An operating system is a type of system software that works as an intermediate between the user and the computer hardware that controls the execution of programs. The main advantage of the operating system is that it allows the user to perform tasks on the computer without having knowledge of computer language and how to speak the computer language. An operating system manages the whole software and hardware of a computer. Let us know “Where Is The Operating System Stored?”
The frequent tasks of an operating system include process management, controlling devices like printers and disc drives, and input and output handling. Most of the time, multiple computer programs are running at the same time, so all programs want to use the computer’s central processing unit, storage, and memory. The operating system manages when to give computer resources to the program that needs them. When we buy a computer, the operating system is pre-loaded on the computer, we do not need to install the operating system. There are multiple operating systems, the most commonly used operating systems, are Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.
The operating system is stored and installed on the hard disc of the computer, which has no volatile memory. The users with the Windows operating system mainly reside in the C drive. When the computer is turned on, the Random-Access Memory (ROM) and Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) activate the hard disc where it finds the hard disk. The operating system is stored permanently on part of the computer, which gives access to its contents when the computer is turned on. Even if there are two operating systems installed on the same computer, both of them are installed on the hard disk.
Functions Of The Operating System:
User Interface:
An operating system is mainly a program that is pre-loaded by a boot program on a computer. It mainly manages all the application programs on the computer. An operating system provides many advantages to computer software and also to software development. Without an operating system, the individual applications have their Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the code needs to connect with low-level functionality like disc storage, network interface, etc. All operating systems require a user interface, which enables users and system administrators to interact with the operating system used for setting up, configuration, and also troubleshooting. There are mainly two UI types: the first is CLI and the other is GUI.
CLI is also called terminal mode window, where a user depends upon a traditional keyboard to run selected commands and arguments to perform specific tasks. CLI is a text-based interface.
The user does not need to type commands; instead, by clicking on the icons and symbols, the user can perform various tasks. GUI works on gestures from human interface devices like touchscreens, touchpads, and other devices.
Application Management:
The operating system performs application management, which is an important feature of a computer by managing the applications and handling the launch of every application. The operating system also supports time-sharing among multiple processes, so that every task should use resources when needed. Application management also supports error handling that smoothly removes application processes and also does memory management without disturbing other applications. The operating system also supports application programming interfaces (API), which makes it possible for applications to use the operating system and hardware without knowing the low-level operating system and hardware conditions.
Device Management:
The operating system is responsible for identifying, managing, configuring, and giving access to hardware devices that come under the application. The operating system identifies the hardware, so it also installs the correct device drivers for hardware so that the operating system uses devices without any complete knowledge of hardware. The operating system identifies the physical and logical devices and records the devices’ data, such as in the Windows registry. When the drivers are replaced, it means the operating system has uploaded and configured them because the operating system automatically updates and installs new drivers to make its performance better.
Operating System Types Include:
The fundamental roles of operating systems are universal. Many operating systems exist, and users can choose any from them based on their usage. Different people use different operating systems based on their needs.
General-Purpose Operating System:
A general-purpose operating system includes an array of operating systems having the purpose of running applications on the hardware. It also allows users to use different operating systems on the same device simultaneously. The main general-purpose operating system mainly focuses the hardware management to ensure that applications can easily share a wide range of available computing hardware.
The most common desktop operating systems are mentioned below:
Windows:
Windows is a graphics-based operating system that was developed in 1985 by Microsoft. It is the most popular operating system for personal use and business use as it is GUI-based, so users can easily use and understand it. Windows 95 was a key success in the rapid manufacture of personal computers.
Mac Operating System:
Apple Inc. created the Macintosh operating system, which is used on the Mac computer series. The Mac operating system was initially known as system software. It was introduced in 1984 as a graphical user interface (GUI).
Unix Operating System:
Unix is a flexible operating system that comes under the family of multitasking operating systems. Unix was introduced in the 1970s and created at Bell Labs research center. It was the first operating system that was written in C language.
Linux:
Linux is similar to Unix, which is an open-source operating system developed under a general public license. Linux is a secure, efficient, and fast-performing operating system.
Mobile Operating Systems:
These systems are developed to fulfill the needs of mobile users having tablets and smartphones. Mobile devices have limited resources compared to personal computers, and mobile operating systems emphasize efficient performance and data handling. Examples of these operating systems are Google’s Android Operating System and Apple’s IOS.
Embedded Operating System:
All computing devices are not for general purposes. Many devices, including point of sale, automated teller machines, airline booking systems, and internet of things computers, require an operating system. Embedded Linux is an example of an embedded OS.
Network Operating System:
The motive of the network operating system is to enable communication between the devices that come under the local area network.
What Is The location Of The OS ( Operating System )?
The operating system is stored and installed on the physical memory of a computer, which is stored permanently. If we want to run two operating systems on the same device, it is possible and both operating systems will be installed on the hard disk. For example, if you are using a Mac computer, it allows you to install macOS and if you want to install Windows on the same computer system, it uses the boot camp feature.
So how do you know where the operating system is installed? So keep in mind that the operating system is commonly installed on the C drive, and other files are stored in other partitions of the drive. The operating system files are placed in different folders, namely AppData, Username, System files, and more. If there is any mishap with the operating system, you can easily change the directory without affecting the stored files on other drives.
Save and handle computer data, there are multiple types of computer memory. Every storage type has different characteristics and purposes. The types of memory used in computers are mentioned below:
Primary Memory:
Primary memory is a collection of read-only memory called ROM and random-access memory called RAM. It is also known as system memory.
In RAM, the programs and data are stored, which requires a central processing unit (CPU) during the execution of programs stored in this memory.
ROM is a non-volatile memory used in systems where programming needs no change. It stores critical information which is required to operate a system, such as a program that is essential to booting a computer.
Cache Memory:
The cache is a volatile memory integrated into the motherboard and CPU. Cache memory is faster than RAM as it is much closer. The data which is used frequently is stored in cache memory, which resides between the RAM and the CPU. Because cache memory is intended to speed up data transfer, it is smaller than random-access memory.
Virtual Memory:
When a computer’s RAM is full, virtual memory is less expensive than purchasing external memory. Virtual memory is a good solution to free RAM space for important tasks. The two techniques used to extend RAM are paging and segmenting.
External Memory:
External memory is used when you want to save files outside the computer’s memory. It stores data permanently and does not lose data while shutting down the computer. The problem with external devices is that they are slow and the data transfer rate is low. Examples of external memory are solid-state storage devices, optical storage devices, and physical hard drives.
Conclusion:
An operating system is an essential part of a computer that acts as an intermediary between a user and the system. An operating system is usually stored on a computer hard disk, which is called non-volatile memory. If a Windows operating system user wants to see the stored files of the operating system, the user can find those files in the C drive of the computer.
