Explain the concept of multitasking in 80286.

Multitasking is the ability of an operating system to run multiple tasks or programs concurrently. In the case of the 80286 processor, multitasking is achieved through a mechanism called “protected mode”.

In protected mode, the 80286 processor uses virtual memory addressing, allowing multiple programs to be loaded into memory at the same time. Each program is given its own virtual address space, which isolates it from other programs running on the system. The operating system’s task scheduler then switches between the different programs, giving each one a turn to execute on the processor.

To facilitate this switching between programs, the 80286 processor includes a set of task management features. These features include the Task Register, which keeps track of the currently executing program, and the Task State Segment, which stores information about a program’s state when it is not currently executing.

Overall, the multitasking capability of the 80286 processor allows multiple programs to run concurrently, improving system efficiency and enabling more complex applications to be developed.