Study Notes On Important Terms On ICT For UGC NET Paper-1

Booting

It is the process of starting or restarting the computer.
It can be initiated by hardware such as a button press, or by a software command.
During booting, the files of the operating system are executed.
The processing at the time of switching on the computer is known as cold booting.
When the computer is restarted, it is known as hot or warm booting.

Rebooting

Restarting a computer also is called rebooting, which can be "hard", e.g. after electrical power to the CPU is switched from off to on, or "soft", where the power is not cut.

Hibernation

Hibernation in computing is powering down a computer while retaining it the state in which it is.
After the computer is in a hibernation state, the computer saves the contents of its random-access memory (RAM) to a hard disk or other non-volatile storage.
Upon resumption, the computer is exactly as it was before entering hibernation.

Sleep mode

It is low power mode for computer, laptop or any other electronic device.
This mode saves electricity consumption as compared to leaving the device on and idle. After the user resume to work, it allows the computer or laptop to avoid a reboot.

RAM

Random Access Memory is the internal storing memory of the CPU.
It stores internal data, program and program result.
It is a read/write memory which stores data until the machine is working. After the machine is switched off, data is erased.
It is volatile, it means the data is lost when there is a power failure or when the computer is switched off.
Therefore, a backup Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) is used to keep the computer running in any event of power failure or sudden turning off of a computer.
RAM is small in terms of its physical size and in the amount of data it can hold.

RAM is of two types:

Static RAM (SRAM)

As the word indicate, static means till the power remains on the memory retains the content and when the power is out the data is lost.
It used SRAM chips as a matrix of 6-transistors and no capacitors. It is not required to be refreshed on regular basis.

Characteristic of SRAM

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Characteristics of DRAM

ROM

It stands for Read-Only Memory.
In this memory, we can only read but cannot write on it.
It is non-volatile. It means the information is stored permanently.
ROM comes inbuilt in the device. The chip is installed in electronic devices to complete their function smoothly.
This memory remains even without a power supply.

Types of ROM

MROM (Masked ROM)

It was the first ROMs hard-wired devices that contained a pre-programmed set of instructions or data.
It is expensive.

PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory)

EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory)

It can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for 40 minutes duration.
EPROM eraser is used to erase data.
An electrical charge is trapped in an insulated region during programming and this charge is retained for more than 10 years because there is no leakage path.
For erasing the above-mentioned charge, UV light is used.

EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory)