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 explanation such as:

• Files take up less storage space (1) because compression stores the data using fewer bits/removes redundant or unnecessary data (1)
• Files can be transferred/downloaded faster (1) because there is less data to send over a network (1)
• More files fit on a storage device (1) because each file is smaller (1)
• Email attachments can be sent without exceeding attachment size limits (1) because compression reduces the size of the file (1)

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

Do not accept 'it makes files smaller' on its own without a named benefit such as using less storage space or faster transfer; this repeats the question.

Do not accept 'compression frees up space by deleting files' as compression does not delete the original file.

Do not accept answers about disk defragmentation as this is a different utility.