Memory, Storage and processing Flashcards
What is storage
- holds porgrams+data far more permanently
- Magnetic (hard drive), optical (CD, DVD) or electronic (flash drives+SSD)
- Slow, works mechanically
- keeps contents even when computer is switched off (non volatile)
What is memory
- holds the data and instructions that the computer is using whilst it is on and working
- electronic
- fast to access
- needs power to keep its contents (volatile)
What is RAM?
- Random Access Memory
(measured in Gigabytes GB, speed measured in Mega hertz/giga hertz)
List some characteristics of RAM
- Volatile, meaning it loses its contents when the power is turned off.
- RAM is used to store data that the CPU needs to access quickly.
- It allows for both reading and writing of data.
- More RAM generally means better performance, especially for multitasking.
What is ROM?
- Read Only Memory
- Holds the programs that control the basic hardware of the computer
List some characteristics of ROM
- Non-volatile, meaning it retains data even when the power is off.
- ROM typically stores firmware or software that rarely changes.
- Less costly than the RAM.
- It is easy to test the ROM.
- Generally slower than RAM but faster than a hard drive.
- Data in ROM is “read-only” and not easily modified.
What is Cache?
- High speed RAM, placed between CPU and RAM
- Can be accessed faster than RAM
- Used to enhance the performance of frequently or often accessed data.
- Very small capacity
Define HDD
Hard Disk Drive
- Non-volatile
- Magnetic storage device
- Internal HDD’s plug into motherboard
- Needs to be fragmented
- Has moving parts
- Slow
- Cheap
- Large capacity
Define SSD
Solid-state drive
- Non-volatile
- Electrical storage
- Internal SSD’s plug into motherboard
- No moving parts
- Fast
- Expensive
- Limited Capacity
Define DVD
Digital Versatile Disc OR Digital Video Disc
- Optical
- Slower than HDD/SSD.
What is the CPU, and what are cores?
Central Processing Unit - The brain of the computer, processes instructions
Core: a single processing unit within the CPU that can execute instructions
- Multiple cores enable multitasking
Difference between online storage and cloud computing:
Online storage - only involves storing files online
Cloud computing - actual programs run on a server on the internet, and you access them through your web browser
List popular backup strategies
- Flash drives
- Portable hard drives
- online backup servces
*NOTE
it must be easy to make a backup, and to restore the data from the backup
What is formatting
- preparing a disk to store data
- now and then, you may need to reformat a disk
What is disk scanning and disk fragmentation?
- Utility software
- Fixes problems on hard drives, SSD’s and flash drives by running a disk scanner
- Checks a drive for erros and bad sectors
- Files get scattered on a disk–slows down computer
- Defragmentation– a utility that puts the parts of files back together again–SPEEDS UP COMPUTER
