Operating Systems, unit: Introduction and System Structures. Core concepts, terminology, and worked-example cues a college student meets for this unit, building on prior units without repeating them. Front: a term, concept, or short problem cue. Back: the definition, explanation, or answer.
25 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is an operating system?
- Software that manages hardware resources and provides services for application programs
- What are the four main resources an OS manages?
- The CPU, memory, storage (I/O devices), and processes
- What is the kernel?
- The core part of the operating system with direct control over hardware
- What is the difference between kernel mode and user mode?
- Kernel mode has full hardware access; user mode is restricted and must request services through the kernel
- What is a system call?
- A request from a user program to the kernel for a service, like reading a file
- What is a monolithic kernel?
- A kernel design where all OS services run in a single large kernel space
- What is a microkernel?
- A kernel design where most services run as separate user-space processes, with a minimal kernel core
- What is multitasking?
- Running multiple processes seemingly at the same time on a single processor
- What is multiprocessing, as distinct from multitasking?
- Running processes across multiple physical processors or cores simultaneously
- What is a batch operating system?
- An early OS type that processes jobs in batches without user interaction during execution
- What is a time-sharing operating system?
- An OS that rapidly switches between multiple users' tasks to give the illusion of simultaneous access
- What is a real-time operating system?
- An OS designed to guarantee response within a strict time constraint
- What is the boot process of a computer?
- The sequence of steps loading the OS into memory when a computer starts
- What is BIOS/UEFI's role in booting?
- Initializing hardware and loading the operating system's bootloader
- What is a device driver?
- Software that allows the OS to communicate with a specific hardware device
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