Chap 1 Flashcards
The processor controls the operation of the computer and performs its data processing functions
TRUE
It is possible for a communications interrupt to occur while a printer interrupt is being processed.
TRUE
A system bus does not transfer data between the computer and its external environment.
TRUE
Cache memory is invisible to the OS.
TRUE
With interrupts, the processor can not be engaged in executing other instructions while an I/O operation is in progress.
FALSE
Digital Signal Processors deal with streaming signals such as audio and video.
TRUE
The fetched instruction is loaded into the Program Counter.
FALSE
Interrupts are provided primarily as a way to improve processor utilization.
TRUE
The interrupt can occur at any time and therefore at any point in the execution of a user program.
TRUE
Over the years memory access speed has consistently increased more rapidly than processor speed.
FALSE
An SMP can be defined as a stand-alone computer system with two or more similar processors of comparable capacity.
TRUE
The Program Status Word contains status information in the form of condition codes, which are bits typically set by the programmer as a result of program operation.
FALSE
An example of a multicore system is the Intel Core i7.
TRUE
In a two-level memory hierarchy the Hit Ratio is defined as the fraction of all memory accesses found in the slower memory.
FALSE
The operating system acts as an interface between the computer hardware and the human user.
TRUE
The four main structural elements of a computer system are:
Processor, Main Memory, I/O Modules and System Bus
The ___________ holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched.
Program Counter
The ___________ contains the data to be written into memory and receives the data read from memory.
memory buffer register
Instruction processing consists of two steps:
fetch and execute
The ___________ routine determines the nature of the interrupt and performs whatever actions are needed.
interrupt handler
The unit of data exchanged between cache and main memory is __________.
block size
The _________ chooses which block to replace when a new block is to be loaded into the cache and the cache already has all slots filled with other blocks.
replacement algorithm
__________ is more efficient than interrupt-driven or programmed I/O for a multiple-word I/O transfer.
Direct memory access
The _________ is a point-to-point link electrical interconnect specification that enables high-speed communications among connected processor chips.
QPI
Small, fast memory located between the processor and main memory is called:
Cache memory
In a uniprocessor system, multiprogramming increases processor efficiency by:
Taking advantage of time wasted by long wait interrupt handling
The two basic types of processor registers are:
User-visible and Control/Status
When an external device becomes ready to be serviced by the processor the device sends a(n) __________ signal to the processor.
interrupt
One mechanism Intel uses to make its caches more effective is ________, in which the hardware examines memory access patterns and attempts to fill the caches speculatively with data that is likely to be requested soon.
prefetching
A __________ organization has a number of potential advantages over a uniprocessor organization including performance, availability, incremental growth, and scaling.
symmetric multiprocessor
The invention of the ________ was the hardware revolution that brought about desktop and handheld computing.
microprocessor
To satisfy the requirements of handheld devices, the classic microprocessor is giving way to the ________, where not just the CPUs and caches are on the same chip, but also many of the other components of the system, such as DSPs, GPUs, I/O devices and main memory.
System on a Chip (SoC)
The processing required for a single instruction is called a(n) _________ cycle.
instruction
The fetched instruction is loaded into the _________.
Instruction Register (IR)
When an external device is ready to accept more data from the processor, the I/O module for that external device sends an ____________ signal to the processor.
interrupt request
The ___________ is a device for staging the movement of data between main memory and processor registers to improve performance and is not usually visible to the programmer or processor.
Cache
External, nonvolatile memory is also referred to as _________ or auxiliary memory.
secondary memory
When a new block of data is read into the cache the ____________ determines which cache location the block will occupy.
mapping function
In a _______ multiprocessor all processors can perform the same functions so the failure of a single processor does not halt the machine.
symmetric
A __________ computer combines two or more processors on a single piece of silicon.
Multicore
A Control/Status register that contains the address of the next instruction to be fetched is called the ____________.
Program Counter (PC)
Each location in Main Memory contains a _________ value that can be interpreted as either and instruction or data.
binary number
A special type of address register required by a system that implements user visible stack addressing is called a ______.
stack pointer.
Registers that are used by system programs to minimize main memory references by optimizing register use are called ________.
user-visible registers
The concept of multiple programs taking turns in execution is known as ___________.
Multiprogramming
