Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.

Department of Computer science and Engineering

Branch: - Computer Science & Engg. Class:- III Year
Subject: - C Lab-II Semester:- VIth

Teacher Manual

PRACTICAL NO: 3

AIM: To study different types of memories and semiconductor memories in PC.

THEORY:

In computing, memory refers to the device used to store information use in a computer. It is essential
element of a computer. Without its memory, a computer is hardly any use. Memory plays an important role
in saving and retrieving data. The performance of the computer system depends upon the size of memory

Following are types of memory

Primary Memory/Volatile Memory:

Primary memory is internal memory of the computer. RAM and ROM both are part of primary
memory. It provides main working space to the computer. It is used for storage systems which function at
high speed. Following terms comes under primary memory.

Random Access Memory (RAM):

The primary storage referred to as random access memory because it is possible to randomly select
and use any location of memory directly store and retrieve data. It takes same time to any address of
memory as first address. It also called as the storage of data and instructions inside primary storage is
temporary. It disappears from RAM as soon as power is off. The memories, which lose their content on
failure of power supply, are known as volatile memory. Ie. RAM is volatile memory.

Read Only Memory (ROM):

It is Read Only Memory. The storage of program and data in the ROM is permanent. The ROM can
only be read by CPU but it cannot be changed.

PROM:

There is another type of primary memory in computer, which is called Programmable Read Only
Memory (PROM). Once programs are written it cannot be changed and remain intact even power is
switched off. Therefore programs or instructions written in PROM and ROM cannot be erased or change.

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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering
EPROM:

Erasable programmable Read only Memory, which overcome the problem of PROM and ROM.
EPROM chip can be programmed time and again by erasing the information stored earlier in it.

Cache Memory:

Cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of data from the most frequently used main
memory location. It is connected between the CPU and the main memory. When the processor needs to read
from or write to a location in main memory, it first checks whether a copy of that data is in the cache. If so,
the processor immediately reads from or writes to cache, which is much faster than reading from or writing
to main memory. The CPU uses cache memory to store instructions that are repeatedly required to run
programs, improving overall system speed. Types of cache: L1, L2, L3.

Registers:

The CPU processes data and instructions with high speed; there is also movement of data between
various units of computer. It is necessary to transfer the processed data with high speed. So the computer
uses a number of special memory units called registers. They are not part of the main memory but they store
data or information temporarily and pass it on as directed by the control unit

Secondary Memory:

Secondary is external and permanent in nature. The secondary memory is concerned with magnetic
memory. Secondary memory can be stored on storage media like floppy disks, magnetic tape, this memory
can also be stored optically on optical disks- CD-ROM.

Following are examples of secondary memory:

 Compact Disk/Read Only Memory (CD-ROM).

 Write Once, Read Many (WORM).

 Erasable Optical Disk.

Semiconductor Memory

Semiconductor memory is an electronic data storage device, often used as computer memory,
implemented on a semiconductor-based integrated circuit. It has the property of random access, which
means that it takes same amount of time to access any memory location. It is made in many types and
technologies.

It has the property of random access, which means that it takes the same amount of time to access
any memory location, so data can be efficiently accessed in any random order. This contrasts with data
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 Sipna College of Engineering & Technology, Amravati.
Department of Computer science and Engineering
storage media such as Hard Disks and CDs which read and write data consecutively and therefore data can
only be accessed in the same sequence it was written. For these reason it is used for main computer memory
(Primary storage).

Memory Slot

A memory slot, memory socket, or RAM slot is what allows computer memory (RAM) to be inserted
into the computer. Depending on motherboard, there may be 2 to 4 memory slots and are what determine the
type of RAM used with computer.

Installation of RAM for PC:

1. Find out what type of RAM is required for your desktop computer.

2. Check how many sockets you have for RAM.

3. Browse the options.

4. Make your purchase.

5. Shut down computer.

6. Open your computer case.

7. Discharge any static.

8. Locate your RAM sockets.

9. Remove old RAM (if upgrading)

10. Insert the RAM into the RAM slot.

11. Remove dust using a bottle of compressed air.

12. Close up the computer.

13. Power on computer.

14. Check RAM in window.

15. Run Memtest.

RESULT: Thus, We have studied memories, semiconductor memory and installation of RAM.

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