Task 1: Understanding operating system functions.
What are the major functions of an operating system? * The basic functions of an operating system are: Booting the computer. Performs basic computer tasks managing the various peripheral devices mouse, keyboard. Provides a user interface, command line, graphical user interface (GUI)
What is the file system, and what are the three major file systems supported by Windows? * A file system is the methods and data structures that an operating system uses to keep track of files on a disk or partition; that is, the way the files are organized on the disk. In Windows, the three file system options you have to choose from are NTFS, FAT32, and the older and rarely-used FAT (also known as FAT16).
What are the limitations of these three file systems? * FAT: Limitations of the FAT32 file system include:
• Clusters cannot be 64 kilobytes (KB) or larger. If clusters are 64 KB or larger, some programs (such as Setup programs) may incorrectly calculate disk space.
• A FAT32 volume must contain a minimum of 65,527 clusters. You cannot increase the cluster size on a volume that uses the FAT32 file system so that it contains fewer than 65,527 clusters.
• The maximum disk size is approximately 8 terabytes when you take into account the following variables: The maximum possible number of clusters on a FAT32 volume is 268,435,445, and there is a maximum of 32 KB per cluster, along with the space required for the file allocation table (FAT).
• You cannot decrease the cluster size on a FAT32 volume so that the size of the FAT is larger than 16 megabytes (MB) minus 64 KB.
• You cannot format a volume larger than 32 gigabytes (GB) in size using the FAT32 file system during the Windows XP installation process. Windows XP can mount and support FAT32 volumes larger than 32 GB (subject to the other limits), but you cannot create a FAT32 volume larger than 32 GB by using the Format tool during Setup. If you need to format a volume that is larger than 32 GB, use the NTFS file system to format it. Another option is to start from a Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) Startup disk and use the Format tool included on the disk.
• You are not allowed to have 4GB or more data file to a FAT32 File System. * NTFS: File names are limited to 255 UTF-16 code words. Certain names are reserved in the volume root directory and cannot be used for files. These are: $MFT, $MFTMirr, $LogFile, $Volume, $AttrDef, . (dot), $Bitmap, $Boot, $BadClus, $Secure, $Upcase, and $Extend;[3] . (dot) and $Extend are both directories; the others are files. The NT kernel limits full paths to 32,767 UTF-16 code words. * Maximum Volume Size * In theory, the maximum NTFS volume size is 264−1 clusters. However, the maximum NTFS volume size as implemented in Windows XP Professional is 232−1 clusters. For example, using 64 KB (64 × 1024 bytes) clusters, the maximum Windows XP NTFS volume size is 256 TB (256 × 10244 bytes) minus 64 KB. Using the default cluster size of 4 KB, the maximum NTFS volume size is 16 TB minus 4 KB. (Both of these are vastly higher than the 128 GB (128 × 10243 bytes) limit lifted in Windows XP SP1.) Because partition tables on master boot record (MBR) disks only support partition sizes up to 2 TB, dynamic or GPT volumes must be used to create NTFS volumes over 2 TB. Booting from a GPT volume to a Windows environment requires a system with EFI and 64-bit support. * Maximum File Size * As designed, the maximum NTFS file size is 16 EB minus 1 KB. As implemented, the maximum NTFS file size is 16 TB minus 64 KB * Alternate Data Streams
What is Windows Registry, and what its purpose? * Whenever a user installs a software program/application, a hardware or a device driver for a newly connected hardware in a Windows based computer system, the initial configuration settings of these are stored as keys and values in a system defined, central hierarchical database repository called Windows Registry. During the usage of the software or the hardware, the changes made to these configurations are updated in the registry. Also, the changes made to Control Panel settings, file associations, Windows components and so on, during the use of the computer, are updated in the registry. * The Windows Registry serves as an archive for collecting and storing the configuration settings of Windows components, installed hardware/software/application and more. A Windows component, hardware or a software, retrieves the registry entries or keys relating to it, every time it is started. It also modifies the registry entries or keys corresponding to it, in its course of execution. When keys are added to the registry, the data are sorted as computer-specific data or user-specific data in order to support multiple users.
Task 2: Understand memory Management.
What are the key requirements memory management should satisfy? * Protection * Sharing * Relocation * Organization

What kind of memory address does a central processing unit (CPU) generate? * A CPU (central processing unit) generates a logical address.
What kind of memory address does a memory management unit (MMU) generate? * An MMU (memory management unit) generates physical address.
What is the process of loading a process from secondary memory into primary memory? * The computer usually uses its input/output channels to access secondary storage and transfers the desired data using intermediate area in primary storage.