What the MMU does involves managing memory access and protecting system resources.

F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop What the MMU does involves managing memory access and protecting system resources.

discopanda2002
Junior Member

11-09-2023, 07:40 AM

People are discussing Memory Management Units and how many early microprocessors didn’t include them with a floating-point unit. Now it’s clear that adding a MMU to a computer with OS support brings virtual memory and memory protection. Yet I’m curious—does having such features in software mean the system will slow down?

discopanda2002

11-09-2023, 07:40 AM #1

matsku25
Member

11-12-2023, 09:07 AM

Yes, you did mimic an MMU in software, but it's extremely slow—like a thousand times slower than expected. This makes any advantages disappear. Apparently, someone attempted this with DSLinux, but it didn't deliver value.

matsku25

11-12-2023, 09:07 AM #2

bmarzano
Senior Member

449

11-12-2023, 05:26 PM

I understood that FPUs can be simulated in software so applications running on Linux and other systems can run, even when the hardware lacks one. That setup I had around 1994 was quite outdated—every device afterward came equipped with an FPU.

bmarzano

11-12-2023, 05:26 PM #3

Andygamemc
Junior Member

11-13-2023, 06:32 AM

Several microcontrollers and embedded systems lack both a floating-point unit and a memory management unit, which is why solutions like µCLinux and projects built on it exist.

Andygamemc

11-13-2023, 06:32 AM #4

Several microcontrollers and embedded systems lack both a floating-point unit and a memory management unit, which is why solutions like µCLinux and projects built on it exist.