MAIN

MEMORY

MUKESH KR. DAS

CLASS:AS
ID NO.: 015A029

COMPUTER SYSTEM
COMPONENTS
Central
Central Processing
Processing Unit
Unit
Input
Devices

Control
Unit

ALU

Special
Primary
Cache
Purpose
Memory Storage
Processors

Secondary
Storage
Devices
Communication Devices

Output
Output
Devices
Devices

Three levels of memory hierarchy

Principle: the closer the memory is to the CPU, the faster it is.

MAIN MEMORY

Commonly known as random access

memory, or just RAM

Holds instructions and data needed for

programs that are currently running

RAM is usually a volatile type of

memory

Contents of RAM are lost when power

is turned of

Memory is used to store:

i ) instructions to execute a
program and data.
ii) When the computer is doing
any job, the data that have to
be processed are stored in
the primary memory. This
data may come from an input
device like keyboard or from
a secondary storage device
like a floppy disk.

Capacity of Primary
Memory
In computers memory both programs and data are stored in
the binary form
The binary system has only two values (bits ) 0 and 1.
Each of RAMs locations stores one byte ) 8 bits)
(1 kilobyte is 1024 bytes)
(1Megabyte is 1024 kilobytes)
(1 terabyte is 1024 megabytes)
Thus 64 kilobyte (KB) memory is capable of storing
64 X 1024 = 32,767 bytes

Mathematics Department

Each cell of memory contains one character or 1 byte of

data
Primary storage is referred to as random access memory

(RAM) because it is possible to randomly select and use

any location of the memory directly store and retrieve
data. It takes same time to any address of the memory as
the first address.
It is also called read/write memory
The storage of data and instructions inside the primary

storage is temporary.
It disappears from RAM as soon as the power to the

computer is switched of.

The memories, which loose their content on failure of

power supply, are known as volatile memories

PRIMARY MEMORY: RAM AND ROM

RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile (temporary). Programs
and data can be written to and erased from RAM as needed. This
means that RAM does not retain its bit configuration when the
power is turned of, but ROM does
ROM ( Read Only Memory) is nonvolatile (permanent). The
contents in locations in ROM cannot be changed
It holds instructions that run the computer when it is
first turned on (BIOS)
The CPU accesses each location in memory by using a
unique number, called a memory address.

Memory types- RAM

RAM: Random Access Memory
SRAM: static RAM
No need to be refreshed
DRAM: Dynamic RAM
Need to be refreshed periodically
Main memory

SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM)

EDRAM (Enhanced DRAM)
EDO (Extended Data Out)
FLASH RAM
Ferroelectric RAM

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SRAM & DRAM

Read Only Memory

(ROM)
There is another memory in computer, which is called

Read Only Memory (ROM).

The storage of program and data in the ROM is
permanent.
The ROM stores some standard processing programs
supplied by the manufacturers to operate the computer.
The ROM can only be read by the CPU but it cannot be
changed.

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 The basic input/output program is

stored in the ROM that examines and

initializes various equipment attached
to the PC when the switch is made ON.
The memories, which do not loose their
content on failure of power supply, are
known as non-volatile memories.
ROM is non-volatile memory.

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Types OF ROM
PROM is another type of primary memory in computer,

which is called Programmable Read Only Memory

(PROM).
You know that it is not possible to modify or erase
programs stored in ROM, but it is possible for you to
store your program in PROM chip. Once the programs
are written it cannot be changed and remain intact even
if power is switched off.
Programs or instructions written in PROM or ROM
cannot be erased or changed.
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 EPROM: Erasable Programmable Read Only

Memory, which over come the problem of PROM &

ROM.

EPROM chip can be programmed time and again by

erasing the information stored earlier in it.

When the EPROM is in use information can only be

read.

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