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Computer data storage or digital data storage is a technology consisting of computer components and recording media that are used to retain digital data. It is a core function and fundamental component of computers. [1]: 15–16 The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is what manipulates data by performing computations.
There are four major storage levels. [1] Internal – Processor registers and cache. Main – the system RAM and controller cards. On-line mass storage – Secondary storage. Off-line bulk storage – Tertiary and Off-line storage. This is a general memory hierarchy structuring. Many other structures are useful.
This list of computer size categories attempts to list commonly used categories of computer by the physical size of the device and its chassis or case, in descending order of size. One generation's "supercomputer" is the next generation's "mainframe", and a "PDA" does not have the same set of functions as a "laptop", but the list still has ...
If needed, contents of the computer memory can be transferred to storage; a common way of doing this is through a memory management technique called virtual memory. Modern computer memory is implemented as semiconductor memory, [5] [6] where data is stored within memory cells built from MOS transistors and other components on an integrated ...
4096 bytes = 4 KiB: A memory page in x86 (since Intel 80386) and many other architectures, also the modern Advanced Format hard disk drive sector size. 4 kB: About one page of text from a novel; 120 kB: The text of a typical pocket book; 1 MiB: A 1024×1024 pixel bitmap image with 256 colors (8 bpp color depth) 3 MB: A three-minute song (133 ...
Very often, when referring to the word size of a modern computer, one is also describing the size of address space on that computer. For instance, a computer said to be "32-bit" also usually allows 32-bit memory addresses; a byte-addressable 32-bit computer can address 2 32 = 4,294,967,296 bytes of memory, or 4 gibibytes (GiB). This allows one ...
The connections of the individual memory cells are different. [128] The interface provided for reading and writing the memory is different; NOR allows random access [129] as it can be either byte-addressable or word-addressable, with words being for example 32 bits long, [130] [131] [132] while NAND allows only page access. [133]
A typical computer has only a single memory controller with only one or two channels. The logical features section described NUMA configurations, which can take the form of a network of memory controllers. For example, each socket of a two-socket AMD K8 can have a two-channel memory controller, giving the system a total of four memory channels.