mem -- Device Driver

Physical memory file

The  special file  /dev/mem permits  a  program to  read and  write to  the
physical memory of  the host computer, just as it  reads and writes into an
ordinary file.  The location where I/O  will occur can be positioned to any
valid byte address by a call  to lseek(). Note that ps and related commands
use /dev/kmem, which manipulates the kernel's data space.

Commands may examine or  change addresses in physical memory.  Addresses to
use when  changing the system itself normally are  obtained from the system
load  module  (/coherent)  name  list,  so  that they  always  reflect  the
currently running version of the system.

Files

/dev/mem

See Also

clock,
cmos,
core,
device drivers,
lseek,
ps

Diagnostics

On an error, such as nonexistent memory location, mem returns -1.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness