• The contents of this

lecture
have been taken
fro these Computer
books:
Science

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Memory / Data Storage

• What is Memory Storage Device?

• a Computer Hardware that is used to

g store data in it. There are three basic ,
types of memory devices:

• Prima Storage
• Seconda Storage

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Primary Storage

• What is Prima
Storage?
• Primary storage is irectly accessed the ,°
CP '

Topic 03 — Hardware
Random Access Memory
(RAM)
 Random Access Memory (RAM)

Q. What is a RAM? Why is it used?

• RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is a

primary memory.

Following are the features of a RAM:

• It is a temporary (volatile) memory.
• Data can be written into and read from the
RAM.
• It is used to store data, files or files of the
operating
Topic 03 — Hardware
system that are currently running on a
Computer.
 Random Access Memory
(RAM)

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Random Access Memory
(RAM)
How many types of RAM are there?

There are two types of RAM:

• Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
• Static RAM (SRAM)

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Q. What is Dynamic RAM (DRAM)?

° This type of RAM needs to be constantly REFRESHED /t

(that is, the capacitor needs to be rechargedevery 15
t
microseconds otherwise it would lose its value).

• DRAM is the most common type of RAM used in

computers.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Static RAM (SRAM)

Q. What is Static RAM (SRAM)?

° A big difference between SRAM and DRAM is that this

/t type of memory doesn't need to be constantly
t
refreshed.

° It makes use of ‘flip flops’ which hold each bit

of memory.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Static RAM (SRAM)

• SRAM is much faster than DRAM when it

comes to data access (typically, access time for ,
SRAM is 25 nanoseconds and for DRAM is 60
nanoseconds).

° Where absolute speed is essential, then SRAM is

the t preferredtechnology.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Q. What are the advantages of DRAM over SRAM?

° DRAMs have a number of advantages over SRAMs:

° They are much less expensive to manufacture
than SRAM
They consume less power than SRAM
° They have a higher storage capacity than SRAM.

Topic 03 — Hardware
Top0ic3—Hardware
 Read Only Memory (ROM)

Q. What is a ROM?

• ROM stands for Read Only Memory. It is a

primary memory.

The main features of READ ONLY MEMORY (ROM) can

x, be summarized as follows: =
O
° They are non-volatile/permanentmemories (the ’

contents of the memory remain even when the

power to the ROM is turned off).
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Read Only Memory (ROM)

° They are often used to store the start-up instructions

when the computer is first switched on (for example,
,
ROM might store the basic input/output system
(BIOS)).

° The data or contents of a ROM chip can only be read; t

they cannot be changed.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Secondary Storage
• Q. What is Secondary Storage?

° Secondary storage is not directly accessed by the CPU_°

and is necessary for more permanent storage of data.

Topic 03 —
Hardware
 Secondary
Storage
When a user loads data into a computer, the information
is stored temporarily in the RAM if the , computer
was turned off, this data would be lost.

° Secondary storage devices ensure that data is stored

t permanently so that it can be used again at a later
date.

° This section will consider the various

types of secondary storage and the media
used.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Secondary Storage Media
° Devices fall into the three different types of
storage media:

° Magnetic
° Optical
° Solid state.

Topic 03 — Hardware
Magnetic Storage Media
 Magnetic Storage Media
° Magnetic storage media dependon the magnetic
properties of certain materials (iron and nickel alloys
, being the most common).

° Magnetic material is coated on the surface of a disk or

t tape that can be magnetized in such a way as to
represent a 1 or a 0.

° Magnetic storage uses platters which are divided

into g tracks and sectors. Data is read and written
using electromagnets.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Construction of Hard Disk Drives
(HDD)
Spindl Head
Platte e
r Actuator Arm

Actuator Axis

Power
Connector Jumper Block
Actuator
IDE Connector

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

Q. How data is stored on a Hard Disk Drive?

° Data is stored in a digital format on the magnetic

surfaces of the disks (or platters, as they are
frequently called).

• The hard disk drive will have a number of platters

which can spin at about 7000 times a
minute.
A number of read—write heads can access all of
the surfaces in the disk drive.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

° Data is stored on the surface in sectors and tracks.

° A sector on a given track will contain a fixed number
of
bytes.

secto
r

Topic 03 — Hardware
Sã ŞS a|qenowag
^!*O !a p‹eH
 Removable Hard Disk Drives

° REMOVABLE HARD DISK DRIVES are essentially

HDD but can be connected to the computer
using one of , the USB ports.

° In this way, they can be used as a back-up device or as t

another way of transferring files between computers.
t

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Optical Storage
• CD/DVD Disks

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Optical Storage

° What is an optical storage?

° It is a type of storage where laser light is used to read _°

data and to write data on the surface of the disk.

Topic 03 — Hardware
CD/DVD Disks
 CD/DVD Disks

Q. How data is stored on a CD/DVD?

CDS and DVDS are described as OPTICAL

STORAGE DEVICES.

