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Primary Storage Devices

Bistable circuits can store binary digits and are used widely in computer integrated circuits. ROM is loaded with permanent data and programs during manufacturing and can only be read by the computer. PROM can be programmed once after manufacturing to hold permanent information. EPROM can be programmed multiple times and erases data when exposed to UV light. RAM is used for main memory and can be both read and written but loses its contents when power is turned off.

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221 views

Primary Storage Devices

Bistable circuits can store binary digits and are used widely in computer integrated circuits. ROM is loaded with permanent data and programs during manufacturing and can only be read by the computer. PROM can be programmed once after manufacturing to hold permanent information. EPROM can be programmed multiple times and erases data when exposed to UV light. RAM is used for main memory and can be both read and written but loses its contents when power is turned off.

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Oumotia
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© © All Rights Reserved
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PRIMARY STORAGE DEVICES

Bistable:- A bistable circuit or flip-flop is a simple electronic circuit that remains


in one of two stable states until it receives a pulse (logic 1 signal) through one of
its inputs, upon which it switches, or `flips´, over to the other state. Because it is a
two-state device, it can be used to store binary digits and is widely used in the
integrated circuits used to build computers.

ROM (Read-Only Memory):- memory device in the form of an integrated circuit


(chip), frequently used in microcomputers. ROM chips are loaded with data and
programs during manufacture. They can be read but not written to by the computer.
However, the contents of the chips are not lost when the power is switched off.
ROM is used to form a computer's permanent store of vital information, or of
programs that must be readily available but protected from accidental or deliberate
change by a user. For example, a programmable calculator will contain ROM to
hold the instructions for performing the standard mathematical functions such as
sin , cos and tan which never change.

PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory):- A memory device in the form of


an integrated circuit (chip) that can be programmed after manufacture to hold
information permanently. PROM chips are empty of information when
manufactured but can be programmed once.

EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory):- Computer memory


device in the form of an integrated circuit (chip) that can record data and retain it
indefinitely. The data can be erased by exposure to ultraviolet light, and new data
recorded. EPROM can be programmed many times.

RAM (Random-Access Memory):- A memory device in the form of a collection


of integrated circuits (chips), frequently used as the Main Memory in computers.
RAM chips can be both read from and written to by the computer, but their
contents are lost when the power is switched off. Many modern commercial
programs require a great deal of RAM to work efficiently. The 64 megabytes (MB)
of RAM with which most computers are sold with may not be enough: 64 MB is a
minimum recommendation, and 128 or 256 MB, if you can afford it.

UNITS OF STORAGE
Bit:- Binary Digit. The smallest unit of data storage holds 1 or 0.

Byte:- Usually 8 bits. Bytes are a useful unit because 1 byte can store 1 character.

Word and wordsize:- A word is usually 4 Bytes or 32 bits. It is convenient for a


computer to use a word to hold numbers. This is where the term 32-bit machine
comes from.
Kilobyte:- Some people think this is a 1000 but in the world of computers a
kilobyte is 1024 bytes. This is because 1024 is 2 10 or 2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2.
Think about a kilobyte as 1024 characters or 10 pages of a typical book.

Megabyte:- 1024 Kilobytes or 1,048,576 bytes or 2 20. That is enough storage to


hold 100 books full of characters.

Gigabyte:- 1024 Megabytes or 1,073,741,824 bytes or 2 30. That is a room full of


books.

Terabyte:- 1024 Gigabytes or 1,099,511,627,776 or 240. That’s a whole lot of


books.

Location, Address and Content.

Location:- each word is located in memory. These are known as memory


locations.

Address:- every memory location has an address so that it can be accessed.

Address content:- the contents of the memory location at the given address.

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