Question

When an OS spends much of its time paging, instead of executing application software, is is said to be _______?

1) Thrashing
2) Fragmentation
3) Deadlock
4) Starvation

Answer 1

The answer to the student's question is thrashing. Thrashing refers to a condition where the Operating System spends more time paging than executing actual software, indicating insufficient memory and excessive memory management activity.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an Operating System (OS) spends much of its time paging, instead of executing application software, it is said to be thrashing. Thrashing occurs when the OS is overwhelmed with the number of pages to be loaded and swapped in memory, causing a significant slowdown in system performance. This typically happens when there is insufficient physical memory available and the system makes excessive use of the hard drive to store and retrieve virtual memory, leading to a cycle where the OS spends more time on memory management than on running actual processes.

Answer 2

Final Answer:

When an OS spends much of its time paging, instead of executing application software, it is said to be "Thrashing."

Thus the correct option is (1).

Step-by-step explanation:

Thrashing occurs in an operating system when it spends a significant amount of time swapping data between RAM and the disk, leading to a substantial decrease in performance. This situation arises when the system is overloaded with too many processes, and the demand for memory exceeds the available physical RAM. As a result, the OS continuously swaps pages in and out of RAM, causing a decrease in overall system efficiency.

In a thrashing scenario, the system becomes less responsive, and the execution of application software slows down due to the excessive time spent on paging activities. This can significantly impact the user experience and the overall performance of the computer. To mitigate thrashing, system administrators often need to optimize resource allocation, prioritize processes, or consider upgrading the system's hardware to provide more physical memory.

Understanding and addressing thrashing is crucial for maintaining the stability and efficiency of an operating system, especially in environments with heavy computational workloads or resource-intensive applications.

Thus the correct option is (1).