PAGE FAULT Meaning and
Definition
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Page fault is a concept in computer science, particularly in operating systems and virtual memory management, where it refers to the occurrence of an exception or an error that takes place when an accessed page in virtual memory is not found in the working set or main memory of a computer system. It is a type of interrupt triggered by the inability to locate the desired data or code in memory.
When a program attempts to access a page that is not currently present in the main memory, a page fault is generated, causing the operating system to intervene. The operating system then handles the fault by searching for the required page on the secondary storage device, such as the hard disk, and bringing it into main memory for the program to continue executing. This process is known as page retrieval or page swapping.
Page faults are a normal part of virtual memory systems and occur due to the limited size of the main memory. To optimize memory usage and ensure efficient access to data, the operating system utilizes various algorithms, such as demand paging and page replacement policies, to manage page faults effectively.
Overall, page faults are an integral part of virtual memory systems and facilitate memory management by allowing the efficient utilization of secondary storage and effectively bringing in required pages into memory when needed.
Common Misspellings for PAGE FAULT
- oage fault
- lage fault
- -age fault
- 0age fault
- pzge fault
- psge fault
- pwge fault
- pqge fault
- pafe fault
- pave fault
- pabe fault
- pahe fault
- paye fault
- pate fault
- pagw fault
- pags fault
- pagd fault
- pagr fault
- pag4 fault
- pag3 fault
Etymology of PAGE FAULT
The word "page fault" has its etymology in computer science, specifically within the realm of operating systems and memory management. It is comprised of two key components:
1. Page: In computer memory management, a page is a fixed-sized block of data that represents a piece of a program or data. It is the unit by which data is transferred between physical memory (RAM) and storage devices (such as hard drives). The concept of paging allows for efficient memory management by dividing the virtual address space of a process into fixed-sized blocks.
2. Fault: In the context of computing, a fault refers to an exception or error condition that occurs during the execution of a program. It indicates that an unexpected or erroneous situation has arisen which interrupts the normal operation of the system.
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