#1 Operating System Test - 69+ MCQs: Operating System Quiz: Test Your Knowledge with Operating System Questions and Answers

1. What is the role of a 'bootloader' in the startup process of a computer?

To load the operating system into memory

To create a backup of user data

To manage network connections

To play startup sounds

2. What does 'GUI' stand for in the context of operating systems?

Graphical User Interface

General User Interaction

Global User Identifier

Graphical Utility Interface

3. Which operating system is known for its use in scientific and research computing due to its scalability and performance?

Windows

Linux

macOS

iOS

4. What is virtual memory, and why is it used in modern operating systems?

Virtual memory is a type of memory used in virtual machines.

Virtual memory is a marketing term for high-capacity RAM.

Virtual memory is a technique that uses disk space to simulate additional RAM, allowing larger programs and more processes to run.

Virtual memory is a type of memory used exclusively by graphics cards.

5. Which operating system is known for its penguin mascot?

Windows

macOS

Linux

Android

6. What is 'paging' in memory management of an operating system?

Turning pages of a book

A technique to divide physical memory into fixed-size blocks

A way to organize files in a file system

Printing documents

7. Which operating system is known for its use in Google's mobile devices like smartphones and tablets?

Windows

Linux

iOS

Android

8. Which operating system was developed by Microsoft as a successor to MS-DOS?

Windows 3.1

Windows 95

Windows XP

Windows 10

9. Which operating system is open-source and often used in servers and embedded systems?

Windows

macOS

Linux

Android

10. Which operating system is known for its use on Apple's iPhones and iPads?

Windows

macOS

Linux

iOS

11. What is the purpose of a kernel in an operating system?

To manage hardware resources

To provide a graphical user interface

To execute user applications

To store system logs

12. Which operating system is often used in scientific and supercomputing applications?

Windows

Linux

macOS

Android

13. What is a context switch in an OS, and why is it necessary?

It is the process of switching between different user accounts.

It is the process of switching between different applications.

It is the process of saving and restoring the state of a CPU to allow multiple processes to share the same CPU.

It is the process of switching between different operating systems.

14. In the context of operating systems, what does 'GUI' stand for?

Graphical User Interface

Global User Integration

General Utility Interface

Graphical User Integration

15. What is 'context switching' in the context of operating systems?

Switching between different keyboard layouts

Switching between user accounts

Switching between different operating systems

Switching between processes or tasks in the CPU

16. Which type of software manages the allocation of system resources in an operating system?

Application software

Device drivers

System software

Firmware

17. Which of the following is not an example of a multi-user operating system?

Windows 10

Linux

macOS

Unix

18. What is the purpose of the 'registry' in the Windows operating system?

To store user passwords

To maintain a record of all file changes

To store system configuration settings

To store software installation files

19. What is 'virtual memory' in an operating system?

A memory card used in virtual reality gaming

A feature that allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously

A technique that uses disk space to simulate additional RAM

A type of memory used in graphics processing units (GPUs)

20. What does RAM stand for in the context of computer memory?

Random Access Memory

Read-Only Memory

Remote Access Memory

Revolving Access Memory

21. What is the purpose of a file system in an operating system?

To store and organize data files

To control the computer's power supply

To manage the CPU's clock speed

To connect to the internet

22. Which operating system is known for its use in gaming consoles like the PlayStation?

Windows

Linux

iOS

PlayStation OS

23. What is the role of an operating system in a computer?

To manage hardware resources

To create documents and spreadsheets

To browse the internet

To play video games

24. What is a 'kernel' in the context of operating systems?

The outermost layer of an OS

A type of computer virus

The central component that manages hardware and provides services to software

A user interface element

25. What is a page fault in virtual memory management, and how is it handled?

A page fault occurs when a page of data is not found in physical memory and needs to be loaded from secondary storage. It is handled by the operating system's memory management unit, which fetches the required page from secondary storage and updates the page table.

A page fault is a type of memory error that cannot be handled.

A page fault is a situation where a program crashes.

