UGC NET

JRF December 2024

Computer
System software and Operating system DPP: 1

Introduction to Operating system

Q1 Which of the following statements is not correct for Q6 Which of the following is/are a purpose of an
the process OS as user interface involved? operating system (OS)?
(A) It directly interacts with hardware components I. Providing a user interface
(B) It Serves as an intermediary between the user and II. Managing hardware resources
the hardware III. Increasing software complexity
(C) It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for IV. Ensuring system security
user interaction (A) II, and III only
(D) It Manages system resources and scheduling tasks (B) I, II, and IV only
(C) I, II, and III only
Q2 Which of the following is NOT a function of an
(D) III and IV only
operating system?
(A) Memory Management Q7 How does the operating system facilitate data transfer
(B) File Management between secondary storage and main memory?
(C) Process Management (A) By increasing CPU speed
(D) Execution of arithmetic and logical operation (B) Through device drivers
(C) By expanding RAM
Q3 What is the full name of the DSM?
(D) By improving cache efficiency
(A) Direct system module
(B) Direct system memory Q8 What triggers a mode switch from user mode to kernel
(C) Demoralized system memory mode?
(D) Distributed shared memory (A) Page faults
(B) System calls
Q4 What does "bootstrap" refer to in computing?
(C) Process termination
(A) Loading a computer program into memory using a
(D) None of the above
smaller initial program
(B) Enhancing the performance of a computer's Q9 Context Switching is part of ____.
operating system (A) Memory management
(C) Creating a backup of important system files (B) Process management
(D) Installing new hardware components into a (C) File system management
computer (D) Device driver management

Q5 An I/O bound program will typically have Q10 Which statement best describes context switching in
____________ the context of operating system performance?
(A) a few very short CPU bursts (A) Context switching involves saving the state of a
(B) many very short I/O bursts process and loading the state of another process,
(C) many very short CPU bursts which is essential for multitasking.
(D) a few very short I/O bursts (B)

Android App | iOS App | PW Website

 UGC NET

Context switching is primarily responsible for Context switching is only necessary for handling
managing memory allocation and deallocation interrupt requests from peripheral devices.
efficiently. (D) Context switching occurs automatically without
(C) any impact on system performance.

Android App | iOS App | PW Website

 UGC NET

Answer Key
Q1 (A) Q6 (B)

Q2 (D) Q7 (B)

Q3 (D) Q8 (B)

Q4 (A) Q9 (B)

Q5 (C) Q10 (A)

Android App | iOS App | PW Website

 UGC NET

Hints & Solutions

Q1 Text Solution: Option C) A process is a program in execution. The
Option A) It directly interacts with hardware operating system helps to create, schedule, and
components: This option is incorrect. Operating terminate CPU processes. The operating system
systems do not directly interact with hardware supports multiple users and has to keep track of all the
components; instead, they use device drivers and completed processes, Schedule them, and dispatch
other utility services.Device drivers are program files them one after another.
that enable the OS to recognize the hardware device Option D) Execution of arithmetic and logical
and its properties. operation is the task of ALU.
b) It Serves as an intermediary between the user and So option D is the correct answer.
hardware: This option is correct. Operating systems
Q3 Text Solution:
act as intermediaries between users and hardware by
The DSM stands for Distributed Shared Memory.
providing an interface through which users can
Distributed Shared Memory refers to a type of
interact with the computer system. Users issue
memory architecture in which the memory space is
commands and receive outputs through this interface, distributed across multiple physical nodes in a
while the operating system manages the hardware network but appears as a single, shared memory space
resources to fulfill these commands. to the processes running on those nodes. This allows
c) It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for user processes to communicate and share data as if they
interaction: This option is correct. Some operating were accessing a single, centralized memory, even
systems do provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs) though the physical memory is distributed across
for user interaction and some operating systems use multiple machines.
command-line interfaces (CLIs) or a combination of So option D is the correct answer.
CLI and GUI.
Q4 Text Solution:
d) It Manages system resources and scheduling tasks:
A) Loading a computer program into memory using a
This option is correct. One of the primary functions of
smaller initial program: This is the correct explanation
an operating system is to manage system resources
of "bootstrap" in computing. It refers to the process of
such as CPU, memory, and storage, and to schedule
loading a larger program, typically an operating
tasks to ensure efficient use of these resources. This
system, into memory using a smaller program called a
includes allocating resources to different processes
bootloader or bootstrap loader.
and managing their execution.
Option B, Enhancing the performance of a computer's
So option A is the correct answer.
operating system, typically involves processes like
Q2 Text Solution:
optimization, tuning, and possibly upgrading
Option A) Before loading a program into memory OS
hardware components to improve the overall speed,
first checks whether the upcoming program fulfills all
responsiveness, and efficiency of the operating
requirements to get memory space or not. It checks
system.
how much memory space will be sufficient for a Option C, Creating a backup of important system
program to prevent a program from using unnecessary files, involves the process of copying critical data,
memory. configurations, and system files onto a separate
Option B) OS grants users access to a file. These storage medium to ensure their availability in case of
permissions include read-only, read-write, etc. It also data loss, corruption, or system failure. This process is
provides a platform for the user to create, and delete
files.

