SLC S23 Week4 || Computer Repair - Understanding RAM

My Homework Task as participation in the fourth week of the Steemit Learning Challenge Season 23. The focus this week is on the Random Access Memory (RAM) another fundamental component to the working of a computer.

Good day, friends, and welcome once again to my blog. I believe you will have a rewarding reading time going through my blog and a pleasant day out there.

Theoretical Questions

Task 1:

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Understanding RAM Types: (2points)
Question: Explain the differences between DRAM and SRAM. Why is SRAM faster but less commonly used than DRAM. And between DDR1,DDR2,DDR3 and DDR4?,

The DRAM
DRAM stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory
All RAMs are volatile, but Dynamic RAMs feel a little more volatile than static RAMs. DRAMs are made using capacitors and the data is saved as a charge in the capacitor. When charged, the value is 1 without a charge, the value is zero. But as we know, a capacitor loses its charge after some time. Without recharging it (refresh), a dynamic RAM will lose the integrity of its data due to leakage. To prevent this, dynamic RAM needs a regular refresh rate.

The SRAM
SRAM stands for Static Random Access Memory. Unlike DRAMs, which will lose data if power is out and if data is not refreshed, SRAMs are only affected by power failures. Storing data in flip-flop circuits built with transistors requires more power to operate when compared to the power requirements of dynamic RAMs. Another difference is in access time. SRAMs have a faster access time compared to a DRAM's access time, making SRAM's speed more suitable for use as cache memories and DRAM functions better as system memory.

Differences between DRAM and SRAM

Particular	DRAM	SRAM
Building block	Capacitor	Transistor
Need for refresh	Yes	No
Access speed	Slower	Faster
Memory application	System	Cache
Production cost	Cheaper	Expensive
Storage capacity	Higher	lower
Power Consumption	Less	higher

From the table above, you can see why SRAMs have the advantage of speed but are not used as system memory.
The cost of producing an equivalent capacity storage using SRAM technology is far higher, DRAMs are economical and the system memory requires larger capacity, which the dynamic RAM can easily accommodate. An SRAM will require more electrical power to operate.

Particular	DDR1	DDR2	DDR3	DDR4
Number of pins	184	240	240	288
FBS Speed(MHz)	100-333	400-1066	800-2133	1600-3200
Capacity	1Gb	4Gb	16Gb	64Gb
Bandwidth	4Gb/s	8.5Gb/s	17Gb/s	25.6Gb/s
Number of Channels	Single	Single	Dual	Quad

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Task 2:

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RAM Speed and Performance:(1.5point)
Question: How does RAM speed (measured in MHz) affect overall system performance? Provide examples of tasks that benefit from higher RAM speeds.

The memory capacity of a RAM is the maximum amount of data it can hold at a time, measured bytes. How fast this storage can be accessed is a feature measured in Hz.
The capacity of a RAM will allow the RAM to simultaneously work with large amounts of data while the RAM's speed allows this data to be quickly accessed and manipulated within a short time. Allowing for more data to be transferred between the RAM and CPU. For better performance, we need a larger capacity and a higher access rate.

Tasks that require higher RAM speed:

Gaming
The frame rate of our display when playing games is better when our RAN is faster. It can also reduce lag and enhance the overall gaming experience.

Video editing
A higher RAM speed will better accelerate video rendering, encoding, and decoding. When editing, the frames will flow smoothly not jacking.

3D modeling and graphics
The value of a faster RAM speed is also seen when
running heavy Computer-Aided Design (CAD) applications, enhancing visual performance.

Scientific simulations
Higher RAM speeds can accelerate complex calculations, data processing, and simulations.

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Task 3:

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RAM Failure Symptoms:(1.5points)
Question: List three common symptoms of RAM failure and explain how each issue impacts system performance.

Random Blue Screens of Death (BSODs)
If out of nowhere you get a random blue screen with unreadable junk, it is evidence that the RAM is failing. Sometimes, the blue screen may display memory-related error messages.
This will affect system performance as such interruptions with the blue screens are not recoverable crashes that come with the loss of data.

System Crashes and Freezes
A computer system that crashes or freezes frequently, especially when running memory-intensive applications or some multitasking operation is often an indication of failing RAM
I would not really love to work on a system that hangs often. It would be very frustrating.

Data Corruption and Errors
When the system experiences data corruption, or finds it necessary to run a cyclic redundancy check on data, it is possibly a RAM failure and can lead to files becoming corrupted or unusable or applications producing incorrect results

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Practical Tasks

Task 4

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Checking Installed RAM on Your Computer(2.5 points)
Question: Open your computer settings and check the amount of installed RAM. Take a screenshot of the system information displaying the RAM details.