System Memory Flashcards
Cache
- High-speed memory
- Inside the processor
- Small amount of space
- Extremely fast
Storage
4
- Mass storage device that holds more data
- slower than a cache
- HD, USB drive, CD, DVD, etc.
- Mass storage (Permanent storage)
Disk Cache
- Pulls the files from the disc into memory and replaces the old file
- put them back on mass storage when your done
- Allows quicker operations
RAM
8
Random Access Memory (RAM)/ System Memory/ Memory
- Temporary Storage (Non-persistent storage)
- When you power off the computer everything in RAM will be lost
- Operates fast
- Ex: Desktop is like RAM where everything is easily accessible (Pens, note pads,etc.)and your storage cabinet is like mass storage
- Solid state device
- operating speed is in Nano seconds
- by increasing RAM you can speed up your system
Mechanical system
1
- Uses an electronic system that can access the RAM with instant speed
Addressing memory
2/ Like home
- Processor reaching for the files inside RAM
- Data is given a unique identifier to be able to locate it within the memory
Bus
- A pathway to transfer data
- There are two parts of the bus
1. The pathway used for data and to send & receive information
2. Address pathway to help determine where in the memory it’s located - width of the data pathway/of the bus this is going to determine how much data can be transferred with each clock cycle (64 it, 32 bit
Memory controller
1
- Tells the CPU and processor how to access different parts of the memory
32 bit CPU (x86 CPU)
5
- Can only use 32-bit address to access data over that memory bus
- 4 billion address locations (4GB of data)
- 2^32
- x86 or 32 bit processor you can only use 4GB of RAM
- Memory is a huge limitation b/c most modern operating systems use a minimum of 4GB of RAM (Memory) to operate sufficiently
64 bit CPU (x64 CPU)
6
- Can use 64-bit address to access data over that memory bus
184 quintillion address locations (16 Exabytes (EB) of data) - 2^64
- Most systems don’t use and is expensive, not enough space
- Can access more than 4 GB of RAM (Memory)(8,16, 32, or 64GB)
- better to use over 32 bit b/c more RAM (More RAM = better performance)
Memory modules
7
- Type of memory is going to be determined by the motherboard and it’s form factor
- Best practice is to check your motherboard manual for the proper type, size, keying (fit), and speed of memory (If it supports 16 GB you can use 4, 8, or 16 GB modules) (Can only use what your form factor supports
- Some motherboards memory module allow you to mix sizes (8 GB in slot one and 4 GB in slot 2)
- motherboard will use the slower speed of the modules used (Ex: 38. 4 and 51.2 GB/s mother board will operate at the slower speed.
- always buy in pairs
- some require require memory modules to be the same size (Capacity 4, 8, 16 GB)
- memory modules vary by type
Single bank
1
- Can put any size of module in any slot
Paired bank
1
a set of two memory modules that are installed in the same channel of a computer’s motherboard to work together in dual-channel mode
DDR
Double data rate
-each one will not fit into each others slot
Throughput
- Calculated based on the bus speed and the width of the data bus
- Most modern memory is measured in throughput
- EX: if using
- 3:45
DRAM
5
- Dynamic RAM
- Oldest type of memory that requires frequent refreshing
- Requires frequent refresh to make sure it wasn’t lost
- Stores each bit of data in a storage cell (storage cells consists of a capacitor and transistor) and organized in a rectangular configuration of different storage cells
- DRAM storage cell is dynamic meaning it needs to be refreshed or given a new electrical charge every few milliseconds to compensate for the charge leaks otherwise data stored in DRAM will get lost