Computer Registers

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary difference between access time for random-access memory and non-random-access memory?

Non-random-access memory requires positioning the read-write mechanism

What is the memory cycle time primarily concerned with?

The system bus and signal line transients

What is the relationship between transfer rate and memory cycle time for random-access memory?

Transfer rate is inversely proportional to the memory cycle time

Which type of memory is always nonvolatile?

Magnetic-surface memory Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of volatile memory?

Information decays naturally or is lost when power is switched off Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of semiconductor memory?

It can be either volatile or nonvolatile Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of an Operating System?

To act as an interface between applications and computer hardware Signup and view all the answers

What is the portion of the OS that resides in main memory?

Kernel Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of the Batch Multiprogramming operating system?

Maximize processor use Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of Time Sharing operating systems?

Timer Signup and view all the answers

What is a service provided by an Operating System?

Program creation and execution Signup and view all the answers

What is the OS responsible for managing?

Computer resources Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between internal and external memory?

Location Signup and view all the answers

What is the unit of transfer for internal memory?

Number of electrical lines Signup and view all the answers

Which type of memory access involves a shared read-write mechanism?

Direct access Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical unit of expression for memory capacity?

Bytes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?

To define the machine language instructions that a computer can follow Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a processor's local memory?

To store data temporarily Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the Memory Buffer Register (MBR)?

Contains a word to be stored in memory or sent to the I/O unit Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of multiprogramming?

To work on more than one program at a time Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of sequential access memory?

Access time is variable Signup and view all the answers

What type of scheduling determines which process's pending I/O request shall be handled by an available I/O device?

I/O scheduling Signup and view all the answers

What technique is used to temporarily hold operands and results of ALU operations?

Accumulator (AC) and multiplier quotient (MQ) Signup and view all the answers

What are the three key concepts that the von Neumann architecture is based on?

Data and instructions are stored in a single read-write memory, The contents of this memory are addressable by location, Execution occurs in a sequential fashion Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the short-term scheduler, also known as the dispatcher?

To decide which available process will be executed by the processor Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of an Application Binary Interface (ABI)?

To define a standard for binary portability across programs Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the processing required for a single instruction?

Instruction cycle Signup and view all the answers

What are the two approaches to dealing with multiple interrupts?

Disable interrupts and define priorities or define priorities and disable interrupts Signup and view all the answers

What is the key to multiprogramming?

Scheduling Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a combination of computer hardware and software and perhaps additional mechanical or other parts, designed to perform a dedicated function?

Embedded System Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common interconnection structure that connects major computer components?

Bus Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the address of the next instruction pair to be fetched from memory?

Program Counter (PC) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the contents of this memory that are addressable by location?

Addresses and locations Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the execution of instructions in a sequential fashion?

Sequential execution Signup and view all the answers

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