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Unit 5 · System Software and Operating System Paper 2 CS · June 2024 Re-Exam

Which of the following statements are TRUE about privileged instructions?
(A) They can only be executed by the operating system kernel and not by user applications.
(B) They are designed to perform operations that can directly affect the hardware or system state, such as I/O operations or changing memory-management settings.
(C) User applications can execute privileged instructions if they have the correct permissions set by the operating system.
(D) They are usually executed in user mode to ensure the safety and security of the system.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

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Correct answer: A. (A) and (B) Only

Explanation

Privileged instructions run only in kernel mode and control hardware/system state (A, B). User programs cannot execute them directly, whatever their permissions; they must use system calls. They execute in kernel mode, not user mode.

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