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What is the hexadecimal name for the 32-bit pattern that consists of all 1 bits?

Answer:

0xFFFFFFFF


Virtual Memory

virtual memory

The MIPS32 has an address space of 232 bytes. A Gigabyte is 230, so the MIPS has 4 gigabytes of address space. Ideally, all of these memory locations would be implemented using memory chips (usually called RAM).

On modern computers, the full address space is present no matter how much RAM has been installed. This is done by keeping some parts of the full address space on disk and some parts in RAM. The RAM, the hard disk, some special electronics, and the operating system work together to provide the full 32 bit address space. To a user or an applications programmer it looks as if all 232 bytes of main memory are present.

This method of providing the full address space by using a combination of RAM memory and the hard disk is called virtual memory. The word virtual means "appearing to exist, but not really there." Some computer geeks have a virtual social life.


QUESTION 6:

Which is faster: access to physical (RAM) memory or access to the hard disk?


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