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Unlike primary storage; secondary storage is not directly accessed by the CPU. Examples of secondary storage are hard drives, CD/DVD drives, flash, etc. Anything that can store data without losing it upon power down (non-volatile storage) is considered secondary storage.

I believe you can tell why it's a necessary component of a personal computer. Without it we would have no place to store our data.

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Wiki User

15y ago
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Wiki User

14y ago

Computers require secondary storage for many a reasons. Some are -
1. to gain speed
2. for safety reasons - if your computer is hit by viruses, it is safer this way as you will not loose any data even if the computer requires to be reformatted.

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11y ago

Primary memory is a fast access memory. Files of the application which are being currently running on the system are loaded in it which are important for working of that app.eg RAM, ROM


Secondary storage is used to store the large amount of data, like pictures, videos etc. It is slower than the primary memory eg. Hard Disk, CD.

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10y ago

Primary Memoris (RAM) are volatile in nature. Thus, they lose the data stored if the computer is switched off. They are also limited (2GB, 4GB, 8GB, etc) and expensive. So, secondary memory like Hard drives, DVDs, USB drives and Magnetic Tapes are used instead.

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JamesTDG PF01

Lvl 7
2y ago

Secondary storage works as a sort of backup for when something could go wrong.

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EDWARD CHIKWANDA

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1y ago

Why_a_computer_system_needs_both_primary_and_secondary_storage

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Pug

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2y ago

Because meh ding dong is so big

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Q: Why a computer system needs both primary and secondary storage?
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Distinguish between primary storage and secondary storage?

Primary storage, also known as main memory or internal memory, refers to the storage space in a computer that is directly accessible to the processor. Primary storage is typically used to store data and instructions that are currently being used or processed by the computer. Secondary storage, also known as external memory, refers to storage space that is not directly accessible to the processor, but is used to store data and instructions for longer periods of time. Secondary storage is typically used to store data that is not currently being used, but that needs to be kept for future reference. There are several key differences between primary storage and secondary storage: Speed: Primary storage is generally faster than secondary storage, as it is directly accessible to the processor. This means that the processor can access and retrieve data from primary storage more quickly than it can from secondary storage. Capacity: Primary storage is typically smaller in capacity than secondary storage. This is because primary storage is used to store data that is currently being used or processed, while secondary storage is used to store data that is not currently being used. Cost: Primary storage is typically more expensive than secondary storage, as it requires faster and more expensive memory chips. Volatility: Primary storage is generally volatile, meaning that it is lost when the power is turned off. In contrast, secondary storage is non-volatile, meaning that it retains data even when the power is turned off. Location: Primary storage is located inside the computer, while secondary storage is typically external to the computer and is connected to the computer through a port or interface.


The greatest nonvolatile storage capacity in the computer system is found in the?

The greatest nonvolatile storage capacity in the computer system is usually found in secondary storage and mostly on the hard disk. RAM on the other hand represents the greatest volatile storage capacity on a computer.


What are the six categories of hardware?

The six hardware components of a computer system are the central processing unit (CPU), primary storage, secondary storage, input devices, output devices, and the communication devices. The central unit of a computer is the CPU.


What is meant by primary storage?

Primary storage, also known as main storage or memory , is the main area in a computer in which data is stored for quick access by the computer's processor . On today's smaller computers, especially personal computers and workstations, the term random access memory (RAM ) - or just memory - is used instead of primary or main storage, and the hard disk, diskette, CD, and DVD collectively describe secondary storage or auxiliary storage.The terms main storage and auxiliary storageoriginated in the days of the mainframe computer to distinguish the more immediately accessible data storage from storage that required input/output operations. An earlier term for main storage was core in the days when the main data storage contained ferrite cores.2) Primary storage is sometimes used to mean storage for data that is in active use in contrast to storage that is used for backup purposes. In this usage, primary storage is mainly the secondary storage referred to in meaning 1. (It should be noted that, although these two meanings conflict, the appropriate meaning is usually apparent from the context.)


