Computer Knowledge

Computer Memory and Storage

2,477 Questions

Computer memory and storage questions test foundational knowledge of hardware, cache mapping, and data transfer mechanisms. Key areas include Direct Memory Access, analog recording, and RAID levels. This section is essential for candidates preparing for banking and government computer proficiency tests.

Cache memory mappingDirect memory accessRAID storage levelsHard disk technologyOptical media storageMemory addresses

Computer Memory and Storage Questions

Multiple choice

In which of the following addressing modes, the register pair contains the high order byte of the address in the first and the low order byte of the address in the second in 8085 processor?

  1. Direct Branch Addressing Mode

  2. Register Indirect Branch Addressing Mode

  3. Register Addressing Mode

  4. Zero Flag

  5. Stack Pointer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Here, the register pair contains the high order byte of the address in the first and the low order byte of the address in the second in 8085 processor.

Multiple choice

In which of the following modes, the instruction indirectly specifies the address of the data by referring to a register pair for the absolute address in 8085 processor?

  1. Register Indirect Addressing Mode

  2. Intersegment Indirect Addressing Mode

  3. Intrasegment Indirect Addressing Mode

  4. Register Addressing Mode

  5. Direct Branch Addressing Mode
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here, the instruction indirectly specifies the address of the data by referring to a register pair for the absolute address in 8085 processor.

Multiple choice

Stack pointer is provided in a microprocessor to

  1. hold the return address of a function call

  2. hold the calling address of a function call

  3. hold the address of the data area of the main program

  4. provide the next address of program execution

  5. It is not required at all.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

After completing the function call, the processor returns back to calling program using the address in the stack pointer.

Multiple choice

The _________ stored on a ROM chip is responsible for loading the operating system from its permanent location on the hard drive into RAM.

  1. BIOS

  2. API

  3. device driver

  4. supervisor program
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is firmware stored on a ROM chip that initializes hardware components during startup and loads the operating system bootloader from the hard drive into RAM. This bootstrap process is essential for getting the computer running.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is false regarding virtual memory?

  1. Any amount of RAM can be allocated to virtual memory.

  2. The setting for the amount of hard drive space to be allocated to virtual memory can be manually changed.

  3. Virtual memory is also called the swap file (or page file).

  4. Virtual memory is the physical space on the hard drive.

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) is correct.

Multiple choice

'DOS' floppy disk does not have

  1. a boot record

  2. a file allocation table

  3. a root directory

  4. virtual memory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

DOS floppy disks contain essential file system structures including a boot record (for loading the OS), a file allocation table (for tracking file locations), and a root directory (for organizing files). However, virtual memory is a memory management technique used by modern operating systems to extend RAM using disk space, which DOS floppy disks do not implement.

Multiple choice

The definition of thrashing is

  1. swapping data between virtual memory and RAM too frequently

  2. insufficient hard disk space

  3. too many processors being managed by the operating system

  4. inaccurate information stored in the registry
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Thrashing occurs when a computer spends excessive time swapping data between virtual memory (disk) and RAM, leaving little time for actual program execution. This typically happens when the system is overloaded with processes and doesn't have enough physical memory. It's not related to disk space, number of processors, or registry issues.

Multiple choice

A ________ represents approximately one billion memory locations.

  1. kilobyte

  2. megabyte

  3. gigabyte

  4. terabyte
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A gigabyte represents approximately one billion bytes (actually 1,073,741,824 in binary). A kilobyte is about 1,000 bytes, a megabyte is about 1 million bytes, and a terabyte is about 1 trillion bytes. The question asks for one billion locations, making gigabyte the correct answer.

Multiple choice

The following message generally means

  1. a nonsystem floppy has been left in the floppy disk drive

  2. the CD drive is not functioning

  3. the BIOS is corrupted

  4. there is a problem loading a device
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The message indicates the system is trying to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk left in the drive. This is a common error when a floppy disk remains in the drive during startup, causing the BIOS to attempt booting from it instead of the hard drive. Options B, C, and D describe different hardware issues but not this specific scenario.

Multiple choice

A pixel is

  1. a computer program that draws picture

  2. a picture stored in secondary memory

  3. the smallest resolvable part of a picture

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A pixel (picture element) is the smallest addressable element in a raster image or display. It's the basic unit of digital imaging and represents a single point in an image. The resolution of an image or display is measured in total pixels.