Memory Is Not Storage

5 questions0m 0s

Learn the skill

RAM is temporary working memory and needs power to retain its contents. An SSD stores saved files without continuous power. Capacity means space, not a promise of speed. Check the problem before choosing a fix.

Worked example

An SSD has 120 GB of space with 75 GB used. Free space is 120 - 75 = 45 GB. This says nothing about how much RAM the computer has or whether its processor is fast.

RAM capacity is 8 GB. SSD storage has 75 GB used and 45 GB free out of 120 GB total. — Storage capacity does not measure the speed of every program.

Fictional Device Report

A practice computer has 8 GB of RAM. Its SSD has 120 GB total space, 75 GB used and 45 GB free. A saved document is on the SSD. A new unsaved paragraph exists only in RAM in this example; there is no autosave or recovery copy. Read this report only. Do not open equipment, delete files or change settings.

Question 1 How many GB of SSD space are free? Answer

Question 2 A new file uses 12 GB of that free space. How many GB remain? Answer

Question 3 How much RAM does the report list, in GB? Answer

Question 4 What happens to the unsaved paragraph if power is lost in this example? It is lost from RAM It is automatically printed It must be on the SSD

Question 5 Does a larger SSD by itself prove that every program will run faster? Yes; twice the space always means twice the speed No; capacity alone does not establish speed Yes; storage replaces the CPU