Student Name:

Matric No.: Section:

CSCI 3300 Operating Systems

Semester 2, 2023 / 2024
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 1

Objective:
Exploring Memory management in windows and Linux

In this assignment, you will be exploring virtual memory management using the resource monitoring tools
in windows and the top commands in linux. The first thing you have to do is to explore the tools both in
windows and linux which you will install on your computer. It is useful for system maintenance purposes.
And it helps you to understand the theories you are learning in the lectures.

SECTION 1: Windows Memory Management

INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 Basic information about your computer and Window Operating System
Before analyzing the memory, get a print screen of your system of the following information:
i. CPU – Speed, cores, types
ii. Memory- size;
iii. Disk - type, size;
iv. Network card – type, speed.
v. OS (Windows) – version, number of bits, other general properties.
(10 marks)

1.2 Getting started with Resource monitor (resmon)

To start with resmon; press Windows +R, type Resmon.exe in the Open text box, and press Enter. In
the Resource Monitor user interface, select the Memory tab since we are going to be working with
memory management first, as shown below:
1.3 Explaining the basic information in ResMon about Memory

By running resmon on your own computer, get the print screen of the resmon console as above for
your own computer. (5 marks)

Then give a general explanation on the following:

1. Explain the basic structure of Windows virtual memory in your system. It should consist basically of
the swap disk space (pagefile) of your computer and the physical memory.
Find out the info about the swap disk space reserved for your computer – show print screen
• Size
• Where it is located
• Explain its functions in the virtual memory setup in your computer
(10 marks)

2. On the right side of Resource Monitor's Memory tab, you'll see three graphs: Used Physical Memory,
Commit Charge, and Hard Faults/Sec. Provide:
• explanation of what these graphs measures
• comments on the average values of each of these values shown for your computer –
what do they tells you about your current computer status
. (6 marks)

3. The table listed on the left side of the three graphs consist of several columns – Image, PID, Hard
Faults/sec, Commit, Working set, shareable and private. Briefly describe:
• What does each items measure?
• Select two system processes and two user processes running

Provides screen shorts as proofs for your answer

(9 marks)

4. Below the table in 3, there is general information about your memory. Explain what does the items
there describes and give comments of the status of your memory according to the statistics.
(5 marks)

1.4 Doing experiment on memory management with resmon

1. Watching memory use: Before you begin, write down your expectations on what will happen to the
system on the following area:

i. How will the value of ‘hard fault/sec’ change (from the graph)?
ii. How will the value of ‘commit’ change (from the graph)??
iii. How will the value of ‘physical memory’ change (from the graph)?
iv. What will happen to the system performance (speed, response)?
v. At what point will the system stop allowing you to open more applications?

(10 marks)
 2. Now you can begin your experiments, by taking the data needed to validate your initial hypothesis:

- Firstly, restart your system. After you log in, launch Resource Monitor, note the total size of
physical and virtual memory used. Select the Memory tab, and note the size of the lists on the
Physical Memory bar graph.

- Next, begin loading/opening applications one by one. The bigger, the better. As you load an
application, note down the application you load (its name) and its listed size. As each
application loads, switch to Resource Monitor and watch the size of the lists on the Physical
Memory graph change, along with the commit Charge and Hard Faults/sec rate. When you
finish loading apps, begin closing them. Switch back to Resource Monitor and again watch the
size of the lists change. Jot down all of these statistics observed in a table. And shows the
gradual change in main memory size by capturing print screen.

- Answer the following questions:

a) Sort the process running according to memory size. State the top three applications
which are taking the memory resources the most. Show print screen proof
b) At what point when you cannot load any more application?
c) Comments on your observation to the system performance gradually as you are adding
applications one by one.
d) Compare your real data collected to your hypothesis earlier, explain the reasons of any
discrepancies and conclude the result of your comparison.
(20 marks)

1.5 Experimenting on swap disk space size effect on system

- Before you begin state your expectation as what effect will you foresee to the system
performance if you change the size of the swap disk space a) decreasing it and b) Increasing it.
Explain why you think so. (5 mark)

- Before you start changing the pagefile size, note the default value so that you can set them to
the initial value after experiment. You will be changing the size of pagefile and see the effect on
the different pagefile on the system.

