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What is Operating System?
An operating system (OS) is software that controls a computer’s hardware and software. It acts as a go-between for the computer hardware and the user, helping programs run smoothly. The OS manages things like memory, CPU time, and input/output devices, making sure multiple programs can run at the same time without problems. It also provides a user interface, like a graphical interface (GUI) or command-line interface (CLI), so you can interact with the computer and its applications.
Operating System MCQ with Answers
The operating system (OS) is a crucial component of a computer system, playing a vital role in managing hardware resources and providing a platform for running applications. To assess your understanding of the OS, we have prepared a comprehensive set of operating system MCQ with answers. These operating system MCQ questions cover various aspects of operating systems, including their types, functions, and features. By answering these operating system MCQ, you can test your knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the OS.
Operating system MCQ for Competitive Exams
Preparing for competitive exams can be challenging, especially when it comes to technical subjects like Operating Systems. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a common format in these exams, testing your understanding and knowledge of key concepts Here are the operating system MCQ for competitive exams:
1. What is an operating system?
A) A collection of software that manages computer hardware
B) A type of hardware
C) A programming language
D) None of the above
Answer: A
2. Which of the following is not an operating system?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Oracle
D) MacOS
Answer: C
3. Which operating system is developed by Microsoft?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Unix
D) MacOS
Answer: A
4. What is the main function of an operating system?
A) To provide a user interface
B) To manage hardware resources
C) To enable software applications to interact with hardware
D) All of the above
Answer: D
5. Which of the following is an open-source operating system?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) MacOS
D) DOS
Answer: B
6. What does GUI stand for in operating systems?
A) Graphical User Interaction
B) Graphical User Interface
C) Graphical Unified Interface
D) General User Interface
Answer: B
7. Which of the following is a real-time operating system?
A) Windows
B) Unix
C) RTOS
D) Linux
Answer: C
8. What is multitasking in operating systems?
A) Running multiple processes simultaneously
B) Running a single process
C) Using multiple processors
D) None of the above
Answer: A
9. What is the purpose of the kernel in an operating system?
A) To manage the system’s resources
B) To provide a user interface
C) To manage files
D) To manage the network
Answer: A
10. Which of the following is not a function of an operating system?
A) Memory management
B) Processor management
C) Application development
D) Device management
Answer: C
11. Which command is used to display the version of the operating system in Unix/Linux?
A) version
B) uname -r
C) ver
D) osversion
Answer: B
12. Which of the following is used to uniquely identify a process?
A) Process Control Block (PCB)
B) Program Counter
C) PID (Process Identifier)
D) None of the above
Answer: C
13. Which operating system is known for its use in servers and mainframes?
A) Windows
B) MacOS
C) Unix
D) Android
Answer: C
14. What is a deadlock in operating systems?
A) A situation where a process is stuck in an infinite loop
B) A situation where two or more processes are unable to proceed because each is waiting for the other to release a resource
C) A situation where the operating system crashes
D) None of the above
Answer: B
15. Which file system is used by Windows operating systems?
A) NTFS
B) ext4
C) HFS+
D) FAT32
Answer: A
16. What is the full form of BIOS?
A) Basic Input Output System
B) Binary Input Output System
C) Basic Integrated Operating System
D) Binary Integrated Operating System
Answer: A
17. Which operating system is primarily used for mobile devices?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Android
D) Unix
Answer: C
18. What does the term ‘booting’ refer to in operating systems?
A) Shutting down the system
B) Restarting the system
C) Loading the operating system into the computer’s main memory
D) Installing new software
Answer: C
19. Which of the following is a disk-based operating system?
A) DOS
B) Windows
C) Unix
D) Linux
Answer: A
20. What is virtual memory in an operating system?
A) Physical memory that is temporarily used for storage
B) A technique that allows the execution of processes that may not be completely in memory
C) Memory used for caching purposes
D) None of the above
Answer: B
Operating system MCQ for Placement
Preparing for placement exams can be a crucial step in landing your dream job, especially when it comes to technical roles. Understanding Operating Systems is essential as they form the backbone of computer systems. Operating system MCQ questions are often used in placement exams to test your knowledge of these critical concepts.
