08/01/2024

B-440

Experiment No : 1

Aim: To study basic concepts of Operating System

Theory:

1] Definition of Operating System

An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. An
operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory
management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices
such as disk drives and printers.
An Operating System (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources
and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is the most important
type of system software in a computer system.

2] Function and Services of an Operating System.

1) File Management
An operating system’s (OS) primary function is to manage files and folders.
Operating systems are responsible for managing the files on a computer. This includes creating,
opening, closing, and deleting files. The operating system is also responsible for organizing the files
on the disk.
2) Device Management
Operating systems provide essential functions for managing devices connected to a computer. These
functions include allocating memory, processing input and output requests, and managing storage
devices. This device could be a keyboard, mouse, printer, or any other devices you may have
connected.
An operating system will provide you with options to manage how each device behaves. For
example, you can set up your keyboard to type in a specific language or make it so that the mouse
only moves one screen at a time.
3) Memory Management
Memory management is a method in the operating system to manage operations between main
memory and disk during process execution.
Memory manager permits computers with a small amount of main memory to execute programs
larger than the size or amount of available memory. It does this by moving information back and
forth between primary memory and secondary memory by using the concept of swapping.

3] Evolution of Operating System.

The operating system can be classified into four generations, as follows:
• First Generation
• Second Generation
• Third Generation
• Fourth Generation

First Generation (1945-1955)

Serial Processing
The evolution of operating systems began with serial processing. It marks the start of the
development of electronic computing systems as alternatives to mechanical computers. Because of
the flaws in mechanical computing devices, humans' calculation speed is limited, and they are prone
to making mistakes. Because there is no operating system in this generation, the computer system is
given instructions that must be carried out immediately.
Programmers were incorporated into hardware components without using an operating system by
the 1940s and 1950s. The challenges here are scheduling and setup time. The user logs in for
machine time by wasting computational time. Setup time is required when loading the compiler,
saving the compiled program, the source program, linking, and buffering. The process is restarted if
an intermediate error occurs.
Example: Windows 95 and 98 are examples of serial processing operating systems.

Second Generation (1955-1965)

Batch System
The batched systems marked the second generation in the evolution of operating systems. In the
second generation, the batch processing system was implemented, which allows a job or task to be
done in a series and then completed sequentially. The computer system in this generation does not
have an operating system, although various operating system functionalities are available, such as
FMS and IBSYS. It is used to improve computer utilization and application. On cards and tapes,
jobs were scheduled and submitted. Then, using Job Control Language, they were successively
executed on the monitors. The first computers employed in the batch operation method created a
computer batch of jobs that never paused or stopped. The software is written on punch cards and
then transferred to the tape's processing unit. When the computer finishes one job, it immediately
moves on to the next item on the tape. Despite the fact that it is inconvenient for the users, it is
designed to keep the pricey computer as busy as possible by running a leveraged stream of
operations. Memory protection prevents the memory space that makes up the monitor from being
changed, and the timer prevents the job from monopolizing the system. When the input and output
devices are in use, the processor remains idle due to poor CPU utilization.
Example: MVS Operating System of IBM is an example of a batch processing operating system.

Third Generation (1965-1980)

Multi-Programmed Batched System

The evolution of operating systems embarks the third generation with multi-programmed batched
systems. In the third generation, the operating system was designed to serve numerous users
simultaneously. Interactive users can communicate with a computer via an online terminal, making
the operating system multi-user and multiprogramming. It is used to execute several jobs that
should be kept in the main memory. The processor determines which program to run through job
scheduling algorithms.
Example: Windows and IOS are examples of multi-programmed batched operating systems.

