Introduction to Computing

Lecture # 4
Operating System
 Outline
• System software and its components

• Operating system

• Booting process

• OS Kernel

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 System Software
• System software enables the applications software to
interact with the computer and helps the computer
manage its internal and external resources. (Williams &
Sawyer)

• System software is a collection of computer programs

that manage the resources of a computer and
facilitate access to those resources. (Schneider & Gersting)
• There are three basic components of system
software:
1. Operating systems
2. Device drivers

3 3. Utility programs
The Components of System Software
1. Operating system -
the principal
component of
system software

2. Device drivers -
help the computer
control peripheral
devices

3. Utility programs -
support, enhance,
or expand existing
programs
 Computer System Structure
• Computer system can be divided into four components:
– Hardware – provides basic computing resources
• CPU, memory, I/O devices
– Operating system
• Controls and coordinates use of hardware among various
applications and users
– Application programs – define the ways in which the system
resources are used to solve the computing problems of the
users
• Word processors, compilers, web browsers, database systems,
video games
– Users
• People, machines, other computers
Four components of a Computer System

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 The Operating System: What It Does
• The operating system consists of the master system
of programs that manage the basic operations of the
computer.

• These programs provide resource management

services of many kinds.

• They handle the control of and use of hardware

resources:
– Disk space
– Memory
– CPU
– Peripheral devices
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 What is an Operating System?
• A program that acts as an intermediary
between a user of a computer and the
computer hardware.

• Operating system goals:

– Execute user programs and make solving user
problems easier
– Make the computer system convenient to use
– Use the computer hardware in an efficient
manner
 The Operating System: Booting

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 The Operating System: Booting

1. BIOS is loaded.
2. POST (Power-On-Self-Test) is performed.
Diagnostic routines test the main memory, the CPU, and
other parts of the system to make sure they are running
properly.
If un-successful then appropriate message is
conveyed (beeps).
If successful then go to step 3.
3. OS Kernel is located and loaded in main memory.
Once kernel is loaded, it becomes the in-charge of the
computer system.
4. System configuration is accomplished.
5. System utilities are loaded.
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6. User is authenticated.
 The Operating System: What It Does
• OS provides user interface: user-controllable display
screen that allows you to interact with your computer

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 The Operating System Kernel

• Supervisor (kernel) – manages the CPU. It

remains in main memory while the computer
is running, and directs other “non-resident”
programs to perform tasks that support
application programs.

• Example
– Writing a report using a word processor program
and want to print out a portion of it while continuing
to write.
– OS will select a printer
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– Executing printer driver