NOTE 4

STORAGE DEVICES

A storage device of a computer is called a drive which has a number of directories that
keep information in the form of digital codes for future use and is identified by a drive
letter.
Examples
Floppy Drive A Drive
Hard Drive C Drive
CD or DVD Drive D Drive
External Drives or Memory Sticks or Thumb Drive E Drive

PRIMARY STORAGE DEVICES

These storage devices are often found inside the computer and hence sometimes called
Internal Storage Devices.
There are two (2) types of Primary Storage Devices:
1. Read Only Memory (ROM)
This type of memory is permanent (usually) and the data stored in it is not lost
when the computer is turned off. The data is not volatile. As a result, ROM is
used to store data that must not be lost even when the computer is turned off, such
as the commands which start-up (boot up) the computer. These instructions are
programmed into the ROM chips by the manufacturers.

2. Random Access Memory (RAM)

The content in this type of memory are temporary and are lost when the computer
is turned off. This data is volatile. RAM is used to store the instructions and data
for currently running programs and the operating system.

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NOTE 4

Secondary STORAGE DEVICES

Unlike primary storage, secondary storage is not done on chips. Some examples of
secondary storage devices are:
Hard disks ( External)
Magnetic Tape
Floppy Disks (Diskettes)
CDs (Compact Discs)
DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs)

These devices are used to store programs, as well as data that is not being processed for
later retrieval. Secondary storage devices are also known as external storage devices and
are very popular for its convenience because of their mobility.

RDK 2008 -2-