What is the main disadvantage of kernel-level threads (KLTs)?

Requires mode switch to the kernel

Which of the following is true about microprocessors?

Contains multiple processors on a single chip

What is the purpose of virtual memory in an operating system?

To use secondary memory as if it were main memory

What is the purpose of semaphores in operating systems?

Ensure mutual exclusion and prevent race conditions

What is the primary function of an operating system (OS)?

Act as an interface between hardware and the user

What does the program counter (PC) hold during instruction execution?

Address of the next instruction to be fetched

What is the main purpose of thread synchronization?

To ensure safe access to shared resources

GPUs are primarily used for:

Efficient computation on arrays of data using SIMD techniques

What is swapping in the context of process management?

Moving processes between main memory and secondary memory

What is a fiber in Windows OS?

A unit of execution manually scheduled by the application

What is the process in the context of an operating system?

An instance of a program in execution

What is the primary goal of information protection in an operating system?

Prevent unauthorized access to data

What is the main advantage of multithreading in a single-user system?

Improved modular program structure

Which of these is the principal storage management responsibility of an OS?

Allocation of memory to save data

What happens during the fetch phase of the instruction cycle?

Instruction is loaded into the IR

What is the primary purpose of Dekker's Algorithm?

Achieving mutual exclusion between two processes

Which of the following best describes multithreading?

Supporting multiple concurrent paths of execution within a single process

In the readers-writers problem, what condition must be ensured?

Only one writer can access the shared data at a time

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

A lightweight process for dispatching execution

What is the main purpose of memory tables in an operating system?

Track allocation of main and secondary memory

What is the role of I/O modules in a computer system?

Move data between the computer and its external environment

What is the primary disadvantage of disabling interrupts for mutual exclusion?

Degrades efficiency by limiting interleaving of processes

Which of the following is a characteristic of multiprogrammed batch systems?

Can hold and execute multiple programs concurrently

Which of the following is a benefit of threads?

Faster context switching than processes

What is the function of the system bus in a computer system?

Facilitate communication among processors, main memory, and I/O modules

What is contained in the Processor State Information?

Contents of registers and status flags

In inter-process communication, what is a mailbox?

A shared memory location for exchanging messages

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Operating Systems Midterm Review

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Questions 96

Answers

1
Which operation on a semaphore decreases its value?
Wait (acquire)
Release
Reset
Post (signal)
2
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)?
Performance improvement
Availability and fault tolerance
Incremental growth
Single-user limitation
3
What is the main disadvantage of kernel-level threads (KLTs)?
Need user-level scheduling
Lack of resource sharing
Requires mode switch to the kernel
Slow context switching
4
Which component of the computer system performs data processing functions?
I/O Modules
Main Memory
Processor
System Bus
5
Which of the following is NOT a basic hardware element of a computer system?
Main Memory
System Bus
Processor
Operating System
6
Which of the following is true about microprocessors?
Used exclusively for data storage
Only used for rendering graphics
Contains multiple processors on a single chip
Slowest general-purpose processors
7
Which of the following is NOT an element of a process?
Associated data
Program code
Network address
Process state
8
What is the purpose of virtual memory in an operating system?
To use secondary memory as if it were main memory
To increase processing speed
To enhance network security
To manage files efficiently
9
Which of the following problems can occur if mutual exclusion is not enforced?
Buffer overflow
Inconsistent data
Starvation
Deadlock
10
What is the purpose of semaphores in operating systems?
Handle network protocols
Optimize memory allocation
Ensure mutual exclusion and prevent race conditions
Manage file systems
11
Android OS is based on which kernel?
Windows NT
Linux
Unix
macOS
12
Which of the following is NOT a service provided by an operating system?
System access
Hardware manufacturing
Error detection and response
Program execution
13
Which design approach helps in extending an operating system modularly?
Linear Programming
Object-Oriented Design
Database Normalization
Heuristic Analysis
14
What is the primary function of an operating system (OS)?
Control network connections
Act as an interface between hardware and the user
Perform arithmetic operations
Manage application software only
15
In which mode does the kernel of an operating system execute?
Debug Mode
User Mode
Control Mode (Kernel Mode)
Admin Mode
16
What does the program counter (PC) hold during instruction execution?
Address of the previous instruction
Data to be processed
Results of executed instructions
Address of the next instruction to be fetched
17
Which type of thread management is performed by the kernel?
Application-level thread
User-level thread (ULT)
Virtual thread
Kernel-level thread (KLT)
18
What is the main purpose of thread synchronization?
To terminate threads efficiently
To improve thread execution speed
To ensure safe access to shared resources
To allocate memory dynamically
19
GPUs are primarily used for:
Operating system management
Data encryption
Efficient computation on arrays of data using SIMD techniques
Network management
20
What is swapping in the context of process management?
Moving processes between main memory and secondary memory
Scheduling processes for execution
Allocating memory to processes
Terminating inactive processes
21
What is a fiber in Windows OS?
A network protocol
A unit of execution manually scheduled by the application
A kernel-level thread
A user-level thread managed by the kernel
22
What is the process in the context of an operating system?
A network protocol
An instance of a program in execution
A hardware component
A static program stored on disk
23
What is an example of a single-threaded operating system?
Windows 10
Android
Linux
MS-DOS
24
What is the primary goal of information protection in an operating system?
Prevent unauthorized access to data
Execute programs faster
Improve network bandwidth
Enhance graphical user interfaces
25
What type of memory is referred to as 'volatile'?
ROM
Main Memory
Secondary Memory
Cache Memory
26
What is a process in the context of an operating system?
A program in execution
A file stored on disk
A networking protocol
A hardware component
27
What is the main advantage of multithreading in a single-user system?
Reduced memory usage
Enhanced file system management
Slower execution speed
Improved modular program structure
28
Which of these is the principal storage management responsibility of an OS?
Audio processing
Network routing
Power management
Allocation of memory to save data
29
What happens during the fetch phase of the instruction cycle?
Instruction is loaded into the IR
Processor interprets the instruction
Data is written to memory
Instruction is executed
30
What is the primary purpose of Dekker's Algorithm?
File management
Achieving mutual exclusion between two processes
Network security
Memory allocation
31
Which of the following best describes multithreading?
Executing multiple processes sequentially
Running a single process without interruption
Managing hardware resources exclusively
Supporting multiple concurrent paths of execution within a single process
32
In Android OS, which component is NOT a part of the application architecture?
Schedulers
Content providers
Activities
Services
33
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the memory hierarchy?
Decreasing cost per bit
Increasing capacity
Increasing access time
Increasing cost per bit
34
In the readers-writers problem, what condition must be ensured?
