| A | B |
|---|
| Internal hard disk | A high capacity storage device usually mounted on brackets inside the system unit. |
| External hard disk | A high capacity storage device connected to a computer via a cable. Usually sits on a desk next to the computer. |
| Floppy disks | A soft pliable disk housed in a rigid plastic case, usually 3.5" square.They are susceptible to magnetic fields, extreme heat, cold, liquids, touch and beinding. |
| Compact disks | A standard CD is a read-only disk, and only allows access to information. You can read data but cannot add or edit data. |
| CD-R | You can create your own CD-ROM with your choice of data but after the disk is written to once it cannot be added to, edited or deleted later. |
| CD-RW | A rewritable CD. Data can be erased and re-recorded again and again. A special drive is required to read and write to these disks. |
| DVD | Digital Versatile Disk. has the capacity to write once or can be rewiteable depending on the type chosen, but most DVD drives are read-only. A DVD can hold more data than a CD, but the drives are more expensive. |
| Tape | Tapes are often used to backup data from your hard disk. Generally referred to as "tape backup". A large amount of data can be stored on a tape. Tapes are slower to access than a floppy disk or CD ROM. |
| Zip disks | This dirve allows you to store data onto a zip disk. A zip drive works in a similar way to a floppy disk but allows you to store more data. External zips can be transportable between computers. |
