File Systems: A Comprehensive Guide for Computer Science MSc Students

Question 1

In a FAT file system, what is the primary purpose of the FAT table?

Accepted Answer

To track the physical location of file data on the disk

Answer

To store the names of files and directories

Answer

To manage user permissions and access rights

Answer

To store the size and modification date of files

Question 2

What is the key difference between a hard link and a symbolic link?

Accepted Answer

Hard links reference the same physical data, while symbolic links reference the path to the data

Answer

Symbolic links reference the same physical data, while hard links reference the path to the data

Answer

Hard links can only be created for files, while symbolic links can be created for both files and directories

Answer

Symbolic links can only be created for files, while hard links can be created for both files and directories

Question 3

Which of the following is not a component of a typical file system?

Accepted Answer

Registry

Answer

Boot sector

Answer

Directory structure

Answer

File metadata

Question 4

Which file allocation technique assigns disk space to files in fixed-size blocks?

Accepted Answer

Contiguous allocation

Answer

Linked allocation

Answer

Indexed allocation

Answer

Hybrid allocation

Question 5

What is a key advantage of using indexed allocation in a file system?

Accepted Answer

Support for dynamic file expansion and modification

Answer

Efficient access to large-sized files

Answer

Prevention of file fragmentation

Answer

Reduced overhead compared to other allocation techniques

Question 6

Which of the following file system attributes is NOT typically stored within a metadata node?

Accepted Answer

Actual file contents

Answer

File size

Answer

File type

Answer

File ownership

Question 7

What is the primary distinction between a journaling file system and a non-journaling file system?

Accepted Answer

Use of a write-ahead log for improved data integrity and crash recovery

Answer

Support for file system snapshots

Answer

Enhanced performance

Answer

Reduced data reliability

Question 8

What is the purpose of a file allocation table (FAT)?

Accepted Answer

To store the location of data blocks belonging to a file

Answer

To manage the mapping between file names and data blocks

Answer

To provide access control for different users

Answer

To optimize the performance of file operations

Question 9

Which of the following is **an advantage** of a hierarchical file system?

Accepted Answer

Improved organization and navigation

Answer

Increased file security

Answer

Enhanced performance

Answer

Reduced storage overhead

Question 10

What is the purpose of file metadata?

Accepted Answer

To store information about a file, such as its size and permissions

Answer

To manage the allocation of data blocks for a file

Answer

To improve the performance of file searches

Answer

To provide a secure way to store user data

Question 11

What is the term used to describe the logical structure of a file system, organized in a hierarchical manner?

Accepted Answer

Directory tree

Answer

File allocation table

Question 12

What is the advantage of using an extent-based allocation scheme in a file system?

Accepted Answer

It reduces file fragmentation.

Answer

It simplifies file lookup

Question 13

What is the purpose of a journaling file system?

Accepted Answer

To improve data integrity by maintaining a transaction log.

Answer

To enhance file system performance

Question 14

Which of the following is not a challenge associated with distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Ease of implementation

Answer

Data consistency

Question 15

What is the primary purpose of a file system mounting operation?

Accepted Answer

To make a file system accessible to the operating system.

Answer

To create a new file system

Question 16

Which file access method allows for direct access to any part of a file?

Accepted Answer

Direct

Answer

Sequential

Answer

Indexed

Answer

Relative

Question 17

What is the main purpose of a file allocation table (FAT) in a FAT file system?

Accepted Answer

To store the location of file blocks

Answer

To manage file permissions

Answer

To index file contents

Answer

To provide metadata about files

Question 18

What is the role of swap space in a file system?

Accepted Answer

To extend the available physical memory

Answer

To store temporary files

Answer

To cache frequently used files

Answer

To manage file permissions

Question 19

Which of the following file systems is commonly used in Unix-based operating systems?

Accepted Answer

ext4

Answer

NTFS

Answer

HFS+

Answer

FAT32

Question 20

What is the purpose of a superblock in a file system?

Accepted Answer

To contain the file system metadata

Answer

To store the location of the root directory

Answer

To manage file permissions

Answer

To provide a backup of the file system

Question 21

What is a key difference between soft-mounted and hard-mounted file systems?

Accepted Answer

Soft-mounted file systems can be unmounted without data loss

Answer

Hard-mounted file systems are always visible to the user

Answer

Soft-mounted file systems are faster than hard-mounted file systems

Answer

Hard-mounted file systems provide better data security

Question 22

Which security measure encrypts file contents to prevent unauthorized access?

Accepted Answer

File Encryption

Answer

Access Control Lists (ACLs)

Answer

Auditing

Answer

Authentication

Question 23

Which advantage is a primary benefit of file systems designed for solid-state drives (SSDs)?

