Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 22nd Edition

Chapter 8. Magnetic Storage

Magnetic Storage

Most permanent or semipermanent computer data is stored magnetically, meaning a stream of binary computer data bits (0s and 1s) is stored by magnetizing tiny pieces of metal embedded on the surface of a disk or tape in a pattern that represents the data. Later, this magnetic pattern can be read and converted back into the same original stream of bits. This is the principle of magnetic storage. This chapter discusses how magnetic storage works and how it is used in hard disk drives, the primary storage medium used by PCs.

History of Magnetic Storage

Before magnetic storage, the primary computer storage medium was punch cards (paper cards with holes punched in them to indicate character or binary ...