UNIT IV –STORAGE MANAGEMENT

Memory Management: Background - Swapping - Contiguous memory allocation - Paging - Structure

of the Page table - Segmentation; Virtual
Memory management-Background - Demand paging - Page Replacement - Allocation of frames –
Thrashing.

PART - A

S.No Questions CO K level

Instructions fetched by CPU according to the value of
____from memory.
(a) Program status word CO4.1 K1
1.
(b) Status register
(c) Program counter
(d) Instruction register
____ is called a memory buffer and it is used to contain a
speed differential.
(a) Cache CO4.1 K1
2.
(b) Accumulator
(c) Disk buffer
(d) Stack pointer
In a system that does not support swapping ____________.
(a) The compiler normally binds symbolic addresses
(variables) to re-locatable addresses
(b) The compiler normally binds symbolic addresses to
3. physical addresses CO4.1 K1
(c) The loader binds re-locatable addresses to physical
addresses
(d) Binding of symbolic addresses to physical addresses
normally takes place during execution
Which of the following swaps processes in and out of the
memory?
(a) Memory manager CO4.1 K1
4.
(b) CPU
(c) CPU manager
(d) User
If a higher priority process arrives and wants service, the
5. memory manager can swap out the lower priority process to CO4.1 K1
execute the higher priority process. When the higher priority
 process finishes, the lower priority process is swapped back
in and continues execution. This variant of swapping is
sometimes called as?

(a) Priority swapping

(b) Pull out, push in
(c) Roll out, roll in
(d) None of the mentioned
Binding of instructions and data to memory addresses can be
done at ____________.
(a) Compile time CO4.2 K1
6.
(b) Load time
(c) Execution time
(d) All of the mentioned
Which of the following is TRUE?
a) Overlays are used to increase the size of physical memory
b) Overlays are used to increase the logical address space
7. c) When overlays are used, the size of a process is not CO4.2 K1
limited to the size of the physical memory
d) Overlays are used whenever the physical address space is
smaller than the logical address space
Is contiguous allocation address translation is not required?
8. CO4.2 K1
(a) True
(b) False
Which of the following is the fundamental approach to
implement non-contiguous memory allocation?
a) 1,2 CO4.2 K1
9.
b) 2,3
c) 3,4
d) 1,4
Which is used to point the address of a page table in
memory?
a) Page register CO4.3 K1
10.
b) Program counter
c) Stack pointer
d) Page table base register
Which is in the following contained by the page table?
a) Page size CO4.3 K1
11.
b) Base address of every page
c) Page offset
 d) Page
For ____ the page table is maintained by the Operating
System.
(a) Each instruction CO4.3 K1
12.
(b) Each process
(c) Each thread
(d) Each address
Relocation register are used to _______
(a) A different address space to processes
13. (b) Providing less address space to processes CO4.3 K1
(c) To protect the address spaces of processes
(d) Providing more address space to processes
The size of the operating system during program execution is
____while using transient code.
(a) Changed CO4.3 K1
14.
(b) Increased
(c) Maintained
(d) Decreased
Which of the following is pointed by the page table?
(a) Stack pointer
15. (b) Page table base register CO4.3 K1
(c) Page register
(d) Program counter
Point out the address generated by the CPU is divided into
two parts.
(a) Frame bit and Page number CO4.4 K1
16.
(b) Page number and page offset
(c) Page offset and frame bit
(d) Frame offset and page offset
MMU stands for?
(a) Memory mapping unit
17. (b) Memory management unit CO4.4 K1
(c) Main memory unit
(d) None of the above
A multilevel page table is preferred in comparison to a single
level page table for translating virtual address to physical
address because ____________. CO4.5 K1
18.
(a) It reduces the memory access time to read or write a
memory location
(b) It helps to reduce the size of page table needed to
 implement the virtual address space of a process
(c) It is required by the translation look aside buffer
(d) It helps to reduce the number of page faults in page
replacement algorithms
Virtual memory is normally implemented by ________.
(a) Demand paging
19. (b) Buses CO4.6 K1
(c) Virtualization
(d) All of the mentioned
Which of the following is the advantage of Demand Paging?
(a) Large virtual memory.
20. (b) More efficient use of memory. CO4.6 K1
(c) There is no limit on degree of multiprogramming.
(d) All of the above
Consider the following page reference string
12342156212376321236
For Optimal page replacement algorithms with 3 frames, the
number of page faults is?
21. CO4.7 K1
(a) 16
(b) 15
(c) 14
(d) 11

