Section 9 -Disks and Storage
A disk is a place to store data. Although there are several
types of disks, for the purposes of this tutorial, only
the following types will be discussed:
- Hard Drive
- USB Flash Drive
- Floppy Disk / ZIP Disk
- Compact Disk/DVD
HARD DRIVE
The hard drive serves as a storage space for all of
your documents, old email, and all applications (including
the operating system). Hard drives are measured in terms
of megabytes and gigabytes. When the hard drive reaches
its capacity, files need to be moved to free up space. To
free up space on the hard drive or to save files to a portable
medium, files can be copied to a removable storage devices, such as a USB Flash Drive.
Protecting the Hard Drive
- Never move a computer while it is on. The hard drive
is spinning and movement could cause the magnetic disks
to become scratched.
- Shut down you computer properly.
- Regularly perform diagnostic tests of your hard drive
using ScanDisk. For more information about how to perform a diagnostic test on your hard drive, refer to Lesson 7 on Maintenance and Troubleshooting.
FLOPPY DISK
Floppy disks allow information to be transported easily
from one computer to another. However, floppy disks have
limited storage capacity -- generally 1.44 MB. Saving
and retrieving information from a floppy disk is slower
than on a hard drive. Because floppy disks are portable,
they are more susceptible to physical damage and viruses
than the hard drive.
ZIP DISK
ZIP disks are high capacity, removable, magnetic disks,
which can be read or written by ZIP drives from Iomega
Corporation. ZIP disks are similar to floppy disks, except
that they are much faster, and have a much greater capacity.
While floppy disks typically hold 1.44 megabytes, ZIP
disks are available in many sizes, most commonly 100 megabytes
and 250 megabytes.
Protecting Your Floppy Disk and ZIP Disk
- Be careful not to touch the magnetic film on a floppy or zip disk. Oil or dirt can damage floppy/zip disks.
- When labeling a new floppy/zip disk, write on the label prior to attaching the sticker to the new disk.
- When labeling a disk with a label sticker already attached, use a soft felt tip pen to avoid damaging the thin magnetic film inside.
- Keep floppy/zip disks out of extreme cold or hot temperatures. Disks become brittle in the cold and may warp in hot weather.
- Information on floppy/zip disks is stored magnetically. To prevent disks from being erased or permanently damaged, avoid placing disks too close to magnetic objects (such as computer speakers).
- Store floppy/zip disks in boxes or trays to protect them from scratches and dust. Transport floppy and zip disks in carrying cases to prevent damage.
CD ROM
CD ROMs are read only storage medium. Typically, a CD ROM
holds up to 650 MB of information. While information retrieval
is faster than from a floppy disk, it is still not as fast
as from the hard drive.
CD-R/CD-RW
A CD Rewriteable is highly effective when wanting to store
a large amount of data. CD-R can hold up to 700MB of information.
A CD-R is a one time recordable compact disc. A CD-RW allows
you to read, write, erase and write again. CD-RW discs usually hold 74 minutes (650 MB ) of data, although some can hold up to 80 minutes (700 MB) and can be rewritten as many as 1000 times. Although the more times a CD-RW is rewritten the less reliable the copy becomes.
Protecting Your Compact Disc/DVD
- Be careful not to touch the flat surface of a CD or DVD. The information on the CD/DVD is stored on the shiny metallic surface underneath the plastic protective coating. If the flat surface has smudges or scratches on it, the laser that reads the metallic surface is unable to penetrate the damaged area.
- Avoid extreme hot or cold temperatures. In cold temperatures, CDs and DVDs may become brittle and in extreme heat they can become warped.
- Store CDs/DVDs in trays or boxes to protect them from dust or scratches.
- Transport CDs/DVDs in a protective jewel case or plastic sleeve to keep dust or scratches from damaging the flat surface.
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