Company Name
Employee Names
Team Lead
Module Name	Managing Memory
Certification Test		Vendor
Objectives covered
Time allotted	8 Days	Time Taken
Date Started		Date Completed

Portfolio Contents

Item	Complete	Incomplete	Points Awarded
Lab reports for all labs (List labs)
Lab 4-1 Installing RAM
Lab 4-2 Understanding the Config.sys File
Lab 4-3 Memory Management in DOS
Lab 4-4 Loading mouse drivers in DOS
Lab 4-5 Planning and Pricing Memory
Lab 4-6 Using MSD to view memory
Lab 4-7 DDR SDRAM
Lab 4-8 Memory Management in Windows XP
Lab 4-9 Memory Management in Windows Vista
Lab 4-10 Memory Management in Windows 98
Group Test	Score
RAM Technologies
Completed solution to problem portfolio
Customer Overview
Email questions to Joe
Identify Customer Needs
Identify Possible Solutions
Define terminology used (jargon, technical terms)
Price Out Solutions
Diagram of Solutions
Write up a proposal with all of the above included. Turn in.

Notes Understanding & Managing Memory

Sno Isle Skill Center

Tory Klementsen, MCP A+

Objectives of Unit

n Student will learn:

– Where memory is housed on the system board and expansion board

– How it is used by DOS and Win. 9x.

– How to manage memory using DOS and Win 9x.

– How to upgrade the memory

RAM vs ROM

n RAM is _________________________ memory that loses data when the power is turned off.

– Exception is _________________________

n ROM is _________________________-volatile. Some ROM can’t be changed.

– _________________________can be changed with high voltage

– EPROM can be changed with _________________________ _________________________.*

ROM

n Mobo contains a number of ROM chips that contain _________________________data for computer.

n Original ROM chips are _________________________-etched at factory and cannot be changed.

n Changeable ROM

– _________________________

– _________________________*

Flash Memory (ROM)

n Acts like _________________________storage, it does not lose its data when the power is turned off

n Holds data _________________________not _________________________

n Provides much faster data access than _________________________

n More expensive than _________________________

n Uses _________________________Chips

n More commonly found in notebooks and PC cards (_________________________).

n Also used in digital _________________________, cell _________________________, smart phones, _________________________, etc.*

Review

n ROM is considered ________ because it retains data even if the power goes off.

n RAM is therefore __________

n ROM lives where?

n RAM lives where?

Ram on the System Board

n _________________________Ram (SRAM) – Holds data as long as power is on

n _________________________Ram (DRAM) – Needs constant refreshing

n Memory is housed on _________________________ (old skool) or _________________________

n _________________________– holds data and instructions as they are processed in system board or in CPU housing

– System board = chip or a memory module called a _________________________

– Currently the cache is housed inside _________________________*

How Cache Works

– CPU _________________________is used by the CPU to reduce the average time to access _________________________.

– It stores _________________________of the data from the most frequently used main _________________________ _________________________.

How Cache Works

– As long as most memory accesses are cached memory locations, the average _________________________of memory accesses will be _________________________to the cache latency than to the _________________________of main memory.

How Cache Works

– When the processor needs to _________________________from or _________________________to a location in main memory, it first checks whether a copy of that data is in the _________________________. If so, the processor immediately reads from or writes to the cache, which is much faster than reading from or writing to main memory.

Types of CPU Cache

– L1—_________________________Cache

– Typically _________________________KB

– Intel uses 2 _________________________ L1 cache

– One for _________________________

– One for _________________________

– L2—Feeds the _________________________ cache

– Usually _________________________than L1

– _________________________

– L3—Feeds the _________________________cache, often a little _________________________than L1 and L2, but faster than main memory.

– _________________________used often

– CPU looks at __________________________________________________

Main Memory vs Cache Memory

SRAM & DRAM

n SRAM is faster than DRAM because data is not _________________________

– Made up of _________________________that hold a charge

– More _________________________

n DRAM refreshed every _________milliseconds or so.

– Made up of _________________________must be recharged

n Most computers have a little _________________________and a lot of _________________________*

Review Two

n This RAM is very fast but pricey

n You have a lot of this on a motherboard

n But only a little of this

n Does not need to be refreshed

n DRAM is refreshed every ___ milliseconds

Memory Caching

n Used to store data or _________________________in SRAM for quick retrieval.

n Requires _________________________chips and a _________________________controller.

n Controller _________________________what data or code the CPU wants next and grabs it. If it’s right, speeds up processing.

n If wrong, grabs the _________________________code.

n It’s right _____________% of the time.*

Asynchronous V Synchronous SRAM

n Synchronous

– Requires _________________________signal to sync control signals.

– Data sent in 2 step process.

• Data _________________________

• _________________________itself

• Not all addresses are sent, just the _________________________one*

n Asynchronous

– Doesn’t work with _________________________clock

– Looks up _________________________sent to it by CPU and return data within __________ cycle

– Unable to request as much _________________________per cycle.*

Review 3

n What is the job of the cache controller?

n How often is it wrong?

n What happens if it is wrong?

n How do asynchronous RAM pulses work?

n What is the difference between that and synchronous?

