Hardware Bible

And all they care to learn about it is how to add more—or, better still, get someone else to do it for them. They've got the right idea. With modern computers, memory isn't that big of a deal. In the past, you had to worry about all sorts of differe...

How much memory you actually need in a computer depends on what you want to do. If all you want to do is boot up your computer, you need amazingly little memory. The very first IBM personal computer could boot up with 16 kilobytes of memory—that's ab...

Some people fall into the egregious habit of thinking all memory is alike. Nefarious computer vendors are particular culprits. They are likely to lump together anything inside a computer involving memory chips as memory, implying that you can use it ...

Just as some kinds of memory play different roles in the operation of your computer, the various kinds of memory work differently and are made differently. Read-write memory is optimized for speed. It has to run as fast as it can to try to keep up wi...

Most memory comes in the form of chips, individual integrated circuits meant for permanent installation on a printed circuit board. The capacity of each chip is measured in bits—or, as is more likely in the modern world, megabits. The first chips had...

In general, the memory of your computer will work throughout the life of the machine without requiring any attention. Memory has no moving parts that require service or lubrication. The only time you're likely to tangle with memory is when you decide...

The requirements for this memory differs from that you install in your computer. Although you want computer memory to be as fast as possible, speed is not as important as permanence for other electronics. You want your music and pictures to always be...