Primary and Secondary Storage

Week 4
Log on to IT for CSEC, Chapter 3 page 37

What is Storage?
Storage refers to the media used by a computer and mobile devices to keep data, information
and software for immediate or later use.

Storing data, information and software is an essential part of everyday computing. For example,
a student may need a storage device to store digital photos and school assignments.

Storage can be grouped into 2 categories: primary storage and secondary storage.

Primary Storage
Primary storage, also called main memory or immediate access store (IMAS), is a group of
chips that resides in the mother board (main circuit board) of the computer.

It is the physical material on which data is stored, this is necessary since the processing unit can
only act on data and instructions that are held in primary storage.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM memory is only filled after a computer has been turned on and is given something to do.
RAM is immediately available to the processor and hold data and instructions temporarily, while
processing takes place. RAM IS VIOLATILE. This means that if the power is turned off or the
computer is rebooted (started up again) all the information that is held in RAM will be lost. RAM
chips are limited in storage capacity. RAM is also expensive and is a major determinant of the
final price of a computer.

Read Only Memory (ROM)

ROM chips hold data and instructions necessary for starting up the computer when it is switched
on. The information is fixed at the time of manufacture. Information stored on ROM is
permanent and cannot be deleted but can only be accessed or read, hence the name Read Only
Memory. Therefore, ROM is non-volatile: it cannot be easily changed because it is “read-only”.
Other variations of Rom chips which allow some flexibility in storing data and instructions are
also available.

Other variations of ROM chips which allow some flexibility in storing data and instructions are
also available.