SYS 140 Week 3 Journal - ryanm292002/Ryans-Repository GitHub Wiki

Memory management modules are the component responsible for making sure there's enough memory ready for action in the computer. The modules do this in many ways including partitioning, segmenting and also using virtual memory. There are a couple types of partitioning including variable and fixed, in fixed partitioning the memory is split into groups where the memory size cant change, whatever it decided to separate it to is what it stays as when partitioning. On the other hand variable partitioning includes memory that has the ability to change size if needed which reduces internal fragmentation that usually happens in fixed partitions. Virtual memory can be used to basically make application use virtual memory that is from both a cloud and uses the memory on your computer or even disk space, its much more efficient to do large projects cause memory runs more smoothly when its virtual. Paging includes having memory split into 6 equal sections and also separating the application at hand into 6 sections or pages. After its split up its easier for the memory to do its job with a smaller section. Another topic talked about is segmentation. Segmentation is basically when an application is taken and split into 3 or more different segments so its harder for an infiltrator to take over the application as whole, instead they would have to do each section. Another thing that is talked about is processes and what CPUs have to do with them. Processes are introduced as basically little actions that are taking place in the background of a computer. The difference between a program and processes is that a programs are the instructions while processes are the actual actions that are taking place. One thing that needs to happen is process management which includes Process creation, Termination of the process, Controlling the progress of the process, Process Scheduling, Dispatching, Interrupt handling / Exceptional handling, Switching between the processes, Process synchronization, Interprocess communication support, Management of Process Control Blocks. Processes have 5 different states they could be in, Executing, waiting, blocked, suspended, ready. Threads are single pieces of information in a program, some programs can be multi threaded which basically means it has multi layer processes. Memory overall is what's needed for software to be stored, software is the thing that can make computers run. Memory that stores software is often RAM (Random Access memory) or ROMS (Read only memory). The difference between the two types is that RAM doesn't keep data and can be changed while ROMS store memory and are permanent. Most RAM contain mostly DRAM or dynamic RAM which is cheaper than SRAM or static RAM, most memory on a motherboard has DRAM but SRAM can be found outside the processor where the cache memory is stored. When installing memory you have to check the chipset of your motherboard and see what type of RAM stick it can take, whether it be DDR (184 Pins), DDR2 or DDR3 (240 Pins) or DDR4 (288 Pins). Another thing you have to check is too see whether the memory module contains ECC technology and if so whether or not your system can support that. Often memory sticks can support a dual channel but sometimes sticks only have single channel capabilities so you have to check that as well. A paging file is basically a file that represents a little chunk of the hard drive that's using RAM. Flash memory is a type of memory that doesn't delete its data when the computer turns off, things like USB sticks.

Based on the number of applications you typically run and the amount of physical RAM on your system, do you think your personal computer should use a larger or smaller page file? Answer: My page file is 3840Mb, based on my computer being a gaming computer and running multiple applications at once a lot I think its a good amount. Have you ever had issues with a program using excessive amounts of memory or disk space and slowing down your computer? If so, how did you identify and solve the problem? Ya sometimes games went off the rails on my old computer and took up too much memory and often crashed, I had to alt tab and go into task manager to force close a lot. Talk about your experience with using flash memory (for example, USB flash drives) in the past. Do you think making hard drives out of flash memory rather than spinning disks would be a good decision? (We'll be discussing drives like this in more detail in a couple of weeks!) I use them a lot, not so much at home but at my high school in my IT class we had a personal USB stick, I think they're too small so I would lose them.