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Am I RAM. Or am I ROM?. I contain the operating System, programs and data that is Being used. . An average laptop Has around 4GB of me. I contain the boot program. I’m small. Only around 1 or 2 MB. My content changes all the time. I’m non-volatile. I’m volatile. I’m read-only.
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Am I RAM Or am I ROM?
I contain the operating System, programs and data that is Being used. An average laptop Has around 4GB of me I contain the boot program I’m small. Only around 1 or 2 MB My content changes all the time I’m non-volatile I’m volatile I’m read-only
Lesson Objectives • explain the need for virtual memory • describe cache memory • describe flash memory
HP Desktop Computer • 6MB Cache • 8GB RAM £500
Cache Memory • Cache memory is memory that is located on the processor itself and is used to make the computer faster. • The cache memory acts as a buffer between the CPU and the RAM.
Cache Memory The CPU request data If the data is not in the Cache It requests the data from the RAM CPU Cache RAM Data copied to the Cache Data sent to CPU If the CPU then requests the same piece of data again, it will already be stored in the cache. This makes the process quicker as it does not have to go to the RAM
The transfer between the cache memory and the main processor is much faster than the transfer between the RAM and the cache memory. • When the processor tries to fetch the data again, it first checks whether the data is already in the cache memory. If it is, then the data is fetched from the cache memory and not from the RAM. This way, by storing the data that is fetched most often so that it does not need to be fetched from the RAM, the cache memory makes the whole system a lot faster. • The larger the cache memory, the more the improvement in performance will be. For this reason, modern processors include up to 8 MB or more of cache memory.
Why don’t we always use the cache for everything? • Because it’s much more expensive. • This is why you often have a small cache compared to the amount of RAM
Running out of RAM? • Have you ever been using a computer and the message “You are low on virtual memory, please close some applications”?
Virtual Memory • When there is not enough RAM to deal with all the demands on the computer it will use a section of the hard disk as a temporary store. This is called VIRTUAL MEMORY. • The computer can take some programs out of the RAM and store them in a reserved part of the hard drive which frees up some RAM that can be now be used to open more programs. • When any of the programs that have been transferred to the hard disk are needed again, they need to be transferred back into the RAM before they can be used
Virtual Memory space on hard disk Total memory in use Hard disk RAM
Virtual Memory • Virtual memory is not a permanent solution. • The time taken to access the hard disk on a computer is significantly longer than that required to access RAM. • If a computer is having to move data between the hard disk and RAM constantly, it will slow down the computer significantly
How can you speed up your computer? • Exit some programs • Add extra RAM to allow more programs to run
Flash Memory • Flash memory is used as a removable form of memory. • How many different types of removable memory can you think of? • USB memory stick • Memory cards in cameras, phones • Mini and Micro SD cards