Why is DMA a better transfer mode than PIO for PATA drives?
A) DMA has direct access to the CPU
B) The DMA bus is faster than the PIO bus
C) DMA data transfers don't involve the CPU
D) DMA drives cost less than PIO drives

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DMA data transfers don't involve the CPU, which means that the CPU can perform other tasks while data is being transferred. This results in better overall system performance compared to PIO mode, which requires the CPU to perform all data transfers. While A and B are true statements, they do not necessarily make DMA a better transfer mode than PIO for PATA drives. Answer D is not relevant as there is no difference in cost between DMA and PIO drives.

Why Is DMA a Better Transfer Mode Than PIO for PATA