What is a deadlock in an operating system?
a) A state where processes run indefinitely
b) A situation where two or more processes wait indefinitely for resources
c) A technique for synchronizing processes
d) A method for managing file systems
Answer:
b) A situation where two or more processes wait indefinitely for resources
Explanation:
In operating systems, a deadlock occurs when two or more processes are unable to proceed because each process is waiting for resources held by the other processes. This results in an infinite waiting state where none of the processes can complete.
Deadlock typically arises from four conditions: mutual exclusion, hold and wait, no preemption, and circular wait. When all these conditions are met, deadlock is possible.
Operating systems use various techniques to prevent or avoid deadlock, such as resource allocation algorithms, deadlock detection, and deadlock recovery methods.