What's the difference between a RAM, and a Hard Drive?

Answer 1

Short answer:
RAM is active memory, Hard Drive is long term storage.

Long Answer:
RAM is Random Access Memory. This is what your computer uses to operate things like programs, copying files, playing music, and displaying pictures, movies, etc.

A Hard Drive (usually seen as HDD for hard disk drive) is the storage for all of your Data. This includes the programs installed on your computer, pictures, music, and videos you have saved on the computer, and any other data (like documents, and email).

The main difference between them is that you have a LOT of hard drive space as compared to RAM.
The minimum acceptable amount of RAM on today's machines is 512MB (MegaBytes-1024bytes). It usually comes in increments of no less than 256MB (as low as 16MB on older machines), and as high as 1GB (GigaBytes- 1,024,000bytes).
Shoot for 1GB of RAM as a minimum, and add more later if you can or need to.

A hard drive can be very large, but most are in the 100's of GB range. A laptop is an exception since they tend to be smaller, but usually no smaller than 30GB. A decent size for a desktop HDD is 160GB. More is usually only necessary if you are going to be storing and editing a lot of video data.

Answer 2

A RAM stands for "Random Acess Memory" and it's a rectangle computer chip embedded in the motherboard in your computer. All computers have them. Same with hard drives. RAM's are for running programs on your computer. The bigger the RAM, the bigger the amount you can run programs at the same time. A hard drive is a necessity- it stores all your files and data. They are way bigger than the RAM chips. Hard Drives are the things that keep your computer running. If the hard drive experiences shock, you know, like accidentaly dropping your computer, then your hard drive's toast.

Answer 3

RAM means Random Access Memory and it is temporary. The HD stores the information in a magnetic way that doesn't need electricity to keep it. So it makes it more permanent.
In the case of the RAM if you turn off the PC... the information is lost.

Answer 4

RAM is Random Accessed Memory, your Primary Memory and needs constant power to retain its memory. RAM is temporary of nature, but is a very fast memory type. Programs are loaded in your RAM for fast access.

A Hard Drive is secondary memory for permanent storing. It is much more slower than RAM and can retain its contents even if the power is turned off.

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Answer 5

RAM = random access memory, it comes on little sticks, it is temporary memory that is erased when the PC is turned off. This type of memory is utilized much faster than hardrive memory, but not as fast as cache memory which is attached to the chip.

Hard Drive = a large disk that stores information semi-permanently and can be maintained when power is lost (it is not volatile).

Answer 6

RAM is a type of vehicle made and produced by Dodge a division of the Chrysler Corporation. It is typically named for their pickup trucks. A hard drive is driving a RAM without power steering.

Answer 7

A ram is a male sheep and a hard drive is my normal commute in lots of traffic.

If you don't know basic differences try getting the book "Computers for Dummies" before you embarrass yourself by asking simplistic questions.

Answer 8

ram is for using data when the computer is working but if you need to close it cpu writes the data on hdd. when you downloaded a mp3, it is stored on hdd but when you listens it, it must be on ram.