° Laser light is used to read data and to write data in the

x, surface of the disk. =

° Both CDs and DVDs use a thin layer of metal alloy

or light-sensitiveorganic dye to store the data.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 CD/DVD Disks

° Both systems use a single, spiral track which runs

from the centre of the disk to the edge. ,

• The data is stored in ‘pits’ and ‘bumps’ on the

spiral
track.

° A red laser is used to read and write the data.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 •
pic 03—Hardware
 CD/DVD Disks

° DVD technology is slightly different to that

used in CDs.
° One of the main differences is the use of
DUAL- LAYERINGwhich considerably increases
the storage capacity.

° Basically, this means that there are two

individual recording layers.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 CD/DVD Disks

° CDs and DVDs can be designated as

follows:
• R: write once only
• ROM: can only be read
• RW: can be written to or read from many
times.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Uses of CD/DVD Disks

° CDs are used to store music files, software,

computer games and reference software (such as ,
an encyclopaedia).

° DVDs have much larger storage and are used to store

t films, computer data and ever-more sophisticated
computer/arcade games.

° CDs and DVDs are used in applications where

there is a g real need to prevent the deletion or
overwriting of important data.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Advantages of CD/DVD Disks
• They hold far more data than floppy disks
(one CD/DVD could replace several floppy disks in ,
some applications).

They are less expensive than hard disk drive ,

systems.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Disadvantages of CD/DVD Disks

° The data transfer rate /data access time is slower

than for hard disks. ,

Topic 03 — Hardware
äJ î P*^H — EO»!doy
 BIu-Ray Discs

Blu-ray discs are another example of optical

storage media. ,

• However, they are fundamentally different to

DVDs in their construction and in the way they carry out
read- t write operations.

° The main differences are:

Topic 03 — Hardware
 BIu-Ray Discs

blue laser, rather than a red laser, is used to carry out

read Blu-ray Disc and write operations; the
wavelen@h , of blue light is only 405 nanometres
(compared to 650 nanometres for red light).

using blue laser light means that the ‘pits’ and ‘bumps’
t can be much smaller; consequently, Blu-ray can
store
up to five times more data than a normal DVD.

• Blu-ray uses a single 1.1 mm-thick

polycarbonate disk; normal DVDs use a sandwich of
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Uses of BIu-Ray Discs

° Home video consoles.

° Storing and playing back movies (one high-definition

movie of two hours duration uses up 25 GB of
t
memory).

° PCs can use this technology for data storage or backing ”

pile
up hard drives.

° Camcorders can use this media (in cartridge

form) to store movie footage.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Advantages of BIu-Ray Discs

° Very large storage capacity, therefore ideal for storing

high-definition movies. ,

Very fast data transfer rate.

The data access speed is also greater than with other

x optical media. =

Blu-ray discs automatically come with a secure

encryption system, which helps to prevent
piracy and copyright infringement.
Topic 03 —
Hardware
 Disadvantages of Btu-Ray Discs

° Relatively expensive.

• Encryption problems (which are used to stop _

piracy) whenused to store video. °

There are fewer movie titles on Blu-ray format, which x

is reducing its impact on the home movie market.

'

Topic 03 —
Hardware
 Solid State Storage

° Solid-state (flashmemory) uses NAND or NOR

technology. ,

° Transistors are used as control gates and floating gates

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Solid State Drives (SSD)

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Solid State Drives (SSD)

Q. How data is stored on a Solid State Drive?

They have no moving parts and all data is retrieved at

the same rate.

° They don't rely on magnetic properties.

° The most common type of solid-state storage

devices store data by controlling the movement of
electrons within NAND or NOR chips.

° The data is stored as 0s and 1s in millions of tiny

transistors within the chip. This effectively produces a non-
volatile rewritable memory.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Solid State Drives (SSD)

Q. What are the main benefits of using SSD rather than

HDD?

They are more reliable.

° They are considerably lighter.
They have a lower power consumption
° They run much cooler than HDDs.
Because they have no moving parts, they are very
thin.
° Data access is considerably faster than HDD.
Topic 03 — Hardware
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Memory Sticks/ Pen Drives
° USB: Universal Serial Bus

Memory sticks/pen drives can store several gigabytes of

data and use the solid state technology described above.

They are usually connected to a computer through the

USB port and power to operate them is drawn from tfie
host computer.

° They are extremely small and very portable.

° Most Operat'ing sys ems re ognise these s

orage media, which means no additional
software is needed to operate them.
Topic 03 — Hardware
 Uses of Memory Sticks / Pen Drives

° Transporting files between computers or

used as a backup store. ,

• Used as a security device to prevent

software piracy (known as a dongle). t

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Advantages of Memory Sticks / Pen
Drives
• Very compact and portable media.

Very robust.

• Doesn't need additional software to work on

most
computers.

° They are not affected by magnetic fields.

Topic 03 — Hardware
 Disadvantages of Memory Sticks / Pen
Drives
° Can't write-protect the data/files.

° Easy to lose (due to their small physical size).

The user needs to be very careful when removing

a memory stick from a computer.

Topic 03 — Hardware