MEM(4)

NAME
mem, kmem - memory files

DESCRIPTION
The special file /dev/mem is an interface to the physical memory of the computer. Byte offsets in this file are interpreted as physical memory addresses. Reading and writing this file is equivalent to reading and writing memory itself. Only offsets within the bounds of /dev/mem are allowed.

Kernel virtual memory is accessed through the interface /dev/kmem in the same manner as /dev/mem. Only kernel virtual addresses that are currently mapped to memory are allowed.

On amd64, physical memory is discontiguous; especially, the ISA I/O memory space covers the physical address range from 0x000a0000 to 0x00100000.

The kernel virtual memory begins at address 0xffffffff80000000.

Even with sufficient file system permissions, these devices can only be opened when the securelevel(7) is insecure or when the kern.allowkmem sysctl(2) variable is set.

FILES
/dev/mem
/dev/kmem

SEE ALSO
mtrr(4), securelevel(7)

HISTORY
The /dev/mem file appeared in AT&T UNIX, /dev/kmem appeared in AT&T UNIX.