- For every pagefile size; repeat what you did in question 1.4 (2) – by opening the same set of
applications as in 1.4. Now you don’t have to open them gradually – open them all at once and
see the breakpoint of when the system refuses to allow more applications to be opened.
Observed the value of hard fault/secm commit and physical memory used. Do you see any
difference between the three different pagefile sizes used?

Record your findings along with print screen for proof.

(20 marks)

1.6 Understanding process usage of memory

You can always sort the process listing according to different criteria to help you analyse the processes
used of memory. Answer the following questions:
(1 State four system processes currently running in your system and state their functions in
the system.
(2 State the top three processes that use the highest amount of virtual memory space –
state what is the physical memory used and how much page file space used by each of
the process.
(3 State the top three processes that use the highest amount of physical memory space.
(4 State three top processes which is using the highest percentage of unshared physical
memory spaces from the total memory it is using.

Record your findings along with print screen for proof.

(20 marks)
SECTION 2: Exploring Linux Operating System for Personal Use
INSTRUCTIONS

2.1 Running Linux on your machine (20 Marks)

You are required to explore the Linux operating system for your personal use. There are many options
for running a Linux operating system on your machine.
a. What machine / device would you use for this purpose?
b. Explain briefly FOUR (4) options available to get Linux OS in your own computer (without
formatting the current OS).
c. Which option did you choose? Give THREE (3) justifications.
d. Include some pictures (photos and screenshots) as evidence that the Linux operating
system has been successfully run on your machine.

2.2 Linux Distribution (Distro) (15 marks)

The first step before exploring the Linux operating system is choosing the Linux distribution (distro)
you’ll want to use. Unlike Windows 10, there’s no single version of Linux. Each distribution unites some
combination of elements into a single operating system you can install. Linux distro can be developed based
on other distro or independently.
a. List FIVE (5) Linux distro that are Independent (not based from other Distro).
b. What is the name of Linux Distro that you choose? Give THREE (3) justifications.
c. Run TWO (2) commands on Linux CLI (terminal) to show your Linux Distro. Screenshots
command and output for both commands.

2.3 Linux Kernel (15 marks)

The Linux kernel is the largest component of the Linux operating system and is charged with managing
the hardware, running user programs, and maintaining the security and integrity of the whole system.

a) List FIVE (5) major subsystems in Linux Kernel.

b) Run TWO (2) commands on Linux CLI (terminal) to show/display/check your Linux Kernel
Version. Screenshots command and output for both commands.
c) You are not satisfied with the Linux Kernel you are currently using. Is linux kernel can be
modified? If 'YES', is it legal? Justify.

2.4 Linux Desktop Environment (15 marks)

A desktop environment (DE) is an implementation of the desktop metaphor made of a bundle of
programs, which share a common graphical user interface (GUI).

a) List FIVE (5) desktop environments available for Linux.

b) Run TWO (2) commands on Linux CLI (terminal) to show/display/check your current
(default) Linux Desktop Environment. Screenshots command and output for both
commands.
c) Different desktop environments have different strengths and weaknesses. Based on the
strengths and weaknesses in your default desktop environment, is it right for you?
Justify.
2.5 Linux Memory Management
- Study the display of the ‘Top’ command tools used in linux. You can get the top command
display by typing ‘top’ at the line command display. A sample screen display of top command is
as follows:

- The display consists of two parts; the general info on the first half part of the display:

- The second part – info on specific processes:

- For a same basic set up of your machine as when you run the resmon in windows, boot your
system with linux and run the top command. Compare some of the reading you can find here
with the windows memory management tools information you see in part A.
Answer the following questions:
a) Compare the resmon and top reading displayed. List the readings that comparatively
measure the same item in both resmon and windows (e.g. ‘virt’ in top and ‘commit’ in
resmon). Briefly comments on their similarity and difference.
b) For the overall memory system readings (size of total memory used, total virtual
memory etc, compare both windows and linux memory usage – are they different?
Explain your answer.
c) List three system processes which use the highest virtual memory space.

Provide screen shorts to verify your answer.

(20 marks)