A good answer might be:

The hard disk. The hard disk is used for long-term storage of all software, including the operating system.

When a computer is started up, the hardware will automatically load the operating system and start it running. This process is called booting. The reason for this odd term is that the operating system is itself involved in getting itself running---a process that is like someone "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps." Once the operating system is running, it is used to start up any other program.

Here is a (simplified) list of what happens when the user (you) starts up an application. Assume that the operating system (OS) is already running.

1. The user asks to run an application.
   • This could be done by clicking on an icon, making a menu choice, or other means.
2. The OS determines the name of the application.
3. The OS finds the section of the hard disk where the application program and its data are stored.
4. The OS finds an unused section of main memory that is large enough for the application.
5. The OS makes a copy of the application and its data in that section of main memory.
   • The software on the hard disk is unchanged; a copy of it has been made in main memory
6. The OS sets up resources for the application.
7. Finally, the OS starts the application running.

QUESTION 10:

When an application is closed (stops running), do you think that it is copied from main memory back to the hard disk?