Flashcards

Question 1

Describe the concept of a process in operating systems.

Answer 1

A process in operating systems can be defined as a program in execution or an instance of a program running on a computer. It is an entity that can be assigned to and executed on a processor.

Question 2

Define the term ‘process control block’ and its significance.

Answer 2

The process control block is a data structure that contains essential information about a process, allowing the operating system to interrupt and resume the process. It is crucial for supporting multiple processes and performing multiprocessing.

Question 3

How is a process characterized in a two-state process model?

Answer 3

In a two-state process model, a process can either be in a running state or a not running state. The operating system determines the interleaving pattern for execution and allocates resources accordingly.

Question 4

What information is included in the I/O status information of a process?

Answer 4

The I/O status information includes details about the input/output status of a process, such as outstanding I/O requests and the I/O devices assigned to the process.

Question 5

Describe the elements stored in a process control block.

Answer 5

The process control block stores information like the amount of processor time, clock time used, time limits, current state, and associated system resources of a process.

Question 6

What are the two essential elements of a process according to the content?

Answer 6

The two essential elements of a process are the program code, which can be shared with other processes running the same program, and the set of data associated with the program code.

Question 7

Define the term ‘Identifier’ in the context of a process.

Answer 7

An Identifier is a unique identifier assigned to each process, allowing the operating system to distinguish and manage individual processes effectively.

Question 8

Describe the New state in a process model

Answer 8

The state where a process is being created.

Question 9

Define the Running state in a process model

Answer 9

The state where instructions are being executed.

Question 10

How does a process transition from the Ready state to the Running state?

Answer 10

The dispatch portion of the operating system selects a particular process to run.

Question 11

Do processes in the Running state get interrupted?

Answer 11

Yes, intermittently the currently running process will be interrupted.

Question 12

Describe the Waiting state in a process model

Answer 12

The state where a process is waiting for a particular event to occur.

Question 13

Define the Terminated state in a process model

Answer 13

The state where a process has finished execution.

Question 14

How is priority defined in a process model?

Answer 14

It refers to the priority level relative to other processes.

Question 15

What does the Program Counter indicate in a process model?

Answer 15

The address of the next instruction to be executed for a particular process.

Question 16

Describe the Context Data in a process model

Answer 16

Data present in a processor’s registers during process execution.

Question 17

Do all processes need to be ready to execute for the process model to be effective?

Answer 17

Yes, the process model is effective only if all processes are always ready to execute.

Question 18

Describe the process of selecting a process by the dispatcher in a system with only one queue.

Answer 18

The dispatcher scans the queue to find the process that is not blocked and has been in the queue the longest.

Question 19

Define the three principal states in the Five-State Process Model.

Answer 19

The three principal states are Ready, Running, and Blocked.

Question 20

How does the New state differ from the Ready state in the process model?

Answer 20

The New state is for a process that has been created but not yet admitted to the pool of executable processes, while the Ready state is for a process prepared to execute.

Question 21

Do all operating systems implement the Five-State Process Model with only three states?

Answer 21

No, some operating systems add other unique states to the model for specific justifications.

Question 22

Describe the Blocked state in the process model.

Answer 22

Blocked state is for a process that cannot execute until a specific event occurs, like the completion of an I/O operation.

Question 23

Define the Exit state in the process model.

Answer 23

The Exit state is for a process that has been released from the pool of executable processes by the OS, either because it halted or was terminated.

Question 24

How can a process be placed in a suspended state according to the content?

Answer 24

A process can be placed in a suspended state by the process itself, a parent process, or the operating system.

Question 25

What triggers a process to move from the Blocked state to the Running state?

Answer 25

The completion of an I/O operation is an example of an event that can trigger this transition.

Question 26

Describe the role of the dispatcher in the process model.

Answer 26

The dispatcher is responsible for selecting processes to run based on certain criteria, such as being unblocked and having waited the longest in the queue.

Question 27

Define the Ready state in the context of process management.

Answer 27

The Ready state signifies a process that is prepared to execute when given the opportunity.

Question 28

Describe the role of an operating system (OS) in a computer system based on the provided content.

Answer 28

An OS controls all events within a computer system, schedules and dispatches processes, allocates resources, and responds to user process requests.

Question 29

How does an operating system manage system resources in a multiprogramming environment?

Answer 29

The OS manages system resources by ensuring each process has access to resources like the processor, input/output devices, and memory, and needs to know the location of each process on the disk.

Question 30

Define process control blocks and their significance in operating systems.

Answer 30

Process control blocks, also known as process images, contain information about each process and are crucial for the OS to manage process execution and resource allocation.

Question 31

What are the three categories in which information in a process control block can be grouped?

Answer 31

Process identification, process status, and resource information are the three categories in which information in a process control block can be grouped.

Question 32

Describe the purpose of memory tables in an operating system.

Answer 32

Memory tables are used to track both main and secondary memory, with a portion of main memory reserved for the OS to manage memory resources effectively.

Question 33

Describe the processor state information

Answer 33

It consists of processor registers’ utilization and holds information during process execution.

Question 34

What is included in the process control information?

Answer 34

It contains additional information needed by the OS to control and coordinate active processes, including data structures, resource ownership, and process privileges.

Question 35

Define I/O tables

Answer 35

These tables are used by the OS to manage input and output devices and channels of a computer system.

Question 36

How are file tables used in an operating system?

Answer 36

They hold information about the existence of files and their attributes through a file management system.

Question 37

What is the purpose of process tables in an operating system?

Answer 37

They are maintained by the OS to manage processes.

Question 38

Describe the modes of execution supported by most processors

Answer 38

Most processors support at least two modes of execution to protect hardware and the OS from malfunction.

Question 39

What is the significance of the process control block in operating systems?

Answer 39

It contains all the necessary information about a process needed by the OS for resource allocation, scheduling, and performance monitoring.