2006-08-30 04:42:55 · 7 answers · asked by mockingbird 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
Your computer has RAM memory chips in it that are what the computer normally runs on. The computer can access them quickly. When you look at how much memory you have in your computer, it is those chips it is showing you.
If the computer runs out of space in the RAM chips, it will move some of the files you have open to "virtual memory" which is a file on the hard drive - also called the "swap file". Access to this file is much slower. You will see it sometimes if you are scrolling through a document, and it stops for a couple seconds, and then start scrolling again. That was your computer moving the page you were just looking at to the hard drive swap file (virtual memory) and then loading the new page into RAM in its place.
2006-08-30 04:50:11 · answer #1 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
RAM (Random Access Memory) refers to the little tiny chips inside your computer's case which are used to store programs and files which are currently running. RAM is very fast, and most modern computers come with around 512 megabytes or even 1 gigabyte installed as default. One big disadvantage with RAM is that it loses its memory once the power plug is pulled.
Hard-drives offer you the ability to store huge amounts of data (hundreds of gigabytes) for retrieval any time you want it. Hard-drives are a lot slower than RAM, although they can store data and information even when your computer is turned off.
Think of your hard-drive as an enourmous bank of filing cabinets... there's a file you want to read, so you go to the filing cabinet and take out the file and read it.
When you're reading it, it's going into your brain - in this analogy, your brain would be the same as you computer's memory or RAM.
2006-08-30 11:50:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not particularly relevant but in Windows Visa you should be able to use Flash sticks for Virtual memory meaning it will Uber fast compared to XP and lower. Nice for games if you don't have much RAM.....
..... but as the other guys said it's a bit of your hard disk that is setup to appear like RAM to the computer so you don't grind to a halt when your RAM fills up from using many applications.
2006-08-30 11:47:47 · answer #3 · answered by __Roach__ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This site usually has good answers to questions like yours, see the following link: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-memory.htm
The short answer though would probably be that RAM is like your short term memory (what you're doing now) and the hard drive memory is like things you know (your name, where you grew up, etc.).
2006-08-30 11:48:53 · answer #4 · answered by doctrfeelgood 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Virtual memory is a space on the hard drive that is emulating phsical memory (RAM). It is a lot slower than RAM.
2006-08-30 11:44:53 · answer #5 · answered by Yoi_55 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed. RAM is gazzilion times faster than secondary memory (hard disk).
2006-08-30 11:45:05 · answer #6 · answered by Lyvy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hard drive is permanent storage and RAM is temporary storage, as well RAM is faster, hard drive has more space.
2006-08-30 11:48:10 · answer #7 · answered by Hasnain R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