Android App | iOS App | PW Website

 UGC NET

often performed using backup software or built-in So option B is the correct answer.
backup utilities provided by the operating system. Q7 Text Solution:
Option D, Installing new hardware components into a Option A) By increasing CPU speed-CPU speed
computer, involves physically adding new hardware affects how quickly computations are performed
devices such as a graphics card, memory modules, Option B) Through device drivers- Device drivers are
hard drives, or network cards to a computer system. software components that allow the operating system
This process typically requires opening the computer to communicate with hardware devices, including
case, inserting the new hardware component into the secondary storage devices like hard disks, SSDs, and
appropriate slot or connector on the motherboard, and
optical drives. They provide a standardized interface
ensuring proper installation and configuration of
for the OS to issue commands, manage data transfers,
drivers and settings to enable the new hardware to
and handle I/O operations efficiently.
function correctly with the operating system.
Option C) By expanding RAM- Expanding RAM
So option A is the correct answer.
(main memory) increases the amount of data and
Q5 Text Solution: programs that can be held in memory simultaneously.
A task or program is I/O bound if its execution is Option D) By improving cache efficiency- CPU
dependent on the input-output system and its caches (L1, L2, L3 caches) are small, fast storage
resources, such as disk drives and peripheral devices. locations that temporarily hold data and instructions
In executing an I/O bound task, the computing device that are likely to be accessed frequently by the CPU.
spends its time performing input-output operations, Improving cache efficiency speeds up access to data
and other resources, such as the central processing within the CPU itself.
unit, are used less frequently or not at all. The input- So option B is the correct answer.
output system refers to the input-output component of Q8 Text Solution:
an operating system. I/O-bound operations are User mode-Programs that execute in the user
characterized by many and very short CPU bursts protection domain are user processes.
during execution. CPU-bound operations tend to have Kernel mode-Programs that execute in the kernel
few and long CPU bursts. So option C is the correct protection domain include interrupt handlers,
answer. kernel processes, the base kernel, and kernel
Q6 Text Solution: extensions (device driver, system calls and file
I. Providing a user interface: Operating systems systems).
provide interfaces (command-line, graphical, etc.) that Mode switches-The use of a system call by a user-
allow users to interact with the system and run mode process allows a kernel function to be called
applications. from user mode. Access to functions that directly
II. Managing hardware resources: OSs manage and or indirectly invoke system calls is typically
allocate hardware resources (CPU, memory, provided by programming libraries, which provide
peripherals) to ensure efficient operation of programs. access to operating system functions.
IV. Ensuring system security: OSs implement security Option A. Page faults: Page faults occur when a
measures to protect the system and user data from program accesses a memory page that is currently not
unauthorized access and malicious activities. mapped in physical memory (RAM) but instead
III. (Increasing software complexity) is not a primary resides in secondary storage (like a hard disk). Handle
purpose of an operating system. Instead, OSs memory access exceptions but do not directly trigger
generally aim to hide hardware complexity from users mode switches.
and applications, simplify interactions, and manage Option B. System calls: When a user-mode process
resources effectively to support software operations. needs to perform a privileged operation (e.g., opening

Android App | iOS App | PW Website

 UGC NET

a file, allocating memory), it makes a system call that and directories on storage devices, not directly related
trigger mode switches from user mode to kernel mode to the context switching mechanism.
for privileged operations. Option D: Device Driver Management: Device drivers
Option C. Process termination: Process termination are software components that enable communication
involves ending the execution of a process that is between hardware devices and the operating system.
managed entirely in kernel mode without requiring a Context switching is not directly related to the
mode switch triggered by user actions. management of device drivers.
So option B is the correct answer. So option B is the correct answer.

Q9 Text Solution: Q10 Text Solution:

Context Switching: Context switching is the process Statement A: This correctly describes context
of saving and restoring the state (context) of a CPU so switching as the process of saving the state of a
that multiple processes can share a single CPU currently executing process (saving registers, program
resource effectively. It involves switching the CPU counter, etc.) and loading the state of another process
from one process to another, suspending the execution from its saved context. This allows multitasking and
of the currently running process and resuming the efficient sharing of CPU resources among multiple
execution of another process. processes.
Option B: Process Management: Context switching is Statement B: While memory management is important
a crucial aspect of process management in operating for overall system performance, context switching
systems. It allows the OS to efficiently manage itself is not directly responsible for managing memory
multiple processes and provides the illusion of allocation and deallocation.
concurrent execution on a single CPU core. Statement C: Context switching is not limited to
Option A: Memory Management: While memory handling interrupt requests only; it also occurs during
management involves allocating and deallocating process scheduling, voluntary process relinquishment,
memory resources, context switching itself focuses on and other scenarios.
managing the state of processes in CPU registers and Statement D: Context switching involves significant
memory, rather than directly managing memory overhead due to the time required to save and restore
allocations. process states, impacting overall system performance,
Option C: File System Management: File system especially in systems with high context switch rates.
management deals with organizing and managing files So option A is the correct answer.

Android App | iOS App | PW Website