I.

Introduction to
Operating System
What is an Operating System?
•An interface between a computer user and computer hardware
•Software that enables applications to interact with a computer's
hardware
• Manages a system's hardware and software resources and services,
such as memory, processors, devices, and information.
•Some popular Operating Systems include Linux Operating System,
Windows Operating System, MAC OS, iOS, Android etc.
•Provides an environment in which a user can execute programs in
convenient and efficient manner.
Fig. Components of Computer System
Functions of Operating System
1. Memory Management- Main memory allocation

2. CPU/Processor Scheduling- Job Sequencing & Scheduling, Deadlock

Management, Interprocess communication

3. IO/Device Management- with the help of Drivers

4. File Management- Information management

5. Security- Prevents unauthorized access

6. Job Accounting- Keep track of time and resources used

Generation and Evolution of Operating System

•Linked with evolution of computer system

•First Computer was developed by Charles Babbage [1791-1871] –slow and unreliable ,
not popular , no operating system
1. First Generation [1940-1955]
▪ Used vacuum tubes, Magnetic drums, Punched cards and paper tapes
▪ Machine language for Programming
▪ No operating system
▪ Eg. ENIAC(Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator)
EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)
EDSAC(Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer)
UNIVAC (UNIVersal Accounting Computer)
2. Second Generation[1956-63]-
▪ Transistors, Punched cards for input

▪ Assembly Language for Programming

▪ High level languages were developed- COBOL, FORTRAN

▪ First computer stored instructions in memory

▪ Batch processing, Multiprogramming OS

▪ Eg. IBM 1401

IBM 1620
CDC 3600
3. Third Generation [1964-71]-
▪ Integrated Circuits(IC), Keyboards and Monitors
▪ Time sharing, real-time, multi-programming OS
▪ Features-
1. Job Control Language(JCL) for programming
2. Multiprogramming by dividing memory in partitions
3. Spooling (Simultaneous Peripheral Operation Online) – Ability to read jobs
from card onto disk and from disk into memory
4. Time Sharing- single computer can be shared among multiple applications in
small time slots
▪ Eg. IBM 360 Mainframe
IBM 370
ICL 1900
VAX-750
4. Fourth Generation[1971- present]
▪ Microprocessors – CPU, Memory, I/O interfaces
▪ 1981- IBM’s 1st PC
▪ 1984- Apple- Macintosh
▪Computers linked in networks
▪ Development of GUI, mouse and other handheld devices
▪Time sharing, real time, network and distributed OS
▪Eg. Microcomputer
Apple- 1
Apple-2
IBM PC
Types of Operating System
1. Multiprogramming (Batch system)
▪ Single user cannot keep CPU and I/O devices busy at all times
▪ Multiprogramming organizes jobs (code and data) so CPU always has one to execute
▪ A subset of total jobs in system is kept in memory
▪ One job selected and run via job scheduling
▪ When it has to wait (for I/O for example), OS switches to another job

2. Timesharing (multitasking)
▪ logical extension in which CPU switches jobs so frequently that users can interact with each job while it
is running, creating interactive computing
▪ Response time should be < 1 second
▪ Each user has at least one program executing in memory process
▪ If several jobs ready to run at the same time  CPU scheduling
▪ If processes don’t fit in memory, swapping moves them in and out to run
▪ Virtual memory allows execution of processes not completely in memory
3. Multiprocessor operating systems
▪ Multiprocessor operating systems are also known as parallel OS or tightly coupled OS.
▪ Have more than one processor that share the computer bus, the clock and sometimes
memory and peripheral devices.
▪ It executes multiple jobs at the same time and makes the processing faster.
▪ If one processor fails then other processor should retrieve the interrupted process state so
execution of process can continue.
▪ Inter-processes communication mechanism is provided and implemented in hardware.

