Data Caches allow faster access of data (usually the most commonly used data) The main problem
} catch (InterruptedException ie) {
is Cache Coherence - We must always use the most recent value, no matter where it is in storage
hierarchy (making sure the most recent value from the component is stored in the cache)
(we need to maintain consistency between the copy in the cache with its actual value in the memory
component. This requires extra checking when writing to memory, etc.)
As well as these issues
Locality principle: Data accessed in clusters and stored together
Load policy: Retrieve the data needed plus surrounding data
Replacement policy: Choice of cache items to expel when the cache fill
What is the difference between user and kernel mode in the hardware? The user mode does not
have access to system level instructions(privileged instructions with automatically trap to the OS)
kernel mode has access to system
How are I/O bound different than CPU bound processes?
I/O-bound Short CPU bursts between I/O (would be faster if I/O was faster)
CPU-bound process Long CPU bursts, little I/O (would be faster if CPU was faster)
From hndout2/slide3: Which states did the lab1 queue command never display and why?
It never displayed running, new, or waiting. New, because processes are created immediately. In
lab1 we couldn't display the Running state because we couldn't display the queue while the batch
was running
Make a mapping from the states defined in lab1/Process.java to the states shown on
hndout2/slide3.
New = idle(not 100% sure), running = running, waiting = wait, terminated = terminated, aborted has
no equivalent, ready has no equivalent
Why is state new named idle in the lab A batch may be run multiple times, the second
time, the processes are not new, but they are also not any of the other states.
What is the difference between an interrupt and a software trap?
Based on Notes: Interrupt is generated by hardware, trap is by software
An interrupt is generated by the hardware and are asynchronous (i.e. they don't happen
at predictable places in the user code)
-A trap is an exception in a user process and are used to invoke kernel routines and are
synchronous (so the user code is suspended and continues afterwards).
In the top image, the running process issued an I/O request. After issuing the request, which
queue did this process get put on? The device queue for which it requested I/O, e.g., disk, display, simultaneously. Most of the users are running interactive jobs giving frequent inputs, which require
audio
In the bottom image at the time the process enters the wait for an interrupt box:
Is it process running or not? Not running.
What state is it in? Waiting.
If it is waiting, it must be on some queue. Which one? It depends on what the process did
during its last CPU burst. If it requested I/O (scenario described in the top image), it is waiting on d. Distributed Generally a system whose processors are themselves computer systems that
an I/O queue. If it is waiting for another process to complete, it is likely waiting on a notification communicate with the distributed OS over the network.
queue for this process. This situation is not well described in the image.
Process Control Blocks: What data do they store? Basically register they store the Process State f. Embedded Generally control some mechanical system without direct human users. Real time
and ID
Process Id - Process State - Scheduling Information - Link to Parent Process PCB -
Link to list of Child PCBs - Saved register data - Allocated resources (file list) -
Accounting information - I/O or wait status information - Memory-management data
Why are they necessary? They let a computer resume a process after its pauses its execution
Parallel execution: When two processes both execute at the same time. True parallel execution is
possible only on a multiprocessor system.
How does a single processor system simulate parallel execution? Time sharing the processor
between multiple threads, by using context switches when its time slice expires
public class SumNumbers extends Thread
{ private static double sum = 0.0;
private int upper;
public SumNumbers(int upper)
{ this.upper = upper; }
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException
{ SumNumbers thread = new SumNumbers(100);
thread.start(); // set a break here and inside run() and on join()
thread.join();
System.out.println("Total = " + sum); }
public void run()
{ sum = 0; for (int i=0; i<upper; i++) sum += i; } }
When this program runs, how many threads are created by the JVM?
2 the main thread and Thread-0 -- the SumNumbers thread
What do these two statements mean?
thread.start(); // set a break here and inside run() and on join()
start causes the thread object to execute, executes run the method of SumNumbers
thread.join();
join causes the current thread to wait(main) until the thread object (SumNumbers) finishes
executing Which thread executes these statements? Main
Which statements does Thread-0 execute?
public void run()
{ sum = 0; for (int i=0; i<upper; i++) sum += i; }
When does Thread-0 stop? When its run() method returns.
Is Thread-0 aware of Thread main? No. Thread-0 has no reference to main.
Does main hold a reference to Thread-0? Yes, in the variable named thread.
Can main force Thread-0 to stop? No.
How could you modify the code, so Thread-0 could be interrupted by Thread main?
public void run() {
sum = 0;
for (int i=0; i<upper; i++) {
sum += i;
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
return; } }}
Modify the code, so thread main interrupts Thread-0 and causes the application to print: Total = 6
Change main to have it start the thread then enter a loop that checks sum till it is 6 then call
thread.interrupt()
interrupt - A signal raised by hardware that the causes CPU immediately transfer to a location
defined in the Vector table. A hardware signal that forces a program counter (PC) change
Difference between a process and a program - A process is an executing program. It is an active
entity; a program is a passive entity.
Queues in operating systems - The ready queue and the device status queue are two examples.
Operating System - Software that creates an environment so computer can perform useful tasks
Software that is always resident in memory (kernel) plus a set of utility programs that help the
system administrator configure and manage the system.
What is a virtual operating system? Give an example.
A virtual operating system is one that operates as though it has full access and control to
computer system hardware. Low level software present an interface that mimics that of the
actual hardware. Why would it be unusual for real time systems to use memory mapping
algorithms?
The overhead associated with memory mapping interferes with the strict time requirements
associated with real time systems.
What is a cache? Give an example.
A cache is fast storage that temporarily holds data from slower storage to reduce access
overhead. An example is main memory that caches data stored on disk.
What is a difference between synchronous and asynchronous I/O?
An application that waits for I/O to complete executes a synchronous I/O call. An application
that starts an I/O operation and then immediately continues executing operates
asynchronously.
a. Batch Generally have few user accounts, which run relatively few, but relatively long jobs
where the output of each job is logged to a file, and these jobs, once started, execute to completion
without interruption.
b. Time Share Generally have many different users running many different kinds of jobs
timely responses.
c. Real Time Generally there are no human users. The user is some kind of machinery, usually
a combination of input sensors and output devices, where it is critical (often life-threatening) that
all inputs be captured and processed within a highly constrained timeframe. These systems
generally are performing a single very specific task, e.g., controlling a heart pace-maker.
e. Handheld Generally have one human user performing small interactive jobs. These operating
systems run smartphones and tablets.
operating systems are often also embedded systems, though not all embedded systems must be real
time systems.
General Purpose: respond quickly time to users
Most operating systems use doubly linked lists instead of singly linked lists. Why do you suppose
that this is the case?
A doubly linked list may be traversed in either direction, which can speed access to a desired item,
so long as you know if the desired item is ahead of or behind the current item.
The java class loader will cause a software failure when the name of a class to run is spelled with a
different case. the batch sequencer will bomb. What did you do to avoid this error?
The code processing the add command attempts passes the program name the user gave to the
Process constructor, which calls Class.forName() passing in this program name. This method
throws ClassNotFoundException if a class with this name does not exist. The Process constructor
allowed this exception to propagate to the add method code, which caught the exception and
printed an error message. What is the difference between a Java Exception and a Java Error?
An exception is an object created when a java application has attempted an unexpected operation
like dereferencing a null reference or attempting to open a file that does not exist. A java error
happens when something in the environment in which the Java VM is running goes wrong in an
unrecoverable way examples running out of memory or attempting to access memory reserved
for the operating system. The important difference between the two is an application should catch
and handle exceptions, but it should not attempt to catch or handle errors.
Which activities related to process management did we implement in this lab?
Adding a process to the ready queue, - Removing a process from the ready queue, - Requesting a
process run at a particular priority level, - Running a list of processes.
Why are command interpreters separate from the kernel?
The kernel must manage running processes, of which the command interpreter is only one. The
kernel must continue running to service both commands from the user and requests from other
running processes.
How could we have implemented our batch system with the command interpreter separate?
By creating a class for the kernel and running it in a separate thread as we do in lab 2.
In our batch system, what part of it would be considered the kernel?
The portion of the code that processes the commands entered by the user, which includes almost
everything except the code implementing the console.
How did we use polymorphism in this project?
Each runnable program was required to be built from a subclass of the abstract class Program. A
Process object then held a variable classInstance of type Program. This polymorphic variable held
a reference to objects built from either the Fibonacci, Tower or Primes classes.
What are four functions of an operating system? Give a one sentence description of each.
Memory management control where processes are in memory
Memory protection process cannot overwrite each other's memory
File management present a uniform view of files and directories
Scheduling Implement algorithms to give processes fair access to the CPU
What are the three ways applications pass parameters to operating systems to process system calls?
Through registers, through a block of contiguous memory, through a hardware stack
What is the storage hierarchy? Give three examples of components in this hierarchy.
A group of memory devices with different speeds and efficiencies with the faster ones at the
top of the hierarchy. The hardware cache, main memory, and magnetic disks are three
components of this hierarchy.
Name three policies and mechanisms.
process independence memory mapping algorithms
fair access to cpu implement appropriate scheduling algorithms
support many devices well defined device driver interface
What are the functions of each of the three types of schedulers?
Short term share CPU control among processes in memory
Medium term swap processes between memory and disk
Long term control the degree of multiprogramming|
Describe in a paragraph how you prevented the operating system from crashing when the user did
something illegal.
The CLI caught exceptions using Java's try/catch mechanism. These try/catch constructs were
as close to the command as possible so the error messages would be appropriate. Failure of
dynamic class loading had to catch Throwable objects because of the peculiarity of the
forName method.
List three user errors that the operating system handled.
Adding a program to a batch when no batch exists
Attempting to add a non-existent program to a batch
Attempt to change priority of a process that doesn't exist.
Pseudo code the steps involved in processing an OS system call.
Execute the privileged system call instruction
Hardware generates a trap
The system changes to kernel mode
The operating system
Saves the environment
Indexes the call id to find the correct handler
Executes the system call handler
The short term scheduler
Decides which process should execute
System changes to user mode
control returns to a user process
Pseudo code the steps involved in a context switch.
Decide which process should execute next
Save the environment associated with the executing process
Restore the environment associated with the new process
Chance the system to user mode
Transfer control to the new process
Time constraints - hard(fails if does not meet constraints) soft(best effort)
Kernel: The part of the OS that is always in memory Provides a basic interface for programs and
device drivers Includes: scheduler, I/O subsystem, Memory Management module, and many others
User Interface: Command line interface, shell, or GUI enabling the operating system users to issue
commands to the OS.
System Programs: System level applications that normally reside on disk. Examples include
loaders, compilers, editors, disk utilities, batch systems, communication services, system usage
monitors, etc.
Operating System Functions
Create a secure and stable user-friendly environment
Efficiently schedule and execute programs (processes )
Read and write from system hardware devices
Connect to local and wide area network
Manage memory allocation and protect against illegal access
Define and maintain the directory and access to secondary storage
Allocate and share resources efficiently and fairly
Maintain system security
Enforce scheduling priorities
Recovery from system faults
Perform low-level system services for applications
A Multiprocessor environment must provide cache coherency. All CPUs have the most recent
value in their local cache
Context switches save old process state and load the new process state
java threads isAlive() returns if a thread is dead or not, getState() returns one of the states
shown (new, runable, blocked, waiting, timed_waiting, teriminated) thread.stop asynchronous
cancellation, isInterrupted and interrupted check to see if it is interrupted is preserves signal
and interrupted resets it