs
c) link to interface the hardware and application programs
d) all of the mentioned
Answer: d
2. To access the services of operating system, the interface is provided by the ___________
a) System calls
b) API
c) Library
d) Assembly instructions
Answer: a
3. Which one of the following is not true?
a) kernel is the program that constitutes the central core of the operating system
b) kernel is the first part of operating system to load into memory during booting
c) kernel is made of various modules which can not be loaded in running operating system
d) kernel remains in the memory during the entire computer session
Answer: c
4. Which one of the following error will be handle by the operating system?
a) power failure
b) lack of paper in printer
c) connection failure in the network
d) all of the mentioned
Answer: d
5. What is the main function of the command interpreter?
a) to get and execute the next user-specified command
b) to provide the interface between the API and application program
c) to handle the files in operating system
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: a
6. By operating system, the resource management can be done via __________
a) time division multiplexing
b) space division multiplexing
c) time and space division multiplexing
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: c
7. If a process fails, most operating system write the error information to a ______
a) log file
b) another running process
c) new file
d) none of the mentioned
Answer: a
8. Which facility dynamically adds probes to a running system, both in user processes and in the kernel?
a) DTrace
b) DLocate
c) DMap
d) DAdd
Answer: a
,9. Which one of the following is not a real time operating system?
a) VxWorks
b) Windows CE
c) RTLinux
d) Palm OS
Answer: d
10. The OS X has ____________
a) monolithic kernel
b) hybrid kernel
c) microkernel
d) monolithic kernel with modules
Answer: b
Operating System Questions & Answers – Processes
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Processes”.
1. The systems which allow only one process execution at a time, are called __________
a) uniprogramming systems
b) uniprocessing systems
c) unitasking systems
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: Those systems which allows more than one process execution at a time, are called multiprogramming
systems. Uniprocessing means only one processor.
2. In operating system, each process has its own __________
a) address space and global variables
b) open files
c) pending alarms, signals and signal handlers
d) all of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
3. In Unix, Which system call creates the new process?
a) fork
b) create
c) new
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
4. A process can be terminated due to __________
a) normal exit
b) fatal error
c) killed by another process
d) all of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
,5. What is the ready state of a process?
a) when process is scheduled to run after some execution
b) when process is unable to run until some task has been completed
c) when process is using the CPU
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: When process is unable to run until some task has been completed, the process is in blocked state and if
process is using the CPU, it is in running state.
6. What is interprocess communication?
a) communication within the process
b) communication between two process
c) communication between two threads of same process
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: None.
7. A set of processes is deadlock if __________
a) each process is blocked and will remain so forever
b) each process is terminated
c) all processes are trying to kill each other
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
8. A process stack does not contain __________
a) Function parameters
b) Local variables
c) Return addresses
d) PID of child process
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: None.
9. Which system call returns the process identifier of a terminated child?
a) wait
b) exit
c) fork
d) get
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: None.
10. The address of the next instruction to be executed by the current process is provided by the __________
a) CPU registers
b) Program counter
c) Process stack
d) Pipe
Answer: b
, Operating System Questions & Answers – Process Synchronization
This set of Operating System Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Process Synchronization”.
1. Which process can be affected by other processes executing in the system?
a) cooperating process
b) child process
c) parent process
d) init process
View Answer
Answer: a
2. When several processes access the same data concurrently and the outcome of the execution depends on the
particular order in which the access takes place, is called?
a) dynamic condition
b) race condition
c) essential condition
d) critical condition
View Answer
Answer: b
3. If a process is executing in its critical section, then no other processes can be executing in their critical section. This
condition is called?
a) mutual exclusion
b) critical exclusion
c) synchronous exclusion
d) asynchronous exclusion
View Answer
Answer: a
4. Which one of the following is a synchronization tool?
a) thread
b) pipe
c) semaphore
d) socket
View Answer
Answer: c
5. A semaphore is a shared integer variable __________
a) that can not drop below zero
b) that can not be more than zero
c) that can not drop below one
d) that can not be more than one
View Answer
Answer: a
6. Mutual exclusion can be provided by the __________
a) mutex locks
b) binary semaphores
c) both mutex locks and binary semaphores
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: Binary Semaphores are known as mutex locks.
7. When high priority task is indirectly preempted by medium priority task effectively inverting the relative priority of
the two tasks, the scenario is called __________
a) priority inversion
b) priority removal
