RAM & ROM

Prepare By:
Umber Ismail
Memory is required in computers to store data and
instructions.
Memory is physically organized as a large number of cells
that are capable of storing one bit each.
Logically they are organized as groups of bits that are
assigned an address.
Data and instructions are accessed through
these memory address.
The speed with which these memory addresses can be
accessed determines the cost of the memory.
Faster the memory speed, higher the price.
Computer memory can be said to be organized in a
hierarchical way where memory with the fastest access
speeds and highest costs lies at the top whereas those
with lowest speeds and hence lowest costs lie at the
bottom.
Based on this criteria memory is of main two types.
Main two types are;
Primary Memory
Secondary Memory
Although Cache consider as a Memory, it is an
intermediate memory. So it doesn't group as a Main type
of Memory.
Primary Memory
Primary memory is computer memory that a processor
or computer accesses first or directly.
It allows a processor to access running execution
applications and services that are temporarily stored in a
specific memory location.
Primary memory is also known as primary storage or
main memory.
Primary memory is considered faster than secondary
memory.
As soon as a computer starts, primary memory loads all
running applications, including the base operating system
(OS), user interface and any user-installed and running
software utility.
A program/application that is opened in primary memory
interacts with the system processor to perform all
application specific tasks.

There are two types of Primary Memory,

RAM

ROM
RAM
Alternatively referred to as main memory, primary
memory, or system memory, Random Access
Memory (RAM) is a hardware device that allows
information to be stored and retrieved on a computer.
 RAM is usually associated with DRAM, which is a type
of memory module.
Because information is accessed randomly instead of
sequentially like it is on a CD or hard drive, the computer
can access the data much faster.
Characteristics of RAM
These are semiconductor memories.
It is known as the main memory.
Volatile memory.
Data is lost in case power is switched off.
It is the working memory of the computer.
Faster than secondary memories.
A computer cannot run without the
primary memory.
As the computer boots, parts of the operating system
and drivers are loaded into memory, which allows
the CPU to process the instructions faster and speeds up
the boot process.
After the operating system has loaded, each program you
open, such as the browser you're using to view this page,
is loaded into memory while it is running.
If too many programs are open the computer
will swap the data in the memory between the RAM and
the hard disk drive.
RAM as we know it today, as solid state memory, was first
invented in 1968 by Robert Dennard.
Known specifically as dynamic random access memory,
or DRAM, transistors were used to store bits of data.
There are two main categories of RAM;
DRAM
SRAM

Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)