When a computer start up what does it locate?

An operating system in storage and loads it into memory.

Related questions

What are the difference between primary and secondary storage device?

Primary storage is usually the drive where the operating system is and the secondary storage is a additional drive for space. Usually, Windows names it's primary drive as C:\ and all it's following as other letters.


Why is it important to know how many system words will fit in a primary storage device on a computer?

It is important to know how many system words will fit in a primary storage device on a computer so you know how big of a storage unit you have. The more system words that will fit in a primary storage device, the more memory you have on your computer.


Distinguish between primary storage and secondary storage?

Primary storage, also known as main memory or internal memory, refers to the storage space in a computer that is directly accessible to the processor. Primary storage is typically used to store data and instructions that are currently being used or processed by the computer. Secondary storage, also known as external memory, refers to storage space that is not directly accessible to the processor, but is used to store data and instructions for longer periods of time. Secondary storage is typically used to store data that is not currently being used, but that needs to be kept for future reference. There are several key differences between primary storage and secondary storage: Speed: Primary storage is generally faster than secondary storage, as it is directly accessible to the processor. This means that the processor can access and retrieve data from primary storage more quickly than it can from secondary storage. Capacity: Primary storage is typically smaller in capacity than secondary storage. This is because primary storage is used to store data that is currently being used or processed, while secondary storage is used to store data that is not currently being used. Cost: Primary storage is typically more expensive than secondary storage, as it requires faster and more expensive memory chips. Volatility: Primary storage is generally volatile, meaning that it is lost when the power is turned off. In contrast, secondary storage is non-volatile, meaning that it retains data even when the power is turned off. Location: Primary storage is located inside the computer, while secondary storage is typically external to the computer and is connected to the computer through a port or interface.


What do you understand by a memory of computer system?

Memory of computer system is the part of the computer's hardware that allows it to store information. It is classified into primary/main memory (RAM and ROM) and secondary storage (hard drives, CD drives etc.).


What are differences between primary and secondary storage devices?

Primary storage is usually the drive where the operating system is and the secondary storage is a additional drive for space. Usually, Windows names it's primary drive as C:\ and all it's following as other letters.


Is hard disk a secondary device?

primary and secondary storage may also refer specifically to the components inside the computer. In this case, primary storage typically refers to random access memory (RAM), while secondary storage refers to the computer's internal hard drive.


The greatest nonvolatile storage capacity in the computer system is found in the?

The greatest nonvolatile storage capacity in the computer system is usually found in secondary storage and mostly on the hard disk. RAM on the other hand represents the greatest volatile storage capacity on a computer.


What are the six categories of hardware?

The six hardware components of a computer system are the central processing unit (CPU), primary storage, secondary storage, input devices, output devices, and the communication devices. The central unit of a computer is the CPU.


What are three tangible data storage resources of a typical computer system?

Cache Main Memory Secondary storage Each storage provides a different speed and amount of storage which is used by the CPU for processing instructions and data.


What is the primary job that a computer performs?

1: Input Whatever is put into a computer system. 2: Process Manipulation a computer does to transform data into information 3. Storage Temporary or primary storage is the computer circuitry that temporarily holds data waiting to be processed. Permanent or secondary storage is the area in the computer where data or information is held permanently. 4: Output Anything that is output from the computer system, the results of processing. 5: Communication Extension capability: Data maybe input from afar, processed in a remote area, stored in different locations, or output in other places.


What is secondary channel?

The secondary IDE channel is used to reference the other IDE channel apart from the primary one on a computer mainboard. While the primary IDE channel usually takes the system/first hard disk of the system, the secondary channel usually takes optical drives or the second hard drive.


What is secondary ide channel?

The secondary IDE channel is used to reference the other IDE channel apart from the primary one on a computer mainboard. While the primary IDE channel usually takes the system/first hard disk of the system, the secondary channel usually takes optical drives or the second hard drive.