RAM & ROM
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY
RAM is a part of computer’s Main Memory which is directly accessible by CPU. RAM is used to Read
and Write data into it which is accessed by CPU randomly. RAM is volatile in nature, it means if the
power goes off, the stored information is lost. RAM is used to store the data that is currently
processed by the CPU.
Integrated RAM chips are available in two form:
1.SRAM (Static RAM)
2.DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
STATIC MEMORIES (SRAM)
The SRAM memories consist of circuits capable of retaining the stored information as long as the
power is applied. That means this type of memory requires constant power. SRAM memories are
used to build Cache Memory.
SRAM Memory Cell: Static memories (SRAM) are memories that consist of circuits capable of
retaining their state as long as power is on. Thus, this type of memories is called volatile memories.
DYNAMIC RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY (DRAM)
DRAM stores the binary information in the form of electric charges that applied to capacitors. The
stored information on the capacitors tend to lose over a period of time and thus the capacitors must
be periodically recharged to retain their usage. Though SRAM is very fast, but it is expensive because
of its every cell requires several transistors. Relatively less expensive RAM is DRAM, due to the use
of one transistor and one capacitor in each cell.
Types of DRAM:
1. Asynchronous DRAM (ADRAM)
2. Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
3. Double-Data-Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM)
4. Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)
5. Cache DRAM (CDRAM)
DRAM has higher access time, so it is slower than SRAM and is less costly than SRAM. SRAM
requires constant power supply, which means this type of memory consumes more power
and DRAM offers reduced power consumption, due to the fact that the information is
stored in the capacitor. Large storage capacity is available in DRAM. DRAM has higher
packing density than SRAM.
READ ONLY MEMORY (ROM)
ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot
write on it. This type of memory is non-volatile. The information is stored permanently in
such memories during manufacture. A ROM stores such instructions that are required to
start a computer. This operation is referred to as bootstrap. ROM chips are not only used in
the computer but also in other electronic items like washing machine and microwave oven.
TYPES OF ROM :
-PROM: Programmable ROM, or PROM, is essentially a blank version of ROM that you can
purchase and program once with the help of a special tool called a programmer. A blank
PROM chip allows current to run through all possible pathways; the programmer chooses a
pathway for the current by sending a high voltage through the unwanted fuses to “burn”
them out. Static electricity can create the same effect by accident, so PROMs are more
vulnerable to damage than conventional ROMs.
-EPROM: Erasable Programmable ROM chips allow you to write and rewrite them many
times. These chips feature a quartz window through which a specialized EPROM
programmer emits a specific frequency of ultraviolet light. This light burns out all the tiny
charges in the EPROM to reopen its circuits. This exposure effectively renders the chip blank
again, after which you can reprogram it according to the same process as a PROM. EPROM
chips will eventually wear out, but they frequently have lifetimes of over 1000 erasures.
-EEPROM: To modify an Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM chip, apply localized
electrical fields to erase and rewrite the data. EEPROMs have several advantages over other
types of ROM. Unlike the earlier forms, you can rewrite EEPROM without dedicated
equipment, without removing it from the hardware, and in specifically designated
increments. You don’t have to erase and rewrite everything to make a single edit.
