1.3 Memory Flashcards
List 5 types of memory
Cache, registers, RAM, ROM and virtual memory
What is RAM?
Random Access Memory
What is ROM?
Read Only Memory
What is RAM often referred to as?
Primary memory
Can you read and write to RAM?
Yes, and is much faster to access than a Hard Drive or secondary storage in general
At any time, what will RAM most likely store?
- The operating system (or parts currently in use)
- The software currently in use
- The data which the software is using
What happens to RAM when the computer is turned off?
The data that it is holding is lost (RAM is volatile as it loses data if the power is off)
What happens to RAM when the computer is turned on?
No data is stored in RAM
After turning on, what loads into the RAM?
The operating system
What happens when you load an application?
It loads onto RAM from secondary storage so it can be accessed
What happens when you run out of space in your RAM?
Virtual memory is used as an extension to RAM
What is virtual memory?
An extension to RAM
Virtual memory advantages
- Uses cheap secondary storage on the Hard Drive
- Prevents error message saying out of memory
Virtual memory disadvantages
- Accessing virtual memory is very slow
- To access data in virtual memory, the data not being used in RAM needs to be copied; to virtual memory, then data in virtual memory needs to be copied to RAM
What is the use of ROM?
Permanent data held in primary storage even when a computer is turned off
What happens to ROM if the computer is turned off?
ROM is non-volatile meaning that it won’t lose its data when it is turned off
What is stored on ROM in a modern computer?
- Bootstrap
- BIOS
What is bootstrap?
The initial program that is run when the computer turns on and tells the computer where it will find the operating system on the hard drive
What is BIOS?
- Basic Input / Output System which can run without a hard drive or secondary storage being present
- It controls basic technical configuration of the computer such as the processor speed and system time
RAM size
Typically 4GB to 32GB
What is RAM used to store?
Running programs and operating systems
RAM can:
Read, write and is volatile
ROM size
Typically 4MB to 8MB
Rom can:
Read, but not write
