Spin lock vs Mutexes

Question

If no resource is free then:

a) Both Spin lock and mutexes will keep on spinning on the blocked variable

b) Both Spin lock and mutexes will go to sleep and check the variable periodically.

c) Spin lock will keep on spinning on the blocked variable while mutexes will go to sleep and check the variable periodically.

d) Mutexes will keep on spinning on the blocked variable while Spin lock will go to sleep and check the variable periodically.

Answer 1

option C)

Spin-lock is nothing but infinite loop ...so our program will be busy waiting.

Mutexes are binary semaphores,which when finds the semaphore is taken by some other process,will go to sleep in the waiting queue.once a process comesout of critical section,it will wakeup the first process in the waiting queue(assuming wait queue is a FIFO queue).

Comments

 i think correct statement should be spinlocks will be busy spinning in the loop and testing the variable .whereas mutex will got to sleep and wake up when the resurce is available

http://algorithmsandme.in/2014/01/locking-mutex-vs-spinlocks/

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/23511058/difference-between-mutex-semaphore-spin-locks