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features of primary storage (2)
small capacity and volatile (except ROM)
features of secondary storage (2)
large capacity and non-volatile
why does a computer need primary storage
access times are much shorter so the time taken for the fetch-decode-execute cycle is much faster
what does primary storage hold
data and instruction that the CPU needs to access while the computer is turned on
what is RAM
primary storage that holds data and instructions that are currently in use
what is ROM
primary storage that holds the instructions a computer needs to start up including BIOS
features of ROM (2)
non-volatile and read-only
what is BIOS
basic input output system
what is virtual memory
an extension of RAM located in secondary storage
how does virtual memory work
programmes and data that are not currently in use are moved to virtual memory and brought back to RAM when needed.
disadvantage of virtual memory
much slower than RAM and negatively impacts performance which can be avoided by increasing size of RAM
what does secondary storage hold
long-term storage of data and programmes that are not currently in use
6 characteristics of secondary storage
reliability durability portability cost capacity speed
3 types of secondary storage
optical, magnetic, solid state
what is magnetic storage
storage that uses magnetism to store binary 0s and 1s
what is optical storage
storage that uses lasers to burn pits and lands into a disc to store binary 0s and 1s
what is solid state storage
storage that uses electrical circuits to store binary 0s and 1s
rank the types of secondary storage best to worst based on capacity
magnetic, solid state, optical
rank the types of secondary storage best to worst based on cost
optical, magnetic, solid state
rank the types of secondary storage best to worst based on speed
solid state, magnetic, optical
rank the types of secondary storage best to worst based on noise
optical and solid state, magnetic
what 2 types of storage has issues with durability
magnetic - moving parts can be damaged if dropped
optical - prone to scratches
what type of storage has issues with portability
magnetic - its bulky, heavy and has moving parts
what is the reliability for each type of storage
magnetic - prone to mechanical failure
solid state - limited read/write cycles
optical - reliable if looked after well
3 types of optical storage discs ranked from lowest to highest capacity
CD, DVD, blu-ray
examples of solid state storage
usb memory stick
memory card
solid state drives
examples of magnetic storage
hard disk drives
magnetic tapes
