Cos3721 - Study guides, Study notes & Summaries

This summary contains in depth concepts, explanations and examples which will not only allow you to reduce the amount of time you have to study, but will also assist you with getting a distinction for this module. This summary will replace your prescribe book entirely!

An operating system manages memory by keeping track of what parts of memory are being used and by whom. The operating system is also responsible for dynamically allocating and freeing memory space. Storage space is also managed by the operating system; this includes providing file systems for representing files and directories and managing space on mass-storage devices. Operating systems must also be concerned with protecting and securing the operating system and users. Protection measures...

Chapter 1 2018 S2 A1 What is the purpose of interrupts? How does an interrupt differ from a trap? Can traps be generated intentionally by a user program? If so, for what purpose?  An interrupt is a hardware-generated change of flow within the system. An interrupt handler is summoned to deal with the cause of the interrupt; control is then returned to the interrupted context and instruction.  A trap is a software-generated interrupt. An interrupt can be used to signal the completion ...