4. Distributed Operating System

▪ Various autonomous interconnected computers communicate with each other using a shared
communication network.
▪ Independent systems possess their own memory unit and CPU.
▪ These are referred to as loosely coupled systems.
▪ Features- Resource sharing, Reliability, communication, computation speedup.
5. Network Operating System
▪ Run on a server and provide the capability to manage data, users, groups, security,
applications, and other networking functions.
▪ Allow shared access of files, printers, security, applications, and other networking functions
over a small private network.
▪ Client computers, that connects to a network server must be running client software designed
to request a specific service.
▪ popularly known as tightly coupled systems.
6. Real-Time Operating System
▪ These types of OSs serve real-time systems.
▪ The time interval required to process and respond to inputs is very small.
▪ This time interval is called response time.
▪ Real-time systems are used when there are time requirements that are very strict like
➢ missile systems,
➢ air traffic control systems,
➢ robots, etc.
Operating System Services
▪ Provides environment for execution of programs
▪ Services can vary from one to another operating system.
1. Program Execution- Load, Run and End program
2. I/O Operations – Get Input and Give Output
3. File System Manipulation – To Read and Write into files
4. Inter-process Communication – via message passing or shared
memory
5. Error Detection – Handling of hardware and software errors.
6. Resource Allocation – Allocation of resources for every job.
7. Accounting - Usage statistics of resources
8. Protection – User authentication in multi-user systems
Interrupt Handling
▪Signal emitted by hardware or software to get immediate attention
▪Interrupts processor in current working
▪Types- 1. Hardware interrupt- raised by devices
2. Software Interrupt- errors or exceptions in program execution.
▪Interrupt Handler –
➢ Also called as Interrupt Service Routine(ISR)
➢ Types- 1. First Level Interrupt Handler(FLIH)- Fast , to handle Maskable Interrupts
2. Second Level Interrupt Handler(SLHI)- Slow, to handle Non-maskable interrupts
▪ For handling interrupts-
1. Context switching is done.
2. Program Counter is loaded with address of ISR
3. Executes ISR
System Calls
▪User processes cannot perform privileged operations themselves
▪ Must request OS to do so on their behalf by issuing system calls
▪ Interface between process and operating system
▪System calls can be grouped as-
➢Process Control – to control execution of process
Eg. Create, terminate, load, execute, end, abort, ready, dispatch, suspend, wait etc.
➢File management – to handle directories and files
Eg. Directory-Create, change, remove, File- create, delete, open, close, read, write etc.
➢Device management – to request for device allocation
Eg. Request, release, read, write etc.
➢Information maintenance – to transfer information between user programs and OS
Eg. Get/set date, time, system data, process or file attributes etc.
➢Communication - to handle inter-process communication
Eg. Get/set processid, hostid etc.
General Architecture of Operating System
 General Architecture of Operating System conti…..
Hardware
▪The hardware consists of the memory, CPU, arithmetic-logic unit, various bulk
storage devices, I/O, peripheral devices and other physical devices.
Kernel
▪The kernel is the central component of most computer operating systems
▪Bridge between applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware
level.
▪The kernel's responsibilities include managing the system's resources
Shell
▪A shell is a piece of software that provides an interface for users to an operating
system which provides access to the services of a kernel.
Virtual Machine
 Virtual Machine conti….
▪Software based illusion of physical computer that runs an Operating System and applications.

▪ Provides an interface that is same as basic hardware.

▪ VM is created to support different operating systems on single machine.

▪Virtualization software allocates portion of host system resources to each VM.

▪ The multiple Operating system environments exist simultaneously on the same machine,
which is isolated from each other.

▪Widely used for software development and testing without need of multiple physical
machines.

▪E.g. VMware, Microsoft HyperV, KVM(Kernel based Virtual Machine)

 Views of OS
▪ Refers
to different perspectives or models used to understand Operating System
1. Resource Manager View-
▪Focuses on how OS manages and allocates system resources
▪Resource management mechanisms- CPU scheduling, memory and I/O
management.
▪Concerned with efficient resource allocation.
2. Process View-
▪ Focuses on managing and executing processes.
▪ How OS handles execution of programs, manages processes and facilitates
communication and synchronization between them.
3. Hierarchical View-
▪ Present organization of OS components in hierarchical structure
▪ Helps to understand layered design of OS