How does computer memory work?
December 23rd, 2007 | by computermemory |
stelcha asked:
How does the ROM, RAM, CMOS and such store memory without using moving parts? I can understand how a head on a tape recorder can read and write on a tape that moves across it, but without any moving parts in computer memory I find it hard to understand the process.
GASTON
How does the ROM, RAM, CMOS and such store memory without using moving parts? I can understand how a head on a tape recorder can read and write on a tape that moves across it, but without any moving parts in computer memory I find it hard to understand the process.
GASTON
3 Responses to “How does computer memory work?”
By Paultech on Dec 25, 2007 | Reply
u can goto
and read how it works.
By Jessica H on Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
The hard disk is a round stainless steel magnet, looks sorta like a CD but smooth and shiny. Binary code is transfered from the input to the disk in a series of 1’s or 0’s magnetically or by laser. The hard drive is partitioned like slices of a pie, some files can be moved and some can’t but all files are in Binary Code like on the Matrix Movie. Series of 111100, 110000, 100001 all mean different things in this code but the computers memory address is able to keep track of everything at a very fast speed. Sort of like a LP Record but magnetically or using light.
By John A on Jan 1, 2008 | Reply
As you may know computers are binary, which means every memory location is either a 1 or a 0. What this means is that the circuitry for that memory location is either above a minimum voltage (say 2.5 volts) which makes it a 1, or it is below that voltage (probably about 0 volts), which makes it a 0.
To answer your question, computers use solid state circuitry, which basically means they use transistors. Transistors are able to switch between 0 and 1 very quickly, but are also able to hold their current voltage until they are forced to change it. So when your computer “reads” from memory, it is just testing for the voltage levels of each individual memory location.