Process table
operating system, process
A table containing all of the information that must be saved when the CPU switches from running one process to another in a multitasking system.
The information in the process table allows the suspended process to be restarted at a later time as if it had never been stopped. Every process has an entry in the table. These entries are known as process control blocks and contain the following information:
process state – information needed so that the process can be loaded into memory and run, such as the program counter, the stack pointer, and the values of registers.
memory state – details of the memory allocation such as pointers to the various memory areas used by the program
resource state – information regarding the status of files being used by the process such as user ID.
Accounting and scheduling information.
An example of a UNIX process table is shown below.
SLOT ST PID PGRP UID PRI CPU EVENT NAME FLAGS 0 s 0 0 0 95 0 runout sched load sys 1 s 1 0 0 66 1 u init load 2 s 2 0 0 95 0 10bbdc vhand load sys
SLOT is the entry number of the process.
ST shows whether the process is paused or sleeping (s), ready to run (r), or running on a CPU (o).
PID is the process ID.
PGRP is the process Group.
UID is the user ID.
PRI is the priority of the process from 127 (highest) to 0 (lowest).
EVENT is the event on which a process is paused or sleeping.
NAME is the name of the process.
FLAGS are the process flags.
A process that has died but still has an entry in the process table is called a zombie process.
(1998-04-24)
Read Also:
- Process-theology
noun 1. a form of theology that emphasizes the close relation of human beings, nature, and God.
- Processual
noun, plural processes [pros-es-iz, ‐uh-siz, ‐uh-seez or, esp. British, proh-ses-iz, proh-suh-seez] /ˈprɒs ɛs ɪz, ‐ə sɪz, ‐əˌsiz or, esp. British, ˈproʊ sɛs ɪz, ˈproʊ sə siz/ (Show IPA) 1. a systematic series of actions directed to some end: to devise a process for homogenizing milk. 2. a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking […]
- Processual archaeology
noun the branch of archaeology which seeks to understand the nature of cultural change by a study of the variables which cause it; processualism
- Processualism
noun the study of social structures and cultures by analyzing and comparing their processes and methodologies, esp. this type of study used in archaeology and anthropology Examples Processualism emphasizes the understanding underlying cultural processes. See processual archaeology Word Origin 1972
- Proces-verbal
[proh-sey-ver-bahl; French praw-se-ver-bal] /proʊˈseɪ vɛrˈbɑl; French prɔ sɛ vɛrˈbal/ noun, plural procès-verbaux [proh-sey-ver-boh; French praw-se-ver-boh] /proʊˈseɪ vɛrˈboʊ; French prɔ sɛ vɛrˈboʊ/ (Show IPA) 1. a report of proceedings, as of an assembly. 2. French Law. an authenticated written account of facts in connection with a criminal or other charge. procès-verbal /prɔsɛvɛrbal/ noun (pl) -baux (-bo) […]