

A user can record and erase data on a magnetic disk any number of times. Magnetic disksĭata is encoded to magnetic disks using magnetized polarities this means flux reversals between positive and negative domains on the disk are interpreted as binary data. There are two basic types of disks in the computer hardware realm: magnetic disks and optical disks. In computer engineering, “disk” is the preferred spelling, except in audio/visual contexts like disc jockey (DJ), compact disc (CD), or digital versatile disc (DVD). In medical settings, “disc” should be used in all anatomical references (optic disc, spinal disc, etc.). There are also distinctions that are relevant to biology and computer hardware, regardless of geographic location.

In the United States, “disk” is the common usage, whereas “disc” is preferred in the United Kingdom. Like several other common spelling variations, most of the disk/disc distinction comes from differences in American English and British English spelling conventions. Consequently, disks have historically been the storage medium of choice for most types of data, but are slowly being replaced by newer forms of storage like flash drives, solid state drives, and cloud storage. And unlike RAM, disks hold on to data even when the computer is turned off. Fixed disks in the form of hard disks are a common component of a computer’s storage system, but most other forms of disk hardware ( floppy disks, CD-ROMs, etc.) have become obsolete.Īccessing data from a disk is not as fast as accessing data from main memory, but disks are much cheaper. A disk (or diskette) is a flat, round plate on which data can be encoded and stored.
