Computer Memory and Storage

A sequence of microinstructions that defines the execution of a machine instruction is known as a microprogram or micro-sequence.

In floppy disks, the index hole is a physical hole used by the disk drive to detect the start of the first sector on the disk.

The kernel is the core component of an operating system that manages system resources, including memory allocation and CPU scheduling.

Cache memory is high-speed memory placed between the CPU and main memory to reduce the time it takes to access data.

A card cage is a mechanical frame or enclosure designed to hold and support multiple printed circuit boards. It provides the physical structure and electrical connections for the cards.

Base and bound registers are hardware components used in memory management to define the address space of a process. They ensure that a program accesses only its allocated memory, which is essential for virtual memory and protection.

ROM stands for Read-Only Memory. As the name implies, its contents are permanently written during manufacturing and cannot be altered by normal write operations.

Latency, specifically rotational latency, is the time it takes for the desired data on a disk to rotate under the read/write head. Access time is the sum of seek time and latency.

Relocation is the process of assigning load addresses for position-dependent code and data of a program. It allows a program to be moved from one memory location to another.

Dynamic relocation occurs when the mapping from virtual to physical addresses is performed at runtime, allowing programs to be moved in memory during execution.

In paging, physical memory is divided into fixed-size blocks called frames, while the logical address space is divided into blocks of the same size called pages.

Physical addresses are the actual addresses in the memory hardware (RAM) that the CPU uses to access data.

Virtual addresses are generated by the CPU and used by the process to reference memory, which are then translated into physical addresses.

Static relocation occurs when the addresses are bound to physical memory at load time, meaning the program cannot be moved once execution begins.

Paging allows a process to be stored in non-contiguous physical memory frames, eliminating the need for a single large contiguous block of memory.