WGU D686 PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is typically stored in a master file table in an NTFS file system?.
Answer: Volume details and file metadata
◍ What is the purpose of dividing main memory into partitions for the
operating system and user processes?.
Answer: To allocate memory in the most efficient way possible
◍ How does the STREAMS framework handle asynchronous I/O?.
Answer: Dynamic loading of modules
◍ Which operating system structure separates functionality into multiple
layers?.
Answer: Layered structure
◍ How does the principle of least privilege contribute to system security?.
Answer: By giving users only the access they need
◍ Which system service enables the operating system to interact with
peripheral hardware, such as disk drives and printers?.
Answer: Device management
◍ What is the purpose of a file system?.
Answer: To organize and manage files on secondary storage devices
◍ What is the term for the memory allocation technique where memory is
divided into differently sizes parts to accommodate processes?.
Answer: Variable-partition
◍ What is the first step in the file system mounting procedure?.
Answer: The operating system (OS) is given the device name and the mount
point.
,◍ What is thrashing in memory management?.
Answer: When the CPU spends excessive time swapping pages
◍ What is the purpose of load balancing in multiprocessor scheduling?.
Answer: To ensure equal distribution of tasks across processors
◍ What is the role of a process in a computer system?.
Answer: Executing user and system tasks
◍ What are the two primary types of parallelism used in multicore
programming?.
Answer: Data parallelism and task parallelism
◍ Which technique ensures data has not been altered during transmission?.
Answer: Digital signatures
◍ What ensures system integrity and data preservation in computer systems?.
Answer: Ensuring security
◍ What is a disadvantage of contiguous allocation for file storage?.
Answer: External fragmentation
◍ What is the role of the stream head in the STREAMS architecture?.
Answer: Connection of user processes
◍ What is the effect of a very large time quantum in round-robin scheduling?.
Answer: It behaves like first-come, first-served (FCFS) scheduling.
◍ Which strategy involves allocating memory by selecting the smallest
available block that is large enough to fit a process?.
Answer: Best-fit
◍ What happens when a process tries to access a page that is not currently in
memory?.
Answer: A page fault occurs.
◍ Which feature does the NTFS file system provide?.
Answer: Support for journaling
, ◍ Which role does the exit section play in the critical-section problem?.
Answer: It is where processes release the critical section.
◍ What is a non-preemptive scheduling method?.
Answer: A method where a thread retains a core until it terminates or enters
the waiting state
◍ How does discretionary access control (DAC) differ from advanced access
control mechanisms like role-based access control (RBAC) or mandatory
access control (MAC)?.
Answer: Discretionary access control allows users to set permissions.
◍ What is one advantage of using indexed allocation for managing files on
storage devices in operating systems?.
Answer: Efficient access to file data through index blocks
◍ Which register stores data to be sent to the device in an I/O operation?.
Answer: Data-out register
◍ What is the purpose of specifying the mount point in the file system
mounting process?.
Answer: To define where in the hierarchy the mounted file system will be
accessible
◍ Which process rearranges memory to reduce fragmentation by shifting
allocated memory blocks to create larger contiguous free memory?.
Answer: Compaction
◍ What is the 50% rule in memory management?.
Answer: 50% of memory is lost to fragmentation.
◍ What is the purpose of accurately allocating memory frames based on the
working set model of process execution?.
Answer: To reduce the likelihood of frequent page faults and subsequent
thrashing
◍ What is the maximum file size supported by the Fourth Extended File
System (EXT4) in Linux?.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What is typically stored in a master file table in an NTFS file system?.
Answer: Volume details and file metadata
◍ What is the purpose of dividing main memory into partitions for the
operating system and user processes?.
Answer: To allocate memory in the most efficient way possible
◍ How does the STREAMS framework handle asynchronous I/O?.
Answer: Dynamic loading of modules
◍ Which operating system structure separates functionality into multiple
layers?.
Answer: Layered structure
◍ How does the principle of least privilege contribute to system security?.
Answer: By giving users only the access they need
◍ Which system service enables the operating system to interact with
peripheral hardware, such as disk drives and printers?.
Answer: Device management
◍ What is the purpose of a file system?.
Answer: To organize and manage files on secondary storage devices
◍ What is the term for the memory allocation technique where memory is
divided into differently sizes parts to accommodate processes?.
Answer: Variable-partition
◍ What is the first step in the file system mounting procedure?.
Answer: The operating system (OS) is given the device name and the mount
point.
,◍ What is thrashing in memory management?.
Answer: When the CPU spends excessive time swapping pages
◍ What is the purpose of load balancing in multiprocessor scheduling?.
Answer: To ensure equal distribution of tasks across processors
◍ What is the role of a process in a computer system?.
Answer: Executing user and system tasks
◍ What are the two primary types of parallelism used in multicore
programming?.
Answer: Data parallelism and task parallelism
◍ Which technique ensures data has not been altered during transmission?.
Answer: Digital signatures
◍ What ensures system integrity and data preservation in computer systems?.
Answer: Ensuring security
◍ What is a disadvantage of contiguous allocation for file storage?.
Answer: External fragmentation
◍ What is the role of the stream head in the STREAMS architecture?.
Answer: Connection of user processes
◍ What is the effect of a very large time quantum in round-robin scheduling?.
Answer: It behaves like first-come, first-served (FCFS) scheduling.
◍ Which strategy involves allocating memory by selecting the smallest
available block that is large enough to fit a process?.
Answer: Best-fit
◍ What happens when a process tries to access a page that is not currently in
memory?.
Answer: A page fault occurs.
◍ Which feature does the NTFS file system provide?.
Answer: Support for journaling
, ◍ Which role does the exit section play in the critical-section problem?.
Answer: It is where processes release the critical section.
◍ What is a non-preemptive scheduling method?.
Answer: A method where a thread retains a core until it terminates or enters
the waiting state
◍ How does discretionary access control (DAC) differ from advanced access
control mechanisms like role-based access control (RBAC) or mandatory
access control (MAC)?.
Answer: Discretionary access control allows users to set permissions.
◍ What is one advantage of using indexed allocation for managing files on
storage devices in operating systems?.
Answer: Efficient access to file data through index blocks
◍ Which register stores data to be sent to the device in an I/O operation?.
Answer: Data-out register
◍ What is the purpose of specifying the mount point in the file system
mounting process?.
Answer: To define where in the hierarchy the mounted file system will be
accessible
◍ Which process rearranges memory to reduce fragmentation by shifting
allocated memory blocks to create larger contiguous free memory?.
Answer: Compaction
◍ What is the 50% rule in memory management?.
Answer: 50% of memory is lost to fragmentation.
◍ What is the purpose of accurately allocating memory frames based on the
working set model of process execution?.
Answer: To reduce the likelihood of frequent page faults and subsequent
thrashing
◍ What is the maximum file size supported by the Fourth Extended File
System (EXT4) in Linux?.
