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Hard Disks
Home » Computer Hardware » Storage Devices » Hard DisksAlmost every desktop computer contains one or more hard-disk drives. These disks store changing digital information in a relatively permanent form. They are built into the computer so that even if the power goes out, the computer will still remember the data that is on it.
Hard disks are not that different from a cassette tape. They use magnetic recording techniques that allow data to be easily erased and rewritten. Also, anything stored on a Hard Disk will be remembered for many years.
A typical hard disk will have a capacity between 10 and 40 gigabytes. Data is stored in this disk in the form of files, or a named collection of bytes. These bytes could either be the codes for the characters of a text file or the instructions of a software application for a computer to execute. They could even be the records of a data base or the pixel colors of an image. When a program on your computer requests these files, the hard disk retrieves the bytes and sends them to your computer for viewing and editing.
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