Scribd
Upload
76 views3 pages

Operating Systems and Computer Architecture

The operating system loads after the computer runs basic tests during startup. It supports basic functions like scheduling and managing peripherals. Interrupts pause the processor's current task to service higher priority issues like errors or user input. Buffers temporarily store data to ensure smooth streaming and downloading. The computer architecture includes buses that transmit addresses, data, and control signals between components. Registers are high-speed storage areas that hold data and instructions during processing. The processor contains an ALU for arithmetic and the control unit directs other components through the fetch-execute cycle of reading instructions from memory and carrying them out.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Hassan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
76 views3 pages

Operating Systems and Computer Architecture

The operating system loads after the computer runs basic tests during startup. It supports basic functions like scheduling and managing peripherals. Interrupts pause the processor's current task to service higher priority issues like errors or user input. Buffers temporarily store data to ensure smooth streaming and downloading. The computer architecture includes buses that transmit addresses, data, and control signals between components. Registers are high-speed storage areas that hold data and instructions during processing. The processor contains an ALU for arithmetic and the control unit directs other components through the fetch-execute cycle of reading instructions from memory and carrying them out.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Hassan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 3

Chapter 4: Operating systems and computer

architecture
Operating systems and computer architecture

Operating system:

The low-level software that supports a computer’s basic functions, such as scheduling tasks and
controlling peripherals.

When a computer starts, the initiating programs are loaded onto the ROM chipset. These
programs run a test to check whether all the resources and BIOS are working properly. If there
are no errors, then the OS is loaded.

Interrupt:

An interrupt is a signal sent from a device or from software to the processor.

This will cause the processor to temporarily stop what it is doing and service the interrupt.
Interrupts can occur during errors, when disk drives are ready to receive more data; the user has
pressed keys (control+alt+delete) to interrupt the process.

Once the interrupt is received, the processor carries on with what it was doing or stop and service
the interrupt based on its intensity.

Buffer:

It is a temporary memory area in which data is stored while it is being processed or transferred,
especially one used while streaming video (to ensure that the video doesn’t keep on stopping to
wait for data from the Internet) or downloading audio.

Buffers and interrupts are often used together to allow standard computer functions to be carried
out.
Computer architecture:

Address bus: This bus carries signals related to addresses between the processor and the
memory. It is unidirectional (travels in only 1 direction).

Data bus: This bus sends data between the processor, the memory unit and the I/O devices. It is
bi directional (travels in 2 directions).

Control bus: This bus carries signals relating to the control and condition of all activities within
the computer (example: read and write functions). It is unidirectional.

Registers:

These are high-speed storage areas within a computer. All data must be represented in a register
before it can be processed.

There are several types of registers: MAR (memory address register), MDR (memory data
register), ALU (arithmetic and logic unit), PC (program counter) and CIR (current instruction
register).

The memory unit contains of a number of partitions. Each partition contains an Address and its
Contents. There are represented by a byte (8 bits in binary form).

Processor:  This contains the ALU, which allows arithmetic functions to be carried out.

Control Unit: This controls the operations of the memory, processor and the I/O devices. It
contains the CIR. This unit reads an instruction from the memory and during this process; signals
are generated along the control bus telling them what to do next.

Input-Output (I/O) Devices: These devices are the main method of entering data and getting
data out of the computer systems. Input devices convert analogue data to digital data that can be
understood by the computer, whereas output devices convert digital data to data that can be
comprehended by humans.

Fetch-Execute Cycle:

Fetch – Instruction is fetched from the PC (program counter) and is stored in the CIR. The PC is
then increased by 1 so that the next instruction can be followed.

Execute – The processor passes the decoded instruction as a set of control signals to the
appropriate components within the computer system. This allows each instruction to be carried
out in a logical sequence.
Addressing modes:

1. Immediate: The opcode is given in the operand itself


2. Direct: The address of the opcode is given in the operand.
3. Indirect: The address of the opcode is given in an address which is given by the operand

You might also like