Study guide for the Operating Systems Comprehensive Exam

Topics:

• Chapter 1 - Overview
  • Definition(s) of Operating System
  • Mainframe Systems
  • Multiprocessor Systems
  • Distributed Systems
• Chapter 2 - Computer-System Structures
  • Computer-System Operation
  • I/O Structure
  • Storage Structure
  • Storage Hierarchy
  • Hardware Protection
• Chapter 3 - Operating System Structures
  • Operating-System Services
  • System Calls
  • System Programs
  • Virtual Machines
• Chapter 4 - Process Management
  • Process Concept
  • Process Scheduling
  • Operations on Processes
  • Cooperating Processes
  • Interprocess Communication
• Chapter 5 - Threads
  • Threading Concepts and Terms (Overview)
  • Multithreading Models
• Chapter 6 - CPU Scheduling
  • Basic Concepts
  • Scheduling Criteria
  • Scheduling Algorithms
• Chapter 7 - Process Synchronization
  • Background
  • The Critical-Section Problem
  • Synchronization Hardware
  • Semaphores
  • Classic Problems of Synchronization
• Chapter 8 - Deadlocks
  • System Model
  • Deadlock Characterization
  • Methods for Handling Deadlocks
  • Deadlock Prevention
  • Deadlock Avoidance
  • Deadlock Detection
  • Recovery from Deadlock
• Chapter 9 - Memory Management
  • Background
  • Swapping
  • Contiguous Memory Allocation
  • Paging
  • Segmentation
  • Segmentation with Paging
• Chapter 10 - Virtual Memory
  • Background
  • Demand Paging
  • Page Replacement
  • Allocation of Frames
  • Thrashing
• Chapter 11 - File-System Interface
  • File Concept
  • Access Methods
  • Directory Structure
• Chapter 12 - File-System Implementation
  • File-System Structure
  • File-System Implementation
  • Directory Implementation
  • Allocation Methods
  • Free-Space Management
• Chapter 13 - I/O Systems
  • Overview
  • I/O Hardware
  • Application I/O Interface
  • Kernel I/O Subsystem
• Chapter 14 - Mass-Storage Structure
  • Disk Scheduling
  • Disk Management

References:

• Silberschatz, Galvin and Gagne. Operating Systems Concepts, 6th edition 2002