Computer Architecture and Design Interview Questions and Answers

16 :: How do you handle precise exceptions or interrupts?

Like java have a feature for handling exception handling "prime catch".the exception like divide by zero,out of bound.

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17 :: Whats the difference between Write-Through and Write-Back Caches? Explain advantages and disadvantages of each?

The comparison can be made out of two factors

1) Performance and
2) Integrity of Data

Write through is better in integrity as it will flush for each writes.
Write back holds up the write till the same cache line has to be used up for a read, which question the data integrity when multiple processors access the same region of data using its own internal cache.

Write Back - gives a good performance, as it save many memory write cycles /write.

Write Through - Doesn't give this performance compared to the write-back.

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18 :: Explain What is Virtual Memory?

Virtual memory is a concept that, when implemented by a computer and its operating system, allows programmers to use a very large range of memory or storage addresses for stored data. The computing system maps the programmer's virtual addresses to real hardware storage addresses. Usually, the programmer is freed from having to be concerned about the availability of data storage.

In addition to managing the mapping of virtual storage addresses to real storage addresses, a computer implementing virtual memory or storage also manages storage swapping between active storage (RAM) and hard disk or other high volume storage devices. Data is read in units called "pages" of sizes ranging from a thousand bytes (actually 1,024 decimal bytes) up to several megabyes in size. This reduces the amount of physical storage access that is required and speeds up overall system performance.

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19 :: Cache Size is 64KB, Block size is 32B and the cache is Two-Way Set Associative. For a 32-bit physical address, give the division between Block Offset, Index and Tag.

if block size is 32B,then block offset = 2^5 so 5 bits, index has equation, cache size/(block size*associative) so 64K/(32*2) = 1K, 2^10, so index = 10 bits,now tag = physical address-block offset-index, which is 32-5-10 = 17bits

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20 :: What is the difference between Write-Through and Write-Back Caches? Explain advantages and disadvantages of each?

Writing in cache is possible through two method. 1. Write back-update the cache memory along with main memory. 2. Write through-writing in cache only, equivalent copy is produce in main memory, when word is not updated from a long time.

Writing in cache is possible through two method. 1. Write back-update the cache memory along with main memory. 2. Write through-writing in cache only, equivalent copy is produce in main memory, when word is not updated from a long time.

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