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What is an Operating System (OS)?
This software acts as an interface between the user, applications, and the hardware.
This utility prepares a storage device for use by creating a file system.
Disk Formatter
This type of translator converts assembly language into machine code.
Assembler
This type of memory management uses part of the hard drive as if it were RAM
Virtual Memory
This software checks programs for malicious code and removes it.
Antivirus (Virus Checker)
Why does a computer need an operating system to run application programs?
Because the OS provides the environment and services applications need to access hardware safely.
What is the difference between memory management and file management?
Memory management controls RAM use during execution; file management organizes data storage and retrieval on disk.
Why do operating systems use device drivers?
To communicate with and control hardware devices without needing hardware-specific code in every application.
Which utility would you use to reorganize scattered file fragments on a hard drive?
Disk Defragmenter
Why is an interpreter often used during program development?
It allows immediate testing and debugging of code line by line.
A user deletes a DLL file accidentally and now an application won’t open. Why?
The application depends on that dynamic link library for its routines.
A programmer wants to reuse a tested sorting function in multiple projects. What software feature allows this?
A Program Library (or Library Routine)
A programmer wants to test a loop’s behavior step by step. Which IDE feature is most useful?
Single stepping
During program testing, the IDE highlights an error before the code runs. Which feature is this?
Dynamic Syntax Checking
A student’s code compiles successfully but produces incorrect results. Which IDE features could help find the logic error?
Breakpoints, single stepping, and watch windows — to trace how values change during execution.
Explain why a defragmentation utility can improve read/write performance on a hard drive.
It rearranges file fragments so data is stored contiguously, reducing head movement and access time.
An OS lets several programs run at once. Which OS feature makes this possible?
Process Management (multitasking and scheduling).
Why is a compiler generally preferred for commercial software distribution?
It produces a standalone executable, protecting the source code and running faster.
Why is memory protection essential in a multi-user or multitasking system?
To prevent one process or user from interfering with or overwriting another’s memory space.
BONUS
BONUS
A computer runs very slowly because it’s using the hard drive as virtual memory. What is most likely happening?
RAM is full, and the OS is paging data to and from disk, which is much slower.
Why might using too many DLLs in a program cause stability issues?
If DLL versions change or go missing, the program may fail due to dependency conflicts.
A system shows “Disk full” even though many small temporary files exist. Suggest which utility could help and why.
A Disk content analysis tool can identify and allow deletion of unnecessary files to free space.
A student claims that “an IDE is only for writing code.” Why is this statement incomplete?
An IDE also supports debugging, compiling, syntax checking, and testing — not just writing code.
A computer game crashes whenever the antivirus starts scanning in the background. Why?
Because both processes compete for CPU time and disk access, and the OS must schedule them fairly through process management.