The operating system oversees the general resources and operations of a PC by controlling access to the central processing unit (CPU) memory of computers as well as file storage and input/output devices. It performs tasks like scheduling the use of resources to avoid conflicts and interference among processes, regulating the structure and content of files stored on non-primary storage media and determining which applications can use hardware components, such as disc drives or WiFi adapters. It also provides a means for interactive users to connect to the system with either using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) or a Command-Line Interface (CLI).
Process Management
The operating systems handles the start, stopping and resumption processes of applications. It decides which application will be run first, for how long the CPU will be used, and also when to stop. It can also split up an application into multiple threads, allowing it to run on a variety of processors simultaneously. Each of these actions is controlled by an operating system routine known as the process control block.
File management
Operating systems maintain the structure and contents of files in nonprimary storage. They can transfer data between storage and memory as needed. They can also map virtual memory pages to physical memory pages for faster access. This is known as demand paging.
It also communicates directly with the hardware on the computer via drivers and other interface software. For example if an application is looking to utilize a particular piece of hardware, like a Wi-Fi adaptor it will ask the operating system to provide the driver and let the application access it. This enables the programmer to avoid writing a piece code for each adapter disk drive, or other type hardware.
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