HDD
How do the mechanical components (read/write heads and rotating platters) of an HDD work together to read and write data?
Data is stored on magnetic-coated platters spinning at high speeds
Why are you transitioning from a technical role to an MBA?
Connecting your CS background to future business goals
What is the distinction between input and output devices, and can you provide examples of devices that function as both?
nput devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone) send data to the computer, while output devices (e.g., monitor, printer, speakers) receive data from the computer. Devices that function as both, known as I/O devices, include touchscreens, networking cards (NICs), and USB flash drives.
What are the three main stages of the CPU machine cycle?
Fetch, Decode, and Execute. The CPU fetches instructions from memory, decodes them to understand the operation, and executes the action.
How do I view a list of all available commands in CMD?
Type help and press Enter to see a summary of built-in commands.
What is the difference between HDD and SSD technologies in terms of speed, cost, and longevity?
HDDs use spinning magnetic platters (lower cost, higher capacity) while SSDs have no moving parts
How can you leverage your CS background to add value to our class discussions?
Showcasing how technical experience aids peer learning
How do character-oriented devices differ from block-oriented devices in I/O operations?
Character-oriented devices transfer data one character (byte) at a time, such as keyboards and mice. Block-oriented devices move data in fixed-size blocks (e.g., 512 bytes to several KB), such as hard disks and USB drives.
What is the role of the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)?
The ALU performs all mathematical calculations (addition, subtraction) and logical operations (AND, OR, NOT) within the CPU.
What is the difference between a process and a thread?
Focuses on operating system fundamentals
How do you define "proper care" for an HDD to avoid data loss and extend its lifespan?
This includes avoiding physical shocks while in operation, ensuring proper ventilation to prevent overheating
Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder?
Testing communication skills and business empathy
What are the five main objectives of an Operating System's I/O management function?
The primary goals are efficiency (ensuring devices are used well) and fairness (preventing processes from hogging devices), along with handling device interrupts, providing a uniform interface, and managing device errors.
How do CPU cores and clock speed impact performance?
More cores allow the CPU to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, while higher clock speeds allow the CPU to process more instructions per second.
What is a deadlock in operating systems and how can you prevent it?
Covers computational complexity
What is the purpose of a hard disk controller and S.M.A.R.T. technology?
A controller acts as an interface to transfer data from the drive to the computer, while S.M.A.R.T.
What is a recent, transformative trend in technology (e.g., AI/Blockchain) and how would you monetize it?
Testing strategic thinking
What are the three major components of disk access time?
The total time to read or write data on a disk consists of Seek Time (moving the head to the correct track), Rotational Latency (waiting for the disk to rotate the data under the head), and Transfer Rate (time taken to move the data from the disk to memory).
What is the purpose of cache memory within a CPU?
Cache is fast, small memory located on or near the processor that stores frequently used data to prevent the CPU from waiting for slower RAM.
What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
Compilers translate the entire program at once; interpreters translate line-by-line
How do you configure RAID (0, 1, 5) to protect data from a hard disk failure?
RAID arrays, such as mirroring (RAID 1) or striping with parity
Describe a challenging project where you faced technical failure and how you resolved it.
Testing resilience and problem-solving
What is an Input/Output (I/O) interrupt and why is it essential for system performance?
An I/O interrupt is a signal sent by a hardware device to the CPU indicating it has finished an operation or needs attention. It is crucial because it allows the CPU to execute other tasks while waiting for slow I/O operations to complete, preventing the system from freezing.
What is the function of the Program Counter (PC) register?
The Program Counter holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched and executed, incrementing automatically to the next address after each fetch
What is SQL and what is a race condition?
Structured Query Language; a race condition occurs when two processes access shared memory simultaneously