COP 4600 Final 2025/2026 Exam
Questions and Answers 100%
Guaranteed Success | Already Rated A+
What is an algorithm in the context of operating systems? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔An algorithm is a set of instructions with finite initial store and state, a
starting point, and an unambiguous order until an endpoint, aka halt point.
What is the main role of an operating system? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The OS
manages resources, provides an interface for IO devices, ensures system
security, and facilitates multitasking by managing multiple processes and
user interactions.
Describe the difference between a program and a process. - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔A program is a sequence of instructions representing an algorithm,
while a process is a program in execution, including its state and
resources.
,How did the Generation 1 computers operate and what were their
characteristics? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Gen 1 computers (1945-1955) used
vacuum tubes, were unreliable and required users to manually load
prgrams using plug boards. The could only run one program at a time.
User/programmer == operator.
What significant hardware advenacement characterized Gen 2 computers?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Gen 2 computers (1955-1965) used transistors, which
were more reliable and faster than vacuum tubes, and introduced batch
processing systems. An OS was necessary and user != programmer !=
operator. Programmers only know how to program, not maintain the
machine.
How did multiprogramming improve system efficiency in Gen 2B? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔Multiprogramming kept the CPU busy by managing multiple
programs in different phases of execution, forming a pipeline where one
program could be read, another process can complete tasks and another
write simultaneously.
What technological development allowed for time-sharing system in Gen 3?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The use of integrated circuits in Gen 3 (1965-1980)
allowed computers to perform multiple tasts per second, supporting
,multiple users interacting with the system through terminals, giving illusion
of real-time interaction.
What are the main system resources managed by the OS? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔The OS manages system resources such as CPU time, working
memory (main memory), storage (disks/SSDs) and device input/output
(keyboard/monitors)
How are files and processes defined in an operating system? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Files are logically named persistent storage used for data or device
communication. A process is a program in execution, with allocated
memory associated resources like stack, pointers and files.
What is a system call and how is it initiated and executed? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔A system call is a named call that involves switching to kernel mode for
execution, needed for protected operations like reading from disk. It's
initiated by user programs via system library routines and executed by the
OS dispatcher.
What is the difference between a procedure call and a system call? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔A procedure call is executed entirely in user space, involving
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, local variables and parameters, while a system call involves a switch to
kernel mode for protected operations like memory allocation or file access.
What is POSIX and why is it important for Unix OS platforms? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔POSIX is a set of standards for the design of Unix-compatible operating
systems. It defines system calls for process management (fork, exit) and
file operations (open, close), ensuring consistency across different OS
platforms.
What does a hardware interrupt occur and how is it processed by the
system? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A hardware interrupt occurs when a device
signals the CPU that is needs attention, typically by raising a voltage line.
The interrupt controller then sends a signal to the CPU. The CPU lastly
interrupts the current sequence of instructions and switches to kernel mode
to handle the interrupt.
What are two types of interrupt implementations in terms of times and their
cost/benefits? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The two types are precise and imprecise
interrupts. Precise interrupts occur after an instruction completes, ensuring
a known execution state but potentially delaying the interrupt. Imprecise
interrupts may interrupt mid-instruction, allowing faster handing, but
increasing the complexity in resuming partially execution instructions.
Questions and Answers 100%
Guaranteed Success | Already Rated A+
What is an algorithm in the context of operating systems? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔An algorithm is a set of instructions with finite initial store and state, a
starting point, and an unambiguous order until an endpoint, aka halt point.
What is the main role of an operating system? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The OS
manages resources, provides an interface for IO devices, ensures system
security, and facilitates multitasking by managing multiple processes and
user interactions.
Describe the difference between a program and a process. - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔A program is a sequence of instructions representing an algorithm,
while a process is a program in execution, including its state and
resources.
,How did the Generation 1 computers operate and what were their
characteristics? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Gen 1 computers (1945-1955) used
vacuum tubes, were unreliable and required users to manually load
prgrams using plug boards. The could only run one program at a time.
User/programmer == operator.
What significant hardware advenacement characterized Gen 2 computers?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Gen 2 computers (1955-1965) used transistors, which
were more reliable and faster than vacuum tubes, and introduced batch
processing systems. An OS was necessary and user != programmer !=
operator. Programmers only know how to program, not maintain the
machine.
How did multiprogramming improve system efficiency in Gen 2B? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔Multiprogramming kept the CPU busy by managing multiple
programs in different phases of execution, forming a pipeline where one
program could be read, another process can complete tasks and another
write simultaneously.
What technological development allowed for time-sharing system in Gen 3?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The use of integrated circuits in Gen 3 (1965-1980)
allowed computers to perform multiple tasts per second, supporting
,multiple users interacting with the system through terminals, giving illusion
of real-time interaction.
What are the main system resources managed by the OS? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔The OS manages system resources such as CPU time, working
memory (main memory), storage (disks/SSDs) and device input/output
(keyboard/monitors)
How are files and processes defined in an operating system? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Files are logically named persistent storage used for data or device
communication. A process is a program in execution, with allocated
memory associated resources like stack, pointers and files.
What is a system call and how is it initiated and executed? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔A system call is a named call that involves switching to kernel mode for
execution, needed for protected operations like reading from disk. It's
initiated by user programs via system library routines and executed by the
OS dispatcher.
What is the difference between a procedure call and a system call? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔A procedure call is executed entirely in user space, involving
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
, local variables and parameters, while a system call involves a switch to
kernel mode for protected operations like memory allocation or file access.
What is POSIX and why is it important for Unix OS platforms? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔POSIX is a set of standards for the design of Unix-compatible operating
systems. It defines system calls for process management (fork, exit) and
file operations (open, close), ensuring consistency across different OS
platforms.
What does a hardware interrupt occur and how is it processed by the
system? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A hardware interrupt occurs when a device
signals the CPU that is needs attention, typically by raising a voltage line.
The interrupt controller then sends a signal to the CPU. The CPU lastly
interrupts the current sequence of instructions and switches to kernel mode
to handle the interrupt.
What are two types of interrupt implementations in terms of times and their
cost/benefits? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The two types are precise and imprecise
interrupts. Precise interrupts occur after an instruction completes, ensuring
a known execution state but potentially delaying the interrupt. Imprecise
interrupts may interrupt mid-instruction, allowing faster handing, but
increasing the complexity in resuming partially execution instructions.
