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:

• Read/view (1)
• Write/edit/modify (1)
• Execute/run (1)
• Delete (1)

Allow 'read only' for read.

Treat write/edit/modify as one right only.

Do not accept 'open' or 'access' on its own.

Do not accept usernames/passwords (these are authentication, not file access rights).

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 keeps a record of where each file is stored (1) so files can be found/retrieved later (1)
• The operating system keeps files in separate storage locations (1) so files are not overwritten/lost (1)
• The operating system allocates files to folders/directories (1) so it can keep track of the files stored on the disk (1)
• The operating system deletes/moves files (1) so storage space is freed/reused (1)

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

Do not accept 'it manages files'/'it organises files' without expansion as to what is managed or organised.

Do not accept 'so files are managed/organised' as the linked reason.

Do not accept 'so the computer works' as the linked reason.

Indicative content

Allocating space

• The operating system checks that there is enough free space before a file is saved, so a large photograph does not make the save fail.
• The operating system finds free space on the disk and allocates it to the new file, so the file's data has somewhere to be written.
• Disk space is allocated so that a file is not written on top of data that already belongs to another file.
• When a file is deleted, the operating system marks its space as free so it can be used again by the next document that is saved.

Keeping track

• The operating system keeps a record of the name, size and location of every file, so it knows where each file is stored.
• The record is updated whenever a file is saved, renamed or deleted, so it still matches what is on the disk.
• The operating system uses this record to find a file again, so an employee can open a document or photograph that was saved earlier.
• The record lets the operating system tell the two employees' documents and photographs apart, even though they are all on the same disk.

Without this management

• Two files could be given the same space, so one document would overwrite another and the work would be lost.
• The operating system would not know where a file is stored, so a saved document could not be found and opened again.
• Space used by deleted files might never be freed, so the disk would fill up and new files could not be saved.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content.
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Basic, independent points are made, showing elements of understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made or application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates adequate understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure and application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented. (AO1) The discussion is well developed, with sustained lines of reasoning that are coherent and logically structured, and which clearly apply to the context. (AO2)

Level 3 responses must cover both the allocation of space and the tracking of files, with at least one consequence of no management linked to its cause. Reference to a file being split across blocks that are not next to each other, or to the record holding the location of each block, is Level 3 detail and is not required.

Basic, unlinked points with no application to the business's documents or photographs, and a consequence such as 'files would be lost' with no cause given, are limited to Level 1; to reach Level 2 a point must be linked to a reason (for example, the record is kept so a document can be found again) and be applied to the context. Do not accept defragmentation, process scheduling, user management, peripheral management, or backup and antivirus scanning, as file management.