1. Which of the following is a function of an operating system?
A) Word processing
B) Spreadsheet calculations
C) Managing hardware resources
D) Web browsing
Answer: C
2. What type of operating system is Linux?
A) Proprietary
B) Open-source
C) Real-time
D) Single-user
Answer: B
3. Which part of the operating system is responsible for managing memory?
A) File system
B) Kernel
C) User interface
D) Device drivers
Answer: B
4. What is the main purpose of an operating system?
A) To edit documents
B) To manage system resources
C) To play games
D) To create presentations
Answer: B
5. Which of the following is a mobile operating system?
A) Windows 10
B) Ubuntu
C) Android
D) macOS
Answer: C
6. What does CPU scheduling involve?
A) Managing disk space
B) Allocating processor time to processes
C) Managing network connections
D) Handling user inputs
Answer: B
7. Which command in Unix/Linux is used to change file permissions?
A) chmod
B) chperm
C) permchange
D) filemod
Answer: A
8. What is the use of the ‘task manager’ in Windows?
A) To view and manage running applications and processes
B) To edit system files
C) To install new software
D) To defragment the hard drive
Answer: A
9. What does the term ‘bootloader’ refer to?
A) A program that starts the operating system
B) A type of software application
C) A hardware component
D) A memory management technique
Answer: A
10. Which file system is commonly used by MacOS?
A) NTFS
B) ext4
C) HFS+
D) FAT32
Answer: C
11. What is a process in an operating system?
A) A program in execution
B) A type of hardware
C) A user command
D) A system call
Answer: A
12. Which of the following is used for inter-process communication?
A) Threads
B) Sockets
C) Memory allocation
D) Semaphores
Answer: D
13. What is the role of device drivers?
A) To manage memory
B) To facilitate communication between the operating system and hardware devices
C) To run user applications
D) To schedule processes
Answer: B
14. What is swapping in operating systems?
A) Exchanging data between different devices
B) Moving processes in and out of the main memory
C) Defragmenting the hard drive
D) Allocating CPU time to processes
Answer: B
15. What is a shell in an operating system?
A) The core part of the OS
B) The command-line interface for interacting with the OS
C) A type of file system
D) A network protocol
Answer: B
16. Which of the following is a system call?
A) open()
B) create()
C) start()
D) begin()
Answer: A
17. What is the purpose of a page table in virtual memory management?
A) To map logical addresses to physical addresses
B) To manage file storage
C) To schedule processes
D) To handle network connections
Answer: A
18. What is the function of a real-time operating system (RTOS)?
A) To provide a graphical user interface
B) To ensure timely processing of tasks
C) To manage user accounts
D) To handle batch processing
Answer: B
19. What is a thread in the context of operating systems?
A) A single sequence of executable instructions
B) A type of hardware
C) A memory management technique
D) A user command
Answer: A
20. Which operating system is used for Apple’s desktop and laptop computers?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Unix
D) macOS
Answer: D
Operating system MCQ for Gate Exam
20 Operating System MCQ for GATE Exam with Answers
1. Which of the following is not a function of an operating system?
A) Memory management
B) Processor management
C) Application development
D) Device management
Answer: C
2. What is a process in an operating system?
A) A program in execution
B) A type of hardware
C) A command
D) An operating system module
Answer: A
3. Which scheduling algorithm is non-preemptive?
A) Round Robin
B) Shortest Job Next (SJN)
C) Priority Scheduling
D) Multilevel Queue Scheduling
Answer: B
4. What is the main advantage of a multiprogramming system?
A) Simplifies programming
B) Increases CPU utilization
C) Increases memory usage
D) Reduces software costs
Answer: B
5. What does the term ‘context switch’ mean?
A) Switching from one application to another
B) Switching from one process to another
C) Changing the operating system
D) Changing the user interface
Answer: B
6. Which of the following is a characteristic of a real-time operating system?
A) High throughput
B) Predictability
C) High security
D) Scalability
Answer: B
7. What is the function of the kernel in an operating system?
A) User interface management
B) Hardware management
C) Internet browsing
D) Document editing
Answer: B
8. Which of the following is a type of system call in operating systems?
A) open()
B) print()
C) start()
D) execute()
Answer: A
9. What is deadlock in operating systems?
A) A situation where a process waits indefinitely for a resource
B) A situation where memory is insufficient
C) A situation where the system crashes
D) A situation where files cannot be opened
Answer: A
10. Which command in Unix is used to list files in a directory?
A) ls
B) dir
C) list
D) show
Answer: A
11. What does FIFO stand for in the context of scheduling?
A) Fast In Fast Out
B) First In First Out
C) First In Fast Out
D) First Input First Output
Answer: B
12. What is the purpose of the page table in an operating system?
A) To manage memory
B) To map virtual addresses to physical addresses
C) To schedule processes
D) To manage files
Answer: B
13. Which operating system concept involves dividing the memory into fixed-sized blocks?
A) Paging
B) Segmentation
C) Fragmentation
D) Swapping
Answer: A
14. What is the primary goal of time-sharing operating systems?
A) Minimize CPU usage
B) Maximize user response time
C) Maximize throughput
D) Maximize memory usage
Answer: B
15. What does the command ‘chmod’ do in Unix/Linux?
A) Change the owner of a file
B) Change the permissions of a file
C) Move a file
D) Copy a file
Answer: B
16. In which of the following storage is data stored persistently?
A) RAM
B) Cache
C) Hard disk
D) Register
Answer: C
17. What is thrashing in the context of operating systems?
A) A situation where the system spends more time swapping pages than executing instructions
B) A situation where the system has insufficient memory
C) A situation where files are lost
D) A situation where processes run indefinitely
Answer: A
18. Which of the following is a non-preemptive scheduling algorithm?
A) Round Robin
B) Shortest Job First (SJF)
C) Multilevel Queue
D) Priority Scheduling
Answer: B
19. What does DMA stand for?
A) Direct Memory Access
B) Dynamic Memory Allocation
C) Direct Module Access
D) Dynamic Module Allocation
Answer: A
20. What is a semaphore in the context of operating systems?
A) A variable used to manage concurrent processes
B) A type of scheduling algorithm
C) A method of memory allocation
D) A hardware device
Answer: A
