2.1.4

Segmentation

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Segmentation

Operating systems are responsible for managing memory for the user. Managing memory can be done by paging or by segmentation.

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Segmentation

  • There is no physical split in segmentation like in paging.
  • Each program is given a logical division of memory to operate in.
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Segmentation process

  • When a program loads, it is given enough memory for the parts it is currently trying to load.
  • The rest of the program is kept in storage until needed, but the logical section given to the program will need to be made bigger.
  • Programs that are split across logical splits (non-contiguous) suffer greatly for not being together.
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Virtual memory

  • Segmentation can also use virtual memory to store unused parts of programs in virtual memory to free space for something else.

Jump to other topics

1Components of a Computer

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.2Thinking Ahead

6.3Thinking Procedurally

6.4Thinking Logically

6.5Thinking Concurrently

7Problem Solving & Programming

8Algorithms

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