PC Operating Systems Hardware

1
PC Operating Systems Hardware

• Guide to Operating Systems
• Third Edition

2
Objectives

• After reading this chapter and completing the
  exercises you will be able to
• Explain operating system hardware components
• design type, speed, cache, address bus, data bus,
  control bus, and CPU scheduling
• Describe basic features and system architecture
• Identify the basic features and characteristics
  of popular PC operating systems
• Understand how hardware components interact with
  operating systems

3
Understanding CPUs

• System architecture
• number and type of CPUs in the hardware
• communication routes buses
• The CPU
• performs the computational and logic work
• Most modern PCs have one such chip -
  single-processor computers
• There are computers that have multiple CPUs
• Two to 64 or more
• multiprocessor computers

4
Design Type

• Two general CPU designs
• CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)
• RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)
• Main difference
• number of different instructions the chip can
  process
• Instruction set
• the list of commands the CPU can understand and
  carry out

5
Design Type (continued)

• This type of processor is called a Complex
  Instruction Set Computer (CISC) CPU
• The CISC CPU offers advantages and disadvantages
• Advantage
• need only general-purpose hardware to carry out
  commands

6
Design Type (continued)

• Disadvantages
• CISC design includes the complexity of hardware
  needed to perform many functions
• the complexity of on-chip software needed to make
  the hardware do the right thing
• the need to continually reprogram the on-chip
  hardware
• complex operations that a CISC CPU carries out
  slow it down because all sorts of hardware on the
  chip must be set up to perform specific functions

7
Design Type (continued)

• The RISC CPU design
• requires very little setup because it has
  hardware on the chip that is specially designed
  and optimized to perform particular functions
• pipelining - allows the processor to operate on
  one instruction at the same time it is fetching
  one or more subsequent instructions

8
Design Type (continued)

• Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC)
• joint project by Intel and Hewlett Packard
• processor handles massive numbers of operations
  simultaneously
• enables a single processor to execute as many as
  20 operations at a time
• Advantage
• using three instructions per word, EPIC enables
  the processor to work much faster
• instructions can be combined into instruction
  groups

9
Speed

• Internal clock speed is the most obvious
  indicator
• clock provides this to make sure that all the
  chips know what to expect at what time
• tells you how many clock pulses, or ticks, are
  available per second
• External clock speed
• chips also must be able to communicate with the
  other chips in the computer
• lower clock speed to communicate with the rest of
  the computer

10
Cache

• Cache memory built into the CPU chip
• extremely fastit typically runs at the same
  speed as the processorand therefore expensive
• If processor needs a number stored in the cache
  memory on the CPU, it probably wont have to wait
  to obtain that number
• referred to as Level 1 (L1) cache

11
Cache (continued)

• Some CPUs have one or two more levels of cache
  memory, which are typically on a separate chip
• Level 2 (L2) cache
• Level 3 (L2) cache
• Cache controller
• predicts what data will be needed, and makes that
  data available in cache before it is needed

12
Address Bus

• Address bus
• internal communications pathway It is
  instrumental in the transfer of data to and from
  computer memory
• runs at the external clock speed of the CPU

13
Data Bus

• Data bus
• allows computer components to share information
• number of bits indicates how many bits of data
  can be transferred from memory to the CPU, or
  vice versa, in one clock tick
• external clock speed of 1 GHz will have 1 billion
  ticks per second to the external bus

14
Control Bus

• The CPU is kept informed of the status of
  resources and devices connected to the computer
• The most basic information is whether or not a
  particular resource is active and can be accessed
• Memory read and write status is transported on
  this bus
• Interrupt Requests (IRQs) are also transported on
  this bus

15
Control Bus (continued)

• An IRQ
• request to the processor for a current process,
  such as a read from a disk drive, to be
  interrupted by another process, such as a write
  into memory

16
CPU Scheduling

• Determine which process to start given the
  multiple processes waiting to run
• Allows for multithreading
• Ability to run two or more processes at the same
  time

17
Popular PC Processors

• These CPUs are
• Intel
• Intel Itanium
• AMD
• Motorola
• SPARC
• Alpha

18
Intel

• Most popular CPUs are designed by Intel
• First in this line of processors was the 8088,
  the CPU found in the original IBM PC
• Pentium 4 is the presence of two math
  coprocessing units, called arithmetic logic units
  (ALUs)
• Core Duo
• Issue of Sofware capability lag

