internal storage Flashcards
what are the two main teirs of storage?
primary storage and secondary storage
primary storage
the memory that the cpu can access very quickly
secondary storage
- non-volatile (retains memory)
- its where things like applications, user files and the operating system are stored when not in use
what type of storage is fastest for the CPU to access?
primary storage
are hard disk drives (HDDs) a good example of primary of secondary storage?
secondary storage
what are hard disk drives made of?
a stack of magnetised circular metal plates.
where is the data that is stored in a hard disk drive (HDD) stored?
sectors
what is the read/write head
the small parts of a disk drive that float just above the surface of the plates, which are constantly spinning at high speed.
how does the read/write head ensure that data can be writen to or read from a sector?
the head is moved to the correct track
disadvantage of hard disk drives (HDDs)
fragmentation
advantages of hard disk drives
relatively cheap and have a long read/write life
do hard disk drives have a low capacity or high capacity?
high capacity - usually measured in GBs or TBs
a type of secondary storage that has no moving parts
solid state drives (SSDs)
why are solid state drives (SSDs) silent and shock proof?
they have no moving parts
what do we mean when we say that solid state drives (SSDs) are more shock proof than hard disk drives (HDDs)?
they’re less likely to break if they get dropped or shaken
