CSCI 3120 Quiz 1 Study Guide Exam And
Actual Answers 2025(Just Released
Edition).
What the Operating System Does - Answer No standard definition. Coordinates and directs the
flow of data and information through the computer system
Give the timeline of invention of operating systems - Answer 1956 - GM-NAA (simple batch
processing and I/O management)
1960s - IBM OS/360 series (Multibatch processing, memory management, Virtual Machines)
1970s - Unix
1980s - Mac OS, Windows, Linux
2000s - iOS, Android, Windows Phone
What are the main operating system components? - Answer User interfaces
System Calls (interface)
Services
List the main services offered by an OS - Answer Program execution
I/O operations
File System Access
Communication
Resource Allocation
Accounting
Error Detection
Protection & Security
, What is computer architecture? - Answer Aspects of system design that have to do with logical
design (instruction sets like x86)
What is computer organization - Answer Aspects of system design that have to do with
physical hardware and its relationship with / organization within the computer
What is an interrupt? - Answer A signal sent to the processor from hardware or software
indicating an event that requires immediate attention
What is a trap? - Answer A software interrupt
What causes software interrupts? - Answer Either an error in a process, or a user's request for
a system call
What happens when an I/O instruction is given (keypress, mouse click, etc) - Answer - I/O
controller is notified by CPU
- CPU listens for other interrupts while waiting
- Once I/O controller has processed what type of I/O event occurred, a hardware interrupt is
sent to to CPU
- CPU transfers control to interrupt handler
- I/O event is processed
- CPU resumes interrupted task
What is main memory? - Answer Memory that is stored in the computer itself.
When the computer is turned off, main memory is lost (ie. is volatile).
The CPU can access any location in main memory directly.
RAM is an example.
What is secondary storage - Answer Secondary storage is memory that is stored outside of the
computer (ie. Hard Disk Drives or Solid State Drives).
Turning computer off will not purge data (ie. is not volatile).
Is slower to access than main memory.
Actual Answers 2025(Just Released
Edition).
What the Operating System Does - Answer No standard definition. Coordinates and directs the
flow of data and information through the computer system
Give the timeline of invention of operating systems - Answer 1956 - GM-NAA (simple batch
processing and I/O management)
1960s - IBM OS/360 series (Multibatch processing, memory management, Virtual Machines)
1970s - Unix
1980s - Mac OS, Windows, Linux
2000s - iOS, Android, Windows Phone
What are the main operating system components? - Answer User interfaces
System Calls (interface)
Services
List the main services offered by an OS - Answer Program execution
I/O operations
File System Access
Communication
Resource Allocation
Accounting
Error Detection
Protection & Security
, What is computer architecture? - Answer Aspects of system design that have to do with logical
design (instruction sets like x86)
What is computer organization - Answer Aspects of system design that have to do with
physical hardware and its relationship with / organization within the computer
What is an interrupt? - Answer A signal sent to the processor from hardware or software
indicating an event that requires immediate attention
What is a trap? - Answer A software interrupt
What causes software interrupts? - Answer Either an error in a process, or a user's request for
a system call
What happens when an I/O instruction is given (keypress, mouse click, etc) - Answer - I/O
controller is notified by CPU
- CPU listens for other interrupts while waiting
- Once I/O controller has processed what type of I/O event occurred, a hardware interrupt is
sent to to CPU
- CPU transfers control to interrupt handler
- I/O event is processed
- CPU resumes interrupted task
What is main memory? - Answer Memory that is stored in the computer itself.
When the computer is turned off, main memory is lost (ie. is volatile).
The CPU can access any location in main memory directly.
RAM is an example.
What is secondary storage - Answer Secondary storage is memory that is stored outside of the
computer (ie. Hard Disk Drives or Solid State Drives).
Turning computer off will not purge data (ie. is not volatile).
Is slower to access than main memory.
