Basic Operating Systems MCQs

What is an operating system (OS)?
A) A software that manages computer hardware and software resources
B) A type of application software
C) A hardware component
D) A computer network
Answer: A

Which of the following is an example of a popular operating system?
A) Microsoft Office
B) Google Chrome
C) Windows
D) Adobe Photoshop
Answer: C

What is the primary function of an operating system?
A) To increase processing speed
B) To manage hardware and software resources
C) To store user data
D) To enhance graphics quality
Answer: B

Which operating system is known for its open-source nature?
A) Windows
B) macOS
C) Linux
D) Android
Answer: C

What is the graphical user interface (GUI)?
A) A command-line interface
B) A visual way of interacting with the computer using windows and icons
C) A programming interface
D) A network management tool
Answer: B

Which component of an operating system manages memory?
A) File system
B) Process manager
C) Memory manager
D) Device driver
Answer: C

What is multitasking in operating systems?
A) Running multiple applications simultaneously
B) Running multiple operating systems on one computer
C) Running a single application multiple times
D) Running tasks one after another
Answer: A

Which operating system is commonly used on servers?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Android
D) iOS
Answer: B

What is a kernel in an operating system?
A) The central part that manages system resources
B) A type of application software
C) The user interface
D) The hardware component
Answer: A

Which of the following is a function of the file management system in an OS?
A) Managing memory allocation
B) Organizing and storing files on disk
C) Controlling input/output devices
D) Scheduling processes
Answer: B

What is a device driver?
A) A software that manages the hardware devices
B) A type of operating system
C) A hardware component
D) An application software
Answer: A

What does the term “booting” refer to?
A) Starting up the computer and loading the operating system
B) Installing an application
C) Shutting down the computer
D) Rebooting an application
Answer: A

Which of the following is NOT an operating system?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) Firefox
D) macOS
Answer: C

What is the purpose of system calls in an operating system?
A) To handle errors
B) To provide an interface for programs to request services from the OS
C) To improve system performance
D) To manage memory allocation
Answer: B

What does “virtual memory” allow an operating system to do?
A) Increase physical RAM
B) Use disk space as an extension of RAM
C) Improve graphics performance
D) Store files permanently
Answer: B

What is the main purpose of the process manager in an OS?
A) To manage memory
B) To manage the execution of processes
C) To control hardware devices
D) To manage file storage
Answer: B

Which of the following is an example of a real-time operating system?
A) Linux
B) Windows
C) RTOS (Real-Time Operating System)
D) macOS
Answer: C

What is the role of a user interface in an operating system?
A) To manage hardware resources
B) To allow users to interact with the computer
C) To enhance processing speed
D) To store user data
Answer: B

Which operating system is primarily designed for mobile devices?
A) Linux
B) Windows
C) iOS
D) macOS
Answer: C

What does the term “process” refer to in an operating system?
A) A running instance of a program
B) A type of hardware
C) A storage location
D) A user interface element
Answer: A

Which of the following is NOT a type of operating system?
A) Batch OS
B) Time-sharing OS
C) Distributed OS
D) Network OS
Answer: D

What is the primary purpose of a file system in an operating system?
A) To manage memory
B) To organize and access files on storage devices
C) To control processes
D) To manage network resources
Answer: B

Which of the following operating systems uses a command-line interface?
A) Windows
B) Linux (in terminal)
C) macOS
D) Android
Answer: B

What is the main advantage of using a 64-bit operating system?
A) It uses less memory
B) It can handle larger amounts of RAM
C) It is easier to install
D) It is more user-friendly
Answer: B

Which of the following best describes the concept of “multithreading”?
A) Running multiple operating systems
B) Running multiple threads of execution within a single process
C) Running multiple processes simultaneously
D) Running the same application multiple times
Answer: B

What is the purpose of a backup system in an operating system?
A) To improve performance
B) To store data securely
C) To restore data in case of loss
D) To manage file permissions
Answer: C

Which type of operating system is designed for use in embedded systems?
A) General-purpose OS
B) Real-time OS
C) Network OS
D) Desktop OS
Answer: B

What is a shell in an operating system?
A) A hardware component
B) A user interface for accessing the OS services
C) A type of software application
D) A system call
Answer: B

Which operating system is developed by Apple for its computers?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) macOS
D) Android
Answer: C

What is the role of the task scheduler in an operating system?
A) To manage hardware devices
B) To allocate CPU time to processes
C) To organize files on disk
D) To manage memory
Answer: B

Which of the following is a security feature of modern operating systems?
A) File compression
B) User authentication
C) Data backup
D) Disk defragmentation
Answer: B

What is the function of a page table in an operating system?
A) To manage file storage
B) To track virtual memory addresses
C) To schedule tasks
D) To manage network connections
Answer: B

Which type of OS allows multiple users to access a single system?
A) Single-user OS
B) Multi-user OS
C) Real-time OS
D) Batch OS
Answer: B

What is the primary purpose of an operating system’s security features?
A) To increase processing speed
B) To protect data and resources from unauthorized access
C) To manage memory
D) To improve user experience
Answer: B

Which component of an operating system handles user input and output?
A) File manager
B) Memory manager
C) I/O manager
D) Process manager
Answer: C

What is the function of the swap space in an operating system?
A) To increase storage capacity
B) To temporarily hold data not currently in RAM
C) To improve processing speed
D) To manage file permissions
Answer: B

What is the purpose of a system monitor in an operating system?
A) To track system performance and resource usage
B) To manage user accounts
C) To schedule tasks
D) To organize files
Answer: A

Which of the following operating systems is widely used for scientific computing?
A) Windows
B) Linux
C) macOS
D) iOS
Answer: B

What does the acronym “API” stand for in the context of operating systems?
A) Application Program Interface
B) Automatic Process Integration
C) Advanced Programming Interface
D) Application Performance Indicator
Answer: A

What is a network operating system (NOS)?
A) An OS designed to manage network resources
B) An OS that runs on a single computer
C) An OS for mobile devices
D) An OS for embedded systems
Answer: A

Which of the following is a primary function of the security manager in an operating system?
A) To manage memory allocation
B) To control access to system resources
C) To manage input/output devices
D) To schedule processes
Answer: B

What is the benefit of using a distributed operating system?
A) It is easier to install.
B) It can share resources across multiple machines.
C) It is more user-friendly.
D) It uses less memory.
Answer: B

Which of the following operating systems is primarily used for mobile devices?
A) Windows
B) macOS
C) Android
D) Linux
Answer: C

What does a graphical user interface (GUI) provide?
A) A command-line interface
B) A visual interface for user interaction
C) A network management tool
D) A programming interface
Answer: B

What is the function of a device manager in an operating system?
A) To manage memory allocation
B) To control hardware devices and peripherals
C) To manage files
D) To schedule processes
Answer: B

Which of the following is a benefit of using an operating system?
A) Increased complexity
B) Improved resource management
C) Limited user access
D) Reduced system security
Answer: B

What does the term “interprocess communication” refer to?
A) The exchange of data between processes
B) The management of memory
C) The execution of multiple processes
D) The interaction between the user and the OS
Answer: A

Which of the following operating systems is known for its command-line interface?
A) Windows
B) macOS
C) Linux
D) Android
Answer: C

 

Related Posts: