pctechguide.com

  • Home
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • Glossary
  • Contact

RAM or Main Memory – PC / computer memory (DIMM, DRAM, SDRAM)

A PC’s third and principal level of system memory is referred to as main memory, or Random Access Memory (RAM). It is an impermanent source of data, but is the main memory area accessed by the hard disk. It acts, so to speak, as a staging post between the hard disk and the processor. The more data it is possible to have available in the RAM the faster the PC will run.

Main memory is attached to the processor via its address and data buses. Each bus consists of a number of electrical circuits or bits. The width of the address bus dictates how many different memory locations can be accessed, and the width of the data bus how much information is stored at each location. Every time a bit is added to the width of the address bus, the address range doubles. In 1985, Intel’s 386 processor had a 32-bit address bus, enabling it to access up to 4GB of memory. The Pentium processor – introduced in 1993 – increased the data bus width to 64-bits, enabling it to access 8 bytes of data at a time.

Each transaction between the CPU and memory is called a bus cycle. The number of data bits a CPU is able to transfer during a single bus cycle affects a computer’s performance and dictates what type of memory the computer requires. By the late 1990s, most desktop computers were using 168-pin DIMMs, which supported 64-bit data paths.

Main memory is built up using DRAM chips, short for Dynamic RAM. DRAM has been developed over the years on two main fronts: to be more compact, and to be faster to access. These developments are explored in the following pages of memory section – see the menu below.

  • What is Level 1 (L1) Cache Memory?
  • What is L2 (Level 2) cache memory?
  • RAM or Main Memory – PC / computer memory (DIMM, DRAM, SDRAM)
  • DRAM – Dynamic Random Access Memory
  • FPM DRAM
  • EDO (Extended Data Out) and BEDO (Burst Extended Data Out) DRAM
  • SDRAM
  • PC133 SDRAM
  • DDR SDRAM explained
  • DDR2 DRAM
  • Dual Channel DDR Memory
  • 1T SRAM
  • Direct DRAM
  • SIMMs
  • DIMM Memory
  • RIMMs Memory
  • Memory Presence Detection
  • Parity Memory
  • ECC Memory
  • Memory Upgrades
  • The Evolution of Memory
  • Flash Memory
  • Magnetic RAM

Filed Under: Computer Memory Tagged With: address bus, computer memory, computer RAM, data bus, main memory, memory bus, PC RAM

Latest Articles

DVD+RW

Consistent with the bickering that had dogged DVD since its inception, the DVD-RAM specification was a compromise between two different proposals by the principal protagonists - the Hitachi, Matsushita Electric and Toshiba grouping and the … [Read More...]

CDR-RW UDF File System

The ISO 9660 standard, which has been applicable for CD-ROMs since their inception, has certain limitations which make it inappropriate for DVD, CD-RW and other new disc formats. The UDF (Universal Disc Format) ISO 13346 standard is … [Read More...]

Voice Modems

Voice modems are part of the current communications convergence trend - the merging of voice, data, fax, and even video - which is affecting all aspects of data communications. Consider the Internet, originally a file transfer system, which is … [Read More...]

Streamline Startup Operations with Virtual Data Rooms

Modern startup projects that we see in the business cluster today are more than just a brilliant idea of a potentially successful project at the … [Read More...]

The Importance of Data Security in Retail IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the retail industry by connecting physical stores with digital platforms, enabling smart inventory … [Read More...]

Review of Temu From Purchaser and Affiliate

Temu is a relatively new online shopping platform that has quickly gained popularity, especially among Gen Z shoppers. It is known for its ultra-cheap … [Read More...]

Avoid Data Breaches Caused by Weak Passwords

Weak passwords are a common cause of data breaches and security vulnerabilities. Weak passwords make it easier for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized … [Read More...]

20 Cool Pictures of Silicon Valley You’re Sure to Love

Silicon Valley, a name synonymous with innovation and technological prowess, is a place where dreams and ideas come to life. Nestled in the heart of … [Read More...]

13 Funky Images of Laptops

In our digital age, laptops have become our faithful companions, indispensable tools for work, leisure, and everything in between. They've evolved … [Read More...]

Guides

  • Computer Communications
  • Mobile Computing
  • PC Components
  • PC Data Storage
  • PC Input-Output
  • PC Multimedia
  • Processors (CPUs)

Recent Posts

Tips on How to Land a Remote Job in Cyber Security

The demand for skilled cyber security professionals is growing as well as a number of threats and risks. Any company needs an expert or team to … [Read More...]

Creating Color

Creating colour accurately on paper has been one of the major areas of research in colour printing. Like monitors, … [Read More...]

Planning for Proper VoIP Deployment

Voice over IP, or VoIP, is becoming more popular as companies are leveraging its ability to reduce costs and ease of deployment. The technology allows … [Read More...]

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 About | Privacy | Contact Information | Wrtie For Us | Disclaimer | Copyright License | Authors