Unit I: Introduction to system software
System software is a category of software designed to manage and control computer
hardware so that application software can function. It acts as a bridge between the user and
the hardware.
Role of the Operating System as System Software
The Operating System (OS) is a crucial type of system software that manages computer
hardware and software resources, providing essential services for application programs.
Here's an overview of its main roles:
1. Resource Management
• Processor Management: Allocates CPU time to various running processes.
• Memory Management: Manages RAM by allocating space to programs and freeing it
when no longer needed.
• Device Management: Controls peripheral devices through device drivers (e.g.,
printers, disk drives).
• Storage Management: Organizes data on storage devices using file systems.
2. User Interface
• Provides a user interface, which can be:
o Command-Line Interface (CLI) – text-based (e.g., Linux Terminal)
o Graphical User Interface (GUI) – visual and user-friendly (e.g., Windows,
macOS)
3. Process Management
• Handles creation, scheduling, and termination of processes (running programs).
• Manages multitasking and ensures smooth execution without conflicts.
4. File Management
• Organizes data in files and directories.
• Controls permissions (who can read, write, or execute a file).
• Ensures data security and integrity.
5. Security and Access Control
• Protects data and system resources through:
o Authentication (e.g., passwords, biometrics)
o Authorization (who can do what)
o Encryption and firewall support
6. System Performance and Error Handling
• Monitors system performance and provides tools for optimization.
• Detects, logs, and responds to system errors.
7. Providing an Environment for Software Execution
• Acts as a platform for running application software.
• Provides Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for developers to interact
with the system.
Summary Table
Role Description
Resource Management Allocates CPU, memory, and I/O devices
User Interface Enables interaction (GUI or CLI)
Process Management Manages program execution and multitasking
File Management Organizes and secures files and directories
Security & Access Control Protects system and user data
System Performance Monitors and optimizes system operations
Software Execution Provides platform and APIs for applications
Compiler
A compiler is not part of the operating system itself, but it is an important system software
that works closely with the OS. Here's a clear explanation of its role in the computing
environment:
What is a Compiler?
A compiler is a special program that translates source code written in a high-level
programming language (like C, C++, or Java) into machine code (binary instructions) that the
computer’s processor can understand and execute.
What is an Assembler?
An assembler is a type of system software that translates assembly language (a low-level,
human-readable programming language) into machine code (binary instructions that the
CPU can execute).
Role of an Assembler
Function Description
Translation Converts assembly code into object code (machine code).
Symbol
Handles labels and memory addresses (e.g., LOOP: → address).
Resolution
Optimization Performs minimal optimizations (mostly for size and layout).
Produces an object file (e.g., .obj or .o) that can be linked and
Output
executed.
Brief Introduction to MS-DOS
MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) is a command-line-based operating system
developed by Microsoft. It was the dominant OS for IBM-compatible personal computers
during the 1980s and early 1990s.
IBM was looking for an operating system for their new line of personal computers. Bill
Gates's mother Marry M Gates served on the national board of United Way alongside the
CEO of IBM. IBM got in touch with Bill Gates through his mother when he convinced IBM
that his company Microsoft could deliver the new software for IBM's personal computer. Bill
Gates then bought an existing OS called 86-DOS also known as QDOS for Quick and Dirty
Operating System. He then adapted QDOS to run on the new IBM computers and called the
particular product as "Microsoft Disk Operating System".
What is MS-DOS Operating System?
MS-DOS Operating System also called the Disk Operating system was Developed by
Microsoft for x86 personal computers. It works on the phenomenon of doing less and
getting more. It is a 16-bit operating system. A closed-source model was initially released on
August 12, 1981, and the final release on September 14, 2000.
Why is MS-DOS Operating System Used?
It is used for many purposes:
• Education and research: It is used in the Education and research field to know how
simple MS-DOS is and how it works. The source code is available from Microsoft in
two versions.
• Legacy systems: Some organizations prefer using MS-DOS because it has been used
reliably over decades whereas others don't have the budget to upgrade the
application since this process is costly.
• Embedded systems: Embedded systems are dependent on MS-DOS especially new
devices with x86 processor architecture. It is also used on legacy Embedded systems
which have been used for decades.
• Classic Computer Games: There are still some games that were developed on MS-
DOS and still support only MS-DOS.
Features of MS-DOS Operating System
• It is a minimalist OS which means it can boot a computer and run programs.
• Still usable for simple tasks like word processing and playing games.
• The mouse cannot be used to give inputs instead it uses basic system commands to
perform the task.
• It is a 16-bit, free operating system.
• It is a single-user operating system.
• It is very lightweight due to fewer features available and no multitasking.
Working of MS-DOS
MS-DOS input and output occur at the command line in the form of issued commands and
system results of those commands. When booted, MS-DOS systems display a command
prompt. MS-DOS commands are then entered using a keyboard. Commands are either one
of the standard DOS commands, implemented as part of the OS, or they are the file name of
an executable program.
Although it does not natively support a GUI, MS-DOS can run graphical programs if they are
installed on a system disk or diskette. Users enter the command for a graphical program, and
the program takes control of the input and output devices. When the program terminates,
the control reverts to MS-DOS and the command prompt reappears.
