Study of Hardware and Software Requirements of Different Operating Systems

---

Operating System Lab

Experiment 1

---

Title

Study of Hardware and Software Requirements of Different Operating Systems (UNIX, Linux, Windows XP, Windows 7 / Windows 8)

---

Aim

To study and compare the hardware and software requirements of different operating systems such as UNIX, Linux, Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

---

Apparatus / Tools Required

• Computer system
• Internet or reference books
• Virtual machine (optional)
• Operating system documentation

---

Theory

An operating system acts as an interface between the user and computer hardware. Different operating systems require different hardware configurations based on their design, performance needs, and usage. Understanding these requirements helps in selecting the appropriate operating system for specific applications.

---

System Requirements

1. UNIX Operating System

Hardware Requirements:
Processor: 32-bit or 64-bit processor
RAM: Minimum 512 MB (recommended 1 GB or more)
Hard Disk: Minimum 10 GB
Display: Standard monitor

Software Requirements:
UNIX kernel
Shell (Bourne shell, C shell, etc.)
File system utilities
Device drivers

Applications:
Servers, Workstations, Scientific and enterprise computing

---

2. Linux Operating System

Hardware Requirements:
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible
RAM: Minimum 512 MB (1–2 GB recommended)
Hard Disk: Minimum 10–20 GB
Display: VGA or higher

Software Requirements:
Linux kernel
Desktop environment (GNOME / KDE)
GNU utilities
Device drivers

Applications:
Servers, Personal computers, Embedded systems

---

3. Windows XP

Hardware Requirements:
Processor: 233 MHz or higher
RAM: Minimum 64 MB (128 MB recommended)
Hard Disk: Minimum 1.5 GB free space
Display: SVGA (800 × 600)

Software Requirements:
Windows XP OS files
Device drivers
System utilities

Applications:
Home computers, Office automation, Educational use

---

4. Windows 7

Hardware Requirements:
Processor: 1 GHz or faster
RAM: 1 GB (32-bit) / 2 GB (64-bit)
Hard Disk: 16 GB (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
Display: DirectX 9 graphics device

Software Requirements:
Windows 7 OS files
DirectX
Device drivers
Security updates

Applications:
Personal computers, Business environments, Multimedia applications

---

5. Windows 8

Hardware Requirements:
Processor: 1 GHz or faster with PAE, NX, SSE2 support
RAM: 1 GB (32-bit) / 2 GB (64-bit)
Hard Disk: 16 GB (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
Display: 1024 × 768 resolution

Software Requirements:
Windows 8 OS files
Device drivers
Windows Store applications

Applications:
Touch-based devices, Laptops and desktops, Business and personal use

---

Comparative Summary Table

Operating System	Processor	RAM	Disk Space	Main Use
UNIX	32/64-bit	≥ 512 MB	≥ 10 GB	Servers
Linux	Intel / AMD	≥ 512 MB	≥ 10 GB	Servers, PCs
Windows XP	233 MHz	64 MB	1.5 GB	Basic PCs
Windows 7	1 GHz	1–2 GB	16–20 GB	Modern PCs
Windows 8	1 GHz	1–2 GB	16–20 GB	Touch Devices

---

Result

Thus, the hardware and software requirements of UNIX, Linux, Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8 were studied and compared successfully.

---

You may also Find this interesting

JAVA Static Keyword

JAVA Inheritance

JAVA Types of Inheritance

JAVA Aggregation

JAVA Association

---