What Is an Operating System?

The operating system controls the Data Room Solutions overall resources and operation of a PC by controlling access to the central processing unit (CPU) and memory of the computer, file storage, and input and output devices. It is responsible for tasks like scheduling resource usage to avoid conflicts and interfering between processes, managing the structure and content of files stored on nonprimary media and determining which software programs are able to use hardware components like disk drives or Wi-Fi adaptors. It also allows interactive users to connect with the system through an Graphical User Interface or Command-Line Interface.

Process Management

The operating systems handles the start, stopping and resumption process of applications. It decides which application will be first executed, for how long the CPU can be used, and also when to stop. It can also split programs into multiple threads, allowing it to run simultaneously on more than one processor. Each of these actions is controlled by an operating system routine called a process control block.

File management

Operating systems maintain the structure and contents of files in non-primary storage for data. They can move data between memory and storage when necessary. They can also map virtual memory pages onto physical memory pages to speed up access. This is known as demand paging.

It also communicates directly with the hardware of the computer through drivers and other interface software. For example, if an application wants to utilize a particular piece of hardware, such as an adapter for Wi-Fi and the operating system is able to provide the driver and allow the process to access it. This allows the programmer to avoid writing a piece code for every adapter to Wi-Fi disk drive, or any other similar hardware.