Definitions of Hard Drive & Memory
The hard drive and memory are two of the most important parts of a computer. Although they are different devices, they both work in tandem to read and write data.
Other People Are Reading
-
Hard Drives
-
A hard drive is a storage device that is used to store all the data that is accessed by the computer. This includes the operating system, program files and any other files created or downloaded.
Magnetic Hard Drives
-
As of July 2010, most hard drives in use are magnetic head drives. These store data on a series of magnetic discs, which spin at a very high speed, usually 5,400 or 7,200 RPM (revolutions per minute). Hovering above each platter is a small metal arm with a device called a read/write head. These access the magnetic information on a drive and transform it into electrical current that the computer can read.
-
Solid State Hard Drive
-
A newer kind of hard drive is a solid state drive. Instead of spinning platters, these drives store information on a series of electronic chips called flash memory. Solid state hard drives are faster than traditional drives, but they usually cannot store as much data and are more expensive than traditional drives.
Memory
-
The term "memory" in computers usually refers to RAM (Random Access Memory). When a computer retrieves data from a hard drive, it is storing it in the RAM for easier access. The more RAM a computer has, the less often the computer has to access the hard drive--which in turn makes the computer faster. Data stored in RAM is constantly changing and disappears when the computer is not running.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit ram image by danimages from Fotolia.com
