destructive readout (DRO)

Destructive Readout (DRO) means destructive reading.

This refers to memory technologies in which the memory cell loses its information when it is read out. Historical core memories are an example of this. As soon as a core memory cell was read out, the remanence could drop sharply and the stored bit was lost. In this context, one spoke of Destructive Readout (DRO).

To preserve the destroyed information, the data bits were read into the memory cell again after the destructive readout.