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Introduction to the characteristics of secondary storage devices
The computer is an electronic device that is used and used all over the world due to some amazing thingsProperties of secondary storage devicessuch as permanent storage, data access speed, reliability and efficiency.
There are two types of memory in the computer system
- Primary memory or primary storage devices.
- Secondary storage or secondary storage devices.
10+ properties of secondary storage devices in tabular form
# | Properties of secondary storage devices |
1 | Secondary Storage Storage is non-volatile. |
2 | You can access data and information quickly and with 100% accuracy. |
3 | The data and information stored in secondary storage devices may be requested or requested by users at any time. |
4 | They are reliable, efficient, compact and less expensive than primary storage devices. |
5 | They last longer compared to primary storage devices. |
6 | They can be easily repaired and replaced. |
7 | If data is lost or accidentally deleted, it can be recovered with any premium data recovery software. |
8 | You can save data in any form like songs, movies, software, files, etc. |
9 | They are available on the market with different storage capacities. |
10 | They are wearable. |
Important properties of secondary storage devices with image

Explain and discuss what secondary storage devices are
Secondary storage is computer storage that can permanently store gigantic amounts of data and information.
The secondary storage devices are also referred to as"External Storage Devices" or "External Storage".
They are non-volatile memories because the data and information are not automatically erased even in the event of a power failure.
They can store data until someone intentionally erases or deletes it.

Unlike primary storage, secondary storage does not access data directly through the CPU.
The data and information stored in secondary computer memory is first loaded into RAM (Random Access Memory), called RAM"memory"and is later passed to the primary storage processor to read and access the information.
They are used for backups and to make copies of important information.
Different types of secondary storage devices
Secondary memory can be divided into two types.
- Fixed Storage Devices.
- removable storage devices.

Fixed Storage Devices
These devices are installed in the computer case, like computer hard drives and SSDs. They are attached to the computer with screws that are drilled into the computer case.
The fixed storage devices can be removed and replaced if damaged or damaged.
removable storage devices.
The removable disks can be easily disconnected from the computer. They are usually connected using a USB [Universal Serial Bus].
USB flash drives are one of the best examples of removable media.
- Hard disk.
- SSD [Solid State Drive].
- USB-Sticks.
- memory cards.
- DVD's and CD's.
hard drives
Hard disk drives are also HDD, hard drive and disk. They are permanent storage devices that can store vast amounts of data and information.
They are non-volatile memory; therefore, no data is lost when the computer is turned off.
The capacity of each hard drive is measured in GB [giga bytes] and TB [tera bytes].
Famous HDD manufacturers are.
- Seagate.
- Samsung.
- Western digital.
SSD [Solid State Drives].
Solid state drives are an advanced version of hard disk drives. They are more powerful and faster compared to standard computer hard drives.
The time required to access data and information is significantly less than with HDDs.
SSD can be used as internal and external hard drive.
Well-known SSD manufacturers are:
- silicon power.
- Seagate.
- Samsung.
USB-Sticks:
USB flash drives are one of the most commonly used secondary storage devices. They are used and utilized extensively due to their exceptional features and properties.
They are compact and portable and can be carried from one place to another.
They are small and can be stored in a bag. They are lightweight and can hold and store vast amounts of data and information.
Well-known SSD manufacturers are:
- HP [Hewlet-Packard].
- Samsung.
- Sandisk.
memory cards.
Memory cards are also known as "flash drives". These are small chips that are used in mobile phones. They can also be connected to computers, laptops and tablets.
Memory card reader is used and used to read data and information. The data is permanently stored on the memory card.
Famous manufacturer of memory cards.
- Strontium-Nitro.
- PS.
- Sandisk.
DVD's and CD's.
DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk and CD stands for Compact Disk. They are also widely used and used as secondary storage devices as they can store huge amounts of data.
Famous CD and DVD manufacturer.
- Sony.
- LG.
- Moser Bear.
10 examples of computer system secondary storage devices

- hard disk
- solid state drive
- USB Stick
- Blu-Ray-Disk
- SD card
- CD drive
- DVD drive
- memory cards
- floppy disks
- Disk-Packs
- Paper storage (punched tapes, punched cards)
- magnetic tapes
List 5 uses of secondary storage devices
- Secondary storage devices are used to install an operating system on them.
- You can store data and information permanently; Users can retrieve their data whenever they wish.
- You can transfer data from one computer to another on a computer network.
- The data and information are safe in secondary storage devices with password protection.
- You can access data at tremendous speed.
Name 10 companies that produce secondary storage
# | Name of the company | Start date |
1 | Seagate | 1992 |
2 | Western digital | 2007 |
3 | Samsung | 1938 |
4 | Sandisk | 1988 |
5 | I-Ball | 2001 |
6 | HP [Hew Let Packard] | 1939 |
7 | Kingston | 1987 |
5 advantages of secondary storage devices
There are several benefits of secondary storage devices; some are listed below.
- Secondary storage devices are used to store the huge amount of data and information almost permanently.
- They are non-volatile memories, which means that the data and information are not lost in the event of a power failure.
- They are also instrumental in performing data backups.
- They are able to store huge applications and software.
- They are compact and portable and can be transported from one place to another.
Difference between primary storage and secondary storage
# | main memory | secondary storage |
1 | They are volatile by nature. | They are not fugitives. |
2 | They are expensive. | They are not that expensive compared to their peers. |
3 | They cannot store huge data and information. | They can store enormous amounts of data. |
4 | You are faster. | They access data and information slowly. |
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Secondary Storage Properties Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs].
Is RAM Secondary Storage?
No, RAM is considered primary storage.
2 examples of primary storage devices
RAM [Random Access Memory] und ROM [Read Only Memory].
The most popular secondary storage devices
Hard disk, SSD [Solid State Drive] and USB sticks.
The most expensive secondary storage device
SSD [Solid State Drive].
Other name of the secondary storage device
"auxiliary memory"and"Permanent Memory".
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FAQs
What are the characteristics of secondary storage devices? ›
Secondary storage devices are non-volatile and are typically high capacity, portable or both. Factors affecting the choice of a secondary storage device include: speed (how quickly data can be accessed) cost per storage unit (i.e. price per gigabyte or megabyte)
What are the characteristics of primary and secondary storage of a computer system? ›Primary memory is the computer's main memory and stores data temporarily. Secondary memory is external memory and saves data permanently. Data stored in primary memory can be directly accessed by the CPU, which cannot be accessed in secondary memory.
What are the 5 secondary storage? ›Secondary storage might include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), optical disks, USB flash drives, floppy disks or other devices.
What are secondary storage devices Answer? ›Secondary Storage Devices: Secondary storage is a memory that is stored external to the computer. It is mainly used for the permanent and long-term storage of programs and data. Hard Disk, CD, DVD, Pen/Flash drive, SSD, etc, are examples of secondary storage.
What are the characteristics of computer storage? ›These core characteristics are volatility, mutability, accessibility, and addressability. For any particular implementation of any storage technology, the characteristics worth measuring are capacity and performance.
What is the main function of secondary storage devices? ›Secondary storage, sometimes called auxiliary storage, is non-volatile and is used to store data and programs for later retrieval.