Each and every file of a computer system is stored in storage media. If we talk about operating system, it itself gets stored in storage device i.e. in a hard disk. Data storage devices are the devices which can store or record the data/information either temporary or permanent. Storage Devices are one of the most essential component for computer. A standard computer has its own multiple storage devices like RAM, ROM, hard disks, Pen drives etc. We are going to discuss about several storage devices used by Windows Operating System.
We can differentiate storage device in two types:
Primary storage devices are the medium which holds the data for a short time or you can say while the computer is working.
RAM (Random Access Memory) and Cache memory both are the examples of primary storage devices. RAM and cache memory both are volatile in nature and directly accessible by the CPU.
Hard drives are used to store the data on computer permanently or temporary. When computer stores the data on hard drives it doesn’t throw it anywhere on disk, data is stored on platters in a very mannered way. Platters are the most important part of hard disk, it is made from glass or aluminum and each side of disks are coated with magnetic metal layer, which makes it a magnetic storage device. Platters rotate 10,000 revolutions in a minute so that the read write head can access any part of the disk. Data on hard disks are stored on platters in a circular path called Tracks, each track is divided into smaller areas called sectors.
USB flash drives or generally knows as Pen Drives are the widely used as storage media with the capacity up to 256 GB. Pen drives are easy to use, carry, and with a longer life than CD ROMs and floppy disks. Pen drive uses flash memory which is a type of EEPROM chip (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), works on NAND gate, it makes pen drives fast read, write and erase.
Solid State Drive (SSD) is the best option to replace the hard drive storage media because hard drives consist a lots of moving parts like read-write head, platters etc. but SSDs work on NAND flash circuit board to read, write and delete. The Solid state drives doesn’t use any kind of spinning disk or moving parts it uses semiconductor chips to store the data which make it fast to work and more secure from the corruption.
Floppy disk was the primary storage media to add the data to a computer until CD-ROM drives became popular. Floppy disks looks similar as audio cassette and used to read and write data in a small amount. It was also a magnetic storage device. Floppy disk was built with a thin plastic base material which is coated with iron oxide (a ferromagnetic material). Floppy disks are arranged with tracks and tracks are arranged in concentric rings, so that software can jump from file 1 to file 19 without having fast forward like audio cassettes.
Optical disc drive is the external storage device which uses Laser light to read or write the data. Some drives came with only read permissions but now a days discs have both read and write permissions, also called burners or writers. Compact disc (CDs), DVDs and Blu Ray disc are some common type of media, used to store or read the data.
CDs: Compact disc storage device is widely used to store the data, music and software. CDs have the diameter of 120 millimeter or 4.7 inch with 700 MB data.
DVDs: DVDs or Digital Versatile discs or digital video discs are the storage media which provides higher storage capacity than compact discs (CDs). DVDs came in two formats one is only recorded for once (DVD-R) then it works as DVD-ROM and second one is Rewritable DVDs (DVD-RW), it can be write many times.
Blu Ray Discs: Blue ray discs are also an optical disc. This storage device is the upgraded version of DVD, and has an ability to store High Definition videos with 1080 pixels. Blue Ray discs come in the same size as DVDs and CDs, with 120 mm diameter. Blue ray discs are built in layers format which contains 25 GB storage per layer.
We can differentiate storage device in two types:
Primary Storage devices:
Primary storage devices are the medium which holds the data for a short time or you can say while the computer is working.
RAM (Random Access Memory) and Cache memory both are the examples of primary storage devices. RAM and cache memory both are volatile in nature and directly accessible by the CPU.
Secondary Storage Devices:
Secondary storage device or external memory is non-volatile in nature, it can record the data until that data is deleted or over written. Secondary storage devices store data either computer is on or off. Some secondary storage devices are given below:
Hard Disk: Used Externally and Internally
Hard drives are used to store the data on computer permanently or temporary. When computer stores the data on hard drives it doesn’t throw it anywhere on disk, data is stored on platters in a very mannered way. Platters are the most important part of hard disk, it is made from glass or aluminum and each side of disks are coated with magnetic metal layer, which makes it a magnetic storage device. Platters rotate 10,000 revolutions in a minute so that the read write head can access any part of the disk. Data on hard disks are stored on platters in a circular path called Tracks, each track is divided into smaller areas called sectors.
Pen Drives: Easy to carry
USB flash drives or generally knows as Pen Drives are the widely used as storage media with the capacity up to 256 GB. Pen drives are easy to use, carry, and with a longer life than CD ROMs and floppy disks. Pen drive uses flash memory which is a type of EEPROM chip (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), works on NAND gate, it makes pen drives fast read, write and erase.
Solid State Drive (SSD): A better option of Hard drives
Solid State Drive (SSD) is the best option to replace the hard drive storage media because hard drives consist a lots of moving parts like read-write head, platters etc. but SSDs work on NAND flash circuit board to read, write and delete. The Solid state drives doesn’t use any kind of spinning disk or moving parts it uses semiconductor chips to store the data which make it fast to work and more secure from the corruption.
Floppy Disk: An aged Storage Device
Floppy disk was the primary storage media to add the data to a computer until CD-ROM drives became popular. Floppy disks looks similar as audio cassette and used to read and write data in a small amount. It was also a magnetic storage device. Floppy disk was built with a thin plastic base material which is coated with iron oxide (a ferromagnetic material). Floppy disks are arranged with tracks and tracks are arranged in concentric rings, so that software can jump from file 1 to file 19 without having fast forward like audio cassettes.
Optical Disc: An advantage over Floppy Disks
Optical disc drive is the external storage device which uses Laser light to read or write the data. Some drives came with only read permissions but now a days discs have both read and write permissions, also called burners or writers. Compact disc (CDs), DVDs and Blu Ray disc are some common type of media, used to store or read the data.
CDs: Compact disc storage device is widely used to store the data, music and software. CDs have the diameter of 120 millimeter or 4.7 inch with 700 MB data.
DVDs: DVDs or Digital Versatile discs or digital video discs are the storage media which provides higher storage capacity than compact discs (CDs). DVDs came in two formats one is only recorded for once (DVD-R) then it works as DVD-ROM and second one is Rewritable DVDs (DVD-RW), it can be write many times.
Blu Ray Discs: Blue ray discs are also an optical disc. This storage device is the upgraded version of DVD, and has an ability to store High Definition videos with 1080 pixels. Blue Ray discs come in the same size as DVDs and CDs, with 120 mm diameter. Blue ray discs are built in layers format which contains 25 GB storage per layer.
No comments:
Post a Comment