SIMMS & DIMMS

n SIMM

– single inline _________________________modules

– data path _________________________bit

– 30 pins _________________________MB

– 72 pins _________________________MB

– Access speeds are _________________________ns w/60 being fastest.

n DIMM

– Dual _________________________memory modules

– data path _________________________bits

– 168 pins _________________________

– Uses _________________________volts

– Can be _________________________or _________________________in order to amplify a signal just before the data is written on the module.*

DIMM

n Notch on _________________________identifies voltage used.

n Notch on _________________________indicates with registered (RFU), buffered, or non-buffered.*

Label the RAM

1	2
3	4
5	6
7	Kind of RAM:

SODIMMs

n _________________________are dual inline memory modules designed for notebooks, mini-_________________________ motherboards, printers, and things like routers and switches.

n There are three types:

– 72 pin with _________________________bit bus width

– 144 pin with _________________________bit bus width

– 200 pin with _________________________bit bus width

Which is what?

Review Four

n What flavors do SIMMs come in? (sizes)

n What is the rule when installing SIMMs?

n What may the notches on a DIMM mean?

n What speeds do SIMMs run at?

n What is the latest flavor of DIMM?

Buying Memory

n If you get the wrong memory, you may end up with __________________________________________________faults.

n Make sure you buy _________________________leads if your mobo has gold. Tin if it has tin. (Not an issue in new computers.)

n Check mobo documentation for speeds and types of memory _________________________.

n You want to choose memory that supports your FSB speed. If you have an _________________________FSB, get memory rated at 800 for best results.*

What do the Numbers Mean?

n DDR200/PC1600, DDR266/PC2100, DDR333/PC2700, DDR400/PC3200, DDR433/PC3500, DDR466/PC3700, and DDR500/PC4000.

– The first number indicates the maximum _________________________that the memory supports. For instance, DDR400 memories work at _________________________MHz at the most.

– It is important to note that this is not the real clock speed of the memory: the real clock of the DDR memory is _________________________the labeled clock speed. This way, in fact, DDR400 memories work at _________________________MHz.

– The second number indicates the _________________________transfer rate that the memory reaches, in MB/s.

– DDR400 memories transfer data at 3,200 MB/s at the most, hence their _________________________classification.*

What do the Numbers Mean?

n Temporization of Memory

– The temporization of the memory is given through a series of numbers, as, for instance 2-3-2-6-T1, 3-4-4-8 or 2-2-2-5.

– These numbers indicate the amount of _________________________pulses that it takes the memory to perform a certain operation.

– The _________________________the number, the _________________________the memory is.*

Review Five

n On DDR200/PC1600

– what does the 200 mean?

– What would the clock speed of this memory be?

– What would be the transfer rate?

n Which is faster?

– 2-3-2-6-T1

– 3-4-4-8

– 2-2-2-5

Buffered or Registered…huh?

n Buffered Memory = A buffer isolates the memory from the _________________________to minimize the load on the _________________________set. It is typically used when the system has a high density of memory and/or when a system has more than 3 memory module sockets.

Buffered or Registered…huh?

n Unbuffered memory = This is where the chip set _________________________deals directly with the memory. There is nothing between the chip set and the memory chips on the _________________________as they communicate.

n Registered Memory = Registers delay memory information for _________________________clock cycle to ensure all communication from the chipset is collected by the clock edge, providing a controlled delay on heavily loaded memories.

Review Five

n When is buffered memory used?

n What controls the chips in unbuffered memory?

Comparing RAM

Single vs. Dual Channel RAM

DDR2 vs DDR3

n DDR2 is not only used for computers, but also for _________________________cards.

n New DDR3 aka _________________________is showing up on high end video cards.

n Right now, only very high end motherboards are using _________________________

n Required by ___________________________

n Starting to use it _____________________________

n DDR3

– Requires less _________________________than DDR2

– DDR2 _________________________ DDR3 _________________________

– DDR3 has double the _________________________banks (_____)

– There is a built in _________________________thermal sensor

– _________________________, runs _________________________, and can handle more!

n DDR3

– _________________________pins (120 on each side)

– Only fit in _________________________slots

– Pricey but going down. Prices for 4 GB*

– ______________________ in Oct 2007

– ______________________ Oct 2008

– ______________________ Nov 2009

RAM Technologies

n http://www.computermemoryupgrade.net/static-ram.html

Dual Channel RAM

n DDR SDRAM motherboard technologies contain a chipset that effectively _________________________the throughput on the _________________________bus to the RAM

n Memory is accessed 128 bits at a time instead of _______ bits.

n Two sticks of RAM in specific slots must be:

– _________________________ (same capacity, same speed, same manufacturer, same model)

– In dual _________________________slots (colored on mobo)*

Dual Channel Setups

Review Five or six…where are we?

n What are the rules for dual channel support?

n What is the purpose of dual channel?

n Dual Channel _________________________the capability of the FSB.

Memory Management in the OS

n Having RAM is all well and good, but the OS manages it has a lot to do with performance.

n DOS and Windows 9x manage RAM in a _________________________different way than Windows NT/2000/XP

n Understanding those differences can help in troubleshooting OS based memory issues.*

How DOS handles Memory

n Initially DOS couldn’t handle more than _______MB RAM (_________________________).

n Only one _________________________could run at a time.

n This program had _________________________access to this 1024K. This is referred to as “_________________________mode” because the program actually had access to memory addresses, as opposed to having the OS handle the addresses.*

DOS and RAM cont…

n Later the CPU could handle more than one program and the OS handled _________________________. This was called _________________________mode.

n Early versions of DOS used real mode exclusively.

n Later _________________________.SYS was added to handle addresses above _______ MB.

n Without _________________________ (high memory is memory above _________________________), no more than 1 MB is available.*

OS Management of Memory

n Win3x w/DOS could handle more than one program loaded in the same time by _________________________programs in and out of memory.

n This was called _________________________mode, but was really _________________________mode incognito.

n Later versions allowed 16-bit programs to share memory in a _________________________.*

OS Memory Management, cont

n W95 supported ___________-bit protected mode applications.

n Most of the OS also runs in _______-bit protected mode.

n 16 bit programs can run, but are required to run in a _________________________.

n In NT on up all code is in _________________________mode. There is no _________________________access to RAM.*

n Windows XP had a faster _________________________and loaded less into RAM at startup, loading with about _________________________MB RAM.

n Windows Vista used _________________________, which caused it to load _________________________used _________________________on startup, which made it a memory HOG!*

n It also devoted the same amount of _________________________to EVERY window you had open.

n Windows 7 works between the two. It uses much less _________________________than Vista

n Only _________________________windows use resources

n Less _________________________are bundled with it, so less load at startup

n Under the hood _________________________work better with current _________________________architecture.*

Processes and Memory

n Each process has its own virtual memory, called an _________________________space, into which it maps the code that it _________________________and the _________________________that the code references and manipulates. *

n A 32-bit process uses 32-bit _________________________ _________________________address _________________________, which creates an absolute upper limit of _____________GB (2^32) for the amount of virtual memory that a 32-bit process can address.*

n The OS needs to see both ITS code and data and the code and data of each process, so it splits the difference, assigning _________ GB to each.*

Review Seven (let’s just say we’re at seven)

n Originally, OSes couldn’t “see” more than _________________________of RAM.

n How many programs could DOS run at a time?

n What does “real mode” mean to a program?

n When programs went to “protected mode” what did this mean to the program? To the OS?

n This program allowed DOS to “see” RAM above 1 MB.

n How did Windows 3.1 handle more than one program running at a time?

n What is a VDM and how is it important in a 32-bit operating system?

n How did Windows NT secure RAM?

nHow much virtual memory CAN each process get?

nWhy doesn’t it get that much?

Physical Memory & Memory Addresses

n Memory is _________________________, addresses are _________________________.

n A limited number of addresses are available depending on the number of memory address _________________________available on the memory bus.

n Some older 16-bit programs were written to use only _________________________addresses.

n Programs now have addresses assigned by the _________________________.*

Memory Addresses, cont.

n _________________________also requires addresses. The OS will assign memory addresses via the pnp system.

n Both _________________________and _________________________are addressed. This happens during boot up and is referred to as _________________________ _________________________.

n ROM is _________________________into RAM and left over addresses are assigned to hardware, OS, and then programs.*

Review Eight

n RAM is _________________________addresses are _________________________

n How does an OS determine how many memory addresses are available?

n Some older 16-bit programs required what?

n What gets the first memory addresses? When does this happen?

Areas of the Memory Map

n _________________________Memory (0-640K)

n Upper Memory (640-_________________________)

n Extended Memory (over _________________________)

n _________________________memory (1^st 64K of extended memory)*

Conventional Memory

n Originally only _________________________of RAM was available for programs.

– Holds the _________________________applications and data being processed.

– Why it is inadequate today.

• _________________________are too large

• More than one _________________________runs at a time

• _________________________requires more memory

• Users expect nice _________________________that take up a lot of memory.*

Upper Memory

n _________________________

n Video ROM and RAM are stored in the _________________________part

n _________________________for other expansion boards

n System _________________________are at the top.*

Extended & High Memory

n High Memory– the first 64k of _________________________memory.

– Caused by a bug in the _________________________programming. A small pocket of _________________________memory.

– 286 was the first CPU with extended memory.

– DOS 5 programmers decided to use this memory to store DOS called “loading Dos _________________________”

n Extended memory is managed by OS controlled by a device driver called memory manager.

– Limited by the amount of RAM that can be installed*

Expanded Memory

n Very few of today’s programs use it but some older programs do

n Made available through a small window called a _________________________ _________________________.

n Do not confuse extended memory with expanded memory.*

Virtual Memory

n Uses _________________________drive space like memory.

– Stores _________________________memory in a file called a _________________________file.

– Slow compared to _________________________

– OS operates in _________________________mode to use virtual memory.*

Review Nine

n What is it called?

– (0-640K) _________________________

– (640-1024K) _________________________

– (over 1MB) _________________________

– (1^st 64K of extended memory) _________________________

– Hard drive space pretending to be RAM_________________________

– A special Page Frame used by only a few programs_________________________

The Page File

n In Windows 98 it was called a _________________________file.

n A section of the hard disk used as an _________________________of RAM

n It can improve performance because data being used together is placed as a _________________________chunk on the HDD, where in RAM it may be stored in many _________________________locations.*

The Page File

n By default, XP assigns a pagefile size _________times the amount of RAM installed.

n Even if you have enough RAM, all MS OSes will assign _________________________memory addresses to every running process.

n When the memory is in use exceeds the amount of RAM available, pages of memory get moved to the _________________________, stored in _________________________

n When the OS needs that stuff, it swaps it back into _________________________.*

Vista and Superfetch

n Works like _________________________in XP

– Prefetch is when the OS loads key pieces of _________________________and code from disk into memory before it’s needed.

n In Vista, it does the same thing but it learns what you (the user) does most of the time and uses that to decide what to pre-fetch.

n To make this even more efficient, Vista uses large USB 2.0 devices to improve the retrieval of data by setting aside space on a Flash drive using _________________________.

– You can remove the Flash drive without _________________________data

– The .pf file on the flash drive is _________________________, so if you take it to another computer it can’t be read*

Review Ten!

n What is a pagefile?

n What is it called in Windows 98?

n How does prefetch work?

n What is Superfetch and how is it better than prefetch?

n What is readyboost and how does it improve performance?

Unit Project

You get an email from a frantic customer. He bought a computer from you that you built. You built a computer that has the following configuration:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo e6700
Motherboard: ASUS Commando
Video Card: ATI x1900 XTX
RAM: 2 1GB sticks of OCZ PC6400 for a total of 2GBs of physical memory
Hard Drives: 2 500GB Maxtor Sata2

OS: Vista Ultimate, original install

He emails you this frantic question.

“Okay the computer is sweet, but I really wanted to be able to game and decode video at the same time, and sometimes listen to music. So I decided to add more RAM. I got two sticks of 2 GB of the same kind of RAM. When I boot up the RAM seems like it’s there. But when I go into Task Manager, there’s only 3 GB of memory showing!

Here’s a screen shot of what I was seeing:

So then I thought, “I’ll just reinstall Vista because maybe it’s my OS.” So I get the DVD you gave me and I start the installation, and it stops and I get an error that is something like this:

STOP 0x0000000A - IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Now I can’t even reinstall Vista and I want to throw the computer off a bridge! Your computer SUCKS! I think there’s something wrong with my motherboard! HELP!

Task One: Create a list of words that must be defined in order to answer the customer’s question.

Task Two: Develop a list of questions that must be answered before you can begin fulfilling the customer needs. Email those questions to the customer. Be sure to ask him about his current problem and his future needs. Obviously he felt like he needed to upgrade, so you want to ask him why.

Task Three: Research the problem based on what you know from him.

Task Four: Write a description of what the problem is. Be very specific and reassure him that while he is frustrated, there is a fix.

Task Five: Develop a step by step list of THREE options he could take to resolve this problem. Use screenshots support all three options. Be sure to write the proposal in complete sentences. Be nice! You want him to return and not badmouth you to all of his gamer geek friends!

Task Six: Create a package to send back to him that explains what he is doing wrong and how to rectify the situation. (Note: There is a specific answer to this problem, but it isn’t an easy one.) Include in your package maybe an alternative to what he actually did (adding the RAM) to deal with being able to do a lot of processor heavy things.

Task Seven: Create a complete proposal that outlines what you can do for the customer. Include drawings and images, price quotes, and other items as applicable.

Lab Check off Sheet and Report

Check off each of the labs as you complete them below. Turn this in with your lab reports.

Requirement	Completed	Filled Out Lab Sheet	Not Attempted (0 on labs for unit)
Lab 4-1 Installing RAM
Lab 4-2 Understanding the Config.sys File
Lab 4-3 Using ReadyBoost in Vista
Lab 4-4 Loading mouse drivers in DOS
Lab 4-5 Planning and Pricing Memory
Lab 4-6 Using MSD to view memory
Lab 4-7 DDR SDRAM
Lab 4-8 Memory Management in Windows XP
Lab 4-9 Memory Management in Windows NT
Lab 4-10 Memory Management in Windows 98

LAB 4-1 INSTALLING RAM

Materials Required

À Windows 98

À Toolkit

À Grounding strap

À Grounding mat

À DOS floppy

ACTIVITY

1. Check out a grounding strap and toolkit from me.

2. Clear your workstation area and shut down and unplug the computer.

3. Ground yourself and remove the cover.

Removing RAM (DIMMS)

4. Locate the DIMM banks on your system board.

5. On either end of the DIMM, gently pull the latches open and press down on them until you see the DIMM chip begin to move.

6. Gently and evenly, pull the DIMM chip straight up and free from the system board.

7. Repeat these steps until you have completely emptied the system board.

8. Plug in and restart the computer. What happens?

Installing RAM (DIMMS)

1. Locate the DIMM banks on your system board.

2. Gently and evenly slide the DIMM into one of the slots on the bank.

3. Firmly and evenly press on the top edge of the DIMM with your thumbs until it slides into place. (The latches should close when the DIMM is properly installed. If they won’t close, reseat the DIMMS and try again.)

4. Plug in the power cord.

5. Power on your lab workstation.

6. Enter the CMOS Setup program.

7. Verify that the Setup program recognizes the correct amount of memory.

8. Save the changes and reboot the workstation.

9. Allow your lab workstation to boot into Windows 9x.

10. Right-click the My Computer icon.

11. Select Properties from the shortcut menu.

12. On the General tab, locate the Computer heading.

13. Verify that Windows 9x is using all of the installed memory.

Installing RAM (SIMMS)

SIMMS install much the same as DIMMS with a few exceptions.

1. The SIMM modules must be installed in pairs.

2. The first module must be in the first SIMM slot. The slot should be marked SIMM1.

3. Both SIMMs should be the same size and speed.

4. The DIMMs are installed by lining them up with the slot perpendicularly and pushing straight down. A SIMM is installed by sliding it into the slot at an angle, sliding it in, then straightening it until it clicks into space (see below).

Remove one stick of RAM and loosen the other memory module on a system board and boot the PC. What error do you get?

Recording the characteristics of RAM

In the following section, write the full description of each type of RAM; be sure to include the most common usages for each type of memory, typical memory speed, and a brief description of the physical characteristics. You will find the definitions online! Just Google it! Finding and copying the information will help you memorize it; once you are out in the field, you will be expected to know this information from memory.

Module Type	Description	Speeds	Sizes (in MB or GB)	Special Features
SRAM
DRAM
DIMM
Parity RAM
Nonparity RAM
EDO RAM
FPM RAM
Flash Memory
SDRAM
DDR
Thumb drives
COAST
RDRAM
DDR2
DDR3

Lab 4-2 Examining the CONFIG.SYS

1. Start your lab workstation in MS-DOS.

2. At the command prompt in the root directory, type EDIT CONFIG.SYS and press Enter. Your lab workstation should respond by launching the EDIT program and opening the CONFIG.SYS file.

3. On the following lines copy the contents of your CONFIG.SYS; then next to each command, write how your lab workstation should respond. Every CONFIG.SYS can be different; the purpose of this exercise is to teach you how to interpret the commands that you find in the CONFIG.SYS file on your workstation. You will find the command definitions online at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=232557

Command	Syntax	Description
BUFFERS	BUFFERS=40	This command tells DOS how many buffers to maintain when transferring data to and from secondary storage.

Review Questions

Circle True or False.

1. When you install memory into a Pentium-class system board that uses 72-pin SIMMs, the memory must always be installed in pairs. True / False

2. Conventional memory includes the first 128K of RAM. True / False

3. EDO stands for extended data output. True / False

4. EDO RAM is faster than FPM RAM. True / False

5. Flash memory is commonly used as a cache for desktop PCs. True / False

6. If the following line were added to your CONFIG.SYS file, what would it tell your computer to do? DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS

7. What would the following command tell your PC to do? EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT

8. If the following line were added to your CONFIG.SYS file, what would it tell your computer to do? Dos=high,umb

Lab Notes

What is conventional memory?—Conventional memory, or base memory, is the first 640K of RAM.

What is upper memory?—Upper memory includes memory addresses starting at 641K and going up to 1024K.

What is extended memory?—Memory addresses above 1024K are referred to as residing in extended memory.

What is expanded memory?—Expanded memory is memory that falls outside the linear memory addressing scheme. Note that expanded memory normally is accessed via upper memory. Refer to your textbook for more information about expanded memory.

What is virtual memory?—Virtual memory is an area of secondary storage that is set aside to be used as an area of RAM. Note that because it is secondary storage the access time is considerably slower than that of RAM.

What is ECC?—ECC (Error checking and correction) is a chip set feature on the system board that checks the integrity of data stored on DIMMs and can correct single-bit errors in a byte. More advanced ECC schemas can detect, but not correct, double-bit errors in a byte.

Table 4-1

Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98 example

Memory Type	Total	Used	Free
---------------	------	------	-----
Conventional	640k	52k	588k
Upper	0k	0k	0k
Reserved	384k	384k	0k
Extended (XMS)	31,744k	168k	31,576k
---------------	------	------	------
Total memory	31,768k	168k	31,576k
Total under 1 MB	640k	52k	588k

Total Expanded (EMS)                    32M (33,046,528 bytes) 
Free Expanded (EMS)                     16M (16,777,216 bytes) 

Largest executable program size       588K (602,512 bytes) 
Largest free upper memory block         0K        (0 bytes) 
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

Windows 2000 and Windows XP example

655360 bytes total conventional memory

655360 bytes available to MS-DOS

633872 largest executable program size

1048576 bytes total contiguous extended memory

0 bytes available contiguous extended memory

941056 bytes available XMS memory

MS-DOS resident in High Memory Area

mem /f - This would display the amount of conventional memory free.

Lab 4-3 Turn ReadyBoost on or off for a storage device

Windows ReadyBoost can use storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer. When you insert a compatible device, the AutoPlay dialog box will offer you the option to speed up your system using Windows ReadyBoost.

1.

Plug a flash drive or other removable media device into your computer. This should automatically open AutoPlay.

If AutoPlay does not open, it might have been disabled. To turn it on:

1. Open AutoPlay by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then clicking AutoPlay.

2. Do one of the following:

•	To turn AutoPlay on, select the Use AutoPlay for all media and devices check box.
•	To turn AutoPlay off, clear the Use AutoPlay for all media and devices check box.

3. Click Save.

2.

Under General Options, click Speed up my system.

This will display the Properties dialog box for your flash drive or other removable media device.

3.

Click the ReadyBoost tab, and then do one of the following:

•	To turn ReadyBoost off, click Do not use this device.
•	To turn ReadyBoost on, click Use this device, and then move the slider to choose how much of the available space on your flash drive you want to reserve for boosting your system speed.

4.

Click OK.

Move the slider to choose how much space you want to designate for boosting your system speed

Note The removable media device must contain at least 256 megabytes (MB) of space to work with Windows ReadyBoost.

1. What benefit could you see of ReadyBoost?

2. What kind of drive do you have to use? (Besides USB…what specs…)

3. How can you turn ReadyBoost off?

4. Do you think this is a reasonable solution for lack of RAM in a system? Why or why not?

Lab 4-4 MEMORY MANAGEMENT IN DOS

Objective

The objective of this lab is to make you familiar with some common methods of memory management available in DOS. After completing this lab exercise, you will be able to:

_ Load TSRs from AUTOEXEC.BAT.

_ Use the MEM command to view your workstation’s current memory configuration.

ACTIVITY

Loading a TSR high

1. Allow your lab workstation to boot to DOS.

2. Insert the TSR disk provided by your instructor. The program is called addit.

3. Use the COPY command to copy the TSR and all related files from the disk to the root directory of your lab workstation.

4. Make C:\ your current directory. What is the name of the TSR you just copied over? ____________________

5. Type EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT and press Enter.

6. Add the following to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: LH C:\tsr.tsr. (Note: The TSR.TSR should be replaced with the name of the TSR on the disk.)

7. Press the Alt key.

8. Use the down arrow [↓] to select Save from the File menu.

9. Press the Alt key.

10. Use the down arrow [↓] to select Exit from the File menu.

11. Reboot your lab workstation.

12. To verify that the TSR loaded, attempt to use its function.

Using the MEM command

1. Allow your lab workstation to boot to DOS.

2. Type MEM at the command prompt and press Enter.

3. Compare the information provided by the MEM command to Table 4-1.

Table 4-1

Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98 example

Memory Type	Total	Used	Free
---------------	------	------	-----
Conventional	640k	52k	588k
Upper	0k	0k	0k
Reserved	384k	384k	0k
Extended (XMS)	31,744k	168k	31,576k
---------------	------	------	------
Total memory	31,768k	168k	31,576k
Total under 1 MB	640k	52k	588k

Total Expanded (EMS)                    32M (33,046,528 bytes) 
Free Expanded (EMS)                     16M (16,777,216 bytes) 

Largest executable program size       588K (602,512 bytes) 
Largest free upper memory block         0K        (0 bytes) 
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

Windows 2000 and Windows XP example

655360 bytes total conventional memory

655360 bytes available to MS-DOS

633872 largest executable program size

1048576 bytes total contiguous extended memory

0 bytes available contiguous extended memory

941056 bytes available XMS memory

MS-DOS resident in High Memory Area

mem /f - This would display the amount of conventional memory free.

Review Questions

Circle True or False.

1. TSR stands for terminate safety return. True / False

2. TSRs are programs that stay in memory even when they are not being used. True / False

3. TSRs can be loaded into memory only via the CONFIG.SYS. True / False

4. You can use the MEM command to view the amount of available hard drive space.

1. True / False

5. The HIMEM.SYS file is used primarily to test conventional memory. True / False

6. If the following line were added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, what would it tell your computer to do?

LH c:\myfile

Lab Notes

What is a TSR?—A TSR is any program or device driver that resides in memory even though it is not active. TSR stands for terminate and stay resident.

What is HIMEM.SYS?—HIMEM.SYS is a device driver used to manage expanded memory in the DOS environment. If HIMEM.SYS fails to load, reboot the PC and check your CONFIG.SYS to verify that the path is specified correctly.

Lab 4-5 Planning and Pricing Memory

Look up the following system boards, a notebook, and a netbook on the internet and answer the questions below. (Hint: Go to www.motherboards.org).

Ž eVGA nForce 680i

Ž Biostar G-31D-M7

Ž Gigabyte GA-MA790XT

Ž EEEPC 9000

Ž Dell VOSTRO 1520 Notebook

Ž The motherboard on your computer that you are using

What is the maximum amount of memory the banks on your system board can accommodate? Look in a computer catalog, such as Computer Shopper, or on the Internet and determine how much it costs to fill the banks to full capacity. Don’t forget to match the speed of the modules, and plan to use only the size modules your computer can accommodate.

