Question:
What does the term 'context switching' refer to in an OS?
What does the term 'context switching' refer to in an OS?
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Context switching is pure overhead; the system does no useful work during the switch. Therefore, operating systems are designed to make this process as fast as possible to maximize the time spent on actual process execution.
Updated On: Jul 2, 2026
- Switching between different networks
- Switching the CPU from one process to another
- Changing the user interface mode
- Allocating additional memory to a process
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Context switching is the process carried out by the operating system to stop executing one process and start executing another.
The context of a process is its current state, which is stored in its Process Control Block (PCB). This includes the values of the CPU registers, the program counter, process state, etc.
The steps involved in a context switch are:
1. The OS saves the context of the currently running process (Process A) into its PCB. 2. The OS loads the context of the next process to be run (Process B) from its PCB into the CPU registers. 3. Execution of Process B begins.
This mechanism is fundamental to multitasking operating systems, as it allows a single CPU to handle multiple processes concurrently.
Therefore, context switching is the process of switching the CPU from one process to another.
The context of a process is its current state, which is stored in its Process Control Block (PCB). This includes the values of the CPU registers, the program counter, process state, etc.
The steps involved in a context switch are:
1. The OS saves the context of the currently running process (Process A) into its PCB. 2. The OS loads the context of the next process to be run (Process B) from its PCB into the CPU registers. 3. Execution of Process B begins.
This mechanism is fundamental to multitasking operating systems, as it allows a single CPU to handle multiple processes concurrently.
Therefore, context switching is the process of switching the CPU from one process to another.
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