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Your friends have been telling you to replace your computer for the past year because of its slow performance - NSC Information Technology - Question 2 - 2017 - Paper 2
Question 2
Your friends have been telling you to replace your computer for the past year because of its slow performance. However, you are considering upgrading it and have bee... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Your friends have been telling you to replace your computer for the past year because of its slow performance - NSC Information Technology - Question 2 - 2017 - Paper 2
Step 1
How will you ensure that the new RAM is compatible with the current motherboard?
Answer
To ensure that the new RAM is compatible with the current motherboard, you must check the following:
- Pin Count: The RAM must have the same number of pins as the slots on the motherboard. This ensures a physical fit.
- RAM Type: Verify the RAM type (such as DDR3, DDR4) that your motherboard supports.
- Speed Compatibility: The speed of the new RAM should be compatible with the speed supported by the motherboard to ensure optimal performance.
Step 2
Explain what virtual memory is.
Answer
Virtual memory is a memory management capability of an operating system that uses secondary storage (usually the hard drive) to extend the apparent amount of RAM available to programs. It allows the system to provide an application with more memory than is physically available by swapping data in and out of RAM as needed.
Step 3
Explain why virtual memory will not be the solution to improve performance.
Answer
While virtual memory allows more applications to run simultaneously, it is not a solution for performance enhancement for the following reasons:
- Performance Slowing: Accessing data from the hard drive is significantly slower than retrieving data from RAM. Hence, heavy reliance on virtual memory can slow down the computer's performance.
- Thrashing: If the system uses too much virtual memory, it may enter a state called thrashing, where it spends more time swapping data in and out of memory than executing programs.
- Limited Speed Improvement: Virtual memory does not increase the actual physical memory, so performance gain is marginal at best.
Step 4
Explain the role cache memory plays in the performance of a CPU.
Answer
Cache memory is a type of high-speed memory located inside or near the CPU that stores frequently accessed data and instructions. Its primary role is to speed up the data retrieval process by reducing the time it takes for the CPU to access data from the main RAM. The use of cache ensures that the CPU operates more efficiently by minimizing the wait time for data access.
Step 5
Give THREE reasons why this statement is NOT true.
Answer
The statement, "Upgrading RAM means more cache memory is available," is not true for the following reasons:
- Different Memory Types: RAM and cache memory are fundamentally different types of memory; while RAM is used for general storage and processing, cache memory is specifically designed to improve CPU access speed.
- Location Differences: Cache memory is generally located directly on the CPU die or very close to it, whereas RAM resides on the motherboard, making them independent of each other.
- No Automatic Cache Expansion: Upgrading RAM does not inherently increase the size of cache memory, as cache memory sizes are determined by the CPU architecture.