How do flash drives never loose their data after staying uncharged for a long time?

[LoneWolf121188]

How do flash drives never loose their data after staying uncharged for a long time?

I have an ipod shuffle and a mini, and both use flash memory. I have left them unused and unplugged for several months at a time, but when I turn em on, they just start right up and start playing again. Doesn't flash memory need a constant power source? Where is it getting power from for such a long time? Or is the drain just so small it can go for ages without needing power?

 

[zip22]

an (ipod) mini uses a hard drive. flash memory does not need a constant power source. think about regular thumb drives, they don't have batteries. i don't remember the specifics of how they physically work, but no, they don't need a power source.

here are some more details on the non-volatile memory (compared to the volatile memory inside your computer that does need constant power)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory

 

[thegreek]

whats the diff between flash memory and regualr memory?

 

[zip22]

computer memory is much much faster, but does require constant power and is more expensive.

 

[Enablingwolf]

This question promted me to go right to howstuffworks.com


I came up with this. Pretty simple explanation and uses.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/flash-memory.htm

 

[Xtreme Barton]

^^^

good find

 

[LoneWolf121188]

This question promted me to go right to howstuffworks.com


I came up with this. Pretty simple explanation and uses.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/flash-memory.htm

You may think that your car radio has Flash memory, since you are able to program the presets and the radio remembers them. But it is actually using Flash RAM. The difference is that Flash RAM has to have some power to maintain its contents, while Flash memory will maintain its data without any external source of power. Even though you have turned the power off, the car radio is pulling a tiny amount of current to preserve the data in the Flash RAM. That is why the radio will lose its presets if your car battery dies or the wires are disconnected.

Doesn't say why though...

 

[JigPu]

...I haven't a clue what they mean by "Flash RAM", as every time I've heard that term used, it was referring to the Flash Memory they were just explaining.

The reason that DRAM (normal RAM) looses it's memory without power is because it makes use of a capacitor and a transistor to store a bit. No capacitor is perfect, and eventually will leak out all its charge. Howstuffworks has a good article on RAM which explains the effect by analogy with a leaky bucket.

SRAM (used for uber-high speed memory like L1 and registers) also looses its memory since it is created with logic gates (which require power to function)

JigPu

 

[tom10167]

Dude I just read that, it's the kind of thing where you think you want to know, and then when you find out it's like

Oops! Don't care. Seriously, WAY more complex than I bargained for.

I need explanations that start with "Basically."

 

[deathman20]

Dude I just read that, it's the kind of thing where you think you want to know, and then when you find out it's like

Oops! Don't care. Seriously, WAY more complex than I bargained for.

I need explanations that start with "Basically."

Hehe Basically....

Best way I can discribe it, its like a light switch. 1 on 0 off and the electricity is like a finger hitting the switch.

 

[LoneWolf121188]

So it doesn't need a constant supply of electricity to keep the switch in the position its in?

 

[halo_2_rocks]

I guess not