Consider the following page reference string

12342156212376321236
For LRU page replacement algorithm with 5 frames, the
number of page faults is? CO4.7 K1
22. (a) 10
(b) 14
(c) 8
(d) 11
Which has the lowest fault rate of the following page
replacement algorithms?
(a) Optimal page replacement algorithm
23. CO4.7 K1
(b) LRU replacement algorithm
(c) FIFO
(d) Counting based
 In FIFO page replacement algorithm, when a page must be
replaced____________.
(a) Oldest page is chosen CO4.7 K1
24.
(b) Newest page is chosen
(c) Random page is chosen
(d) None of the mentioned
Which algorithm chooses the page that has not been used for
the longest period of time whenever the page required to be
replaced?
25. (a) First in first out algorithm CO4.7 K1
(b) Additional reference bit algorithm
(c) Least recently used algorithm
(d) Counting based page replacement algorithm
Working set model for page replacement is based on the
assumption of____________.
(a) Modularity CO4.7 K1
26.
(b) Locality
(c) Globalization
(d) Random access
When a program tries to access a page that is mapped in
address space but not loaded in physical memory, then
____________.
27. (a) Segmentation fault occurs CO4.8 K1
(b) Fatal error occurs
(c) Page fault occurs
(d) No error occurs
With relocation and limit registers, each logical address must
be _______ the limit register.
(a) Less than CO4.8 K1
28.
(b) Greater than
(c) Equal to
(d) None of these
Which memory allocation policy allocates the largest hole to
the process?
(a) Best fit CO4.8 K1
29.
(b) Worst fit
(c) First fit
(d) None of the above
30. A process is thrashing if ____________ CO4.9 K1
(a) It is spending more time paging than executing
 (b) It is spending less time paging than executing
(c) Page fault occurs
(d) Swapping cannot take place
Thrashing occurs when:
a) A process runs out of virtual memory
b) The system spends more time swapping than executing
31 processes CO4.9 K2
c) There is excessive external fragmentation
d) A process reaches its time slice limit

What does swapping refer to in memory management?

a) Moving data between RAM and disk
32 b) Moving data between different processes Co4.2 K1
c) Moving data between registers
d) Moving data between cache and RAM

What is the basic concept of segmentation in memory

management?
a) Dividing the memory into equal-size blocks
33 b) Dividing the memory into variable-size segments Co4.4 K2
c) Using one large block of memory
d) Sharing memory among multiple processes

Virtual memory allows a process to:

a) Access more memory than physically available

34 b) Access the CPU faster Co4.5 K1
c) Share memory with other processes
d) Execute on multiple processors

In a virtual memory system, what is the role of the

operating system?

35 a) Managing the page table Co4.5 K2

b) Keeping track of memory usage
c) Handling page faults
d) All of the above
S.No Questions CO K level
How the unused memory does is fragmented and gives the
1. CO4.1 K3
solution for the processes to be allocated in the memory?

Given six memory partitions of 300 KB , 600 KB , 350 KB,

200 KB, 750 KB, and 125 KB (in order), how would the
first-fit algorithm place processes of size 115 KB, 500 KB,
2. 358 KB, 200 KB, and 375 KB(in order)? CO4.2 K3

Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham

Silberschatz – Page no: 384

On a system with paging, a process cannot access memory

that it does not own. Why? - Explain
3. CO4.3 K2
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 384

Compare the memory organization schemes of contiguous

memory allocation, pure segmentation, and pure paging
with respect to the external fragmentation. CO4.4 K2
4.
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 384

Why sharing a reentrant module is easier when

segmentation is used than when pure paging is used? –
Explain. CO4.3 &
5. K2
CO4.4
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 386

Why is segmentation and paging sometimes combined into

one scheme? CO4.3 &
6. K2
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham CO4.4
Silberschatz – Page no: 386

Compare the segmented paging scheme with the hashed

page table scheme for handling large address spaces. Under
what circumstances is one scheme preferable to others? CO4.4 K3
7.
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 386
 Consider the following page reference string

7,2,3,1,2,5,3,4,6,7,7,1,0,5,4,6,2,3,0,1
8. CO4.6 K3
Assume demand paging with three frames, how many page
faults would occur for the LRU replacement algorithms?

