An operating system is the software that runs behind-the-scenes on an individual computer, and manages many hardware components like memory, file systems, and input/output devices such as keyboards, monitors printers, modems and keyboards. It also controls access to the central processing unit, or CPU.
Multitasking is a term that allows multiple programs to run simultaneously on an OS. This is because the OS https://myopendatablog.com/mastering-security-unveiling-the-magic-of-data-room-solutions/ allocates resources from the system to the program, for instance CPU and memory space during execution. It tracks how much memory and CPU time the program uses, and ensures it does not interfere with other programs using the same resources.
Operating systems track the location of files and their current location on the computer’s disk. They create a virtual directories and save metadata, such as the date of creation or modification. Drivers let an application easily connect to the hardware of a computer. These drivers translate the proprietary language of the hardware into a standard language that an operating system can comprehend.
If an application requires to save a file, it switches to the operating system kernel. This is because the application cannot directly access the disk drive and needs drivers to communicate with it. The operating system creates a logical request and then translate it. Hardware is utilized in accordance with the instructions.