Grade 5 lesson 2 Computer storage and computer care and you COMPUTER STORAGE 1
Storage is a means to hold and store data to present and future use. All computers have some sort of storage to function properly. Storage is different from the primary storage or RAM (Random Access Memory) since data and information stored here are not lost even when power is turned off. Floppy Disk Optical Disk Memory Hard Disk Flash Drive 2
FLOPPY DISK Floppy disk is a small capacity magnetic storage device inside a plastic case accessible by a floppy disk drive. Today, fewer computers have floppy disk drive and only few users are still using this storage. OPTICAL DISC Optical Media or optical discs are storage media that use laser technology to store data onto a circular plastic or metallic disc. The data in the disc are accessed by the use of an optical disc drive. (ODD) 3
CD Compact Disc (CD) DVD RW There are two most cdrcommon optical discs available today, they are the Dvdr Digital Versatile Disc (DVD). cdrw DVD Compact disc also commonly known as the CD is the most widely used optical disc with a standard capacity of around 700 MB (megabytes). 4
CD R COMPACT DISK RECORDABLE is a CD where one can store or write data using a CD writer and once written into the CD, it stays there permanently. This CD is also known as the write once CD. CDR is used to store data such as music, movies, word processing and spreadsheet files and other data for future use access. 5
CD RW (Rewritable CD) is a CD when data stored inside can be altered, erased and then saved again. These are versatile discs because they can be used as temporary storage for work in progress. DVD Digital Versatile Disc Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) is a better format than CDs in terms of capacity, it looks the same as that of CD but it is around 17 times the capacity of a CD.DVDs can be accessed by the use of a DVD drive; most DVD drives can also read CDs. Like the CDs, DVDs have also DVD ROM. DVD recordable and DVD Rewritable. 6
DVD ROM DVD Read Only Memory DVD ROM is DVD Read Only Memory which is used extensively to distribute movies, since a full length movie can be stored in one DVD. The music and video quality is a lot higher comparable to those we view on wide screen theaters. Today s DVDs are also used to distribute computer programs and music videos. Data stored in the DVD ROM could not be changed; it can only be read or played. DVD R and DVD+R DVD Reader these are competing recording formats for DVD, although most present players and recorders can view and write on the same format. Users can only write or record once into the DVD, and the data is now permanently stored into the DVD. 7
DVD Rewritable DVD RW is DVD whose stored data can be altered, erased and re stored into the DVD. This is versatile DVD specially projects in progress so that future insertions and alteration may be possible. Mini CD and Mini DVD CDs and DVDs in smaller format also known as the 3 inch CDs or DVDs functions just like the standard CDs and DVDs but of smaller capacity but has the advantage of being small. It also comes in CD ROM and CD Writable or DVD ROM, DVD R and DVD Writable. 8
Higher Capacity Optical Media Blu Ray (BD) Blu Ray (BD) is a new generation optical disc, with the same dimension and look as a DVD or CD but has higher capacity. Blu Ray still uses laser technology but of a different wavelength than the one used for CDs and DVDs which is called blue laser (violet colored). A Blu Ray can store between 5 to 10 times of data compared to a DVD and the use of BD is in high definition video. Blu Ray disc can be read with a Blu Ray player. Blu Ray in Mini disc is also available, same size as that of a mini DVD or CD. Both the standard size BD has the BD ROM, BD Recordable and BD Rewritable. Blu Ray discs are still expensive than the CD or DVD but it is expected to dominate the optical media in the future especially those for movie releases and high capacity recording needs. HARD DISK Almost all desktop computer hardware uses the hard disk as the main storage inside the CPU box. It is directly connected to the motherboard by a data cable. Hard disks are also used in laptop computers but of a smaller size. 9
EXTERNAL HARD DISK External hard disk are hard disks with enclosure either made of plastic or metal usually aluminum. The popular size is either the 3.5 inch used for desktop computers or the 2.5 inch used for laptop computer. The 3.5 inch hard disk normally requires external power to operate whereas the 2.5 inch normally simply connects to the computer via the USB port without additional external power. MEMORY CARDS Memory cards or flash memory cards are solid state electronic data storage devices that use flash memory. Flash memory is a non volatile (does not require power to maintain the information stored in it) memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed used for general purpose storage and data transfer used in cellular phones, digital camera, videos, cameras, handheld devices, PDAs, video game consoles and other electronic gadgets. The memory offers low cost, high re record ability, power free storage, small form factor, fast data transfer and rugged environmental specifications. 10
COMPACT FLASH (CF) was first produced in 1994 by SanDisk and it is a flash memory massstoragedevicemostlyusedin Digital Camera, this memory has high capacity and reliability. The ruggedness and toughness of this card makes it a better choice especially for photographers out in the field. USB FLASH DRIVE USB flash drive is a flash memory storage device with a USB connector. Flash drives are durable, more reliable in data storage, a lot smaller compared to a floppy disk, has a large data capacity, fast and cheaper in terms of cost per memory space (prices are on the downtrend and storage capacity continuously going up.) flash drives have no moving parts they are simply connected to the USB ports of the computer and USB ports appear on almost all available PCs and laptops released as of this writing. 11