210-250 · Question #111
A zombie process occurs when which of the following happens?
The correct answer is D. A process releases the associated memory and resources but remains in the entry table. A zombie process has completed execution and released its resources but still holds an entry in the process table pending parent acknowledgment.
Question
A zombie process occurs when which of the following happens?
Options
- AA process holds its associated memory and resources but is released from the entry table.
- BA process continues to run on its own.
- CA process holds on to associate memory but releases resources.
- DA process releases the associated memory and resources but remains in the entry table.
How the community answered
(67 responses)- A4% (3)
- B1% (1)
- C7% (5)
- D87% (58)
Why each option
A zombie process has completed execution and released its resources but still holds an entry in the process table pending parent acknowledgment.
This inverts the zombie definition - a zombie releases its memory and resources while retaining its process table entry, not the reverse.
A process that continues running independently after its parent exits is called an orphan process, which is distinct from a zombie.
This describes an incorrect hybrid state - a zombie releases both memory and resources, not just resources while holding memory.
When a child process finishes, the OS releases its memory and resources but retains its process table entry so the parent can call wait() to retrieve the exit status code. Until the parent reads that exit status, the process remains in the table as a zombie. Only after the parent acknowledges the exit is the process table entry fully removed.
Concept tested: Zombie process definition in OS process lifecycle
Source: https://www.redhat.com/sysadmin/interpret-proc-loadavg
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