Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of ECC RAM?
- It compresses data stored in memory to increase capacity
- It detects and corrects single-bit memory errors ✓
- It allows RAM to be hot-swapped while the system is running
- It increases RAM speed by 50%
Correct answer: It detects and corrects single-bit memory errors
Option B is correct because Error-Correcting Code (ECC) RAM contains extra bits and dedicated circuitry that can detect and automatically correct single-bit memory errors, preventing data corruption and system crashes in servers and workstations where data integrity is critical. Option A is incorrect because ECC has no data compression function; compression would require additional CPU overhead and is handled by software or storage controllers, not RAM. Option C is incorrect because hot-swapping RAM while a system is running is a feature of specific server hardware and memory architectures unrelated to ECC; ECC addresses error correction, not hot-plug capability. Option D is incorrect because ECC imposes a slight performance overhead rather than increasing speed, and the claim of a 50% speed increase has no basis in how ECC technology works.
Topic: · ecc ram, memory error correction, hardware, comptia a+