Multiple writers can write simultaneously
Writers must wait for readers to finish reading
Only one writer can access the shared data at a time
Readers can read during writing
35
Which of the following is a type of thread?
User-level thread (ULT)
Network thread
Database thread
Virtual thread
36
What is a thread in the context of an operating system?
A network protocol
A lightweight process for dispatching execution
A file management component
A unit of resource ownership
37
What is the main purpose of memory tables in an operating system?
Store user data permanently
Handle user input and output
Manage CPU scheduling
Track allocation of main and secondary memory
38
Which algorithm uses a turn variable to ensure mutual exclusion?
Peterson’s Algorithm
Dekker’s Algorithm
Round-robin Scheduling
Banker’s Algorithm
39
What is the role of I/O modules in a computer system?
Move data between the computer and its external environment
Manage system memory
Store data temporarily
Execute instructions
40
What is the primary disadvantage of disabling interrupts for mutual exclusion?
Degrades efficiency by limiting interleaving of processes
Requires high memory usage
Increases network latency
Works only in multiprocessor systems
41
The earliest computers used which type of processing?
Real-time processing
Multiprogramming
Serial Processing
Time-sharing
42
Which of the following is a characteristic of multiprogrammed batch systems?
Can hold and execute multiple programs concurrently
Executes one job at a time
Does not use I/O devices
Requires no operating system
43
What does a stack in a process image store?
User credentials
Procedure call information
Disk management data
Executable code
44
Which architecture assigns only essential functions to the kernel?
Microkernel Architecture
Hybrid Architecture
Layered Architecture
Monolithic Architecture
45
In message passing, which operation makes the sender wait until the message is received?
Blocking send
Async send
Nonblocking receive
Nonblocking send
46
Which of the following is a benefit of threads?
Longer time to create and terminate
Higher memory usage
Increased process isolation
Faster context switching than processes
47
What is the function of the system bus in a computer system?
Facilitate communication among processors, main memory, and I/O modules
Control system security
Execute software applications
Manage power supply
48
What is contained in the Processor State Information?
Network protocols
File management data
Contents of registers and status flags
User passwords
49
In inter-process communication, what is a mailbox?
A disk scheduling algorithm
A shared memory location for exchanging messages
A network protocol
A semaphore operation
50
Which type of information is NOT stored in I/O tables?
Progress of I/O operations
Network configurations
Status of I/O devices
Memory locations for I/O transfers
51
In a multithreaded process, what is shared among threads?
Stack
Program counter
Address space and resources
Register set
52
Which of the following is included in a process's accounting information?
CPU usage time
User interface details
File permissions
Network addresses
53
Which of the following is a key problem in concurrency?
Network latency
Memory defragmentation
Race condition
File fragmentation
54
What is the purpose of interrupts in a computer system?
Breaking the continuous flow of execution
Store data permanently
Synchronize system clocks
Speed up the processor
55
What is the main objective of an operating system (choose most appropriate)?
To make the computer more convenient to use and efficient
To perform hardware repairs
To execute only system software
To manage network security
56
Which of the following is NOT a reason for process termination?
Error in execution
User input
Completion of execution
Lack of memory
57
Which of the following is a possible state of a process?
Running
Debugging
Compiling
Saving
58
What is the main difference between a blocked process and a blocked/suspend process?
Blocked/suspend processes are permanently terminated
Blocked process waits in main memory; blocked/suspend in secondary memory
Both wait in main memory but for different events
Blocked processes are ready for execution
59
What is the role of a dispatcher in thread management?
Manages I/O operations
Switches CPU control between threads
Controls network protocols
Allocates memory to threads
60
What is the main disadvantage of secondary memory compared to main memory?
Volatility
Slower access time
Limited storage capacity
Higher cost per bit
61
In a five-state process model, which state is characterized by waiting for an event?
New
Ready
Running
Blocked
62
Which of the following describes a time-sharing operating system?
Executes only batch jobs
Allows only one user at a time
Processes jobs sequentially without user interaction
Shares processor time among multiple users simultaneously
63
What is a disadvantage of user-level threads (ULTs)?
Blocking system calls block all threads in the process
Cannot run on any operating system
Need complex synchronization mechanisms
Require kernel mode for thread switching
64
Which type of thread management does Solaris use?
Kernel-level threads only
Combined approach of user-level and kernel-level threads
Fiber-based threading
User-level threads only
65
Which of the following is a requirement for mutual exclusion mechanisms?
