Data Storage Devices of Computer

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Friends, in our previous post, we have discussed "How the Computer keeps data in various types of Memory". Today we shall learn about some important Data Storing devices of Computer. As you know, the computer takes data inside and shows the output whenever we need it. The storing devices in the computer are called Disk Devices. They are mainly of five types.

1. Hard Disk

A Hard Disk is used to store / retrieve the data or information. A hard disk is permanently kept in the computer at the time of purchase or installation. It can not normally be removed from the computer. Whatever information that we save in the computer is stored in this hard disk.

The storing capacity of hard disk is higher than any other storing disk devices. Now a days the storing capacity of hard disk is 80 to 160 GB and even more.

2. Floppy Disk 

A floppy disk is a device used to record and take the information from the computer to elsewhere. We can also see the information and programs taken from other computers into our computer with the help of floppy disk. If we do not need the information stored in floppy, we can delete the unwanted information and store some other information in its space.

If you are using a floppy in the computer, it can be termed as 'A' drive.

Previously we are having computers with two floppy drives. e.g., one fro floppy drive 'A' and another for 'B'. There after, computers will, have only one floppy drive called 'A' drive. The limitation of Floppy disk is that we can store only limited data (Hardly 8 image files for instance). The modern computers however do not contain any floppy drive.

3. Compact Disk 

Sometimes you may not have certain types of programs and packages in your computer. Suppose we want to install Java or Oracle program in our computer. In that case we will take these programmes and packages from outside source and feed into our computer. The instrument that is useful in this connection is called Compact Disk (CD). It can store the information from 400 to 750 MB.

Many latest programs are available only on these Compact Disks. We can directly operate some programs only from compact disk. As the storing capacity in compact disk is much more than a floppy disk, we can store big databases and multimedia applications in compact disk.

Let us see the difference between a compact disk and a floppy disk. A compact disk will store much more information than a floppy disk. The compact disk holds about 500 times of the storing capacity than that of a floppy disk which holds only 1.44 mb. Another difference is that in CD Rom, we can only read data but can not record it on compact disk if it was filled with data. In a floppy disk, we can read, delete and record the information. But now a days we can have a recordable compact disks available in the market on which we can read and record.

4. Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)

A DVD is just like a CD rom but it holds more information than a CD which can store only 500 to 700 MB of data. The DVD holds about 5 GB of data. The quality of DVD is also much more better than a CD.

5. PEN Drive

A recent addition of storage devices is Pen Drive. A Pen Drive (also known as Thumb Drive or Flash drive) is a small storage device which plugs right into a USB port on the computer. It can hold data upto 16 GB. It needs no software, no cables, no drivers and even no batteries.

Important Recent Updates :

• Now a days External Hard disks are also available in market. These function similar to Pen Drives. Capacities of external HDDs generally range from 160 GB to 6 TB.
• Blu-ray Disc (BD) is latest technology advancement than DVDs. This digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format, in that it is capable of storing high-definition video resolution (1080p). The storage capacity of Blue Ray Disks varies from 25 GB to 128 GB.

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