PC Fast Fix

I had an interesting email from Jane in London after most post yesterday regarding a few terms she had heard about but had no idea what they stood for. Jane asked me what exactly RAM and ROM stood for, and what do they mean? Well here you are Jane;

RAM (Random access memory) is a type of computer data storage. It takes the form of integrated circuits that allow the stored data to be accessed in any order, i.e. at random. The word random thus refers to the fact that any piece of data can be returned in a constant time, regardless of its physical location and whether or not it is related to the previous piece of data.

This contrasts with storage mechanisms such as tapes, magnetic discs and optical discs, which rely on the physical movement of the recording medium or a reading head. In these devices, the movement takes longer than the data transfer, and the retrieval time varies depending on the physical location of the next item.

ROM (Read-only memory) is a class of storage media used in computers and other electronic devices. Because data stored in ROM cannot be modified (at least not very quickly or easily), it is mainly used to distribute firmware (software that is very closely tied to specific hardware, and unlikely to require frequent updates).

In its strictest sense, ROM refers only to mask ROM (the oldest type of solid state ROM), which is fabricated with the desired data permanently stored in it, and thus can never be modified.

I hope that clears up some RAM and ROM issues you have Jane.

Tags: PC Error Repair // Add Comment »