Storage devices (HDD/SSD/Optical Drives)

Storage devices

Storage devices are used to keep data and documents saved from RAM, so when the computer is switched off they are kept safe for another time. They are also used to keep programs for loading into RAM when they start so the CPU can run them.

HDD (hard disk drives)– These are magnetic media, as they can use tiny magnetic spots on a disk surface to store data. The disk spins round using circular tracks to organise the magnetic spots with a read/write head moving over the disk surface between tracks to use them.

SSD (solid state drives) – These store data in flash memory microchips which contain transistors that retain their state (on or off) and store the data, even when there’s no electrical power supply. Although currently HDD are genrally cheaper and can have larger capacities, this is beginning to change and SSD is becoming increasingly popular and more common.
They are same physical size as a HDD with the same connections and functions, but they don’t have any moving parts so are a lot more faster, quitter, and more reliable then HDD.

Optical drives – items such as DVDs, CDs are used to install new software and to make backups of hard disks.

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