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1. What is the purpose of interrupts? An interrupt is a hardware-generated change of flow within the system. An interrupt handler deals with the cause of the interrupt. Control is then returned to the interrupted context.

What are the main types of interrupt? Give an example Of each type of interrupt? Synchronous (instruction-related) : privileged instruction bus error (machine check) divide by 0 (on most processors), floating-point errors virtual memory page fault system call Asynchronous: (not instruction-related) external hardware device timer expiration reset power failure on-chip debugging What is interrupt handler? The operating system preserves the state of the CPU by storing registers and the program counter

2. Define the following terms: a. Dual mode : operation allows OS to protect itself and other system components b. System call : request to the operating system to allow user to wait for I/O completion c. Device-status table : contains entry for each I/O device indicating its type, address, and state

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3. What is the main difference between a process and a program? A process is a program in execution. It is a unit of work within the system . Program is a passive entity, process is an active entity

4. What is caching principle? copying information into faster storage system; main memory can be viewed as a last cache for secondary storage ,Important principle, performed at many levels in a computer (in hardware, operating system, software) List two examples of caching? Software : Browser Hardware : Direct Access Memory ( DAM )

5. What is trap? is a software-generated interrupt caused either by an error or a user request Can it be generated intentionally by a user program? Its main purpose is for debugging If so, for what purpose? A trap can be used to call the OS routines or to catch arithmetic errors.

6. List the main difference between program counter and instruction register? The processor fetches the instruction from memory. Program counter (PC) holds address of the instruction to be fetched next and PC is incremented after each fetch. Instruction register (IR) contains the instruction most recently fetched

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7. Discuss the main differences between asymmetric and symmetric multiprocessing? Symmetric processing : treats all processors as equals; I/O can be processed on any of them. Asymmetric processing : designates one CPU as the master, which is the only one capable of performing I/O; the master distributes computational work among the other CPUs.

8. Discuss the main advantages and disadvantage of multiprocessor systems? Advantages: Multiprocessor systems can save money, by sharing power supplies, housings, and peripherals. Can execute programs more quickly and can have increased reliability. Disadvantages: Multiprocessor systems are more complex in both hardware and software. Additional CPU cycles are required to manage the cooperation, so perCPU efficiency goes down. 9. Define the essential properties of the following types of operating systems: a. Batch : Jobs with similar needs are batched together and run through the computer as a group by an operator or automatic job sequencer. Batch is good for executing large jobs that need little interaction. b. Interactive : user interacts directly with the system. Response time needs to be short since the user submits and waits for the results. c. Time sharing : The system uses CPU scheduling and multiprogramming to provide efficient interactive use of the system d. Real time : Constraint on response time. Used in dedicated application (inputs from sensors)Network: Provides OS features across a network such as file sharing. e. Network : Provides OS features across a network such as file sharing. f. Parallel : multiple CPUs system. Each CPU runs the same copy of the OS. Communication takes place across the system bus.

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g. Distributed : Computation is distributed among several physical processors. Each processor has its own memory. Communication via a high-speed bus or a LAN. h. Clustered : combines multiple computers into a single system to perform computational task distributed across the cluster. I. Handheld : A small computer system that performs simple tasks such as calendars, email, and web browsing. Handheld systems differ from traditional desktop systems with smaller memory and display screens and slower processors.

10. List three main activities of an operating system in regard to memory management? Keeping track of which parts of memory are currently being used and by whom Deciding which processes (or parts thereof) and data to move into and out of memory Allocating and de-allocating memory space as needed

11. Identify whether batch programming, virtual memory, and time sharing are needed to be supported by the following operating systems : a. Handheld devices systems : the operating system needs to provide virtual memory, but does not need to provide time-sharing. Batch programming is not necessary in both settings. b. Real-time systems : For real-time systems, the operating system needs to support Virtual memory and time sharing in a fair manner.

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