19
AMD and Cyrix

• Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) and VIA
  Technologies (Cyrix)
• compete with Intel

20
Motorola

• Chips are typically found in Macintosh computers
• Line of CISC CPUs is used in many older Macintosh
  computers, as well as in many UNIX computers
• Apple has transitioned into Intel Processors

21
SPARC

• SPARC processor designed by Sun Microsystems
• SPARC CPUs have gone through many incarnations
• RISC processor is the most popular on the market
  today
• The UltraSPARC III is the current version of the
  SPARC processor at this writing

22
Alpha

• Originally designed by Digital Equipment
  Corporation (DEC)
• Today, the Alpha CPU is found in high-end HP
  servers
• 64-bit data bus and a 64-bit address bus
• The internal clock speed can be as high as 1 GHz

23
Plug and Play

• Plug and Play (PnP)
• automatically detect newly installed hardware
• At the BIOS level
• At the Operating System Level

24
ActiveX and the Component Object Model (COM)

• ActiveX, along with its parent, the Component
  Object Model (COM)
• standardized way for objects, such as programs,
  files, computers, printers, control panels,
  windows, and icons, to communicate with each
  other
• The COM and ActiveX technologies enable an object
  to sense when it is interacting with other
  objects
• Mouse, printer, desktop, trash can, or Start menu
• The COM and ActiveX allow you to drag files from
  one place to another

25
The Registry

• Database that stores information about hardware
  and software configurations
• In Windows 95, the Registry is the only correct
  way to store configuration information

26
The Registry (continued)

• The Registry is a hierarchical database that
  provides the following information
• Operating system configuration
• Service and device driver information and
  configuration
• Static tuning parameters
• Software and application parameters
• Hardware configuration
• Performance information
• Desktop configuration

27
Multitasking

• Multitasking still performed on a cooperative
  basis for 16-bit applications, uses preemptive
  multitasking for 32-bit applications
• Task supervisor
• detects tasks that appear stuck

28
Enhanced Network and Internet Capabilities

• The networking functionality was completely
  rewritten
• Network drivers are part of the Windows operating
  system
• Networking code is written as a 32-bit
  application
• Integrated with the Internet
• Extensive Internet support, in Web browsers, Web
  server software
• Dial-Up Networking (DUN)
• used to make connections to remote networks or
  computers

29
Windows NT

• Windows NT 3.1 was released in 1993 and version
  3.5 was released in 1994
• Windows NT was an extension to IBMs high-end
  operating system, OS/2
• intended to support a client/server networking
  environment
• Windows NT has gone through many iterations
• Windows NT prior to version 3.51 were not stable
  or reliable

30
Windows NT (continued)

• Uses preemptive multitasking
• Employs multithreading
• ability to run two or more program code blocks as
  threads, at the same time
• NT Workstation can use up to two CPUs
• NT Server can use up to four CPUs
• Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
• All CPUs carry out actions at the same time

31
Security

• A C2 rating means the Server network operating
  system provides security
• File and folder protection
• User accounts and passwords
• File, folder, and account auditing
• File server access protection on a network
• File server management controls

32
Security (continued)

• The domain is an integral part
• One primary domain controller (PDC)
• The PDC is responsible for keeping usernames and
  passwords for all users
• Remote Access Service (RAS)
• user information in a PDC can be used to grant or
  deny various levels of network access

33
Windows 2000

• More robust operating system
• Significant rewrite of the Windows NT kernel
• Runs about 30 faster than Windows NT
• More advanced networking support, such as Virtual
  Private Networks (VPNs)
• A VPN is a private network that is like a tunnel
  through a larger network

34
Windows 2000 (continued)

• Windows 2000 incorporates a wide range of new
  features, including
• Active Directory
• Distributed network architecture
• Kerberos security
• IntelliMirror
• Power Management
• International Language Compatibility

35
Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional

• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)
• total cost of owning a network, including
  hardware, software, training, maintenance, and
  user support costs
• Active Directorya database of computers, users,
  groups, shared printers, folders, and other
  network resources

