A computer system supports 32-bit virtual addresses as well as 32-bit ...
For supporting virtual memory, special hardware support is needed from Memory Management Unit. Since operating system designers decide to get rid of the virtual memory entirely, hardware support for memory management is no longer needed
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A computer system supports 32-bit virtual addresses as well as 32-bit ...
Explanation:
The statement mentions that the computer system supports 32-bit virtual addresses and 32-bit physical addresses, and that the virtual address space is the same size as the physical address space. Based on this information, the operating system designers decide to eliminate virtual memory entirely.
Memory Management:
Memory management is the process of managing and organizing the computer's memory resources. It includes tasks such as allocating and deallocating memory, managing memory address spaces, and handling memory protection. In a system with virtual memory, the operating system uses a combination of hardware and software to manage the mapping between virtual addresses and physical addresses.
Hardware Support for Memory Management:
When virtual memory is used, the hardware needs to support memory management operations such as address translation and memory protection. This typically involves the use of a memory management unit (MMU) in the processor. The MMU translates virtual addresses into physical addresses and ensures that each process can only access its allocated memory.
When virtual memory is not used, the need for hardware support for memory management is eliminated. Since the virtual address space is the same size as the physical address space in this scenario, there is a one-to-one mapping between virtual addresses and physical addresses. This means that the operating system does not need to perform any address translation, and therefore, hardware support for memory management is no longer needed.
Benefits and Implications:
The elimination of virtual memory has several implications:
1. Improved Efficiency: Without the need for address translation, the processor can directly access physical memory, which can lead to improved performance and reduced overhead.
2. Simplified Memory Management: The operating system no longer needs to manage virtual memory, which simplifies the memory management subsystem and reduces the complexity of the operating system.
3. Reduced Hardware Requirements: Since hardware support for memory management is no longer needed, the computer system can be designed with simpler processors that do not include MMUs. This can lead to cost savings in hardware design.
4. Limitations on Multi-user Support: Eliminating virtual memory means that each process can only access the physical memory directly. This can limit the ability to efficiently support multiple users and isolate their memory spaces. Therefore, efficient implementation of multi-user support may no longer be possible.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the elimination of virtual memory in a computer system with 32-bit virtual and physical addresses eliminates the need for hardware support for memory management. While this can improve efficiency and simplify memory management, it may limit the ability to efficiently support multiple users. Therefore, option 'C' is the correct answer.
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