If a system currently uses FIFO page replacement but experiences high page fault rates due to cyclic reference patterns larger than frame count, which modification would most effectively reduce faults without significantly increasing overhead?

hard🎤 Interviewer Follow-up Q10 of Q15

Operating Systems - Page Replacement - FIFO, LRU, Optimal Algorithm

AImplement LRU to track recent usage and reduce faults

BUse the Clock algorithm as a low-overhead approximation of LRU

CIncrease the number of frames to accommodate the cycle size

DSwitch to Optimal algorithm to perfectly predict future references

Step-by-Step Solution

Solution:

Step 1: Evaluate options for reducing faults with minimal overhead
Optimal is impractical due to future knowledge. LRU reduces faults but has high overhead. Increasing frames may not be feasible. Clock approximates LRU with lower overhead, effectively reducing faults.
Final Answer:
Option B -> Option B
Quick Check:
Clock balances fault reduction and overhead [OK]

Quick Trick: Clock approximates LRU with less overhead [OK]

Common Mistakes:

MISTAKES

Assuming Optimal is practical
Ignoring overhead of full LRU
Believing only increasing frames helps

Trap Explanation:

PITFALL

Candidates often pick Optimal or full LRU ignoring overhead or feasibility constraints.

Interviewer Note:

CONTEXT

Tests knowledge of practical algorithm improvements and overhead trade-offs.

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If a system currently uses FIFO page replacement but experiences high page fault rates due to cyclic reference patterns larger than frame count, which modification would most effectively reduce faults without significantly increasing overhead?

Step 1: Evaluate options for reducing faults with minimal overhead

Final Answer:

Quick Check:

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