DRAM is a type of random-access memory that stores
each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an
integrated circuit.
The capacitor can be either charged or discharged. These
two states are taken to represent the two values of a bit,
conventionally called 0 and 1.
Static random-access memory (static RAM or SRAM)
SRAM is a type of semiconductor memory that
uses bistable latching circuitry (flip-flop) to store each bit.
 SRAM exhibits data remanence, but it is still volatile in the
conventional sense that data is eventually lost when the
memory is not powered.
The term static differentiates SRAM from DRAM which
must be periodically refreshed.
SRAM is faster and more expensive than DRAM; it is
typically used for CPU cache while DRAM is used for a
computer's main memory.
SDRAM
SDRAM, which is short for Single Data RAM or Synchronous
DRAM, is a type of memory that synchronizes itself with the
computer's system clock.
Being synchronized allows the memory to run at higher
speeds than previous memory types and also supports up to
133 MHz system bus cycling.
Since 1993, this has been the prevalent type of memory
used in computers around the world.
In the picture below is an example of a SDRAM.
It was one of the first memory architectures to support
Synchronous Memory architectures and was only known
as SDRAM at its time.
Single Data Rate means that it can transfer one machine
word (16 bits for the x86 architecture) of data during one
clock cycle.
Common SDR memory standards included PC-100 and
PC-133 which ran on clock speeds of 100MHz and
133MHz respectively.
DDR
Short for Double Data Rate, DDR is memory that was first
introduced in 1996 and has since been replaced by DDR2.
DDR utilizes both the rising and falling edge of the system
clock, potentially doubling the speed of the memory.
 Today, DDR technology is found on high-end video
cards and computer memory
DDR improved upon the SDR design by providing double
the data during one clock cycle.
This provided a significant increase in performance over
the traditional architecture.
For marketing purposes, DDR memory clocks have always
been promoted at speeds twice their original value.
 For example, common memory standards for DDR
included DDR-200, DDR-266, DDR-333 and DDR-400
which actually had respective clock speeds of 100MHz,
133MHz, 166MHz and 200MHz.
RDRAM
Short for Rambus Dynamic Random Access
Memory, RDRAM was developed by Rambus and first
became available to computers in 1999.
RDRAM is a memory technology that offers a 1.6 GB/s of
theoretical memory bandwidth and offers improved
memory access at a slightly higher cost when compared
to SDRAM.
After Intel's contract with Rambus expired in 2001, Intel
shifted its focus primarily to DDR SDRAM and today,
RDRAM is not often found in computers.
DDR2
Short for double data rate two, DDR2 is the second
generation of DDR memory that was released in
September of 2003.
DDR2 is capable of operating at greater speeds than DDR,
offers a greater bandwidth potential, operates on less
power, and generates less heat.
Due to architectural differences, DDR2 memory modules
are incompatible with DDR slots.
DDR3
Short for double data rate three, DDR3 is a type of
dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) released in
June of 2007 as the successor to DDR2.
DDR3 chips have bus clock speed of 400 MHz up to 1066
MHz, range in size from 1 to 24 GB, and consume nearly
30% less power than their predecessors.
DDR3 RAM sticks for a desktop computer have 240 pins.
For a laptop computer, DDR3 RAM sticks have 204 pins.
DDR4
Short for double data rate four, DDR4 is a type of system
memory known as SDRAM and was released in
September of 2014 as the successor to DDR3.
DDR4 has bus clock speeds that range from 800 to 1600
MHz and range in storage capacity from 4 to 128 GB
per DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module).
DDR4 is also more efficient at 1.2 V when compared to
DDR3's 1.5 to 1.65 V range.
Difference between DDR1, DDR2 & DDR3
Difference between SDRAM versions….
Difference between DDR3 & DDR4
 ROM
ROM stands for Read Only Memory.
This is a non-volatile type of memory which is
found in computers and other electronics devices.
It is used for storing data permanently.
This type of memory cannot be modified by the
computer but it can be read and therefore it is
known as the read only memory.
It keeps the bootstrap program which runs on it
own when the system is turned on or reset every
time.
Some of the common types of ROM include PROM,
EPROM and EEPROM.
 PROM
It stands for Programmable Read Only
Memory. It was first developed in 70s by
Texas Instruments.
It is made as a blank memory.
A PROM programmer or PROM burner is
required in order to write data onto a PROM
chip.
The data stored in it cannot be modified and
therefore it is also known as one time
programmable device.
 EPROM
It stands for Erasable Programmable
ROM.
It is different from PROM as unlike
PROM the program can be written on
it more than once.
This comes as the solution to the
problem faced by PROM. The bits of
memory come back to 1, when ultra
violet rays of some specific
wavelength falls into its chip’s glass
panel.
The fuses are reconstituted and thus
new things can be written on the
memory.
 EEPROM
It stands for Electrically Erasable Read Only
Memory.
These are also erasable like EPROM, but the
same work of erasing is performed with
electric current.
Thus, it provides the ease of erasing it even if
the memory is positioned in the computer. It
stores computer system’s BIOS.
Unlike EPROM, the entire chip does not have
to be erased for changing some portion of it.
Thus, it even gets rid of some biggest
challenges faced by using EPROMs.
Flash Memory
 The newest form of semiconductor
memory is Flash Memory.
 Like EEPROM, flash memory uses an
Electrical Erasing Technology.
 It is possible to erase just blocks of
memory rather than an entire chip.
 Flash memory is widely used with cell
phones, digital cameras, printers etc.