Where is read only memory located

Most connection pins on ROM chips are often 28 or 30 in number, although there are a few instances where they are more than that. The manufacturer is at liberty to determine the number of pins they want to use. There are several small components like the ROM Chip that are products of several years of research and hard work. They are all put together to contribute to the overall working of these wonderful computer gadgets that make our living fun, interesting, and simple.

Their operation seems magical, but the science behind their operation may sometime be very simple. These beautiful gadgets that make our life so fun and easy are empowered to perform their respective tasks due to the information that has been programmed into them by their manufacturers. The programs are stored on the day the device was manufactured and will keep running until the device is no longer in use.

The component where these important programs are stored for the entire lifespan of the device is what we have been discussing — the ROM chip. However, they are different in terms of appearance, function, and operation.

Below are the common differences between them, apart from the apparent difference that can be seen in the names:. The importance of a ROM in the computer cannot be overemphasized as it is the most used storage. Due to recent advancements in computer engineering, several types of ROM have been developed for different purposes.

This is the first type of Read-only memory chip to be developed, and most of what has been discussed earlier in this article are peculiar to it. As was discussed earlier, this type of memory can only support the writing of a file only once, and the file can only be read after that. The downside of this memory is the cost involved in producing them in small quantities. This is because whoever is producing them has to program them from scratch, an activity that could be wasteful in case there is a problem with the program written into it.

Furthermore, most manufacturers do not have the capacity to produce their own ROM and have to outsource the task to a third-party producer.

Therefore, they cannot make modifications to whatever was produced for them. Like any other technology, further research was carried out in order to develop better systems that are a modification to the ROM with the aim of addressing the downsides. This is the story behind the development of the other types of ROM that are given below. PROM is an acronym for Programmable read-only memory. This usually meant that the text display font could not be changed interactively.

The use of ROM to store such small amounts of data has disappeared almost completely in modern general-purpose computers. However, Flash ROM has taken over a new role as a medium for mass storage or secondary storage of files. Classic mask-programmed ROM chips are integrated circuits that physically encode the data to be stored, and thus it is impossible to change their contents after fabrication.

Other types of non-volatile solid-state memory permit some degree of modification:. By applying write protection, some types of reprogrammable ROMs may temporarily become read-only memory. There are other types of non-volatile memory which are not based on solid-state IC technology, including:.

Although the relative speed of RAM vs. Because they are written by forcing electrons through a layer of electrical insulation onto a floating transistor gate, rewriteable ROMs can withstand only a limited number of write and erase cycles before the insulation is permanently damaged. This limited endurance, as well as the higher cost per bit, means that Flash-based storage is unlikely to completely supplant magnetic disk drives in the near future.

The timespan over which a ROM remains accurately readable is not limited by write cycling. Leakage is accelerated by high temperatures or radiation. The contents of ROM chips in video game console cartridges can be extracted with special software or hardware devices. The resultant memory dump files are known as ROM images , and can be used to produce duplicate cartridges, or in console emulators.

The term originated when most console games were distributed on cartridges containing ROM chips, but achieved such widespread usage that it is still applied to images of newer games distributed on CD-ROMs or other optical media. ROM images of commercial games usually contain copyrighted software. The unauthorized copying and distribution of copyrighted software is usually a violation of copyright laws in some jurisdictions, duplication of ROM cartridges for backup purposes may be considered fair use.

Nevertheless, there is a thriving community engaged in the illegal distribution and trading of such software and abandonware. Skip to main content. Module 2: Computer Hardware. By: Satish Balakrishnan. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day. Machine Intelligence. Techopedia Terms. Connect with us.

Sign up. Term of the Day. Best of Techopedia weekly. News and Special Offers occasional. Read-Only Memory and Non-Volatile Memory Read-only memory is also important in the context of non-volatile memory as a whole. Synonyms Read Only Memory. Share this Term.