A page fault is a situation where virtual memory is disabled.

26. Which component of an operating system's user interface allows users to interact with files and folders?

Task Manager

Control Panel

File Explorer (or File Manager)

Start Menu

27. What is the primary function of a file system in an operating system?

To manage computer memory

To manage network connections

To organize and store data on storage devices

To control the computer's power supply

28. Which operating system is commonly used on Apple Macintosh computers?

Windows

Linux

iOS

macOS

29. Which operating system is designed primarily for use on servers and is known for its stability?

Windows

macOS

Linux

iOS

30. What is the main purpose of an operating system?

To manage hardware resources

To create software applications

To provide internet connectivity

To design user interfaces

31. What is 'system call' in the context of operating systems?

A call for technical support

A request for a system upgrade

An interface for applications to request services from the operating system

A call made to report system errors

32. Which operating system is known for its use in servers and mainframes?

Windows

Linux

macOS

IBM z/OS

33. What is the role of a device driver in an operating system?

To translate programming code into machine code

To control peripheral hardware devices

To manage software applications

To create user interfaces

34. Which file system is commonly used in Windows operating systems?

NTFS

HFS+

EXT4

FAT32

35. What is multitasking in the context of operating systems?

Running multiple applications simultaneously

Using multiple monitors

Typing on a keyboard and using a mouse at the same time

Running a single application at a time

36. What is 'file fragmentation' in the context of file systems?

A method of encrypting files

The process of breaking a file into smaller fragments

The process of defragmenting a hard drive

The scattered distribution of file data on a storage medium

37. In the context of operating systems, what does 'CLI' stand for?

Common Language Interface

Command Line Interface

Control Language Interpreter

Computer Language Interface

38. Which operating system is known for its use in Apple's line of personal computers?

Windows

Linux

iOS

macOS

39. What does 'BIOS' stand for in the context of computer systems?

Basic Input/Output System

Binary Input/Output System

Biometric Identification Operating System

Backup and Information Organization System

40. What is the difference between a process and a thread in an operating system?

A process is a standalone program with its own memory space, while a thread is a smaller unit of a process that shares the same memory space as other threads in the same process.

A process and a thread are the same thing; the terms are used interchangeably.

A process is a collection of threads, and a thread is a collection of processes.

A process and a thread both refer to the same concept in an operating system.

41. Which operating system is known for its user-friendly interface and is commonly used on personal computers?

Windows

Linux

macOS

iOS

42. What is 'spooling' in the context of operating systems?

A technique for printing multiple copies of a document

A method of storing data in a spreadsheet

A way to organize files in a directory

A process of buffering data to be processed by a device or program

43. Which operating system is known for its use in smartphones and tablets?

Windows

Linux

iOS

macOS

44. Which component of the operating system is responsible for managing memory?

Kernel

Compiler

Scheduler

File system

45. Which operating system was developed by Microsoft?

Linux

macOS

Windows

iOS

46. What is the purpose of a 'scheduler' in an operating system?

To schedule software updates

To manage appointments and calendars

To allocate CPU time to different tasks

To control screen brightness

47. What is a system call in an operating system, and why is it important?

A system call is a way for a program to request services from the operating system, such as file operations, process management, and device I/O. It is important because it provides a controlled and secure interface for user programs to interact with the operating system kernel.

A system call is a call to technical support for help with the operating system.

A system call is a call made by the operating system to users for assistance.

A system call is a way for the operating system to request services from user programs.

48. What is the primary function of the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) in a computer?

To manage computer memory

To manage network connections

To control the computer's power supply

To facilitate the initial startup of the computer

49. What is 'RAID' in the context of storage management in operating systems?

A type of computer virus

A technique for data backup

A system for controlling external devices

A method of combining multiple disks to improve performance and redundancy

50. What is the purpose of the 'scheduler' in an operating system?

To schedule appointments for users

To manage the schedule of software updates

To manage the execution of processes and allocate CPU time

To schedule disk defragmentation tasks

Operating System MCQ Test 1