Question 1

An interrupt vector specifies where the interrupt handler program for a specific interrupt type is located.

Accepted Answer

An interrupt vector is a table of pointers used to dispatch interrupts to their corresponding interrupt handlers. The vector entry for a specific interrupt type points to the memory location of the handler program for that interrupt. Therefore, an interrupt vector specifies where the interrupt handler program for a specific interrupt type is located.

Question 2

You can write your own device driver for MS-DOS.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS allows developers to write their own device drivers using the Device Driver Interface (DDI) specification. This allows developers to add support for new hardware or modify existing device drivers to improve performance or compatibility. However, writing a device driver for MS-DOS requires knowledge of assembly language and the low-level details of hardware communication.

Question 3

Version 3.2 of MS-DOS supported token ring and 3 1/2 inch disks.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS version 3.2 did support Token Ring and 3 1/2 inch disks.

Question 4

The MS-DOS command processor is interpretive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The MS-DOS command processor is interpretive....

Question 5

Device channels are a part of MS-DOS.

Accepted Answer

Device channels are not a part of MS-DOS; they are more commonly associated with modern operating systems and hardware interfaces. MS-DOS primarily uses file handles and device drivers for input/output operations.

Question 6

The layer at the bottom of MS-DOS is BIOS (Basic Input/Output System).

Accepted Answer

BIOS is the layer at the bottom of MS-DOS.

Question 7

In its heyday, MS-DOS ran an enormous collection of software packages, making it difficult to discontinue this operating system.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS was widely used and supported by various software vendors, making it a challenge to transition to a different operating system.

Question 8

The DOS kernel is a proprietary program supplied by Microsoft Corporation that implements MS-DOS.

Accepted Answer

The DOS kernel is indeed a proprietary program supplied by Microsoft Corporation that implements MS-DOS.

Question 9

DOS is not case-sensitive so filenames and commands can be entered in uppercase, lowercase, or a combination of both.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. DOS does not differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters in filenames or commands.

Question 10

MS-DOS was written for a single family of microprocessors.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS was originally written for the Intel 8086 family of microprocessors. Later versions were also compatible with other processors such as the Intel 80286 and Intel 80386.

Question 11

Later versions of MS-DOS are not compatible with earlier versions.

Accepted Answer

Later versions of MS-DOS generally maintained backward compatibility with earlier versions, allowing older programs to run on newer versions of the operating system.

Question 12

The top layer of MS-DOS is the kernel.

Accepted Answer

The top layer of MS-DOS is actually the Command Interpreter, also known as the command prompt or shell. The kernel is a lower-level component that manages hardware resources and provides basic services to the operating system.

Question 13

If a program that is already running needs more memory, such as for additional I/O buffers, the Memory Manager checks to see whether enough memory remains.

Accepted Answer

When a program needs more memory, the Memory Manager checks whether enough memory remains.

Question 14

When the user is working in a directory or subdirectory, it is called the working directory and any file in that directory can be accessed by its relative name.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The working directory is the directory that the user is currently working in, and any file within that directory can be accessed using its relative name.

Question 15

MS-DOS is the successor of the IBM operating system.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS is not the successor of the IBM operating system; it was developed by Microsoft and used as the operating system for IBM PCs.

Question 16

Interrupt handlers are a crucial part of the system.

Accepted Answer

Interrupt handlers are software routines that are executed in response to an interrupt signal generated by a hardware device. They are crucial in ensuring the smooth and timely operation of the system, as they allow the system to respond quickly to external events and handle them appropriately. Without interrupt handlers, the system would be unable to handle external events and could potentially crash or malfunction.

Question 17

When a disk is formatted (using the FORMAT command), its tracks are divided into sectors of 1024 bytes each.

Accepted Answer

The size of sectors during disk formatting may vary depending on the file system being used, but 1024 bytes is not a standard size for sectors.

Question 18

In RAM main memory, the interrupt vectors are located in high-addressable memory and the COMMAND.COM overlay is located in low-addressable memory.

Accepted Answer

The interrupt vectors are typically located in low-addressable memory (usually the first 1 kilobyte of memory) and COMMAND.COM or any other program is loaded into high-addressable memory.

Question 19

A well-designed application program only releases memory when it stops running.

Accepted Answer

A well-designed application program releases memory when it is no longer needed, such as when a variable or object is no longer in use. This can happen while the program is still running. Additionally, many programming languages have mechanisms for automatically managing memory, such as garbage collection, which can release unused memory during runtime.

Question 20

MS-DOS was designed to accommodate a single novice user in a single-process environment.

Accepted Answer

MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) was originally designed in the early 1980s as a single-user, single-tasking operating system to run on IBM PC-compatible personal computers. It was primarily intended for novice users who were not familiar with command-line interfaces or complex operating systems. However, MS-DOS also provided advanced features for more experienced users, such as the ability to write and execute batch files or install device drivers.

Quiz 14: Ms-Dos Operating System