subject: Information About Computer Memory [print this page] Computer Memory can be defined as any device used for storing data temporarily or permanently for further use by the computer. Information in the memory is basically represented in the form of a binary code, written using 0's and 1's. There are many different types of computer memory, which can be fundamentally classified under two categories depending on the way they function. The memory from which data can only be read is called Read Only Memory (ROM) and the memory from which data can be read as well as written to is called Random Access Memory (RAM).
The RAM and ROM are further classified as DRAM, SRAM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM. There are other types of computer memory apart from these namely Flash Memory, Cache Memory, Virtual Memory, Memory Sticks. The reason for so many different kinds of memory is simply to cut costs. Many modern CPU's run at speeds of about 1 gigahertz, so the solution to provide such high data speeds at low cost is by 'tiering' i.e. to provide a backup of less costly memory of large quantity and use lesser quantity of costly memory. Anyone with basic knowledge on computers would know about the hard disk, which is the cheapest read/write memory and also the most commonly used.
The computer memory is the most important component of the whole set up in a computer since it stores data related to all the other devices and controls them. Fundamentally the functioning of the memory is simple. When the computer is switched ON, the computer loads all the data and input/output system from the ROM. Then the computer loads the OS from the hard drive into the RAM. When any application or file is opened, saved or closed, all the data is stored in the RAM. As we see, the memory essentially performs almost all the core functions of the computer.
