- Memory Storage and Management
- Two broad task to be accomplished when an operating system manages the computer’s memory:
- Each process must have enough memory in which to execute, and it can neither run into the memory space of another process
nor be run into by another process.
- The different types of memory in the system must be used properly so that each process can run most effectively.
Illustration
- Virtual Memory Management – Moving information in RAM to hard disk to expand RAM space at no cost.
- Disk Storage – one of the memory types that must be managed by the operating system, and is the slowest.
Ranking of Types of Memory in a Computer System in order of Speed:
High-speed cache – this is fast, relatively small amounts of memory that are available to the CPU through
the fastest connections. Caches controllers predict which pieces of the data the CPU will need next and pull it from main
memory into high-speed cache to speed up system performance.
Main Memory – This is the RAM that you see measured in megabytes when you buy a computer.
Secondary Memory – This is most often some sort of rotating magnetic storage that keeps applications and data
available to be used, and serves as virtual RAM under the control of the operating system.
