| Chapter 6 Managing Disks Disks provide long-term information storage. The information you save on disks remains intact until you delete it. In contrast, random-access memory (RAM) provides short-term information storage. The information stored in RAM is lost each time you turn off your computer. Types of Disks |
| Disks store information on magnetic surfaces.In floppy disk, the magnetic surface is a thin, flexible disk inside a protective plastic cover. A hard disk has two or more rigid disks stacked on top of each other in a sealed case. A hard disk is also called a fixed disk because it remains in your system. Once your hard disk is installed, it should not be removed unless it is damaged or you upgrade to a larger disk. Information on disks is divided into tracks, somewhat like the grooves on a record. Each track is a concentric circle that can hold a certain amount of information. The more tracks a disk has, the more information it can hold. A hard disk holds more information than a floppy disk because it has more sides and more tracks per side. |
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