Memory Flashcards
What is the difference between RAM and secondary storage?
RAM: Volatile; Writing to it is fast; typically stores between 4-16 GB.
Secondary storage: Non-volatile; writing to it is (relatively) slow; typically stores between 128 GB - 2 TB of
What is the purpose of ROM in a computer system?
It’s used to store the start-up instructions for a computer, also known as the firmware. It is part of the BIOS chip, which is located on the motherboard.
What is the purpose of RAM in a computer system?
RAM is the place in a computing device where the operating system (OS), application programs and data in current use are kept so they can be quickly reached by the device’s processor.
What is the need for virtual memory?
If the RAM fills up, the hard drive is used as RAM which is slower than using normal RAM as the hard drive is further away from the CPU.
What is flash memory?
Flash memory is a non-volatile memory chip used for storage and for transferring data between a personal computer (PC) and digital devices. It has the ability to be electronically reprogrammed and erased. It is often found in USB flash drives, MP3 players, digital cameras and solid-state drives.
What is the purpose of CPU cache in a computer?
To store few, frequently executed commands nearer to the CPU than RAM (resulting in faster access speeds).
What are the differences between Level 1 (L1), Level 2 (L2), and Level 3 (L3) cache?
- L1 cache is fastest, and L3 the slowest (L2 is in between)
- L3 cache has the greatest size, and L1 the least
( - L1 and L2 cache are specific to each core of the CPU; L3 is shared across all)