36
Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000
Professional (continued)

• Server supports up to four processors
• Professional supports up to two
• Windows 2000 Server
• offers more services and user connectivity options

37
Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000
Professional (continued)

• These services include the following
• The capability to handle virtually unlimited
  numbers of users simultaneously
• Active Directory management
• Network management
• Web-based management services
• Network-wide security management
• Network storage management

38
Windows 2000 Server, Advanced Server, and
Datacenter Server

• Windows 2000 Server provides a comprehensive set
  of server and Web services
• up to four processor systems
• supports up to 4 GB of RAM
• Advanced Server
• intended for high-end enterprise networks
• Clustering
• technique in which two or more servers are linked
  to equally share the server processor load

39
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

• Windows 2000 evolved into
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• New desktop GUI

40
Windows XP Versions

• Versions
• Windows XP Home
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows XP Tablet PC
• Windows XP Media Center
• Windows XP 64-bit

41
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition

• Runs on Intel Itanium processors
• Used for mathematical calculations
• Problems with Itanium

42
Windows Server 2003

• Minor upgrade of Windows 2000, but offer a new
  desktop GUI
• Improvements to Active Directory
• Capabilities for keeping photo albums, playing
  music, running video and audio files, playing
  games, and using other multimedia applications
• Better Internet security
• built-in firewall
• ability to remotely control the computer

43
UNIX System V Release 4

• Two main design standards
• Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD)
• System V Release 4 (SVR 4)
• Linux is a version of UNIX
• free of charge, but some enhanced versions of
  Linux must be purchased
• Runs on almost any hardware platform
• True multitasking, multi-user operating system
• UNIX typically presents you with a request for a
  login

44
UNIX System V Release 4 (continued)

• Username and password determine what privileges
  you will be granted on the system
• Shell
• levels of functionality
• series of built-in commands
• External commands
• at the command line

45
UNIX System V Release 4 (continued)

• Main commands are the same across the shells
• To see the path of the directory you are in, use
  pwd command
• GUI interface
• X Windows
• GNOME

46
UNIX System V Release 4 (continued)

• TCP/IP is used on UNIX computers
• Standard UNIX does not provide many network
  functions
• provided by add-ons
• Standard functions
• login services
• network connections
• file transfers using File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• e-mail service, usually the Simple Mail Transfer
  Protocol (SMTP)

47
UNIX System V Release 4 (continued)

• In Linux, additional standard services include
• Network File System (NFS)
• support for other network systems
• UNIX is also compatible with databases such as
  Oracle and Informix

48
Mac OS

• Unique approach to operating systems
• Mac OS X desktop
• Built on Unix foundation
• Hardware architecture different from other
  platforms
• Mac OS prior to 8.0 was not multitasking
• task switching with the aid of MultiFinder

49
Mac OS (continued)

• Network functions in Mac OS are fairly evolved
• Peer-to-peer networking
• standard feature since the beginning
• Uses AppleTalk
• Desktop operating system
• no extended security features

50
NetWare

• Evolved steadily since the late 1970s
• Now, a full-service server OS
• Most shops run NetWare 5.x or 6.x

51
NetWare (continued)

• NetWare 6.0
• released late 2001
• server can be added easily to network with
  Microsoft, UNIX, and other NetWare servers

52
NetWare (continued)

• NetWare 6.5
• shipped in mid 2003
• open-source enhancements
• includes Apache Web server, MySQL, Tomcat
• Novells Virtual Office
• NetWare Administrator console

53
Summary

• Hardware and operating systems are interrelated
• Processors are much faster and more efficient
• Early computer operating systems were well suited
  to the early processors, which included the 8088,
  8086, and 80286

54
Summary (continued)

• 32-bit processors provide a foundation for
  operating systems like Windows XP
• New 64-bit processors have emerged
• Diagnosing computer problems
• know the hardware and operating system
  requirements

55
Posting Question?

• Some significant operating systems were not
  mentioned in this lecture. Research and tell us
  a little about BeOS. What was its strengths and
  weaknesses? What was its fate?
• Find two non-Microsoft operating systems that
  were not mentioned in this tape. What were their
  strengths and weaknesses?

56
Finis