Process State

Summary

In this lecture on process management, we explore the various states a process can undergo during execution, including New, Running, Waiting, Ready, and Terminated. Each state reflects the current activity of the process, from its creation to its completion. The transition between these states is influenced by events such as execution completion, interruptions by higher-priority processes, or the need for input/output operations. Understanding these states and their transitions is crucial for effective process management, ensuring smooth operation and resource allocation in computing systems.

Takeaways

• 😀 A process is a program in execution that changes its state based on its current activity.
• 🔄 There are five primary states a process can be in: New, Running, Waiting, Ready, and Terminated.
• 🆕 The 'New' state indicates that a process is being created and is not yet executing.
• 🏃‍♂️ The 'Running' state signifies that instructions are currently being executed by the process.
• ⏳ In the 'Waiting' state, a process is waiting for an event, such as I/O completion or a signal.
• ✔️ The 'Ready' state shows that a process is waiting to be assigned to a processor for execution.
• 🏁 The 'Terminated' state indicates that a process has completed its execution.
• 📊 A diagram can illustrate how a process transitions between these states.
• ⚡ Interruptions during execution can cause a process to return to the 'Ready' state.
• 🔄 If a process needs to wait for an event, it transitions to the 'Waiting' state until the event occurs.

Q & A

What is a process in the context of operating systems?

A process is defined as a program in execution, representing the current activity and state of that program.

What are the five main states a process can be in?

The five main states a process can be in are New, Running, Waiting, Ready, and Terminated.

What does the 'New' state signify?

The 'New' state indicates that the process is in the creation phase and has not yet started executing.

What happens when a process enters the 'Running' state?

When a process is in the 'Running' state, it is actively executing its instructions.

What triggers a process to enter the 'Waiting' state?

A process enters the 'Waiting' state when it is awaiting an event to occur, such as the completion of an I/O operation or the reception of a signal.

Explain the 'Ready' state.

The 'Ready' state occurs when a process is prepared to execute but is not currently assigned to a processor.

What leads a process to transition from 'Running' to 'Terminated'?

A process transitions from 'Running' to 'Terminated' when it has completed its execution without any interruptions.

How does an interrupt affect a running process?

If a running process is interrupted by a higher priority process, it is sent back to the 'Ready' state until it can be dispatched again.

What occurs after a process in the 'Waiting' state completes its required event?

Once the event the process was waiting for has completed, it transitions back to the 'Ready' state, where it awaits processor assignment.

How do different operating systems refer to process states?

Different operating systems or textbooks may use different terminology for process states, but the core concepts remain similar.