Fixed number of processes
No assumptions about process speeds
Infinite waiting time
Allowing multiple processes in critical section
66
Which of the following is a function of the control unit within the CPU?
Perform arithmetic operations
Manage I/O devices
Store data temporarily
Interpret and execute instructions
67
Which of the following is NOT a component of a process?
Execution context
Associated data (variables, buffers)
Executable program
User password
68
What does a thread pool do in Windows OS?
Manages network connections
Executes asynchronous tasks efficiently
Allocates memory to applications
Handles disk I/O operations exclusively
69
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of kernel-level threads (KLTs)?
Thread blocking does not block the entire process
Can schedule multiple threads on multiple processors
Kernel routines can be multithreaded
Requires a mode switch to the kernel
70
Which of these is considered a major achievement in operating systems?
Game development
File compression
Graphic design
Memory management
71
In the context of semaphores, what does a zero value indicate?
Resource is locked permanently
Resource is available
Resource is not available
Resource is corrupted
72
Which of these is NOT a component of a thread's context?
Program code
Execution stack
Saved register set
Thread ID
73
Which type of memory is referred to as non-volatile?
Register Memory
Secondary Memory
Cache Memory
Main Memory
74
During the instruction cycle, where is the fetched instruction loaded?
Instruction Register (IR)
Main Memory
Cache Memory
Program Counter (PC)
75
In a race condition, the final result depends on:
The memory allocation technique
The type of file system used
The operating system version
The order of execution of processes
76
What principle does cache memory exploit to enhance performance?
swap data to/from main memory
Virtualization
Redundancy
Parallel processing
77
What does the client/server model simplify in operating systems?
Hardware manufacturing
Disk defragmentation
Communication between applications and services
Video processing
78
What is multithreading in an operating system?
Executing only one thread per process
Executing multiple processes sequentially
Sharing memory between different computers
Dividing a process into multiple threads that can run concurrently
79
The main memory is also referred to as:
Secondary memory
External memory
Cache memory
Real memory or primary memory
80
In a simple batch system, what mode allows execution of privileged instructions?
Kernel Mode
User Mode
Admin Mode
Supervisor Mode
81
Which of the following is NOT a technique to achieve concurrency?
Multiprocessing
Single-thread execution
Multitasking
Multithreading
82
What is the function of the dispatcher in process management?
Manages file access
Swaps processes between memory and disk
Switches CPU control between processes
Allocates memory to processes
83
How are user-level threads managed in an OS?
By hardware controllers
By the application with no kernel awareness
By the kernel directly
By network protocols
84
Which function does the operating system perform as a resource manager?
Managing I/O devices and processor time
Creating software applications
Designing hardware
Developing network protocols
85
Which instruction is used for atomic mutual exclusion in hardware?
Load-and-Set
Compare-and-Swap (CAS)
Load-and-Store
Test-and-Set (TAS)
86
What is NOT an execution state of a thread?
Compiling
Running
Terminated
Ready
87
In a two-state process model, what are the two states?
Blocked and Suspended
New and Terminated
Waiting and Terminated
Ready and Running
88
What is the role of the Process Control Block (PCB)?
Manages memory allocation
Handles user inputs
Stores process information to manage execution
Controls access to files
89
In a computer system, which bus is responsible for transferring data?
Data Bus
Power Bus
Address Bus
Control Bus
90
What does the term 'process spawning' refer to?
Suspending a process
Merging two processes
Creating a new process at the request of an existing one
Terminating a process
91
Which of the following is a characteristic of a suspended process?
Awaiting an event in main memory
Temporarily stored in secondary memory
Ready for execution immediately
Terminated permanently
92
What is mutual exclusion?
Ensuring only one process accesses a shared resource at a time
Preventing any process from accessing shared resources
Scheduling processes based on priority
Allowing all processes simultaneous access to shared resources
93
Which of the following best describes the 'instruction cycle'?
An algorithm for sorting data
A continuous cycle of fetching and executing instructions
Storing data in memory permanently
A process of transferring files between devices
94
What information does the program counter hold?
Size of main memory
Current process priority
Address of the next instruction to execute
Status of I/O devices
95
What interface is closest to the user in a computer system?
Hardware Interface
Application Binary Interface (ABI)
Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
Application Programming Interface (API)
96
What is the purpose of process suspension?
To update process information
To execute processes faster
To temporarily remove processes from main memory
To delete unnecessary processes

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