MEM(F) UNIX System V
Name
mem, kmem - memory image file
Description
The mem file provides access to the computer's physical
memory. All byte addresses in the file are interpreted as
memory addresses. Thus, memory locations can be examined in
the same way as individual bytes in a file. Note that
accessing a nonexistent location causes an error.
The kmem file is the same as mem except that it corresponds
to kernel virtual memory rather than physical memory.
In rare cases, the mem and kmem files may be used to write
to memory and memory-mapped devices. Such patching is not
intended for the naive user and may lead to a system crash
if not conducted properly. Patching device registers is
likely to lead to unexpected results if the device has
read-only or write-only bits.
Files
/dev/mem
/dev/kmem
(printed 8/23/89) MEM(F)