Operating System

School of Computer Engineering

Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology

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Program to Process

#include <stdio.h>
int main () {

char str [ ] = "Hello World! \n";

printf ("%s", str);
}

$ gcc hello.c

$ ./a.out
Executable
Process
(a.out)

Figure: Program to Process

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Process Concept

An OS executes a variety of programs:

− Batch system - jobs
− Time-shared system – user programs or tasks

Textbook uses the terms job and process almost interchangeably

Process – A program in execution;

Multiple Parts
− the program code, also called text section
− Current activity including program counter, processor registers
− Stack containing temporary data
.. Function parameters, return addresses, local variables
− Data section containing global variables
− Heap containing memory dynamically allocated during run time

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Process Concept(Contd ..)

Program is passive entity stored on disk (executable file), process is

active
− Program becomes process when executable file loaded into memory

Execution of program started via GUI mouse clicks, command line

entry of its name, etc

One program can be several processes

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Process in Memory

Figure: Process in Memory

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Process and Memory Map
MAX_SIZE
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
Stack
int calls ;
void fact (int a, int *b)
{
calls ++ ;
if (a == 1) return ;
*b = *b * a ;
fact(a-1, b) ;
Heap
}
int main () {
int n, *m;
Data
scanf("%d", &n) ;
(global and static)
m = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int)) ;
*m = 1 ;
fact (n, m) ;
Text
printf ("Factorial (%d) is %d\n", n, *m) ;
(Instruction)
free (m) ;
} 0

Figure: Program and Memory Map

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Beyond the Program Memory Map

OXFE00000
Kernel
(text, data, device
Kernel Process can access

memory

User Process can access

MAX_SIZE
Stack

Heap
Data
(global and static)
Text
(Instruction)
0

Figure: Beyond the program Memory Map

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Processes share the same Kernel but separate User Space
OXFE00000
OXFE00000
Kernel
Kernel
(text, data, device
(text, data, device
memory
Kernel Process can access

memory

Kernel Process can access

MAX_SIZE
User Process can access

Stack MAX_SIZE

User Process can access

Stack

Heap
Heap
Data
Data
Text
Text
(Instruction)
0 (Instruction) 0

Process 1 Process 2

Figure: Share same Kernel space but separate User space

How does the User Program invoke the Operating System ?

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Communicating with the OS (System Calls)

Kernel
System call invokes a function in
the kernel using the trap
This causes
− Processor to shift from user
System Calls mode to priviledged mode or
kernel mode
On the completion of the system
User call, execution gets transferred
back to the user space

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Example (Write System Call

printf ("%s", str);

User libc invocation

Space
write (STDOUT)

trap

Trap Handler

Kernel
Space
Implementation
of write system
call

Figure: Example of System Call

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Process Creation

Parent process create children processes, which, in turn create other

processes, forming a tree of processes
Generally, process identified and managed via a process identifier (pid)
Resource sharing options
− Parent and children share all resources
− Children share subset of parent’s resources
− Parent and child share no resources
Execution options
− Parent and children execute concurrently
− Parent waits until children terminate

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Tree of Processes in Linux

Figure: Tree of Processes

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Process Creation (Contd ..)
Address Space
Child duplicate of parent
Child has a program loaded into it

Unix Examples
fork() system call creates new process
exec() system call used after a fork() to replace the process’ memory
space with a new program

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Process Termination

Process executes last statement and then asks the operating system
to delete it using the exit() system call
− Returns status data from child to parent (via wait())
− Process’ resources are deallocated by operating system

Parent may terminate the execution of children processes using the

abort() system call. Some reasons for doing so:
− Child has exceeded allocated resources
− Task assigned to child is no longer required
− The parent is exiting and the operating systems does not allow a child
to continue if its parent terminates

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Process State

As a process executes, it changes state

New: The process is being created

Ready: The process is waiting to be assigned to a processor

Running: Instructions are being executed

Waiting: The process is waiting for some event to occur

Terminated: The process has finished execution

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Diagram of Process State

Figure: Process State Diagram

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Process Control Block (PCB)

Process state: Running, waiting, etc.

Program counter: Location of instruction to
next execute
content of CPU register
CPU Sceduling Informations: priorities,
scheduling queue pointers
Memory-management information: Base and
limit registers, page tables
Accounting information: CPU used, clock
time elapsed since start, time limits, pid
I/O Status information: I/O devices, allocated
to process, list of open files

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