The operating system and applications share the same memory space often leading to conflicts and crashes. Windows runs in protected-mode , an option with 286 and later chips. In protected mode the operating system has access to a 4 Gb memory space. In addition, application memory spaces may be isolated from one another reducing the possibility of one program corrupting the memory space of another. The operating system can take advantage of protection-rings offered by later 486 and Pentium chips.
Virtual memory is available.
O Interacting with devices is generally handled through the installation of a device driver. The possibility for conflicts between device drivers is ever-present. Windows implements shared 32-bit drivers for most devices offering greater speed, greater resource sharing, and less chance for driver conflicts. The minimum set of functions that define an operating system. The execution of application code.