When do page faults occur? Consider the reference string

1,2,3,4,1,5,6,2,1,2,3,7,6,3,2,1,2,3,6. How many page faults
9. CO4.7 K3
occur for the FIFO replacement algorithm, assuming one,
two, three, four page frames?

What is the minimum number of page faults for an optimal

page replacement strategy for the reference string
1,2,3,4,5,3,4,1,6,7,8,7,8,9,7,8,9,5,4,5,4,2 with four page
10. frames? CO4.7 K3

Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham

Silberschatz – Page no: 445

Consider a system that allocates pages of different sizes to

its processes. What are the advantages of such a paging
scheme? CO4.8 K2
11.
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 446

What is the cause of thrashing? How does the system detect

thrashing? Once it detects thrashing, what can the system
do to eliminate this problem? CO4.9 K2
12.
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 445

13.
Describe the concept of swapping in memory management Co4.1 K1
Explain the concept of paging and how it helps in efficient
14. memory allocation.
Co4.3 K1

Describe the components of a page table and how it is used to

15. map virtual addresses to physical addresses in a paging system.
Co4.5 K1
 PART - C (2 x 12 = 24 Marks)
Answer to a question shall not exceed 3 Pages.
K
S.No Questions CO
level
Most systems allow programs to allocate more memory to its address
space during execution. Data allocated in the heap segments of
programs is an example of such allocated memory. What is required
to support dynamic memory allocation in the following schemes?
(Nov/Dec 2018) CO4.2 K2
1. i) Contiguous memory allocation
ii) Pure segmentation
iii) Pure paging
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 384
Given memory partitions of 100 KB, 500 KB, 200 KB, 300 KB, and
600 KB( in order), how would each off the first fit, best fit, and worst
2.
fit algorithms place processes of 212 KB, 417 KB, 112 KB and 426 CO4.2 K3
KB (in order) ? Which algorithm makes the most efficient use of
memory?

Compare paging with segmentation with respect to how much

memory the address translation structures require to convert virtual
3. CO4.3 K2
addresses to physical addresses. Reference: “Operating System
Concepts” , Abraham Silberschatz – Page no: 385

Consider the following segment table

Segment Base Length

0 219 600

1 2300 14

2 90 100
4. CO4.4 K3
3 1327 580

4 1952 96

What are the physical addresses for the following logical addresses?

a) 0,430
b) 1,10
c) 2,500
 d) 3,400
e) 4,112
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 386

Consider the following page reference string

7,2,3,1,2,5,3,4,6,7,7,1,0,5,4,6,2,3,0,1

Assume demand paging with three frames, how many page faults
would occur for the following replacement algorithms?
5. CO4.6 K3
a) LRU replacement
b) FIFO replacement
c) Optimal replacement
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 405

Consider the following page reference string

1,2,3,4,5,3,4,1,6,7,8,7,8,9,7,8,9,5,4,5,4,2

How many page faults occur for the following replacement CO4.7
algorithms? Assume four frames and all frames are initially empty.
6. & K3
a) LRU replacement
b) FIFO replacement CO4.8
c) Optimal replacement
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 445

Consider the following page reference string

7,0,1,2,0,3,0,4,2,3,0,3,2,1,2,0,1,7,0,1

How many page faults occur for the following replacement CO4.7
algorithms? Assume four frames and all frames are initially empty.
7. & K3
a) LRU replacement
b) FIFO replacement CO4.8
c) Optimal replacement
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 445

Examine the situation under which the most frequently used page CO4.7 K4
8.
replacement algorithm generates fewer page faults than the least
 frequently used page replacement algorithm. Also inspect under &
which circumstances the opposite holds. (Apr/May 2018)
CO4.8
Reference: “Operating System Concepts” , Abraham
Silberschatz – Page no: 445

Explain the concept of Memory Management and discuss its

9 Co4.1 K1
importance in an operating system

Explain the difference between Contiguous Memory Allocation and

10
Paging in memory management. What are the advantages and Co4.2 K2
disadvantages of each?