Operating System Basics - OS structure, operations and services, system calls, OS design and implementation, system boot - One Line Questions

1. What is a 'daemon' or 'service' in an operating system context? — A background process that performs system tasks.
2. What is a potential drawback of a monolithic kernel? — A bug in one part can crash the entire system.
3. What is a 'process control block' (PCB)? — A data structure that stores information about a process, such as its state, priority, and CPU registers.
4. What is a 'hybrid kernel'? — A kernel that combines aspects of both monolithic and microkernel designs.
5. What is virtual memory? — A memory management technique that allows the execution of processes that may not be completely in memory.
6. What is a 'kernel module'? — A piece of code that can be dynamically loaded into or unloaded from the kernel to extend its functionality.
7. What is a 'kernel mode' in operating systems? — A privileged mode of execution where the OS has full access to hardware.
8. In an operating system, what is a process? — A program in execution.
9. What is 'user mode' in operating systems? — A restricted mode of execution for user applications, with limited hardware access.
10. In the context of OS operations, what is 'deadlock'? — A situation where two or more processes are blocked indefinitely, each waiting for the other to release a resource.
11. What is a 'boot loader'? — A small program that loads the operating system kernel into memory.
12. What is a 'trap' in the context of system calls? — A software interrupt generated by a system call instruction to transfer control to the OS kernel.
13. What is a 'system call interface' often implemented as? — A software interrupt.
14. What does an operating system's 'system calls' interface provide? — A standardized way for applications to request OS services.
15. What is memory management in an operating system responsible for? — Allocating and deallocating memory space to processes.
16. In the context of OS operations, what does 'process scheduling' refer to? — Deciding which process gets to use the CPU next.
17. What is the 'operating system design' concerned with? — Defining the structure, architecture, and policies of the OS.
18. Which of the following is a common OS service that provides access to hardware devices? —
19. What is the purpose of 'thrashing' in virtual memory management? — Excessive paging activity that degrades system performance.
20. Which system call is typically used to create a new process? — fork() or exec()
21. Which of the following is an example of an OS service for user convenience? — Graphical User Interface (GUI)
22. Which OS service manages the allocation and deallocation of I/O devices? — I/O subsystem
23. What is the main advantage of a microkernel design? — Increased reliability and extensibility.
24. What is the 'state' of a process? — Its current activity, such as running, waiting, or ready.
25. What does the 'system boot' process involve after the boot loader has loaded the kernel? — Kernel initialization, hardware detection, and starting essential system processes.
26. Which of the following is a common type of OS structure that layers services from hardware up to the user interface? — Layered approach
27. What is 'inter-process communication' (IPC)? — Mechanisms allowing processes to communicate and synchronize their actions.
28. Which OS structure involves a monolithic kernel with various services running in user space? — Monolithic kernel
29. Which OS structure aims to minimize the size of the kernel by running services in user space? — Microkernel
30. Which of the following is NOT a core function of an operating system? — Database management
31. Which of the following is a key design consideration for operating systems? — Resource management, concurrency, and reliability.
32. What is the 'kernel' of an operating system? — The core component that manages the system's resources.
33. Which of the following is typically loaded during the system boot process? — The operating system kernel.
34. What is the purpose of a system call? — To allow user programs to request services from the operating system kernel.
35. What is the purpose of the 'fork()' system call in Unix-like systems? — To create a new process that is a copy of the calling process.
36. What is the purpose of the 'system boot' process? — To initialize the hardware and load the operating system into memory.
37. What is the primary purpose of the 'init' process in Unix-like systems, which is often the first process started after the kernel? — To initialize the system and start other user-space processes and daemons.
38. What is the primary role of an operating system? — To manage hardware resources and provide a platform for applications.
39. What is the main goal of an operating system's design regarding efficiency? — To maximize CPU utilization and minimize response time.
40. What is the role of the file system in an operating system? — To organize, store, and retrieve files on storage devices.
41. What is the role of the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) in the boot process? — To perform initial hardware checks and load the boot loader.
42. What is the primary responsibility of the 'shell' in an operating system? — To provide a command-line interface for users to interact with the OS.
43. What is the primary goal of operating system services? — To provide a convenient and efficient environment for users and applications.
44. What is the purpose of the 'exec()' system call in Unix-like systems? — To replace the current process image with a new program.
45. What is the purpose of a 'context switch'? — To save the state of the current process and load the state of another process.
46. What is the role of the 'scheduler' in an operating system? — To select the next process to be executed by the CPU.
47. What is the role of a 'system registry' in some operating systems (like Windows)? — To store configuration settings and options for the OS and installed applications.
48. What is the purpose of 'system monitoring' services provided by an OS? — To track system performance, resource usage, and detect potential issues.
49. Which of the following is a key operating system service related to security? — User authentication and authorization
50. What is 'operating system implementation' concerned with? — Writing the actual code for the OS components.
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