DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL

END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICES (TOTAL: 50 MARKS)

Answer All Questions in the Answer Booklet Provided

1. What is the main function of an operating system?

A. To manage computer hardware resources
B. To provide a user interface for applications
C. To run other software applications
D. To manage databases

2. Which of the following is NOT a task performed by an operating system?

A. Memory management
B. Device driver development
C. Process scheduling
D. File system management

3. Which of the following is NOT an example of an operating system?

A. Windows
B. iOS
C. Chrome
D. Linux

4. Which of the following is NOT a type of operating system?

A. Batch operating system
B. Real-time operating system
C. Distributed operating system
D. Integrated development environment

5. What is a process in an operating system?

A. A program that is currently executing
B. A program that is waiting to be executed
C. A program that has finished executing
D. A program that is being developed

Page 1 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

6. Which of the following is NOT a state of a process in an operating system?

A. Running
B. Sleeping
C. Waiting
D. Programming

7. Which of the following is a memory management technique used by operating

systems?
A. Paging
B. Caching
C. Sorting
D. Hashing

8. What is virtual memory in an operating system?

A. A memory management technique that allows programs to use more memory
than is physically available
B. A type of memory that is only accessible by the operating system
C. A type of memory that is shared by multiple processes
D. A type of memory that is used for temporary storage

9. Which of the following is NOT a function of an interrupt handler in an operating

system?
A. Saving the current context
B. Handling the interrupt request
C. Allocating memory for processes
D. Restoring the previous context

10. What is a device driver in an operating system?

A. A program that controls a specific type of hardware device
B. A program that controls other software applications
C. A program that manages user accounts

Page 2 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

D. A program that manages file permissions

11. What is a thread?

A. A program in execution
B. A process in execution
C. A unit of CPU utilization
D. A unit of I/O operation

12. Which of the following is NOT a type of thread?

A. User-level thread
B. Kernel-level thread
C. Lightweight thread
D. Heavyweight thread

13. What is the advantage of using threads over processes?

A. Threads are faster to create and destroy
B. Threads have a smaller memory footprint
C. Threads can communicate with each other more efficiently
D. All of the above

14. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using SMP?

A. Improved performance
B. Increased reliability
C. Increased memory utilization
D. Increased I/O throughput

15. What is a microkernel?

A. A small operating system kernel
B. A type of processor used in embedded systems
C. A type of thread that runs in kernel mode
D. A lightweight version of a monolithic kernel

Page 3 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

16. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using a microkernel?

A. Improved system reliability
B. Improved system scalability
C. Improved system performance
D. Improved system maintainability
17. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a microkernel?
A. All non-essential functions are removed from the kernel
B. The kernel provides only basic services such as memory management and inter-
process communication
C. Most operating system services run in user space
D. The kernel is large and complex

18. What is the difference between a monolithic kernel and a microkernel?

A. A monolithic kernel provides all operating system services in kernel space, while
a microkernel provides most operating system services in user space
B. A monolithic kernel is smaller and simpler than a microkernel
C. A monolithic kernel is more scalable than a microkernel
D. A monolithic kernel is more reliable than a microkernel

19. What is a context switch?

A. A type of inter-process communication
B. A mechanism used by the CPU to switch between different threads or processes
C. A type of scheduling algorithm
D. A type of memory management algorithm

20. Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of using threads?

A. Increased complexity
B. Increased memory usage
C. Increased risk of deadlocks and race conditions
D. Increased system overhead

21. What is the primary function of virtual memory?

Page 4 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

A. To reduce the size of the RAM

B. To improve the overall system performance
C. To reduce the cost of the system
D. To increase the size of the CPU cache

22. What is the maximum size of the virtual memory?

A. It depends on the CPU architecture
B. It depends on the amount of physical memory available
C. It is always fixed
D. It is determined by the operating system

23. What is the role of the page replacement algorithm in virtual memory?
A. To allocate physical memory to processes
B. To ensure that there is enough space in the virtual memory
C. To decide which page should be replaced when there is a page fault
D. To reduce the fragmentation of the physical memory

24 Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using virtual memory?

A. It allows multiple programs to run simultaneously
B. It reduces the cost of the system
C. It increases the size of the RAM
D. It protects the system from crashing due to insufficient memory

25. Which of the following is TRUE about demand paging?

A. It brings all the pages of a process into the main memory at once
B. It brings the required pages of a process into the main memory as needed
C. It swaps the entire process out of the main memory
D. It swaps the entire process into the main memory

26. What is the difference between internal fragmentation and external fragmentation?

Page 5 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

A. a. Internal fragmentation is caused by unused space within a page, while

external fragmentation is caused by unused space between pages
B. Internal fragmentation is caused by unused space between pages, while
external fragmentation is caused by unused space within a page
C. Internal fragmentation is caused by the page replacement algorithm, while
external fragmentation is caused by the page allocation algorithm
D. Internal fragmentation is caused by the CPU cache, while external
fragmentation is caused by the RAM

27. What is the role of the page table in virtual memory?

A. To store the physical addresses of the pages
B. To store the virtual addresses of the pages
C. To store the page replacement algorithm
D. To store the page allocation algorithm

28. Which of the following is a disadvantage of using virtual memory?

A. It slows down the system due to the overhead of managing virtual memory
B. It reduces the security of the system
C. It increases the size of the CPU cache
D. It increases the cost of the system

29. Which of the following is NOT a valid page replacement policy?

A. Optimal
B. Random
C. Least Recently Used
D. Most Recently Used

30 What is the role of the TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) in virtual memory?
A. To store the page table in the main memory
B. To store the page table in the CPU cache
C. To speed up the translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses
D. To store the page replacement algorithm

Page 6 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

31. Which of the following is NOT a function of a file system?

A. Reading and writing files
B. Creating and deleting files
C. Formatting disks
D. Allocating and managing disk space

32. Which of the following is NOT a type of file system?

A. FAT
B. NTFS
C. HFS
D. FTP
33. What is the main difference between a file and a directory?
A. A file contains data, while a directory contains other files and directories
B. A file is stored on disk, while a directory is stored in memory
C. A file is accessed by its name, while a directory is accessed by its inode number
D. There is no difference between a file and a directory

34. Which of the following is NOT a file attribute?

A. Size
B. Creation date
C. Owner ID
D. Location

35. What is the main advantage of using a journaling file system?

A. Faster file access
B. Higher disk space utilization
C. Improved data consistency in case of system crashes
D. More efficient disk space allocation

36. What is the purpose of a file system driver?

A. To manage physical disks and partitions
B. To provide a standardized interface for file access

Page 7 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

C. To allocate and manage disk space

D. To read and write data to and from files

37. What is a file descriptor?

A. An identifier used by the operating system to manage files
B. A pointer to a file's inode
C. A record in the file allocation table
D. A binary file format used to store data

38. What is file fragmentation?

A. The process of dividing a file into smaller parts to save disk space
B. The process of organizing a file system into directories and subdirectories
C. The scattering of a file's data across multiple non-contiguous disk blocks
D. d. The process of encrypting a file to protect its contents
39. What is the purpose of a file system cache?
A. To store frequently accessed files in memory for faster access
B. To manage disk space allocation
C. To provide a standardized interface for file access
D. To read and write data to and from files

40. What is a file system inode?

A. A unique identifier assigned to each file and directory
B. A binary file format used to store data
C. A record in the file allocation table
D. A pointer to a file's data blocks

41. Which type of attack involves tricking a user into providing sensitive information,
such as a password or credit card number?
A. Phishing
B. Social engineering
C. Denial of Service (DoS)
D. Exploit

Page 8 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

42. What is a virus?

A. A type of malware that encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them
B. A type of malware that records keystrokes and sends them to a remote attacker
C. A type of malware that replicates itself and spreads to other systems
D. A type of malware that steals sensitive information, such as passwords or credit
card numbers

43. Which type of attack attempts to exploit a vulnerability in software to gain access to
a system?
A. Phishing
B. Social engineering
C. Denial of Service (DoS)
D. Exploit

44. What is the process of ensuring that data is protected from unauthorized access?
A. Encryption
B. Authentication
C. Authorization
D. Auditing

45. What is the process of verifying the identity of a user or system?

A. Encryption
B. Authentication
C. Authorization
D. Auditing

46. What is a firewall?

A. A type of software that encrypts data to protect it from unauthorized access
B. A type of software that analyzes network traffic and blocks unauthorized access
attempts
C. A type of software that scans for viruses and other types of malware

Page 9 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

D. A type of software that encrypts network traffic to protect it from interception

47. What is an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

A. A type of software that encrypts data to protect it from unauthorized access
B. A type of software that analyzes network traffic and blocks unauthorized access
attempts
C. A type of software that scans for viruses and other types of malware
D. A type of software that monitors network traffic and alerts administrators to
potential security breaches

48. Which type of attack involves sending large amounts of traffic to a system to
overwhelm it and prevent legitimate users from accessing it?
A. Phishing
B. Social engineering
C. Denial of Service (DoS)
D. d. Exploit

49. What is the process of granting access to a resource or system?

A. Encryption
B. Authentication
C. Authorization
D. Auditing

50. What is the type of access control where users are granted access based on their job
responsibilities?
A. Role-based access control
B. Discretionary access control
C. Mandatory access control
D. Rule-based access control

Page 10 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

SECTION B: STRUCTURED (TOTAL: 30 MARKS)

Answer All Questions in the Answer Booklet Provided
1. List and explain THREE (3) of the five key design issues for an SMP operating
system.
(6 marks)

2. Identify items A, B, C, D, E and F in the following diagram by choosing the answers

from Table A. (6
marks)

Page 11 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

TABLE A
Transition Waiting Ready Terminated Running Standby

3. Redraw and complete the following figure of optimal replacement algorithm. (6

marks)

Page address 2 3 2 1 5 2 4 5 3 2 5 2
stream

4. One of the most common threats to security is the intruder, often referred to as a
hacker or cracker. Name and explain the three classes of intruders. (6
marks)

5. Redraw and complete the file allocation table for the following figure. (6
marks)

Page 12 of 12
DCS2231 OPERATING SYSTEM CONFIDENTIAL
END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION SEMESTER 3, 2022/2023

File allocation table

File Name Start Block Length
File A

File B

File C

File D

File E

~ End of Page ~

Page 13 of 12