CT049-3-1- Operating Systems & Computer Architecture Computer Peripherals

Input/Output & Computer Peripherals

1. Peripheral devices can be categorized into three classes. What are the three classes? Give an
example of each.

Computer peripheral is a device that is connected to a computer but not a part of the computer
architecture.

- Input devices == mouse and keyboard

- Output devices == monitor and printer
- Storage devices == hard disk and flash drive
2. What is the advantage of flash memory over RAM? What is the advantage of RAM over flash
memory? What is the advantage of flash memory over magnetic hard disk?
- Data stored on flash is permanent, but as soon as power is turned off all data in RAM is lost.
- RAM is faster than flash memory but its more expensive compared with flash memory
- Flash drives consume up to 50% less power than similar capacity of magnetic hard disk, and
beside of that flash could perform 500MB/s while magnetic hard disk could only perform
120MB/s.
3. Draw a circle representing one platter surface of a hard disk. On your drawing show an example
of a track, of a sector, and of a block.

4. What is a "Head Crash"?

Health crash is a hard disk failure that occurs when a read-write head of a hard disk drivees
comes in contact with its rotating platter, resulting In permanent and usually irreparable
damage to the magnetic media on the platter surface.

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