Chapter 3

CD-ROM Drive

The most common read-only optical storage device. These drives are read only drives that you can access data from.

Hard drive

The most commonly used type of secondary storage device, which stores bits of data as aligned particles on the surface of a magnetic disk These can hold a lot of information.

Online storage

You also can store information on a remote computer. Such as Google Drive, Dropbox and others.

Other external magnetic devices

are USB's, Zip drives, IPods and other MP3 players.

Which type of secondary storage device do you use most at school?

Flash drives and online storage because of more storage space.

File

A collection of related information or program code, which has been given a unique name.

Memory

A set of chips that acts a a temporary workspace in the computer. This memory is is called random access memory or RAM

Basic input/output or BIOS

A set of programs that tells the computer equipment how to start up. It is permanently stored in spacial memory called Read only memory or ROM

Archival storage

A storage device for information that is not frequently used. This is sometimes call secondary storage device because you can store data on a disk or tape and then put it away for a long time only using it again when you need it.

Read/write device

A storage device that allows users to access information and save it to the device. It can not only read data but can write data onto the medium. These devices let you read data from a disk or tape, make changes to the data, and save data onto the medium. Examples are Hard drives, USB flash drives, DC-RW, and DVD-RAM drives.

Read-only-device

A storage device that allows users to access information but not save or change it. It can read data from the storage medium but you can NOT change the data or save any new data on it. A CD-ROM is an example of this. Many music CD's that you buy are this way.

Floppy Disk Drives

A storage device that reads floppy disks. Floppy disk drives are not used any more because they don't hold a lot of information.

Optical storage device

A storage device that uses laser beams to read the information stored on the reflective surface of a disc. Popular types of optical storage devices are CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives.

Secondary Storage

Computer disk drives such as the hard drive and CD-ROM drive used to store large amounts of data Sometimes used to describe devices that can store data permanently, such as a hard drive, floppy disk, CD, or tape. The computer will look for data on one of these devices if the data is NOT in RAM.

ROM

Is permanent storage that holds startup instructions and configuration information of the computer.

RAM

Is temporary memory that hold program instructions and data that are being used by the CPU.

Primary storage

It is memory chips that are built into a computer, such as random access memory (RAM) Sometimes used to describe the main memory or RAM in a computer because when the CPU needs data or instructions it looks in memory before looking anywhere else.

Storage Device

The computer's hardware components that retain data even after the power is turned off.

Magneto-Optical Devices (MO)

This type of drive combines both magnetic and optical drive technologies.

Storage media

a medium is an object that physically holds data or program instructions. Flash drives, Floppy disks, magnectic tapes and CD's are examples of storage media

Computer Storage

has two components storage media and storage devices

Random access storage device

A storage device that lets the computer go directly to the needed information. The device DOES NOT have to search the entire medium to find the data. They are much faster and more expensive. A hard drive is an example.

sequential storage device

A storage device that requires a computer to scan from the beginning to the end of stored information. An example is a tape drive. This type of storage is cheaper but slower than other types of storage, This is used mostly for back up.

Storage devices

Is a piece of hardware that hold the storage medium, sends data to the medium, and retrieves data from the medium. Hard Drives, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives, floppy disk drives, and tape drives are all examples of storage devices.