CertiGuide to A+ (Core Hardware)  9  Chapter 0011:  System Memory       9  IV  RAM Packaging

Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) 1 Pop Quiz 0011.00

Now that we have discussed the various types of RAM and their function, it is appropriate to discuss the various sizes and speeds that RAM can be found in. One of the more difficult things to do in the world of PC hardware is to Identify how much memory is on a particular module without some kind of label, decal, or screen-printed text on the module itself. Most modern memory modules however will have a series of numbers printed on the chips themselves. It commonly follows a DxW-S format, which is explained below.

• D: The first letter specifies the bit depth, measured in millions of bits. Each number represents how many megabits of memory cells. Be very clear that we are dealing with megabits and not megabytes.
  
  
• W: The next letter specifies the bit width of each cell in the module. A 30-pin SIMM has an 8-bit width, 72-pin SIMMs have a 32-bit width, and DIMMs have a 64-bit width. ECC RAM variations have 9, 36, or 72 bit width respectively. To determine the size of the module that you're looking at, you would take DxW / 8.
  
  This will yield the size of the module in megabytes. For example, if we had 168-pin DIMM and it was labeled as being an 8x64 module, this would make it a 64MB (8 x 64 / 8) DIMM module. It is important to note that when calculating parity or ECC modules, the extra bits used for parity information are not counted. For example in a 9-bit module only 8-bits are used in the calculation.
  
  
• S: The S specifies the speed of the module nanoseconds. This be defines how fast a module can read or write to the memory bus. Refer to the table below to see the different depths, widths, and speeds of various SIMM and DIMM memory modules.

Let’s begin by explaining exactly how memory is addressed by the system.

As you have learned, memory is organized into banks. A bank of memory contains modules of memory. The modules are made up of memory chips, which are in turn divided into cells. Each cell contains a certain number of bits, which is expressed by the bit width.

For example, a 16x32 module contains 16M (16,777,216) cells of 32 bits each. This yields a memory module with a total capacity of 64 MB (67,108,864 bits). Referring back to our packaging chart, this would be a 64MB 72-pin SIMM. If we used this in a Pentium class system, we would need a matching SIMM to complete a 128MB bank of memory (Still with me?).

Continuing with this example, using binary math we would determine that the system would require a 24-bit address bus to address the 16M cells (2²⁴ = 16,777,216). However, memory cells are logically organized into a “square” containing rows and columns. You can think of this like a spreadsheet. If I wanted to access cell M12, I would find row 12, then move to column M. The memory controller breaks accesses up the same way.

For example, our processor needs to access cell 15,342,195 in our SIMM module. This would have a binary equivalent of:

111010100001 101001110011

The memory controller takes the first 12-bits as the row address, then it uses the last 12-bits as the column address. Using this method, the address bus need only be 12 bits wide instead of 24 bits. This equals lower costs to the manufacturer.

Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) 1 Pop Quiz 0011.00