The correct answer is (d) Thrashing. Thrashing is a term used in computer science and operating systems to describe a situation in which a system is overwhelmed by excessive page faults, causing it to spend more time swapping data between physical memory (RAM) and secondary storage (typically a hard disk) than actually executing processes.

This situation leads to severe performance degradation. Now, let’s explain why option (d) is the correct answer and why the other options are not suitable:

(d) Thrashing:

Thrashing occurs when a computer system is unable to maintain an adequate number of pages in RAM to serve the needs of running processes. As a result, the system constantly swaps data between RAM and secondary storage, leading to a significant increase in the page fault rate.

This, in turn, results in a drastic slowdown in system performance. Essentially, the system is so busy moving data in and out of RAM that it has little time left to execute useful work, leading to a state of virtual paralysis.

Thrashing is a critical issue in virtual memory systems, which use a combination of RAM and secondary storage to manage processes and their data.

When the page fault rate becomes excessively high due to insufficient physical memory, the system struggles to allocate enough resources to processes efficiently. The concept of thrashing is crucial for understanding the performance of operating systems and the allocation of memory resources in computer systems.

Now, let’s examine why the other options are not suitable:

(a) Crashing:

The term “crashing” typically refers to a system or program failing or ceasing to function. While excessive thrashing can indeed lead to a system effectively “crashing” in the sense that it becomes unresponsive due to a lack of available resources, the term “crashing” does not specifically describe the condition of excessive page faults. It is a more general term for system failure.

(b) Hashing:

“Hashing” is a technique used in computer science to map data to specific locations in memory or storage. It is unrelated to the concept of excessive page faults or the system’s response to memory constraints. Hashing is used for tasks such as efficient data retrieval and searching, but it is not directly associated with the issue described in the question.

(c) Trashing:

While option (c) “trashing” appears to be a relevant term, it is not the correct answer. “Trashing” is not used to describe a system suffering from excessive page faults; instead, it often refers to a situation where the system is overutilized or overcommitted in terms of memory, processing, or other resources.

In this context, “trashing” suggests that the system is struggling due to resource constraints, but it does not specifically refer to the issue of excessive page faults, which is a more precise description of thrashing.

(e) Bashing:

“Bashing” is not a recognized term in computer science or operating systems in the context of system performance or memory management. It does not describe a specific issue or situation related to excessive page faults or system behavior.

In summary, the correct answer is (d) Thrashing because it accurately describes a system that is overwhelmed by an excessive number of page faults, leading to severe performance degradation. The other options are not suitable because they do not specifically address this scenario or are not relevant terms in the context of computer science and operating systems.