What does the Operating System do?
- Managing Files:
- The file manager controls all of the different files on the system, e.g. text files, graphic files, and program files. It controls file permissions such as the user’s ability to see or open a file, write a file or delete a file.It helps to organise and control files so that they are as easy to use as possible for the user. It can help to protect the user from accidental mistakes too
- Once this interrupt is received by the CPU it either carries on or completes the action desired
- Whenever an interrupt is initiated the status of this task is saved to the interrupt service routine.
- Once the interruption has been completed the system continues back to normal before the interruption even happened
-
- Creating/Deleting users for the system
- Providing access level rights, e.g. administrator rights over installing, modifying a system or accessing files or folders. This is compared to standard rights of just accessing and using software/files on the system.
- Auditing – this is keeping a log of file edits, deleted files, creation of files etc
- Protecting from threats, viruses, worms, malware or remote hacker attacks
- Security updates to fix patches in the operating system
- Managing User Accounts:
- Each user is provided with an account for access to the system. They will be provided with their username and then will need to create a password based on rules set out initially
- Each account will then be granted different levels of access, dependent on needs and level of security. This will also monitor login activity and even log users out if they have been inactive for a while
Hardware, Firmware & the OS
- Application Software must talk to the operating system, this will then allow it to interact with the hardware
- The hardware will then process and send the information to the operating system which then directly talks back to applications software in a continuous loop
- Firmware
- This process is in between the Operating System and Hardware
- When a computer initially first loads up, it has to explore the ROM for its initial boot-up instructions These are contained in a Bootstrap loader
- The initial process is handled by the basic input/output system (BIOS) which is known as firmware. This will provide some low-level control for all devices
- Once complete these are sent to RAM to be processed by the operating system
- Overall this creates an extra layer which is to ensure that initially the hardware devices e.g. keyboard are available and can be communicated directly with the operating system