Limitations of MS DOS Operating System
• It is not a multitasking operating system that is we cannot run too many applications
in the background.
• Files on the system can be easily deleted or the system can also be easily destroyed.
• It does not provide any warning message before you delete or perform any
unwanted task like in windows or Linux.
• It is text-based and it does not have any graphical user interface.
• Not secure to be used in any kind of public network.
• Encryption is not supported.
• Difficulty in memory access.
• Mouse cannot be used to give inputs.
Types of MS-DOS Commands
There are mainly two types of MS-DOS commands:
1. Internal Commands
Internal commands are those commands that are loaded automatically in the memory when
DOS is loaded into memory during the booting process. These commands are easier to learn
and use. They require no external files for their storage as in the case of external commands.
These are for performing a basic operation on files and in directories. They do not need any
external file support. These commands are used for common jobs such as copying and
erasing files.
2. External Commands
These external commands are for performing advanced tasks and they do not need some
external file support as they are not stored in COMMAND.com. The external commands are
used less frequently and are stored in some external files which are stored in some
secondary storage devices. Whenever an external command is to be executed then the
external file in which that particular command is stored is transferred from the secondary
storage disk to the main memory(RAM).
How to open MS-DOS in windows?
• Step 1: Click on Windows.
• Step 2: Search for 'Run' or directly use (Windows key+R) to open.
• Step 3: Type 'cmd' in run and press 'Enter'.
• Step 4: MS-DOS will open in many cases with default command prompt i.e. c:\>
Basic MS-DOS Commands
Command Description Type
Display memory on the
mem External
system.
Command to create a new
mkdir Internal
directory.
mklink Creates a symbolic link. Internal
Command to create a new
md Internal
directory.
chdir Changes directories. Internal
Check the hard drive
chkdsk External
running FAT for errors.
Check the hard drive
chkntfs External
running NTFS for errors.
Specify a listing of multiple
choice External
options within a batch file.
It Causes MS-DOS to look in
other directories when
append External
editing a file or running a
command.
Command Description Type
Displays, adds and removes
arp arp information from External
network devices.
Assign a drive letter to an
assign External
alternate letter.
assoc View the file associations. Internal
Schedule a time to execute
at External
commands or programs.
Recovery console Recovery
batch command that executes
several commands in a file. Console
Modify the boot
bcdedit External
configuration data store.
Recovery console command
that allows a user to view,
bootcfg Recovery Console
modify, and rebuild the
boot.ini file.
Enable and disable the
break Internal
Ctrl+C feature.
del Deletes one or more files. Internal
Command Description Type
Recovery console command
delete Internal
that deletes a file.
Deletes one or more files or
deltree External
directories.
Recovery console command
disable that disables Windows Recovery Console
system services or drivers.
lock Lock the hard drive. Internal
MS-DOS File and Filetypes
A computer file created by an application running under the DOS operating system. is called
an MS-DOS file. There are three main files of DOS. During the Booting process, the computer
loads the operating system into its memory. DOS booting involves reading the following files
into memory namely
• IO. SYS: A hidden executable binary file that processes instructions that tell the
operating system (OS) how the computer is set up when it is booted or started. It
contains the default MS-DOS device drivers (hardware interfacing routines) and the
DOS initialization program.
• MSDOS. SYS: The MSDOS.SYS file is a hidden, system, read-only file created on the
root of the boot drive. There are several configurations that can be changed using
this file. Most values in the MSDOS.SYS are either 0 or 1, which is off or on.
• COMMAND.COM: COMMAND.COM is the default command-line interpreter for MS-
DOS. It is the default user interface as well.COMMAND.COM is the command shell on
MS-DOS and PC-DOS, as well as versions of Windows that depend on DOS. Gives
users a command line interface to DOS as well as a way to run scripts called “batch
files” with the .BAT file extension.
Conclusion
MS-DOS allows the user to navigate, open, and otherwise manipulate files on their
computer from a command line instead of a GUI like Windows. Although it is not widely
used nowadays, however, the command shell, also known as the Windows command line, is
still used by many users. Legacy systems, specifically older IBM PC-compatible computers,
are still in use. Many are still running some versions of MS-DOS. Compatible OSes have been
published over the years, including at least two open-source implementations of MS-DOS
that are still actively maintained. It’s still around supporting legacy usually standalone
applications, generally because they work well and the applications would be expensive and
risky to “modernize”.
Operating System – Overview
An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware.
An operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management,
memory management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling
peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
An operating system is software that enables applications to interact with a computer's
hardware. The software that contains the core components of the operating system is called
the kernel.
The primary purposes of an Operating System are to enable applications (spftwares) to
interact with a computer's hardware and to manage a system's hardware and software
resources.
Some popular Operating Systems include Linux Operating System, Windows Operating
System, VMS, OS/400, AIX, z/OS, etc. Today, Operating systems is found almost in every
device like mobile phones, personal computers, mainframe computers, automobiles, TV,
Toys etc.
Definitions
We can have a number of definitions of an Operating System. Let's go through few of them:
An Operting System is the low-level software that supports a computer's basic functions,
such as scheduling tasks and controlling peripherals.
