Computer Memory

Computer Memory
Computer Memory
• Computer Memory is a device which stores information that is
currently being utilized/used by the operating system, Application
software, hardware devices. Etc.
Types of computer memory
• There are two types of computer memory.
• Primary memory/main memory
• Secondary memory
Primary memory/Main memory
•The Primary storage unit (main memory) hold data and instructions
between processing steps and supplies them to the CU and ALU during
processing.
•All data and programs must be placed into main memory before they
can be processed.
•The primary storage unit consists of microelectronic semiconductor
memory chips. This includes RAM (random access memory) for
loading programs and data before execution, and ROM (read only
memory) for permanent programs that are supplied with the computer.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
•RAM: Is the main memory space of your computer which is
considered as temporary or volatile memory, this means that the
contents of RAM are lost when the Computer power is turned off.
•The RAM is the workspace of your computer. If your computer has
more RAM, it can open more and larger programs and documents
simultaneously.
•The documents you are currently editing, typing, formatting, and the
programs your computer is using are stored in the RAM. Note: RAM
capacity is expressed in ―Megabytes‖ (MB)
RAM
•.
Characteristics of RAM
• It is located near the CPU and hence store data immediately after CPU
processes them.
• RAM is a primary storage.
• RAM is a volatile storage.
• RAM has little storage capacity.
• RAM is a temporary storage.
• RAM has high speed compared to ROM
• RAM is electrically dependent
Read Only Memory
•ROM: Is non- volatile memory; this means that the contents of ROM
are not lost when the computer power is turned off. So ROM stores data
permanently. Data stored in ROM cannot be altered easily; since it was
created by the manufacturer of the computer.
•ROM has low speed compared to RAM.
Characteristics of ROM
• ROM stores data permanently
• ROM is non-volatile storage
• ROM has low speed compared to RAM
• Data stored in ROM can not be altered easly.
Differences between Main memory and
secondary memory
primary memory Secondary memory
• Fast • Slow
• Low capacity • Large capacity
• Works directly with the • Not connected directly to the
processor processor
• Store data temporarily • Store data permanently
• It is electrically dependent • It is not electrically dependent
Secondary Memory
•Secondary storage is used for long term (permanent) storage of data and
programs. The use of secondary storage devices such as magnetic disks
and optical disks greatly enlarge the storage capacities of computer
systems.
•Before the contents of secondary storage can be processed, they must be
brought into the primary (main) storage unit.
•Secondary memory is where programs and data are kept on a long-
term basis. Examples of secondary memory are HDD,CD‘s, Flash disk.
•When you save your work, it does not go into ROM, it goes to the other
storage devices like HDD.
Standard unit of measuring computer
storage capacity
• Bit: This is the smallest unit of measuring computer storage capacity
and size. A bit is a single 0 or 1.
• Byte: This is a group of 8 bits. It is equal to one character.
• A character is a letter, number or symbol that can be typed on a
keyboard.
• Nibble: This is a group of 4 bits. It is a half a byte.
• Kilobyte (KB): This consists of 1024 bytes, approximately 1000bytes.
1KB is about 140 words.
Cont’d
• Megabyte(MB): This consists of 1024 kilobytes (about 1000KB).
• One megabyte equals about 1,000,000 bytes
• 1MB equals about 500 pages of text, or one large book.
• Gigabyte (GB): It consists of 1024 megabytes (about 1,000,000,000
bytes)
• One gigabyte equals about 1000 MB
• One gigabyte equals about 1,000,000 KB
• One gigabytes equals about 1,000,000,0000 bytes
• 1GB equals over 1,000 books of text.
Storage capacity management
• 1 Byte = 8 Bits
• 1 Character = 1 Bytes
• 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1024 Bytes
• 1 Kilobyte = 1024 Character
• 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1024 KB
• 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1024 MB
• 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1024 (GB)
• 1 Petabyte (PB) = 1024 TB

Computer Memory

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