Computer Science for IGCSE & O level - Hardware (Section 2 - No. 47)

What does 'disk thrashing' refer to in a system using virtual memory?

A disk that has been fragmented.

Excessive swapping of data between RAM and the hard drive, degrading performance.

An error in the hard drive's read/write mechanism.

The process of erasing files from the hard drive.

Thrashing is the constant movement of data between RAM and the hard drive when virtual memory is used.