MAIN MEMORY STORAGE EVALUATION

Volatile: If a storage unit loses data stored in it in case

of power off or interruption of power, it is called
volatile storage.
On the other hand, if a storage unit can retain
data stored in it even in case of power off or
interruption of power, it is called non-volatile storage.
Primary storage units are volatile and
secondary storage units are non-volatile.
Random Access: If the time taken to access a piece of
data from a storage unit is independent of the
location of the data in the storage unit. It is called
random access storage or random access memory.
 MAIN MEMORY ORGANISATION.
Main Memory of a computer system consists of several
small storage areas called locations or cells. Each of these
location can store a fixed number of bits called word length of
the memory.
Each word or location has a built-in and unique number
assigned to it. This number is called address of the location
and is used to identify the location. The first address normally
start at 0 and the highest address equals the number of words
that can be stored in the memory minus 1. For example, if a
memory has 1024 locations, its address ranges between 0
and 1023.
Hence, at address 0 we find a word , at address 1 a
second word, at address 2 a third word, and so on, up to the
final word at the last word.
•A memory is like a large cabinet having as many
drawers as there are addresses in memory. Each drawer
contains a word and address of each word is written on
the drawer. If we write or store a word say 10101010 at
address 125, it is like placing the word 10101010 in the
drawer labeled 125.
•The act of entering data into a storage location is
called memory write operation, and the act of
retrieving data from a storage location is called
memory read operation.
•Hence, read is non-destructive operation, and write is
a destructive operation.
•Main memory Capacity- Main memory capacity of a
computer is defined as number of bytes that can be
stored in its main memory. It started normally in terms
of kilobytes (KB), which is equal to 1024 (210) bytes of
storage, or megabytes (MB), which is equal to
1,048,576 (220) bytes of storage, or gigabytes (GB),
which is equal to 1,073,741,824 (230) bytes of storage.
Therefore, a computer having 2gb of memory is
capable of storing 2 x 1,073,741,824 = 2,147,483,648
bytes of characters.
 MEMORY CHIPS

Volatile and writable Non-Volatile and

read-only

Static Dynamic
(SRAM) (DRAM)
Manufacturer- User Programmed
Programmed (ROM)

PROM EPROM

UVEPROM EEPROM

Various types of memory chips

•RAM chips are of two types – Dynamic RAM and Static
RAM.
•Dynamic RAM (DRAM) – It uses an external circuitry to
periodically “regenerate” or refresh storage charge to
retain the stored data.
•Static RAM(SRAM) – Static RAM does not need any
special regenerator circuit to retain the store data.
•READ ONLY MEMORY (ROM)- A special type of RAM,
called read only memory, is a non-volatile memory chip
in which data is stored permanently. Usually programs
cannot alter this data. In fact, storing data permanently
into this kind of memory is called “burning in of data”.
•ROM are also known as field stores, permanent stores,
or dead store
•There are two type of ROM – Manufacturer-
programmed and user programmed. A Manufacturer-
programmed ROM is one in which data is burnt in by the
manufacturer of the electronic equipment in which it is
used. For example, a personal computer manufacturer
may store the system boot program permanentlyin a
ROM chip located on the motherboard of each PC
Manufacturer by it.
•On the other hand, a user programmed ROM is one in
which a user can load and store “read only programs
and data. That is, it is possible for a user to “customize”
a system by converting his/her programs to micro-
programs and storing them in a user programmed
ROM chips. Such a ROM is known as Programmable
Read Only Memory (PROM) because a user can
program it. Once a user programs a ROM chips, it
become a ROM.
•Erasable Programmble Read Only Memory (EPROM) -
Once information is store in a ROM or PROM chip, a
user cannot alter it. Erasable Programmable Read Only
Memory (EPROM) chip overcomes this problem by
allowing users to reprogram it easily to store new
information.
EPROM are also useful for those applications in which
one may like to store a program in a ROM that would
normally change but under unforseen condition, one may
like to alter it. When an EPROM is in use, the user can
only read the information store in it, and the information
remains in the chip the user erases it.
EPROM are of two types – Ultra Violet EPROM which
required exposing the chip for some time to ultra Violet
light for erasing information stored in it.
Electrically EPROM, which required use of high voltage
electric pulses for erasing information store in it. It is
easier to alter information stored in an EEPROM as
compared to an UVEPROM chip. EEPROM is also known
as Flash memory.
 Secondary Storage Device

Sequential access Direct Access Devices

device

Magnetic
Tape
Optical Disk
Magnetic Disk Memory Storage
CD-ROM DVD device
WORM CD-RW
CD-R
Floppy Hard Flash Drive RAM
disk disk Memory
Card Disk

Zip Disk Winchester

Disk Pack
Disk
•There are two method of accessing information – Sequential or
series access and Direct or Random Access.
A sequential access storage device is one in which arrival at a
desired storaged location is preceded by sequential through other
location so that access time varies according to location. That is we
can retrieve information stored on a sequential access device only
in the same sequence in which in it store.
Magnetic Tape is an example of sequential storage device.
 Direct Access Device are usefulfor such application, which need
to access information in a more direct manner than sequential
access device allow. For example, ina computerize bank, at any
instance, we required to determine the exact balance in a customer
saving bank account.
Magnetic Disks, Optical Disks, and memory storage device
are example of Direct Access Dstorage device.