Chapter 4 Ram Vocab Flashcards
What kind of RAM does CPUs use?
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) as RAM for all PCs
Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
SDRAM is still DRAM, but it’s synchronous tied to the system clock, just like the CPU or MCC, so the MCC knows knows when data is ready to be grabbed from SDRAM
What does DIMM stand for?
Dual inline memory module (DIMM)
What is SO-DIMM?
Small outline DIMM (SO-DIMM)
Bank
A DIMM in any one of the DIMM slots could fit the 64 bit bus, so each slot was called a bank
Double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM)
bacillus copied a proprietary memory solution developed by Rambus, doubling the throughput of SDRAM by making two processes for every clock cycle
184 pin DIMMs
Rambus DRAM
RDRAM was initially introduced a a replacement for regular SDRAM. while faster than SDRAM, RDRAM was ultimately rejected by the industry due to delays in development and high prices compared to its predecessor.
Extreme memory profile (XMP)
enables power users to overclock their RAM easily, boosting their already fast memory.
AMDs version of XMP is called AMP for AMD Memory profile.
Triple-channel memory architecture or quad-channel memory architecture
Works a lot like dual channel, but with 3 or 4 sticks of RAM instead of two.
Power management integrated circuit or PMIC and
Cooperation between hardware, bios, and os to reduce power consumption
Latency
The delay in RAMs response time
Error correction code RAM (ECC RAM)
- detects and corrects any time a single bit is flipped, on the fly.
- it can detect but not correct a double bit error
- slower than regular RAM
- only found in expensive motherboards in high end systems
Registered RAM and buffered RAM
- both mean a small register installed on some memory modules to act as a buffer between the DIMM and the memory controller.
Virtual memory aka virtual RAM
When you’ve loaded too many programs, the system swaps less used programs form RAM to the page file, opening more space for programs currently active
- virtual memory starts by creating a page file that resides somewhere on your hard drive. — this works as a temp. Storage box. Windows removed running programs temporarily from RAM in the page file so other programs can load and run.
Disk trashing
If windows needs to access the page file too frequently you’ll notice that hard drive access LED going crazy as windows rushes to move programs between RAM and the page file.
Serial presence detect (SPD)
Your motherboard should detect and automatically set up any DIMM you install by using (SPD)
Page fault
Is a milder error that can be caused by memory issues but not necessarily system RAM problems.
Non maskable interrupt (NMI)
An interruption the CPU cannot ignore
This manifests as a proprietary crash screen —- aka the blue screen of death (BSoD) —- a bright blue screen with a scary sounding error message on it
MacOS have the spinning pinwheel of death (SPoD)
