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Operating System: Virtual Memory

Virtual memory allows users to utilize more memory than physically available by using a swap file on the hard disk. Demand paging brings pages into memory only when needed, improving efficiency but potentially causing page faults. Various page replacement algorithms, such as FIFO, LRU, and Optimal, determine which pages to replace when memory is full.

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6 views10 pages

Operating System: Virtual Memory

Virtual memory allows users to utilize more memory than physically available by using a swap file on the hard disk. Demand paging brings pages into memory only when needed, improving efficiency but potentially causing page faults. Various page replacement algorithms, such as FIFO, LRU, and Optimal, determine which pages to replace when memory is full.

Uploaded by

afraannan120
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Operating Systems

Virtual Memory
Background
❏ The term “virtual memory” refers to something which appears to be present but actually it is
not.
❏ The virtual memory technique allows users to use more memory for a program than the real
memory of a computer.
❏ Virtual memory is a concept that we use when we have processes that exceed the main
memory.
❏ When computer runs out of physical memory, it writes its requirement to the hard disc in a
swap file as “virtual memory”.
Demand Paging
❏ Bring a page into memory only when it is needed
- Less I/O needed
- Less memory needed
- Faster response
- More users

❏ Disadvantage: Page fault interrupt

❏ Required hardware support:


- Page Table with valid-invalid bit
- Secondary memory
Valid-Invalid Bit
❏ An extra bit in the page table which indicates the
existence of the page in the main memory.

❏ Attempt to access page

❏ If page is valid (in memory) then continue


processing instruction as normal.

❏ If page is invalid then a page-fault trap / page-fault


interrupt occurs.

❏ Page is needed ⇒ reference to it


- Invalid reference ⇒ abort
- Not-in-memory ⇒ bring to memory
Page Fault
If there is ever a reference to a page, first reference will
trap to OS ⇒ page fault
1. OS looks at another table to decide:
▪ Invalid reference ⇒ abort.
▪ Just not in memory.
2. Find empty/ free frame.
3. Load page from disk into frame.
4. Reset tables, validation bit = 1.
5. Restart instruction that caused page fault
Demand Paging Flowchart
Page Replacement
Page Replacement Algorithms:

❏ FIFO (First In First Out)


❏ LRU (Least Recently Used)
❏ OPT (Optimal)
FIFO (First In First Out)
❏ Selects the page for replacement that has been in the memory for the longest amount of time
LRU (Least Recently Used)
❏ Replace the least recently used page in the past
❏ Can be implemented by associating a counter with every page that is in main memory
Optimal
❏ Replace the page which is not used in longest dimension of time in future

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