GCSE computing OS(s)

Question 1

What are the functions of an OS?

Answer 1

user management, disk management, peripheral management, multitasking, driver management

Question 2

List some types of utility software

Answer 2

antivirus, defragmentation, encryption, compression software

Question 3

What are peripherals?

Answer 3

Input and output devices

Question 4

What are drivers?

Answer 4

Software that communicate and control peripherals

Question 5

What are the two main benefits of drivers?

Answer 5

-can be updated
-any device can be used with the OS as long as you have the driver

Question 6

What is defragmentation?

Answer 6

When a file does not fit into a consecutive memory location on a computer, the computer splits the file up into different memory locations. Over time, files become more fragmented

Question 7

What is the slowest part of the HDD?

Answer 7

the moving read/write arm

Question 8

Why does defragmentation speed up computer performence?

Answer 8

The HDD’s moving arm is the slowest part, so if all the fragments are in the same place the arm does not need to move around as much

Question 9

What does UCD stand for?

Answer 9

User-centered design

Question 10

What does UI stand for?

Answer 10

User Interface

Question 11

What does UX stand for?

Answer 11

User Experience

Question 12

What is a GUI?

Answer 12

Graphical User Interface

Question 13

What does WIMP stand for?

Answer 13

Windows, icons, menus, pointer

Question 14

What is multitasking?

Answer 14

When an OS manages many tasks happening at the same time, eg using a web browser and playing music

Question 15

What are interupts?

Answer 15

Signals sent to the CPU by external devices to indicate an event needs immediate attention. They tell the CPU to stop its current activities and execute appropriate instructions

Question 16

What are software interupts?

Answer 16

Interupts given by programs, eg a divide-by-zero error

Question 17

What are hardware interupts?

Answer 17

Generated by hardware devices, eg a printer-out-of-paper error

Question 18

Give some examples of peripherals

Answer 18

mice, printers, keyboards, displays

Question 19

What is needed to make a peripheral work?

Answer 19

A driver

Question 20

How does the OS manage printing?

Answer 20

by organising data waiting to be printed into a queue. Once the printer is available the OS releases the next data from the queue to print. This means that other tasks (user and system) can continue while the data is in the queue.

Question 21

how does the OS manage files?

Answer 21

making sure no files overwrite each other, managing where disk files are written and keeps track of where they are so they can be revived

Question 22

Give an example of a multi-user OS

Answer 22

Linux

Question 23

How does the OS manage user login and management?

Answer 23

stores all users and their passwords in a file or database
if a computer is used by multiple people each should only be able to see their files
users and system admins have different levels of access
some can read but not write, etc

Question 24

How are file permissions stored in Linux and what do they mean?

Answer 24

rwx rwx rwx
The first set represents the user, the second the user’s group, and the third is for others
r means read, w means write, x means execute