Technical interview questions and answers are essential for a Windows Programming Interview because companies want to test your understanding of Windows API, event handling, message loops, memory management, threading, and GUI development. Windows programming is widely used in desktop applications and enterprise-level software, making it an important skill for developers applying for system-level programming roles. During technical rounds in companies like TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Cognizant, and Capgemini, candidates are often asked fundamental and practical questions about Windows architecture and coding techniques. This guide includes frequently asked Windows Programming interview questions with detailed explanations, making it easier for students and freshers to understand the concepts. These questions will help you improve your technical confidence and prepare better for placement tests and software development interviews.
Showing 10 of 31 questions
1. What are types of kernel objects?
Several types of kernel objects, such as access token objects, event objects, file objects, file-mapping objects, I/O completion port objects, job objects, mailslot objects, mutex objects, pipe objects, process objects, semaphore objects, thread objects, and waitable timer objects.
2. What is a kernel object?
Each kernel object is simply a memory block allocated by the kernel and is accessible only by the kernel. This memory block is a data structure whose members maintain information about the object. Some members (security descriptor, usage count, and so on) are the same across all object types, but most are specific to a particular object type. For example, a process object has a process ID, a base priority, and an exit code, whereas a file object has a byte offset, a sharing mode, and an open mod
3. User can access these kernel objects structures?
Kernel object data structures are accessible only by the kernel
4. If we cannot alter these Kernel Object structures directly, how do our applications manipulate these kernel objects?
The answer is that Windows offers a set of functions that manipulate these structures in well-defined ways. These kernel objects are always accessible via these functions. When you call a function that creates a kernel object, the function returns a handle that identifies the object
5. If we cannot alter these Kernel Object structures directly, how do our applications manipulate these kernel objects?
The answer is that Windows offers a set of functions that manipulate these structures in well-defined ways. These kernel objects are always accessible via these functions. When you call a function that creates a kernel object, the function returns a handle that identifies the object.
6. How owns the Kernel Object?
Kernel objects are owned by the kernel, not by a process
7. How does the kernel object outlive the process that created it?
If your process calls a function that creates a kernel object and then your process terminates, the kernel object is not necessarily destroyed. Under most circumstances, the object will be destroyed; but if another process is using the kernel object your process created, the kernel knows not to destroy the object until the other process has stopped using it
8. Which is the data member common to all the kernel object and what is the use of it?
The usage count is one of the data members common to all kernel object types
9. How to identify the difference between the kernel object and user object?
The easiest way to determine whether an object is a kernel object is to examine the function that creates the object. Almost all functions that create kernel objects have a parameter that allows you to specify security attribute information
10. What is the purpose of Process Handle Table?
When a process is initialized, the system allocates a handle table for it. This handle table is used only for kernel objects, not for User objects or GDI objects. When a process first initializes, its handle table is empty. Then when a thread in the process calls a function that creates a kernel object, such as CreateFileMapping , the kernel allocates a block of memory for the object and initializes it; the kernel then scans the processs handle table for an empty entry