Computer Systems fundamentals

Question 1

What kind of memory do flash drives use?

Answer 1

EEPROM

Question 2

What to do with DRAM to maintain it’s contents?

Answer 2

It constantly needs to be refreshed

Question 3

What is cache memory in a computer made from?

Answer 3

SRAM

Question 4

Which forms of memory is volatile?

Answer 4

SRAM and DRAM

Question 5

What is volatile memory?

Answer 5

It’s memory in computer than needs power to keep data, it loses data when system is switched off. Temporary storage while programs run

Question 6

Give 1 characteristic of SRAM

Answer 6

it does not need to be refreshed to maintain its content unlike DRAM

Question 7

Which type of memory requires a battery to preserve its contents

Answer 7

CMOS

Question 8

What is the main purpose of ROM

Answer 8

To provide the computer instructions at start up

Question 9

On what amount of data that can be transferred in once cycle depend?

Answer 9

The width of a data bus

Question 10

What is the word size of a CPU directly proportional to?

Answer 10

The width of the data bus

Question 11

What is the data bus used for?

Answer 11

transfer data from one location to another

Question 12

What determines the maximum amount of addressable memory?

Answer 12

The width of the address bus

Question 13

What determines whether data is to be read or written?

Answer 13

The control bus

Question 14

What does it imply if your CPU can use a 64-bit operating system?

Answer 14

The data bus has 64 channels

Question 15

What is true if your address bus has 32 channels?

Answer 15

The maximum amount of addressable memory can be calculated as 2 to the power of 32

Question 16

What is the control bus used for?

Answer 16

Provide interrupt requests, Provide timing signals

Question 17

What are polling and interrupts in computing?

Answer 17

Polling is a method where the CPU repeatedly checks the status of a device to see if it needs attention. It’s like continuously asking, “Are you ready yet?” Interrupts are signals sent by devices directly to the CPU, telling it to stop its current tasks and handle the urgent task. It’s like the device saying, “Stop and help me now!” Polling consumes more CPU time because it’s constantly checking, while interrupts are more efficient, allowing the CPU to perform other tasks until interrupted.

Question 18

What do you call a program that improves the efficiency of your computer system?

Answer 18

Utility

Question 19

What do you call a piece of software necessary for hardware to be compatible with the operating system?

Answer 19

Device driver

Question 20

What is the archive attribute used to do?

Answer 20

Mark a file requiring backing up

Question 21

When is the archive attribute reset?

Answer 21

After Full and Incremental backups

Question 22

What kind of operating system models are pre-emptive and co-operative?

Answer 22

Multitasking

Question 23

what is CMOS

Answer 23

CMOS is memory contained in the computer’s motherboard, powered by a battery, it stores BIOS settings such as system time and hardware configuration.

Question 24

What is EEPROM

Answer 24

(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store small amounts of data that must be saved when power is removed.

an example is a flash drive

Question 25

Give 3 examples of utility programmes

Answer 25

Backup Software - Create copies of data so it can be restored in case of data loss.

Firewall - Monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic to help protect against unauthorized access.

Disk Cleaners - Remove unnecessary files to free up space on the hard drive.

Question 26

What method is used to provide virtual memory?

Answer 26

Paging

Question 27

Which component stores information about installed applications in Windows?

Answer 27

Registry

Question 28

Which layer of the operating system is responsible for the temporary storage of data and programs in current use?

Answer 28

Memory manager

Question 29

Which part of the operating system is always resident in memory?

Answer 29

Kernel

Question 30

What is a kernel in the context of an operating system?

Answer 30

The kernel is the core component of an operating system that manages the system’s operations and facilitates interactions between hardware and software components. It handles tasks like memory management, device management, and process scheduling.

Question 31

What is a spooler

Answer 31

A spooler is a program that manages the sending of print jobs to a printer or other output device. It queues these tasks, allowing the computer to continue other operations without waiting for the printing to complete.