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Which out of the following make up a process ?
program code , contents of processor's registers , stack , PCB , Ready Queue

Kartik Madaan
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  • [This](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_(computing)) tells in detail. – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:34
  • I want a clear definition of a process . I'm currently reading Operating System Concepts by Silberschatz and the book doesn't give a clear - cut definition of a process . I'm confused about what makes a process . I've tried going through online articles but still I'm unable to get a concise definition . – Kartik Madaan Sep 21 '17 at 18:37
  • Process is only the soft part. Any instance of a computer program can be a process. The scheduler is a process and ready queue is only a DS in it. Program code is not a process. The instance generated from the code that actually runs on the hardware, is a process. – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:42
  • Does that mean that process is actually just any executable program and it has nothing to do with PCB or stacks/registers ? – Kartik Madaan Sep 21 '17 at 18:44
  • I think Silberschatz states pretty clearly: A process is a "program in execution." – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:44
  • PCBs are code execution states, which can be gathered off the CPU and then spread on the CPU again for execution. Stacks are the DS to manage the process execution. Registers are one part of the larger hardware on which the process is executed. – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:46
  • I wrote [this answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/32644057/1835769) many days back. You do not have this question, but you may find it an interesting read. – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:49
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    If you are reading Silberschatz, I would recommend you to get [these slides](http://codex.cs.yale.edu/avi/os-book/OS9/slide-dir/PPT-dir.zip) and go through them before you start reading a chapter. Going through the slides before going through the actual chapter gives you a good first cut understanding. You will understand the structure of the chapter and understanding the content then gets easier. – displayName Sep 21 '17 at 18:52

1 Answers1

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I'm currently reading Operating System Concepts by Silberschatz and the book doesn't give a clear - cut definition of a process

I highly recommend getting another book. It seems that 90% of the questions on operating systems here flow from confusion reading that book. You can pick up a VAX/VMS Internals and Data Structures book cheap.

A process is defined by its registers. This includes both the general purpose registers and certain system registers.

program code:

exists within the address space defined by register values.

contents of processor's registers:

Defined the process

stack:

Is just an area of memory within the process address space.

PCB:

The process context block is a storage location for the register values that define the process.

Ready Queue:

Not part of the process.

user3344003
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