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Primary Memory
• It is accessible by the Central Processing Unit (CPU) directly.
• It is the main memory in a computer system.
• It is faster than secondary storage.
• Generally, primary memory refers to the RAM of the system.
• Examples include RAM and ROM (solid-state).
Random Access Memory (RAM):
• The RAM holds all the files and applications that are running on
the system including the OS.
• It can be accessed randomly.
• It is a volatile memory that is wiped off once the computer
system is powered off.
Memory Cards:
• Memory cards are the solid-state storage that comes in different
sizes like flash drives.
• However, these cards require a card reader to read its content.
• The most common use of these cards is in digital cameras to
store pictures.
Solid State Hard Drives:
• These hard drives don’t have any moving mechanical parts.
• The data is handled using flash memory chips.
• It offers high reliability, uses less power and faster data access.
2. Magnetic Storage:
• It is the most common form of storage device that is a
mechanical device that connects to the computer system.
• It uses magnetization patterns to store data in a magnetizable
material.
• In these storages, data is accessed using one/several heads.
• The magnetic field is manipulated to store data in the magnetic
storage device.
• Floppy drive is one of the examples of magnetic storage that is
no longer in use in modern computers.
CD ROM:
• It stands for Compact Disk – Read Only Memory.
• It is a non-volatile storage device therefore data cannot be
modified or deleted.
• It can store up to 800 MB of data.
DVD ROM:
• It stands for Digital Versatile Disk – Read Only Memory.
• These devices can be used in the same way as CD-ROMs, but
they can hold more data.
Blu-Ray:
• It is a high capacity optical disk and can hold up to 50GB of data.
• The double-layer Blu-ray can hold around 100 GB of data.
• It is used in the same way as CD and DVD ROMs but can store
very high-quality HD videos.
• The ‘Blu’ represents the blue light i.e. used to read the data
unlike the red light used in CD and DVD ROMs.
• Blue light has a shorter wavelength allowing more data to be
stored in a close orientation.