| Unless you have been living under a rock for the last | | | | only memory. This type of memory comes into play |
| 20 years or so, you are already aware of the | | | | whenever you shut down or restart your computer. |
| tremendous strides that have been made in computer | | | | Any data you have on your system or are working on |
| technology. In a relatively short amount of time | | | | is immediately saved to this memory. When you start |
| computers have gone from being the size of a room, | | | | your system the ROM performs a power on self test |
| to the size of a hand's palm. While getting smaller and | | | | or POST, to make sure all of your software and |
| more compact, they have also become more | | | | programs are working as they should. An important |
| effective and efficient at their functions. That doesn't | | | | aspect of this test is the built in memory controller. In |
| mean that owning and operating a computer means | | | | this way, your computer makes sure there aren't any |
| you know exactly how each of the components | | | | errors in the memory chips. |
| works. | | | | From the ROM section of the computer's memory, the |
| One of the least understood aspects of a computer's | | | | basic memory component BIOS does its job. This is |
| operating system and function has to do with memory. | | | | where the most basic actions of the computer are |
| Many people assume that their computer only has one | | | | controlled. In the computer world, it is known as the |
| kind and that it has unlimited space available. When | | | | input/output system. The BIOS controls information |
| their computer begins to run sluggishly or not at all, | | | | about the various boot sequences on the computer, |
| many are surprised to learn that the problem is the | | | | storage devices, and security features. It also keeps |
| system's memory and it is easy to fix. | | | | track of the system's plug and play capabilities and |
| Before you are forced to learn the hard way about | | | | other vital, background functions of the computer. |
| your computer's memory, let's discuss some of the | | | | From this point the computer's memory stores the |
| different types of memory and their functions. The | | | | essential information of the operating system from the |
| two most often recognized types of memory are | | | | hard drive to the RAM memory and the memory |
| RAM and virtual memory. RAM stands for random | | | | cycle comes full circle. |
| access memory. This is the type of memory that is | | | | With a working understanding of a computer's |
| responsible for "remembering" the details and | | | | memory system, it's easy to see why it is essential to |
| programming of the various types of software on the | | | | make sure the system's RAM is never overtaxed. |
| computer. Each computer system is unique in terms of | | | | RAM is responsible for making the OS or operating |
| how much memory it has. The misconception among | | | | system function. If it doesn't have enough space to |
| computer challenged people is that this type of | | | | make that happen, the computer runs poorly and you |
| memory is unlimited. It isn't. When RAM memory is full, | | | | may lose use of vital information. Fortunately, your |
| the compute immediately moves given information to | | | | RAM space can be cleared out or increased with |
| the virtual memory. Since virtual memory is intended to | | | | additional random access memory sticks. Both |
| be a temporary storage area, if more RAM isn't added | | | | methods are useful for creating additional space. |
| or space freed up, your computer will begin to run | | | | Computers are much easier to understand when you |
| more slowly and programs and information may be | | | | have some knowledge of their memory systems and |
| lost or inaccessible. | | | | how to keep them in good operating order. |
| Another type of computer memory is ROM or read | | | | |