Operating System Question Bank with Answers 10

Discuss the main steps performed by a file system when a process opens a file in operating systems

Question:

What are the main steps performed by a file system when a process opens a file?

Answer:

The following are the main steps performed by a file system when a process opens a file. Not all OSs do all of these steps.

• searches for the file with that name

• verifies that the process has access rights to use the file in the way specified

• records the fact that the file is open (in the system-wide open file table) and which process is using it

• constructs an entry in the process open file table

• allocates a buffer for file data

• returns a pointer (file handle or file descriptor) to be used for future access

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