Unit-1 Operating System
Here is a comprehensive set of **short and long questions with answers** based on the provided
topics related to Operating Systems, suitable for 5-mark and 10-mark exam questions.
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## **Short Questions and Answers (5 Marks Each)**
### **1. What is an Operating System? Explain its main functions.**
**Answer:**
An Operating System (OS) is a system software that manages computer hardware and software
resources and provides services for computer programs.
**Main Functions:**
* Process management
* Memory management
* File system management
* Device management
* User interface
* Security and access control
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### **2. List and explain any four services provided by the Operating System.**
**Answer:**
1. **Program Execution:** Loads and runs programs.
2. **I/O Operations:** Manages input and output devices.
3. **File System Manipulation:** Controls reading/writing and access permissions of files.
4. **Error Detection:** Monitors system errors and responds accordingly.
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### **3. What are the different types of Operating Systems?**
**Answer:**
* **Batch OS:** Executes jobs in batches without user interaction.
* **Time-Sharing OS:** Allows multiple users to access the system simultaneously.
* **Distributed OS:** Manages a group of independent systems as a single system.
* **Real-Time OS:** Responds to inputs instantly; used in embedded systems.
* **Multi-tasking and Multi-user OS:** Supports concurrent users and processes.
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### **4. What is a Process Control Block (PCB)? What information does it contain?**
**Answer:**
A PCB is a data structure used by the OS to store information about a process.
**Contents include:**
* Process ID
* Process state
* Program counter
* CPU registers
* Memory management info
* I/O status
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### **5. Define Scheduling Criteria and list any four commonly used criteria.**
**Answer:**
Scheduling criteria are the metrics used to evaluate CPU scheduling algorithms.
**Examples:**
* **CPU Utilization**: Maximize usage of CPU.
* **Throughput**: Number of processes completed per time unit.
* **Turnaround Time**: Total time from submission to completion.
* **Waiting Time**: Time a process spends in the ready queue.
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## **Long Questions and Answers (10 Marks Each)**
### **1. Explain in detail the different states of a process and the transitions between them.**
**Answer:**
**Process States:**
1. **New**: Process is being created.
2. **Ready**: Process is waiting to be assigned to CPU.
3. **Running**: Process is executing on the CPU.
4. **Waiting**: Process is waiting for an event (like I/O).
5. **Terminated**: Process has finished execution.
**Transitions:**
* **New → Ready**: Admitted by OS.
* **Ready → Running**: Dispatcher assigns CPU.
* **Running → Waiting**: Process requests I/O.
* **Waiting → Ready**: I/O completed.
* **Running → Terminated**: Process completes or is killed.
* **Running → Ready**: Preemption due to another higher-priority process.
A **state diagram** can be used to visualize these transitions.
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### **2. Compare and explain First-Come, First-Served (FCFS), Shortest Job Next (SJN), and Round
Robin (RR) scheduling algorithms with examples.**
**Answer:**
**FCFS:**
* Processes executed in the order they arrive.
* Simple but may lead to long wait times (convoy effect).
* **Example:** P1(10), P2(5), P3(2) → Waiting Times: P1=0, P2=10, P3=15
**SJN (SJF):**
* Executes the shortest job first.
* Minimizes average waiting time.
* Non-preemptive, may lead to starvation.
* **Example:** P1(6), P2(8), P3(7), P4(3)
→ Order: P4 → P1 → P3 → P2
**RR:**
* Each process gets a fixed time slice (quantum).
* Fair, good for time-sharing systems.
* High context switching overhead.
* **Example:** Quantum = 4, P1(10), P2(5), P3(8)
→ Cycles through P1, P2, P3 until all finish.
**Comparison:**
| Algorithm | Fairness | Waiting Time | Preemption | Use Case |
| --------- | -------- | ------------ | ---------- | ---------------- |
| FCFS | No | High | No | Simple systems |
| SJN | No | Low (Avg.) | No | Batch processing |
| RR | Yes | Moderate | Yes | Time-sharing |
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Here are **additional long questions and answers (10 marks each)** covering the remaining topics
in your syllabus:
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### **3. Explain the concept of Process Scheduling. Why is it important? Describe the different
types of schedulers.**
**Answer:**
**Process Scheduling** is the mechanism by which the operating system decides the order in which
processes will be executed by the CPU. It is crucial for optimizing system performance, achieving
fairness, and maximizing CPU utilization.
**Importance:**
* Ensures efficient process execution
* Improves system responsiveness
* Minimizes waiting and turnaround times
* Maximizes throughput
**Types of Schedulers:**
1. **Long-term Scheduler (Job Scheduler):**
* Selects processes from the job pool and loads them into memory.
* Controls the degree of multiprogramming.
2. **Short-term Scheduler (CPU Scheduler):**
* Selects one of the ready processes to execute next on the CPU.
* Runs frequently (every few milliseconds).
3. **Medium-term Scheduler:**
* Temporarily removes processes from memory (swapping) to reduce load.
* Improves process mix and memory usage.
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### **4. Describe and compare Priority Scheduling and Multilevel Queue Scheduling algorithms with
advantages and disadvantages.**
**Answer:**
**Priority Scheduling:**
* Each process is assigned a priority.
* The CPU is allocated to the process with the highest priority.
* Can be **preemptive** or **non-preemptive**.
**Advantages:**
* Efficient for time-critical applications.
* Simple to implement.
**Disadvantages:**
* Low-priority processes may starve.
* Solution: Aging (increase priority over time).
**Multilevel Queue Scheduling:**
* Multiple queues for different priority levels.
* Each queue has its own scheduling algorithm.
* Processes do not move between queues.
**Advantages:**
* Separates processes by type (e.g., system vs user).
* Specialized handling for each type.
**Disadvantages:**
* Fixed assignment may be inefficient.
* Starvation possible in lower-priority queues.
**Comparison Table:**
| Feature | Priority Scheduling | Multilevel Queue Scheduling |
| ---------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Queue Structure | Single | Multiple |
| Scheduling Type | Based on priority | Based on queue policy |
| Starvation Issue | Yes | Yes |
| Flexibility | Moderate | Low (fixed class assignment) |
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### **5. What is CPU Scheduling? Explain the criteria used to evaluate scheduling algorithms.**
**Answer:**
**CPU Scheduling** is the process of selecting a process from the ready queue and allocating the
CPU to it. It's key to multitasking and process management.
**Scheduling Criteria:**
1. **CPU Utilization:** Keep the CPU as busy as possible (ideally 100%).
2. **Throughput:** Number of processes completed per time unit.
3. **Turnaround Time:** Time from submission to completion of a process.
4. **Waiting Time:** Time a process spends in the ready queue.
5. **Response Time:** Time from request submission to first response.
6. **Fairness:** Ensure all processes get a fair share of CPU time.
Each scheduling algorithm is evaluated based on how well it optimizes these criteria depending on
the system's goals (e.g., responsiveness vs. throughput).
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Would you like long questions for Real-Time or Distributed OS next?
