A part of the system software which under all circumstances must reside in the main memory is:
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Answer: D
To determine which system software must reside in the main memory under all circumstances, let us analyze the role of each component:
- Text Editor: Used only during the creation or editing of source code. It is loaded into memory on demand and can be closed or swapped out when not in use.
- Assembler: Translates assembly language programs into machine code. It is only active during the translation phase and does not need to remain in memory afterwards.
- Linker: Combines multiple object files and libraries into a single executable file. It is only executed during the build phase.
- Loader: The loader is responsible for loading executable programs from secondary storage into the main memory for execution. Since no program (including the operating system itself, editors, or assemblers) can run without first being loaded into the main memory, a resident portion of the loader must always remain in the main memory to initiate and manage this process.
Therefore, the loader is the system software that must reside in the main memory under all circumstances.
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