Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• Receives input from/sends output to peripheral devices (1)
• Communicates with/controls a peripheral using its device driver, including installing the driver for a new device (1)
• Manages the print queue/buffer so that print jobs are sent to the printer in turn (1)
• Reports the status of a device/a device error to the user, e.g. out of paper (1)

Allow answers that name a specific peripheral, as long as they also say what the operating system does with it, e.g. 'it controls the printer using its driver'.

Do not accept 'manages peripherals'/'controls the hardware' on its own, as this repeats the question.

Do not accept 'managing files' or 'managing users' (file management and user management are other functions of an operating system).

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• Creating/deleting user accounts (1)
• Storing usernames and passwords (1)
• Checking login details/authenticating a user at login (1)
• Setting access rights/permissions for each user, e.g. restricting which files/folders/programs/drives they can access (1)

Allow logging in as an example of checking login details.

Do not accept managing users on its own.

Do not accept provides a user interface, as this is not user management.

Do not accept managing files or managing processes, as these are other functions.

Do not accept stopping hackers/protecting from malware, as this is security, not user management.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• The program (and its data) is copied/loaded from secondary storage into main memory/RAM (1) so that the CPU can fetch/execute its instructions (1)
• An area of main memory is allocated/reserved for the program (1) that is large enough to hold the program and its data (1)
• The operating system checks that there is enough free main memory (1) before the program can be started/loaded, otherwise it cannot run/an error is reported (1)
• The operating system keeps a record of the memory addresses used by the program (1) so that its instructions and data can be found when it runs (1)

Allow 'loaded into RAM', 'stored in memory' and 'put into main memory' as equivalent to copied into main memory.

A single statement that the program is loaded/stored in main memory, with no linked development, can be given one mark only.

Do not accept descriptions of the CPU fetching/executing instructions that do not refer to the operating system loading or allocating memory.

Do not accept responses about virtual memory (moving processes to secondary storage) or about which process runs next on the CPU.

Do not accept the program being run from secondary storage/hard disk.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• It allows the operating system/OS to communicate with the device/printer (1) because it translates the commands into signals the device understands (1)
• It contains/sends the instructions/commands needed by a particular device (1) so the device carries out the correct actions (1)
• It controls the device/printer (1) by sending commands/signals to it (1)
• Different devices need different commands (1) so each one needs its own driver to work with the operating system (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Do not accept 'it drives/controls the device' on its own without saying how, e.g. by sending commands/signals.

Do not accept hardware/a physical device (a device driver is software).

Do not accept 'it connects the printer to the computer' or 'it installs the printer' without saying that it provides the instructions/commands for the device.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• The operating system decides which process will use the CPU next (1) so the processor is shared between processes/processes take turns (1)
• The operating system allocates CPU time to each process/gives each process a small amount of time on the CPU (1) so multitasking can take place/several programs can appear to run at once (1)
• The operating system manages the state of each process, e.g. ready/running/blocked (1) so a process waiting for input/blocked does not stop other processes running (1)
• The operating system can terminate/end a process that has stopped responding (1) so it does not affect other processes/the computer keeps working (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Do not accept the idea that the CPU runs two or more processes at exactly the same time; multitasking shares CPU time.

Do not accept 'the OS shares the CPU' on its own without saying how/why, e.g. giving each process a turn/CPU time.

Do not accept 'it stops programs crashing' without a link to process management, e.g. ending a process that has stopped responding.

Do not accept 'it manages processes' without saying what the operating system does.