This is a key chapter and you should read it from beginning to end. I’ll try to highlight some of the most important points you should be learning from it.

3.3.1 Process Creation

First start processes by reading this sub chapter. You can learn how to create processes in this part of the reading assignment which can be directly used for your Pre-Lab-1.

3.1 Process concept

• You should be able to define what a process is.
• While the OS is executing a process, it takes a certain “footprint” in memory: you should be able to explain the four sections (or loosely speaking, “segments”) of memory that exist for each process.
• A process changes states, as it executes. You should have a solid understand of what each of the possible states are and explain what makes a process transition from one state to another.
• What is a process control block, why does the OS need it, how is it used?

3.2 Process scheduling

• What is the role of a scheduler? In what circumstance(s) should an OS have a scheduler?
• What is the difference between scheduler and dispatcher?
• Compare a short term scheduler to a long term scheduler.
• Some processes can be CPU-bound others I/O-bound. How might you be able to distinguish them? Why should the OS care about the type of processes it runs?
• When do context switches happen? What happens during a context switch?