Motherboard

Speeds mobo will accommodate

Max amount of RAM

Type of RAM

Price per module

Lab 4-6: Using MSD to View Memory

1. Complete this lab in Windows 98.
2. Access MSD by typing MSD in the run command.
3. Access its view of memory on your computer. Get a printout of the MSD memory report.
4. How much RAM is installed on your machine?

5. How much virtual memory is installed?

6. What is the swap file space being used?

Now reboot into Windows XP

Windows XP does not have MSD, it does however have a similar program.

1. In the run box type msinfo32.
2. Access its view of memory on your computer. Get a printout of the MSD memory report.
3. How much RAM is installed on your machine?

4. How much virtual memory is installed?

5. What is the page file space being used?

Lab 4-7 DDR3-SDRAM

1. Go to the following page: http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2989&p=2

2. Read the article and answer the questions below:

1. What is JEDEC?
2. Fill in the table below comparing DDR2 to DDR3

Official JEDEC Specifications
	DDR2	DDR3
Rated Speed
Vdd/Vddq
Internal Banks
Termination
Topology
Driver Control
Thermal Sensor

3. DDR ran up to speeds of _________________________
4. DDR2 ran up to speeds of ________________________
5. What will the initial DDR3 speeds be?
6. Why is the 1333 number important?
7. How does “fly by” technology improve the signal integrity of the chip?

8. Why is signal integrity more important in DDR3?

9. How many internal banks are used in DDR3 and what do those banks do to benefit the user?

10. What are the names of two companies that have developed DDR3 chips?

11. Name one motherboard that will support DDR3.

12. So which is faster? DDR2 or DDR3? (Don’t guess, read the article.)

13. To get the best performance, which memory would you buy and pair with which motherboard?

Lab 4-8 Memory Management in Windows XP

ACTIVITY

Configuring the Windows XP swap file

1. Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Performance Options button.
4. Click the Change button.
5. Click in the Initial Size box and set the value to 150.
6. Click in the Maximum size box and set the value to 250.
7. Click the Set button.
8. Click the OK button on the virtual memory property sheet.
9. Click the OK button in the alert window.
10. Click the OK button in Performance Options.
11. Click the OK button in the System Properties window.
12. Click Yes when prompted to restart your lab workstation.

Review Questions

Circle True or False.

1. Pagefile.sys is the name of the Windows XP swap file. True / False

2. For optimum performance you should always configure a swap file on every partition. True / False

3. The largest swap file Windows XP Professional supports is 125MB. True / False

4. The Maximum registry size of Windows XP Professional is 5.4 MB. True / False

5. You have just finished installing Windows 2003 Server for Ronda. Her computer has 3 physical hard drives and 6 logical drives. Windows XP is installed on Ronda’s first physical drive (C:\). For Ronda’s computer to be configured for optimum performance, how many swap files would you configure on her server and why?

6. Linda is attempting to install a new application on her Windows XP Professional computer, but it isn’t working. When Linda attempts the installation, her computer says something about “registry quota too low.” Write instructions, in the form of an e-mail to Linda, describing how she can change her registry quota.

Lab 4-9 Memory Management in Vista or 7

Vista manages memory WAY different from Windows XP using some of the new features of Vista. Vista promises that the more RAM you feed it, the more responsive it will be to you. It uses its new HMMS (Heuristic Memory Management System) technology to achieve this. That means a computer running 1 GB with Vista and a computer running 1 GB with XP will probably be the same, but add another GB to Vista and you’ll see extreme boosts in performance that you would not see with XP.

Memory Management Technologies in Vista:

o Superfetch

o ReadyBoost

Superfetch works kind of like pre-fetch works with CPU registers. It starts to learn the programs you use more often and loads them into RAM. So if every time you boot up you open iTunes, Vista will say “Hey, this dude likes music. I shall pre-load iTunes and when he clicks the icon, it will load and he will think I am wicked fast and love me forever.” Superfetch can also give your often used applications priority over background tasks. So if you’re a WOW freak (and let’s face it, most of you are…nerds) and your virus software kicks in, Vista should say “Hmmm, he plays WOW a lot more than McAfee, so we’ll give WOW a higher priority access to RAM.”

As you know, ReadyBoost is a way for users who need a short-term boost of RAM to “add RAM” by using a large(ish) flash drive. Insert a flash drive into a USB 2.0 port and Vista will ask you if you want to use ReadyBoost. Say “yes” and the memory manager will start loading data onto the flash drive for faster access, rather than tossing it all onto the hard drive. Hard drive=slow. Flash drive=fast.

You need to use a 1 GB USB 2.0 drive or higher and have at least 230 MB available.

So how do we optimize Vista?

Performance Information and Tools

Rate and Improve Your Computer’s Performance

1. Go into your Control Panels.
2. Select Performance Information and Tools (Sometimes you have to select System and Maintenance first).
3. Click “Rate This Computer”
4. Print your values. (I got an error when I tried it on one VM system, so if that happens print the error.)

