The operating system controls the general resources and operations of a computer by controlling access to the central processing unit (CPU) and memory of the computer and file navigate to this web-site storage as well as input and output devices. It also manages tasks such as scheduling resource usage to avoid conflict and interference between processes, regulating the content and structure of files on non-primary storage media and determining which applications get to use hardware components like wireless adaptors or disk drives. It also permits users to connect to the system through a Graphical User Interface or Command-Line Interface.
Process Management
The operating systems handles the start, stopping and resumption process of applications. It determines which program will be executed first, how long the CPU can be used, and when to end. It is also able to split a program into multiple threads, allowing it to run simultaneously on more than one processor. Each of these actions is controlled by an operating system routine called a process control block.
File management
Operating systems maintain the structure and contents of files in nonprimary storage. They can move data between storage and memory whenever needed. They can also convert the virtual memory page to physical memory pages for faster access which is known as demand panning.
It also interacts with the hardware on the computer using drivers and other interfacing software. If, for example, an application is looking to utilize a specific hardware like a WiFi adaptor the operating system will provide the driver and permit it to connect to the hardware. This enables the programmer to avoid writing a piece code for each adapter disk drive, or other hardware of the same type.