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Computer Basics – What’s Inside a Computer? Memory

Glossary, , , ,

Now that we have the base for the computer (motherboard) and the brain of the operation (CPU) covered, let’s see what else is inside a computer.

Memory. In the broad sense of the word, it includes all devices that deal with data storage. In its most used meaning, it refers to the primary storage, a fast but temporary type of data storage that the computer uses to store data from programs currently running in your computer and so forth. It can be accessed in any order regardless of its physical location within its circuits. Hence its name: Random Access Memory or RAM.

Secondary storage is also referred to as mass storage. In its most common form, it can be the computer’s hard disk drive, or its compact disk (CD) or digital video disk (DVD) drive. It can store bigger amounts of data than the primary storage, but the data access and transfer times are much slower.

Smart readers will have noticed that these two forms of data storage are complementary, i.e. one has speed but low capacity, and the other capacity but slow speed. This is why they both exist in a computer. All the programs, all the files, documents, pictures, videos, etc. are stored in the secondary data storage device. As needed, the CPU calls for certain data needed for the execution of a program and the data gets transferred into the primary data storage device, where it’s readily available for immediate use without slowing down the computer due to slow access times. Generally speaking, once the computer is done with the data in the primary storage device, it flushes it from it, and writes anything that needs to be kept for future use to the secondary data storage device.

The above oversimplified cycle is, in a nutshell, what the computer is doing when operating. The computer CPU operates on data – it gets the data from the mass storage device and stores it temporarily in the faster storage device – it uses the data to perform its calculations and execute programs – it writes to the mass storage device the results of its calculations and programs execution that need to be stored for future use.

There is only one other thing the computer does, and that is sending data to other devices. That will be the subject of the next few articles.

Memory

Glossary

Memory is the part of a computer system that stores data. Since all computers really do is handle data, memory plays an important role in it.

The amount of memory a computer can store and the speed with which the data can be stored/retrieved dictate a good part of the computer’s power. While there is more than one kind of memory, for the purpose of this definition we’re referring to the physical memory used by the computer to store and retrieve information during the time programs are running. This memory is known as RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory.

Typically a computer’s memory can be or should be upgraded (replaced with bigger memory circuits) at low cost to a consumer.

Why would you want to do that? Without getting technical, if a computer is using most of its physical memory, it will be heavily using the paging file, a big file in the hard disk used as memory. Access times to the hard disk are much slower than to the RAM, and thus when the computer needs to read and write to the memory, it slows down considerably.

That’s why the solution most usually suggested is to increase the amount of RAM.  The other side of the coin would be to ensure that useless programs (we call these bloatware) are not running, as they consume memory but do not necessarily add anything to the computer’s performance.

While upgrading your memory or getting rid of bloatware can be a relatively easy task, it is best done by a professional who knows what they’re doing while performing such tasks in your computer.  This is for a few reasons.  First, choosing the wrong type of memory can result in incompatibility issues, wasting valuable time and potentially damaging the unit. Attempting to remove bloatware without understanding your systems fully can potentially remove wrong applications “ some of which may be vitally needed for the computer to operate at all.
 
If you can see this could be a problem you are running into, feel free to let me know.  The professionals in my office can take a look and suggest the proper direction you should take to handle your specific situation.