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Which of the following statements about memory compaction is INCORRECT?

medium🐞 Bug Identification Q14 of Q15
Operating Systems - Internal vs External Fragmentation - Compaction & Buddy System
Which of the following statements about memory compaction is INCORRECT?
ACompaction can be performed without halting all running processes
BCompaction does not affect internal fragmentation
CCompaction requires additional CPU overhead and may cause temporary performance degradation
DCompaction reduces external fragmentation by relocating allocated memory blocks
Step-by-Step Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand compaction process

    Compaction moves allocated blocks to create contiguous free memory, reducing external fragmentation (A correct).

  2. Step 2: Analyze process halting

    Compaction usually requires pausing processes to safely move memory (D incorrect).

  3. Step 3: Consider overhead and fragmentation

    Compaction adds CPU overhead and can degrade performance temporarily (C correct); it does not affect internal fragmentation (B correct).

  4. Final Answer:

    Option A -> Option A

  5. Quick Check:

    Compaction generally requires halting processes [OK]
Quick Trick: Compaction = pause + move blocks -> reduce external fragmentation [OK]
Common Mistakes:
MISTAKES
  • Assuming compaction is transparent to running processes
  • Confusing internal and external fragmentation effects
  • Underestimating compaction overhead
Trap Explanation:
PITFALL
  • Option B is tempting because some may think compaction is concurrent; others confuse fragmentation types in options A and D.
Interviewer Note:
CONTEXT
  • Checks candidate's grasp of compaction's operational constraints and effects.
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