Please help me settle this argument about ROM chips!

[TechnoPro]

True or Fale:

ROM chips are mounted directly on the computers main circuit board or in chips mounted on peripheral cards that plug into the computer?s main circuit board.

And no, this is not homework. I answered the question true thinking immediately of the ROM chip mounted on the motherboard containing the BIOS. The system scored me incorrect! For that matter, I have been under the impression that the firmware of any device was stored on a ROM chip, although technically an EEPROM chip.

Please chime in on this one, thanks!

 

[AWhackWhiteBoy]

Read Only Memory,thats its only definition as far as i know. not sure though.

 

[TechnoPro]

Not that Webopedia is the end all, but...

"The BIOS is typically placed in a ROM chip that comes with the computer (it is often called a ROM BIOS)."

Source : Webopedia.com

 

[yak8998]

really it can be removable if needed. I believe the only definition attached to ROM is read-only memory...

 

[sandorski]

I would have said True as well. I dunno, anyway to find out why it is wrong?

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: sandorski
I would have said True as well. I dunno, anyway to find out why it is wrong?

Once I have cracked open my hardware reference guides (authored by Mike Myers, Scott Mueller, and the like.) and proven myself correct, I will contact the professor about this nonsense with sources. Perhaps it would also be prudent of me to scour the courses text for where this was mentioned.

I will have an answer, mark my words!

 

[Viper96720]

It's sounds like a trick question. Since your probably thinking of eeproms found on most motherboards. But the question asked if ROM chips are mounted on the motherboard. So it would be false since ROM isn't used.

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: Viper96720
It's sounds like a trick question. Since your probably thinking of eeproms found on most motherboards. But the question asked if ROM chips are mounted on the motherboard. So it would be false since ROM isn't used.

EEPROM is a type of ROM...

"The BIOS stored on the ROM chip attached to the motherboard is officially known as the system BIOS."

"The system ROM chip, which stores the system BIOS, resides on the motherboard."

(Source: A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide by Michael Meyers, 4th edition, pages 202 and 204, respectively.)

"ROM chips are mounted directly on the computers main circuit board or in chips mounted on peripheral cards that plug into the computer?s main circuit board."

The statements are very close...

 

[Viper96720]

It's a type of ROM but the question never asked if EEPROM chips are mounted.

 

[Viper96720]

If it wasn't a trick question then I would think TRUE is correct also

 

[Jeff7]

ROM chips are mounted directly on the computers main circuit board or in chips mounted on peripheral cards that plug into the computer?s main circuit board.

As that is written, I'd say it's true. It can be mounted on the motherboard, and in peripheral cards, or on chips socketed on the motherboard. The mounting on the motherboard (socketed vs direct solder) seems to be at the discretion of the manufacturer, though socketed seems most popular these days.

Quick side question - why is EEPROM called ROM if it's not truly read-only?

 

[Cerb]

It's a f*cking test. There's my opinion. People making the tests can't build a PC anyway.

In any case, it is often mounted directly, but may in fact be in a socket. It's the question I'd ask the prof about, as it could be true, or could be false. Kinda like that question about which wasn't an AMD processor: K5, K6, K7, or K8

 

[Twinpeaksr]

From a hardware sense, my answer would be false. This is because of a few reasons, but mainly the question says that ROM Chips are mounted in chips mounted on peripheral. ROM logic can be in another chip, but outside of infineon chip on chip technology for drivers, I don't see this as true. A poorly worded question at best.

As for EEPROM, it is a type of ROM, but is not ROM. To many acronyms, not enough letters.

ROM chips can be mounted on Motherboards, Graphics cards or anything else, but most common now is EEPROM or a masked processor with room for program code onboard. All of it is generally erasable to some extent or completely if you have enough knowledge of the internal workings of the card.

 

[Ichinisan]

I'm sure there are dozens of true ROM chips for the integrated controllers on all motherboards. Standard ROM chips are also found in video game cartridges (storing game data). EEPROM still qualifies as a Read-Only Memory chip...why else would "ROM" be a part of the acronym?

 

[ECUHITMAN]

I could be wrong, but isn't the BIOS contained in a ROM chip that IS mounted to your motherboard and the changes or modifications to your bios contained in the CMOS (which, I thought, is EEPROM also a ROM chip)?

I am not sure about the second part of that question "or in chips mounted on peripheral cards that plug into..." the OR throws me off. It reads like it is giving you an option that it is either mounted on the motherboard OR on a peripheral card, which I have never seen a new mother board that has the BIOS on a card.

Again, I am not A+ certified, nor am I an expert, but I would have to say the answer is TRUE. BUT it is a poorly worded question.

 

[Ichinisan]

Tons of cards have their own BIOS chips. Especially networking cards. I believe that the vast majority of IC chips on any expansion card are actually ROM or PROM chips.

 

[Ichinisan]

Oh, and CMOS data is stored in SRAM, maintained by a battery (which also powers the system clock)

 

[Confused]

EEPROM = Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.

In normal use it is read-only, however under certain circumstances, it can be erased and re-programmed. It is not like RAM where only parts can be rewritten. EEPROM has to be totally rewritten.


And for the True/False, I would have to say False. ROM chips can be placed anywhere, within reason. They are either directly attached to a motherboard, or a peripheral card, or they can be part of another chip/component.


Confused