Fourth Generation (1980-Now)

The operating system is employed in this age for computer networks where users are aware of the
existence of computers connected to one another.
The era of networked computing has already begun, and users are comforted by a Graphical User
Interface (GUI), which is an incredibly comfortable graphical computer interface. In the fourth
generation, the time-sharing operating system and the Macintosh operating system came into
existence.
Example: Mac OS X 10.6.8 snow leopard and OS X 10.7.5 Lion are some examples of macintosh
OS.
4] Structure of an Operating System.
1) Simple Structure
It is the most straightforward operating system structure, but it lacks definition and is only
appropriate for usage with tiny and restricted systems. Since the interfaces and degrees of
functionality in this structure are clearly defined, programs are able to access I/O routines, which
may result in unauthorized access to I/O procedures.

Figure of Simple Structure

This organizational structure is used by the MS-DOS operating system:
• There are four layers that make up the MS-DOS operating system, and each has its own set
of features.
• These layers include ROM BIOS device drivers, MS-DOS device drivers, application
programs, and system programs.
• The MS-DOS operating system benefits from layering because each level can be defined
independently and, when necessary, can interact with one another.
• If the system is built in layers, it will be simpler to design, manage, and update. Because of
this, simple structures can be used to build constrained systems that are less complex.
• When a user program fails, the operating system as whole crashes.
• Because MS-DOS systems have a low level of abstraction, programs and I/O procedures are
visible to end users, giving them the potential for unwanted access.

2) Monolithic Structure
The monolithic operating system controls all aspects of the operating system's operation, including
file management, memory management, device management, and operational operations.
The core of an operating system for computers is called the kernel (OS). All other System
components are provided with fundamental services by the kernel. The operating system and the
hardware use it as their main interface. When an operating system is built into a single piece of
hardware, such as a keyboard or mouse, the kernel can directly access all of its resources.
The monolithic operating system is often referred to as the monolithic kernel. Multiple
programming techniques such as batch processing and time-sharing increase a processor's usability.
Working on top of the operating system and under complete command of all hardware, the
monolithic kernel performs the role of a virtual computer. This is an old operating system that was
used in banks to carry out simple tasks like batch processing and time-sharing, which allows
numerous users at different terminals to access the Operating System.

Figure of Monolithic Structure

3. Layered structure
The OS is separated into layers or levels in this kind of arrangement. Layer 0 (the lowest layer)
contains the hardware, and layer 1 (the highest layer) contains the user interface (layer N). These
layers are organized hierarchically, with the top-level layers making use of the capabilities of the
lower-level ones.
The functionalities of each layer are separated in this method, and abstraction is also an option.
Because layered structures are hierarchical, debugging is simpler, therefore all lower-level layers
are debugged before the upper layer is examined. As a result, the present layer alone has to be
reviewed since all the lower layers have already been examined.
The image below shows how OS is organized into layers:

Figure of Layered Structure

4] Types of Operating System

1) Batch Operating System

This type of operating system does not interact with the computer directly. There is an operator
which takes similar jobs having the same requirement and groups them into batches. It is the
responsibility of the operator to sort jobs with similar needs.

Figure of Batch Operating System

2) Multi-Programming Operating System
Multiprogramming Operating Systems can be simply illustrated as more than one program is
present in the main memory and any one of them can be kept in execution. This is basically used for
better execution of resources.

Figure of Multi-Programming Operating System

3) Multi-Processing Operating System

Multi-Processing Operating System is a type of Operating System in which more than one CPU is
used for the execution of resources. It betters the throughput of the System.

Figure of Multi-Processing Operating System

4) Time-Sharing Operating Systems

Each task is given some time to execute so that all the tasks work smoothly. Each user gets the time
of the CPU as they use a single system. These systems are also known as Multitasking Systems. The
task can be from a single user or different users also. The time that each task gets to execute is
called quantum. After this time interval is over OS switches over to the next task.
Examples of Time-Sharing OS:IBM VM/CMS, TSO(Time Sharing Option), Window Terminal
Services.
 Figure of Time-Sharing Operating Systems
Conclusion :
In summary, I learned that an Operating System manages a computer's resources and helps run
programs. The study also covered the history, different structures, and types of Operating Systems,
giving us a basic understanding of how computers work.