Random Access Memory (RAM) is used as a form of main memory in computer systems.
Random Access Memory (RAM) is used as a form of main memory in computer systems.
Main memory can be directly accessed by the CPU, so when an application is started up its data and instructions must be loaded into RAM.
Volatile memory loses its contents when the power is switched off.
RAM is volatile, so anything that was in RAM is not saved when the computer is shut down.
Read Only Memory (ROM) is a non-volatile form of main memory.
However, as the name suggests, it can only be read from and not written to. Because of this, instructions that are not meant to be changed (like BIOS, the instructions for how to start the computer) are stored on ROM.
Would embedded systems have a higher or lower proportion of ROM than general-purpose systems?
Tap/click to reveal Higher: almost all of an embedded system's memory is ROM, as their instructions don't need to be changed (the firmware can't be updated), and they don't need to store as much data as general-purpose systems.