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Культура Документы
• What is RAM?
• About RAM types
• About SIMM
• DIMM
• PC100 RAM
• Rambus
What is RAM?
RAM is our working memory storage. All the data, which the
PC uses and works with during operation, are stored here.
Data are stored on drives, typically the hard drive.
However, for the CPU to work with those data, they must be
read into the working memory storage, which is made up of
RAM chips. To examine RAM, we need to look at the
following:
First, let us look back in time. Not too many years ago,
Bill Gates said, that with 1 MB RAM, we had a memory
capacity, which would never be fully utilized. That turned
out to be untrue.
Historical review
Back in the 80's, PC's were equipped with RAM in quantities
of 64 KB, 256 KB, 512 KB and finally 1 MB. Around 1990,
advanced operating systems, like Windows, appeared on the
market, that started the RAM race. The PC needed more and
more RAM. That worked fine with the 386 processor, which
could address larger amount of RAM. The first Windows
operated PC's could address 2 MB RAM, but 4 MB soon became
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RAM types
The traditional RAM type is DRAM (dynamic RAM). The other
type is SRAM (static RAM). SRAM continues to remember its
content, while DRAM must be refreshed every few
milliseconds. DRAM consists of micro capacitors, while SRAM
consists of off/on switches (flip-flops). Therefore, SRAM
can respond much faster than DRAM.
DRAM is by far the cheapest to build. Newer and faster DRAM
types are developed continuously. Currently, there are at
least four types:
RAM speeds
RAM speed is measured in ns (nano seconds). The fewer ns,
the faster is the RAM. Years ago, RAM came in 120, 100 and
80 ns. Today, we are talking about 60 ns and faster. It
becomes complicated to describe the relationship between
RAM speed and the ability of the system bus to utilize fast
RAM.
SIMM's
SIMM modules were first made in 8 bit editions. They were
small cards with 1, 2 or 4 MB RAM. They were connected to
the system board with a 30 pin edge connector. The modules
were 8 bit wide. This meant that 16 bit processors (286 and
386SX) needed 2 SIMM's in a pair. Thus, there was room for
two modules in what is called a bank. 32 bit processors
(386DX and 486) need 4 of the small 8 bit SIMM's in a bank,
since their banks are 32 bit wide. So, on a typical 1st
generation 486 system board, you could install 4 X 1 MB, 4
X 2 MB, or 4 X 4 MB in each bank. If you only had one bank
(with room for 4 modules), it was expensive to increase the
RAM, because you had to discard the old modules.
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32 bit modules
With the advent of the 486 processor, demand increased for
more RAM. Then the larger 32 bit modules came into use. A
486 system board could still have 4 SIMM sockets, but when
the modules were 32 bit wide, they could be installed one
at a time. This was quite ingenious. You could add
different types of modules and still use the old ones.
Also, since the 486 system board ran at only 33 MHz on the
system bus, the RAM module quality was not so critical. You
could mix 60 ns and 70 ns modules of different brands
without problems.
DIMM's
The latest RAM type, SDRAM are made in 64 bit wide modules
called DIMM's. They have a 168 pin edge connector. They fit
only in the newer system boards. The 82430 VX and TX chip
sets can control SDRAM, as well as the LX and BX chip sets
do. Since the DIMM modules are 64 bits wide, you can
install one module at a time. They are available in 8, 16,
32, 64, 128 and 256 MB, with 8, 10, and 12 ns speed. There
are usually three DIMM sockets on a system board.
The advantage of SDRAM is increased speed. That allows you
to increase system bus speed. With 60 ns EDO-RAM, you can
run at a maximum of 75 MHZ on the system bus, while SDRAM
speed can increase to at least 100 MHZ. Some system boards
have both SIMM and DIMM sockets. The idea is that you can
choose between reuse EDO RAM in the SIMM sockets, or
install SDRAM in the DIMM sockets. They are not designed to
mix RAM types although it works at some boards.
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PC100 RAM
The newest DIMM-modules include a EPROM-chip holding
information about the module. This chip works as a SPD
(Serial Presence Detect) - a unit storing information about
the RAM type. The idea is that BIOS can read these
information and this way tune the system bus and the
timings for a perfect CPU-RAM performance. With BX chip set
the system bus speed has come up to 100 MHZ. This puts new
focus on the quality of the RAM modules. Hence Intel has
made a new standard called PC100. Only SD-RAM modules that
are constructed according to these standards are guaranteed
to work at 100 MHZ. In some articles this new RAM is
described at 125 MHZ SD-RAM.
Rambus RDRAM
It is a advanced technology from an American company, who
sells the technology to other chip manufactories for just
2% in license... And since Intel supports the RDRAM, they
are going to be rich. Data is read in packets at a very
high clock speed. 600 MHZ works fine, and GigaHertz will
follow. We can drop the L2-cache if it works. The RDRAM
chips have to be placed very close to the CPU to reduce
radio noise.