This document discusses computer storage devices and media. It lists four common types of storage devices as diskettes, hard disks, removable hard disks, and magnetic tape. Floppy disks are commonly used to store and transfer files between computers. Disks are divided into four areas: the boot record, file allocation table, root folder/directory, and data area. Optical storage devices discussed include CD-ROMs, WORM disks, phase-change rewritable disks, and magneto-optical disks. Disk drive interface standards covered are Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI), and Small Computer System Interface (SCSI).

1. Chapter 4
Storing Information in
a Computer
Peter Norton’s®
Introduction to Computers

2. Learning Objectives:
• List four common types of storage devices.
• Name three common uses of floppy disks.
• Name the four data disk areas on floppy and hard disks.
• List three ways tape drives differ from disk drives.
• Identify four types of optical storage devices.
• Name and describe the four main disk drive interface standards.

3. Storage Media - the physical
components or materials on which
data is stored.

4. Storage Devices - the hardware
components that write data to, and
read it from, storage media.

5. Types of Storage:
• Magnetic
• Optical

6. Magnetic: the bits
are written and read
using magnetism.
Optical: the bits
are read
using light.

7. Magnetic Storage Devices:
• Diskettes
• Hard disks
• Removable hard disks
• Magnetic tape

8. Tape drive
Floppy drive
Hard drive

9. Optical Storage Devices:
• Compact Disk Read-Only Memory
(CD-ROM)
• Write Once, Read Many (WORM)
• Phase-Change Rewritable disks
• Magneto-optical disks

10. CD-ROM

11. Factors that Affect Drive
Performance:
• Average Access Time
• Data-transfer Rate

12. Average Access Time - the
average time it takes a read/write
head to move from one place on
the recording medium to any other
place on the medium.

13. Data-transfer Rate - a measure
of how long it takes the device to
read or write a given amount of
data.

14. Hard drive RAM
Head

15. Formatting - the process of
mapping a diskette by dividing it
into Tracks and Sectors.

16. Tracks - a set of magnetic
concentric circles.
Sector - a pie-like slice of disk.

18. Four Areas of a Disk:
• The boot record
• The file-allocation table (FAT)
• The root folder or directory
• The data area

20. Drive-Interface Standards:
• Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
• Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI)
• Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)

21. Learning Objectives:
Chapter 4 Review
• List four common types of storage devices.
• Name three common uses of floppy disks.
• Name the four data disk areas on floppy and hard disks.
• List three ways tape drives differ from disk drives.
• Identify four types of optical storage devices.
• Name and describe the four main disk drive interface standards.