Fundamentals of Computer Systems Organization

This chapter establishes the fundamental roles and organization of computer systems. What an OS Does:

It acts as a Resource Allocator (managing CPU, memory, I/O) and a Control

Program (managing execution of user programs). Computer-System Organization:

Interrupts: Hardware sends signals to the CPU via the system bus to trigger an Interrupt Service

Routine (ISR). Software triggers interrupts via traps (or exceptions) for errors or system

calls. Storage Structure: Organized in a hierarchy based on speed, cost,

and volatility. Volatile: Registers, Cache, Main Memory (RAM). Non-volatile: NVM

(SSD), Hard Disk Drives (HDD), Optical Disk, Magnetic Tape.