Memory controllers

In the Northbridge-Soutbridge design found on motherboards based on Intel chipset architecture the memory controller, which is a chip used to control the flow of data from dynamic RAM (DRAM), is a separate chip housed on the Northbridge. It’s main functions are the transfer of data to and from RAM and the refresh of DRAM. In newer CPU designs like the Intel Core i7 and the AMD Athlon 64 the memory controller is built into the CPU housing to reduce memory latency. When the memory controller is built into the CPU housing it is referred to as an integrated memory controller.

CPU operation modes

CPU’s can operates in one of five modes, namely:

• real mode (a.k.a. real address mode)


• protected mode (a.k.a. protected virtual address mode)


• virtual real mode (a.k.a. virtual 8086 mode)


• unreal mode (a.k.a big real mode) which does not add to the tally above as it does not seem to be a separate mode


• system management mode


• long mode

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for November 2009

Microsoft has notified of upcoming patches for remote code execution and denial of service vulnerabilities in a number of operating systems like Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 as well a Microsoft Office products. The following was taken from the advance notification mail for November 2008:

"
Critical Security Bulletins
===========================

Bulletin 1

- Affected Software:
- Windows Vista,
Windows Vista Service Pack 1, and
Windows Vista Service Pack 2
- Windows Vista x64 Edition,
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1, and
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 2

- Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4

- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 3

- Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
- Windows XP Service Pack 2 and
Windows XP Service Pack 3
- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
- Windows Vista,
Windows Vista Service Pack 1, and
Windows Vista Service Pack 2
- Windows Vista x64 Edition,
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1, and
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Version Number: 1.0

Important Security Bulletins
============================

Bulletin 4

- Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
- Windows XP Service Pack 2 and
Windows XP Service Pack 3
- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Impact: Denial of Service
- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 5

- Affected Software:
- Microsoft Office Excel 2002 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 1 and
Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 2
- Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
- Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
- Open XML File Format converter for Mac
- Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office Excel Viewer Service Pack 1 and
Microsoft Office Excel Viewer Service Pack 2
- Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1 and
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 2

- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 6

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Office Word 2002 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office Word 2003 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
- Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
- Open XML File Format converter for Mac
- Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3
- Microsoft Office Word Viewer

- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Version Number: 1.0
"
, as per Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for November 2009

Major revision of security bulletin on Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (974455)

The security bulletin deals with vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer which “... could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer.”, Microsoft, http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms09-054.mspx


The major revision notifies of a hotfix available for Internet Explorer versions 5.01, 6, 7 and 8 on a number of Windows platforms. For more info on the affected software see above link.

Additional columns in Windows Explorer

In the Detail view, Windows Explorer in Windows XP Professional displays a number of standard columns like Name, Size, Type and Date Modified, which provide additional information on files in your directories. But there are additional columns which can be displayed like Date Created, Attributes, Owner, Author, Title, Comments, Artist, Album Title, Year, Track Number, Genre, Duration, Bit Rate, Protected, Camera Model and then you can also specify whether there are More columns to display. Obviously not all of these columns, will be applicable to all folders and their contents. But, to view all the available columns simply right click on the column header bar in the right hand pane, and select More from the fly out menu.

One thing to note, is that these additional selected columns will only display for the folder you are currently viewing and to apply to all your folders you will need to apply these changes to all folders. This can be done by clicking on the Tools menu item, in the top menu, selecting Folder Options from the drop down menu and clicking on the View tab. On the View tab, you then click the Apply to All Folders button. This will open up a Folder views window, notifying you that you can set all the folders on the computer to match the current view – excepting the views for the toolbars and folder tasks, and that changes will only occur the next time you open the folders. Click OK if you want to apply the current view to all folders.