Reading Assignment

• Operating Systems Concepts: Chapters 1 and 2.

Lecture Slides

• Hardware Support

Homework Assignment

Due Date: 2/4/08


• Operating Systems Concepts: #1.10, #1.12, #2.3, #2.9, #2.12, #2.14.
• Assume a particular machine has instructions for each of the actions listed below. In oder for the OS to provide adequate protection some of these instructions must be privileged (i.e. executable only in kernel mode). Which ones and why?
  • Switch CPU from kernel mode to user mode.
  • Load values into the base and limit registers.
  • Read a value from the interrupt vector.
  • Change a value in the interrupt vector.
  • Set the timer device.

Acknowledgment: this content is essentially identical to that developed by Professor Grant Braught for the Spring 2006 Operating Systems course, and I'm grateful for his permission to use it.