Secondary memory is where programs and data are kept on a long-term basis. Common secondary storage devices are the hard disk and floppy disks.
A hard disk might have a storage capacity of 40 gigabytes. This is about 300 times the amount of storage in main memory (assuming 128 megabytes of main memory.) However, a hard disk is very slow compared to main memory. The reason for having two types of storage is this contrast:
Primary memory | Secondary memory |
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Floppy disks are mostly used for transferring software between computer systems and for casual backup of software. They have low capacity, and are very, very slow compared to other storage devices.
You have just purchased a copy of the computer game Tomb Raider© (you were waiting for the price to fall below $20). You follow the directions on the package and install the game on your computer. Tomb Raider© consists of
After you have installed the game, where does each of these things exist in the computer system?