Notes

Q: what is Operating System? What are its type?
Ans: An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software
resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
 It control the overall processing of a computer.
 Operating System is also known as Platform as It work is a mediator between User and System
so that they can interact.
 For Eq: windows, DOS(disk operating system), Linux, UNIX, MAC etc
Type of operating System
 Single-user, single task - As the name implies, this operating system is designed to manage the
computer so that one user can effectively do one thing at a time. The DOS is a good example of a
modern single-user, single-task operating system as it can perform only one task at a time and only
one user is allowed to perform its task.
 Single-user, multi-tasking - This is the type of operating system most people use on their desktop
and laptop computers today. Microsoft's Windows and Apple's MacOS platforms are both examples
of operating systems that will let a single user have several programs in operation at the same time.
For example, it's entirely possible for a Windows user to be writing a note in a word processor while
downloading a file from the Internet while printing the text of an e-mail message.
 Multi-user , Multitasking - A multi-user operating system allows many different users to take
advantage of the computer's resources simultaneously. The operating system must make sure that
the requirements of the various users are balanced, and that each of the programs they are using has
sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with one user doesn't affect the entire
community of users. Unix, VMS and mainframe operating systems, such as MVS, are examples of
multi-user operating systems.
 Real-time operating system (RTOS) - Real-time operating systems are used to control
machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems. An RTOS typically has very little user-
interface capability, and no end-user utilities, since the system will be a "sealed box" when delivered
for use. A very important part of an RTOS is managing the resources of the computer so that a
particular operation executes in precisely the same amount of time, every time it occurs. In a complex
machine, having a part move more quickly just because system resources are available may be just as
catastrophic as having it not move at all because the system is busy.
 Batch operating system: The users of a batch operating system do not interact with the
computer directly. Each user prepares his job on an off-line device like punch cards and submits it to
the computer operator. To speed up processing, jobs with similar needs are batched together and run
as a group. The programmers leave their programs with the operator and the operator then sorts the
programs with similar requirements into batches.
The problems with Batch Systems are as follows −
 Lack of interaction between the user and the job.
 CPU is often idle, because the speed of the mechanical I/O devices is slower than the
CPU.
 Difficult to provide the desired priority.
Q: What are the different functions of operating System

Ans: Operating System supports all the basic functions of the computer and in general responsible for
smoothing function of a system.
The functions of operating systems are as described below:
i) I/O Management: OS manages I/O devices and makes the I/O process effective. OS accepts the
input from the input device, stores it in the main memory, ask the CPU to process it and finally
provides the result to the output devices for output.
ii) Command Interpreter:
Command interpreter is one of the part of operating system which reads the commands that user
types in at a terminal, interprets them and translate them into a detailed set of instructions that the
computer hardware can understand. It varies widely from one OS to other OS. Every OS must provide
command interpreter for its operation.
iii) Memory Management:

Memory is the large array of words or bytes, each with its own address. When user requests CPU for
read/write operation, OS determines the amount of memory required for the program instructions
and data. Then, OS allocates required memory to load the program and data into RAM. When
program terminates its memory area is free and the same memory area is allocated for other
programs.
iv) Process Management:

OS finds the status of processor and processes, chooses a job, chooses processer in the job, allocates
the processor to the process and frees the processor when the process is executed.
v) Time Sharing:
OS manages the time of CPU. The kernel OS checks frequency for other processes requesting CPU
time. Time-sharing checks for CPU request from higher priority processes that are made every 10
milliseconds. When two or more processes at the same priority level are competing for the CPU time,
CPU time is sliced into segments, defined by time slice and passed from process to process in a round
robin fashion, preventing a single process from monopolizing the CPU until it blocks or terminates.
Process1(A)
Process1(A)
B2 A2 C1 B1 A1 Process2(B)
Process2(B)
Process3(C)
Process3(C)
Input time sharing output
vi) Security:
OS makes sure that only authorized users get access to the computer and its data and the users only
do things they are authorized to do.
VII) Virtual Storage:
If there are programs larger than main memory (RAM) of the computer, OS uses the reserved space in
the secondary memory which is termed as virtual memory. It makes the execution of larger program
(than RAM) possible but at the same times the operation becomes slower.
viii)Managing Resources: Programs that manage the resources of a computer such as the printer,
mouse, keyboard, memory and monitor.
ix) Providing User Interface: Graphical user interface (GUI) is something developers create to allow
users to easily click something without having to understand how or why they clicked an icon. Each
icon on a desktop represents code linking to the spot in which the icon represents. It makes it very
easy for uneducated users.
x) Running Applications, is the ability to run an application such as Word processor by locating it and
loading it into the primary memory. Most operating systems can multitask by running many
applications at once.
xi) Support for built-in Utility Programs: This is the program that find and fixes errors in the operating
system.

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Q: what is Operating System? What are its type?

Type of operating System

Q: What are the different functions of operating System

iii) Memory Management:

iv) Process Management:

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