We can refine this definition as follows:
An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between the user and the
computer hardware and controls the execution of all kinds of programs.
Following is another definition taken from Wikipedia:
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software
resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
Architecture
We can draw a generic architecture diagram of an Operating System which is as follows:
Operating System Generations
Operating systems have been evolving over the years. We can categorise this evaluation
based on different generations which is briefed below:
0th Generation
The term 0th generation is used to refer to the period of development of computing when
Charles Babbage invented the Analytical Engine and later John Atanasoff created a computer
in 1940. The hardware component technology of this period was electronic vacuum tubes.
There was no Operating System available for this generation computer and computer
programs were written in machine language. This computers in this generation were
inefficient and dependent on the varying competencies of the individual programmer as
operators.
First Generation (1951-1956)
The first generation marked the beginning of commercial computing including the
introduction of Eckert and Mauchlys UNIVAC I in early 1951, and a bit later, the IBM 701.
System operation was performed with the help of expert operators and without the benefit
of an operating system for a time though programs began to be written in higher level,
procedure-oriented languages, and thus the operators routine expanded. Later mono-
programmed operating system was developed, which eliminated some of the human
intervention in running job and provided programmers with a number of desirable functions.
These systems still continued to operate under the control of a human operator who used to
follow a number of steps to execute a program. Programming language like FORTRAN was
developed by John W. Backus in 1956.
Second Generation (1956-1964)
The second generation of computer hardware was most notably characterised by transistors
replacing vacuum tubes as the hardware component technology. The first operating system
GMOS was developed by the IBM computer. GMOS was based on single stream batch
processing system, because it collects all similar jobs in groups or batches and then submits
the jobs to the operating system using a punch card to complete all jobs in a machine.
Operating system is cleaned after completing one job and then continues to read and
initiates the next job in punch card.
Researchers began to experiment with multiprogramming and multiprocessing in their
computing services called the time-sharing system. A noteworthy example is the Compatible
Time Sharing System (CTSS), developed at MIT during the early 1960s.
Third Generation (1964-1979)
The third generation officially began in April 1964 with IBMs announcement of its
System/360 family of computers. Hardware technology began to use integrated circuits (ICs)
which yielded significant advantages in both speed and economy.
Operating system development continued with the introduction and widespread adoption of
multiprogramming. The idea of taking fuller advantage of the computers data channel I/O
capabilities continued to develop.
Another progress which leads to developing of personal computers in fourth generation is a
new development of minicomputers with DEC PDP-1. The third generation was an exciting
time, indeed, for the development of both computer hardware and the accompanying
operating system.
Fourth Generation (1979 Present)
The fourth generation is characterised by the appearance of the personal computer and the
workstation. The component technology of the third generation, was replaced by very large
scale integration (VLSI). Many Operating Systems which we are using today like Windows,
Linux, MacOS etc developed in the fourth generation.
Following are some of important functions of an operating System.
• Memory Management
• Processor Management
• Device Management
• File Management
• Network Management
• Security
• Control over system performance
• Job accounting
• Error detecting aids
• Coordination between other software and users
Memory Management
Memory management refers to management of Primary Memory or Main Memory. Main
memory is a large array of words or bytes where each word or byte has its own address.
Main memory provides a fast storage that can be accessed directly by the CPU. For a
program to be executed, it must in the main memory. An Operating System does the
following activities for memory management −
• Keeps tracks of primary memory, i.e., what part of it are in use by whom, what part
are not in use.
• In multiprogramming, the OS decides which process will get memory when and how
much.
• Allocates the memory when a process requests it to do so.
• De-allocates the memory when a process no longer needs it or has been terminated.
Processor Management
In multiprogramming environment, the OS decides which process gets the processor when
and for how much time. This function is called process scheduling. An Operating System
does the following activities for processor management −
• Keeps tracks of processor and status of process. The program responsible for this task
is known as traffic controller.
• Allocates the processor (CPU) to a process.
• De-allocates processor when a process is no longer required.
Device Management
An Operating System manages device communication via their respective drivers. It does the
following activities for device management −
• Keeps tracks of all devices. Program responsible for this task is known as the I/O
controller.
• Decides which process gets the device when and for how much time.
• Allocates the device in the efficient way.
• De-allocates devices.
File Management
A file system is normally organized into directories for easy navigation and usage. These
directories may contain files and other directions.
An Operating System does the following activities for file management −
• Keeps track of information, location, uses, status etc. The collective facilities are often
known as file system.
• Decides who gets the resources.
• Allocates the resources.
• De-allocates the resources.
Other Important Activities
Following are some of the important activities that an Operating System performs −
• Security − By means of password and similar other techniques, it prevents
unauthorized access to programs and data.
• Control over system performance − Recording delays between request for a service
and response from the system.
• Job accounting − Keeping track of time and resources used by various jobs and users.
• Error detecting aids − Production of dumps, traces, error messages, and other
debugging and error detecting aids.
• Coordination between other softwares and users − Coordination and assignment of
compilers, interpreters, assemblers and other software to the various users of the
computer systems.