Adjust your visual effects

Vista’s pretty “aero” effects are BIG RAM hogs. You can adjust the effects if you need to run on a machine that is running slowly due to lower RAM.

1. Go back to Performance Information and Tools.
2. Click on Adjust Your Visual Effects
3. Click on Adjust for best performance.
4. 
5. What did it do?

6. Click the Advanced tab. Notice that you can adjust the processor allocation. If you’re running a server, you’re going to want to choose Background Services, because you generally don’t run a lot of applications on a server. Leave it at Programs because that’s best for your system.
7. Click on Virtual Memory and click Change. By default Vista automatically manages the page file. Turn that off.
8. Click custom size. Set the initial size at 16 MB and the max at 512 MB. Click Set. (You can change this back to system managed if you find it’s running slower.)
9. 
10. Note: You can put page files across multiple drives! If you have 3 drives in your system, you can move the page file off the drive that holds your operating system, and onto the other two drives. Doing this speeds up performance, sometimes dramatically. Your hard drive can only handle one operation at a time, so if it needs to read the drive for the pagefile and it needs to read the drive for the OS, it’s going to slow down when using virtual memory.
11. What is virtual memory?

12. What is a benefit of moving your page file off your system drive and onto another drive?

13. When might you do NO page file?

Lab 4-10 Memory Management in Windows 9x.

Complete this lab in Windows 98

Disabling the Windows 9x swap file

1. Allow your lab workstation to boot into Windows 9x.

2. Right-click the My Computer icon.

3. Select Properties from the shortcut menu.

4. Click the Performance tab, as shown in Figure 4-3.

5. Click the Virtual Memory button.

6. Click the Let me specify my own virtual memory settings option button.

7. Place a check mark in the Disable virtual memory check box.

8. Click OK.

9. Click the Yes button on the confirmation message.

10. Click the Close button.

11. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

12. Observe and describe the performance results:

Specifying a permanent swap file

1. Allow your lab workstation to boot into Windows 9x.

2. Right-click the My Computer icon.

3. Select Properties from the shortcut menu.

4. Click the Performance tab.

5. Click the Virtual Memory button.

6. Click the Let me specify my own virtual memory settings option button.

7. Clear the check mark from the Disable virtual memory check box.

8. Set the minimum swap file size to 150MB.

9. Set the maximum swap file size to 150MB.

10. Click OK.

11. Click the Yes button on the confirmation message.

12. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

13. Observe and describe the performance results:

4

Allowing Windows to manage its virtual memory

1. Allow your lab workstation to boot into Windows 9x.

2. Right-click the My Computer icon.

3. Select Properties from the shortcut menu.

4. Click the Performance tab.

5. Click the Virtual Memory button.

6. Click the Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings option button, as

shown in Figure 4-4.

7. Click the OK button on the Virtual Memory dialog box.

8. Click the Yes button if you receive a confirmation message.

9. Click the Close button.

10. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

11. Observe and describe the results:

Lab Notes

What is Windows doing when it manages my virtual memory?—By default, Windows 9x will manage your virtual memory. This means that it will size and resize your Swap file as it sees fit. In most circumstances this is the recommended memory-management method.

What are multiple swap files?—Some Microsoft operating systems, such as Windows NT, support multiple swap files to improve the virtual memory management speed and capabilities. However,Windows 95 and Windows 98 do not support that configuration.

What is a memory conflict, and how does it occur?—A memory conflict occurs when two or more applications attempt to use the same memory address or address range.

What is an illegal operation?—These errors vary depending on the situation. You can find out exactly which applications were involved by clicking the Details button. Many times these errors are GPFs (General Protection Fault) and should be handled accordingly.

Review Questions

Circle True or False.

1. Windows 9x has the ability to manage its own swap files. True / False
2. If you have a new computer, it is always recommended that you disable your virtual memory because it isn’t needed. True / False
3. The swap file is a folder on the hard drive, and is used by the operating system for virtual memory management. True / False
4. In Windows 9x each program has its own swap file. True / False
5. How many swap files can Windows 9x use at the same time?
6. You are employed as a desktop PC support technician at the Sweet Town Hot Water Company. Billy, one of your customers, has asked that you show him how to disable the swap file on his Windows 95 laptop. In the space below, write instructions for Billy.

RAM Technologies

Look up the following RAM Technologies and describe the features of each.

Technology	DRAM or SRAM	Benefits	Works with the following processors	Speed	Special features
Double Data Rate
Double Data Rate 2
Double Data Rate 3
Double Data Rate 4 (wowsa)
Synchronous DRAM
Rambus DRAM
RIMM
Dual Channel RAM
EDO
Fast Page Mode RAM

What are the differences among PC2100, PC2700, and PC23200 memory? Be CLEAR!

Why does this matter?

What is the difference between PC3200 and PC2-3200?

Are they interchangeable?

What can be the result of using cheap RAM?

What about mixing RAM? Can that be a problem?

Why? Explain clearly.