Accepted Answer

Reduced access latency

Answer

Increased storage capacity

Answer

Lower acquisition cost

Answer

Enhanced data security

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a file allocation method in operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Interleaved

Answer

Contiguous

Answer

Indexed

Answer

Linked

Question 25

What is the primary role of the boot sector in a file system?

Accepted Answer

Contains critical information essential for starting the operating system

Answer

Stores user data and applications

Answer

Provides access to the file system's directory structure

Answer

Manages memory allocation for running programs

Question 26

State the fundamental purpose of a file system in a computer system.

Accepted Answer

To organize and manage files efficiently on a storage device

Answer

To provide a graphical interface for accessing files

Answer

To solely protect files from unauthorized access

Answer

To compress files to conserve storage space

Question 27

Which directory structure is employed in Windows operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Hierarchical

Answer

Flat

Answer

Linear

Answer

Inverted

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT considered metadata in a file system?

Accepted Answer

File contents

Answer

File name

Answer

File size

Answer

File owner

Question 29

Explain the purpose of file system caching.

Accepted Answer

To enhance file access speed by storing frequently used data in memory

Answer

To reduce wear on storage devices

Answer

To improve file system security

Answer

To prevent permanent data loss

Question 30

What is the fundamental purpose of a file allocation table (FAT)?

Accepted Answer

To map logical file blocks to physical disk sectors.

Answer

To store file metadata, such as file size and creation date.

Answer

To manage free space on the disk.

Answer

To provide access control to files.

Question 31

Which of the following is a key advantage of utilizing a journaling file system?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced data consistency and reliability.

Answer

Improved file access performance.

Answer

Reduced disk space consumption.

Answer

Enhanced data security.

Question 32

What is the primary purpose of a directory within the context of a file system?

Accepted Answer

To organize files and subdirectories hierarchically, enabling efficient file management.

Answer

To store file attributes, such as file name, size, and modification date.

Answer

To manage disk space allocation.

Answer

To provide access control to files and directories.

Question 33

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of a block-oriented file system?

Accepted Answer

Files are stored in fixed-size blocks.

Answer

Blocks can be allocated anywhere on the disk.

Answer

File size is constrained by the size of a single block.

Answer

File access is always sequential.

Question 34

Which of the following is not a primary function of a file system driver?

Accepted Answer

Managing network file systems.

Answer

Providing an interface between the file system and the operating system.

Answer

Managing file allocation and access permissions.

Answer

Implementing security mechanisms for file access control.

Question 35

What is the purpose of a swap file in a file system?

Accepted Answer

To store temporary data that cannot fit into physical memory, extending the available memory space for running programs.

Answer

To improve the performance of frequently accessed files.

Answer

To protect against data loss in the event of system failures.

Answer

To store system logs and diagnostic information.

Question 36

What is the primary benefit of utilizing a file compression utility?

Accepted Answer

Reduced storage space requirements, making it possible to store more data on a given storage device.

Answer

Improved file transfer speeds by reducing the size of files being transferred.

Answer

Enhanced data security by encrypting files during the compression process.

Answer

Increased file access permissions, allowing a wider range of users to access compressed files.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a primary function of a file system?

Accepted Answer

Provide file encryption

Answer

Organize and store files

Answer

Provide access to files

Answer

Manage file permissions

Question 38

Which file system organization method stores files in contiguous, fixed-size blocks?

Accepted Answer

Block-based

Answer

Log-structured

Answer

Inode-based

Answer

Extent-based

Question 39

What is the primary role of a File Allocation Table (FAT)?

Accepted Answer

Track the location of file data on a disk

Answer

Provide encryption for files

Answer

Manage file permissions

Answer

Store metadata about files

Question 40

Which file system feature facilitates recovery from data loss or corruption?

Accepted Answer

Journaling

Answer

Caching

Answer

Fragmentation

Answer

Indexing

Question 41

What is the primary advantage of a hierarchical file system?

Accepted Answer

Provides a structured organization for efficient file management

Answer

Improves performance for large file systems

Answer

Enhances security by isolating files

Answer

Reduces file fragmentation

Question 42

What is the purpose of a file descriptor?

Accepted Answer

Represents an open file and provides access to its data

Answer

Stores the location of a file on disk

Answer

Manages file permissions

Question 43

Which of the following is a potential issue with hard disk file systems?

Accepted Answer

Fragmentation

Answer

Stack overflows

Answer

Buffer overflows

Answer

Memory leaks

Question 44

What is the main difference between a logical file system and a physical file system?

Accepted Answer

A logical file system manages files as users see them, while a physical file system manages files on storage media

Answer

A logical file system is faster than a physical file system

Question 45

Which file system feature provides efficient access to large files?

Accepted Answer

Extents

Answer

Blocks

Answer

Inodes

Answer

Clusters