Explain the fork function, Operating System

Assignment Help:

Explain the Fork Function

Fork function causes a new process to be created. The calling progress is duplicated as an exact copy (called the child process) that differs only in process IDs and parent IDs. This function returns the chid's process ID to the parent process and a value of 0 to the child process. After that it is possible to distinguish the two process as a result to the fork () call. The child inherits many handles, IDs, and masks from the parent process. The fork is generally used in conjunction with exec () to load or spawn new process. First the fork is initiated to create a new process context, then exec () is used to overlay the child process with a new executable image. execl(execName, arg0,....) The exec family of functions changes the state of the calling process into a new process.

Once executed, exec will replace the currently executing process with one specified by execName. Optionally parameters may be passed to  the newly running process as variable-number command line arguments (arg0....)  This function is usually used to either replace or overlay  an existing running process or in conjunction with the fork () system call to initiate a new process. Once the fork () call is initiated to copy the process, the child process may in turn exec the new process to be executed. The original process is thus still in memory and active, and the child process has become a new executable image specified by exec Name.


Related Discussions:- Explain the fork function

Explain file structure, File structure Certain files must conform to a ...

File structure Certain files must conform to a needed structure that is understood by the operating system. The operating system may consist that an executable file has a parti

Define implementation of segmentation with an example, IMPLEMENTATION OF SE...

IMPLEMENTATION OF SEGMENTATION WITH AN EXAMPLE Segmentation is a memory-management scheme that represents the user view of memory. A logical address space is the collection of

Explain swapping technique used in pre-3bsd unix systems?, What are the dis...

What are the disadvantages of swapping technique used in pre-3BSD UNIX systems? If there is excessively much memory contention, processes are swapped out until sufficient

What is an i/o subsystem?, What is an I/O subsystem? The control of dev...

What is an I/O subsystem? The control of devices connected to the computer is a main issue while designing operating systems. Since I/O devices differ widely in their function

Is it essential to bind a real-time thread to an lwp, Q. Presume an operati...

Q. Presume an operating system maps user-level threads to the kernel using the many-to-many model and the mapping is done through LWPs. Additionally the system allows developers to

Explanation of computer clustering and benefits, The CTO is still impressed...

The CTO is still impressed with your work. He just came back from a technology exposition where he heard about computer clusters. All he knows is that they are the big thing for bu

Major differences between capability lists and access lists, Q. What are th...

Q. What are the major differences between capability lists and access lists? Answer: An access list is a list for each object consisting of the domains with a nonempty set of

Why interrupt can be used, Why interrupt can be used? The majority of t...

Why interrupt can be used? The majority of the different parts of the PC need to send information to and from the processor and they expect to be able to get the processor's at

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd