System Fundamentals Week 3 - CameronProvost/Tech-Journal GitHub Wiki

Memory Overview

Memory and memory systems are vital for the operation of a computer. The two main types of memory are RAM and ROM. RAM is split into Static RAM and Dynamic RAM of which Static RAM is faster but more expensive. On the motherboard most memerot is Dynamic RAM but Static RAM can be found in the processor. RAM works together with the memory on the hard drive to allow the computer to process information.

Planning A Memory Installation

The type and speed of memory that can work with a motherboard is determined by the chipset located on that motherboard. Memory types vary in design and most notably the pin count. If memory has the parity feature it adds parity bits to data to check for mistakes or errors in the data. Some motherboards support both non parity and error correcting code. Memory and chipsets are both constantly changing and improving, getting faster and more efficient as time goes on.

Windows Disk Caching

Virtual memory is using hard drive space as RAM. The amount of hard drive space used is dynamic and it increases and decreases as needed which allows for larger programs to be run. A swap file is hard drive space that is dedicated to work as RAM to run applications.

Monitoring Memory Usage In Windows

Windows has a performance utility program in task manager that monitors memory usage.

Flash Memory

Flash memory is a nonvolatile solid state memory that saves even when the power to the computer goes away. Flash memory is a replacement for the BIOS chip. Flash memory doesn't have to be constantly refreshed or have to have constant power like SRAM and DRAM. Flash drives can also be used as flash memory.

Memory Management handout

Memory is vital to the running of computers and programs so making space and organizing data in memory is the first priority. This is achieved through partitioning, segmentation, and virtual memory. Paging is when memory is divided into equal parts so data can be spread out equally.

Process Management handout

Computers run on processes that require the work of many components like the CPU, memory, and I/O devices. The operating system is responsible for all things when it comes to processes. It's in charge of making, organizing, and executing the processes. Process management consists of creation, termination, scheduling, dispatching, synchronization, and handling of processes. The five states of a process are executing, waiting, blocked, suspended, and ready. Threads are independently scheduled parts of processes. Threads allow for the sharing of resources and improve efficiency.

Have you ever had issues with a program using excessive amounts of memory or disk space and slowing down your computer? If so, how did you identify and solve the problem? I have had a program do this and to discover it I checked the task manager when my computer was running slowly. I saw that a program was using an unusually large amount of memory and slowing everything down. I was able to close the program and fix the problem.

Talk about your experience with using flash memory (for example, USB flash drives) in the past. Do you think making hard drives out of flash memory rather than spinning disks would be a good decision? (We'll be discussing drives like this in more detail in a couple of weeks!) I always carry a flash usb on me because it is very easy to carry around and very useful and easy to transfer data and programs. I think it is very beneficial to make hard drives out of flash memory because it allows for easy transportation and better efficiency.