1. What is the primary purpose of virtual memory?
- To increase physical memory
- To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory
- To speed up disk I/O operations
- To create a backup of memory
Advanced Memory Management in Operating Systems – 30 MCQs
Explore 30 intermediate-level MCQs on memory management in operating systems, covering topics like virtual memory, paging, segmentation, allocation algorithms, fragmentation and TLB. Perfect for deepening your understanding of OS fundamentals.
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2. What is paging in memory management?
- Dividing physical memory into fixed-sized blocks
- Splitting a process into variable-sized blocks
- Allocating memory on-demand
- Storing data in cache memory
3. What is a page fault?
- An error in the CPU's cache memory
- An error in program execution
- A condition when a requested page is not in memory
- A disk I/O failure
4. What is the role of a memory management unit (MMU)?
- To manage CPU scheduling
- To handle I/O devices
- To translate virtual addresses to physical addresses
- To allocate memory to processes
5. What is internal fragmentation?
- Wasted memory within a partition
- Wasted memory outside allocated partitions
- Memory wasted due to paging
- Memory fragmentation due to segmentation
6. What is the purpose of a page table?
- To store disk I/O information
- To translate logical addresses into physical addresses
- To store process scheduling information
- To manage virtual memory faults
7. Which of the following is a dynamic memory allocation algorithm?
- First Fit
- Quick Sort
- Depth First Search
- Bubble Sort
8. What does segmentation in memory management involve?
- Dividing a program into fixed-size blocks
- Dividing a program into variable-sized segments
- Allocating equal-sized memory blocks
- Storing all data in a single memory partition
9. What is external fragmentation?
- Memory wasted due to incomplete usage of allocated partitions
- Memory wasted within allocated partitions
- Memory wasted due to process termination
- Memory wasted in cache memory
10. What is the term for the swapping of processes between main memory and secondary storage?
- Paging
- Segmentation
- Swapping
- Fragmentation
11. Which memory allocation technique causes the least fragmentation?
- First Fit
- Worst Fit
- Best Fit
- Paging
12. What is the optimal page replacement algorithm?
- FIFO
- LRU
- Optimal (Belady's Algorithm)
- Second-Chance
13. What is thrashing in virtual memory?
- A process continuously swapping pages in and out of memory
- Allocating more memory than required
- A sudden increase in CPU usage
- A type of fragmentation
14. Which technique divides memory into partitions of different sizes?
- Paging
- Segmentation
- Compaction
- Contiguous Allocation
15. What does LRU stand for in page replacement?
- Last Recently Updated
- Least Recently Used
- Last Ready Update
- Least Required Unit
16. Which of the following can resolve external fragmentation?
- Paging
- Segmentation
- Compaction
- Thrashing
17. What is demand paging?
- Loading pages into memory only when needed
- Preloading all pages into memory
- Allocating memory in fixed partitions
- Dividing memory into variable-sized segments
18. What is the term for memory allocated dynamically during runtime?
- Static Memory
- Dynamic Memory
- Virtual Memory
- Physical Memory
19. Which of the following is a non-preemptive page replacement policy?
- Optimal
- FIFO
- LRU
- Clock
20. What does Belady's Anomaly refer to?
- Decreased page faults with increased pages
- Increased page faults with increased pages
- No page faults occur
- Reduced memory usage
21. What is the main disadvantage of the First Fit memory allocation algorithm?
- High time complexity
- Internal fragmentation
- External fragmentation
- Reduced memory usage
22. Which register stores the base address of the page table?
- Program Counter
- Stack Pointer
- Page Table Base Register
- Memory Management Register
23. What is the primary purpose of a translation lookaside buffer (TLB)?
- To store process control blocks
- To improve virtual-to-physical address translation speed
- To reduce memory fragmentation
- To prevent page faults
24. Which type of memory allocation uses a bit map or free list?
- Contiguous Allocation
- Indexed Allocation
- Linked Allocation
- Non-Contiguous Allocation
25. In which situation is the Best Fit allocation method most effective?
- When memory blocks are of equal size
- When there is a high chance of large blocks being required
- When minimizing internal fragmentation is the priority
- When external fragmentation needs to be reduced
26. Which memory protection mechanism uses a base and limit register?
- Segmentation
- Paging
- Contiguous Allocation
- Dynamic Partitioning
27. What does compaction in memory management involve?
- Relocating processes to eliminate fragmentation
- Reducing the size of memory blocks
- Allocating memory in variable partitions
- Preloading pages into memory
28. What is the primary goal of memory compaction in operating systems?
- To reduce the number of processes in memory
- To merge free memory blocks to create a larger continuous space
- To allocate more memory to the CPU
- To decrease page faults
29. Which memory management technique is used to allow a process to be executed even when it is partially loaded into memory?
- Paging
- Segmentation
- Virtual Memory
- Contiguous Allocation
30. What is the primary purpose of virtual memory?
- To increase physical memory
- To allow a program to execute even if it is not entirely in memory
- To speed up disk I/O operations
- To create a backup of memory