Disk cartridge
Encyclopedia
Disk cartridge has several meanings related to computer storage
.
encased in a protective plastic shell. When the removable cartridge was inserted into the cartridge drive peripheral device, the read/write head
s of the drive could access the magnetic data storage
surface of the platter through holes in the shell. The disk cartridge was a direct evolution from the disk pack
drive, or the early hard drive. As the storage density
improved, even a single platter would provide a useful amount of data storage space, with the benefit being easier to handle than a removable disk pack. An example of a cartridge drive is the IBM 2310. Disk cartridges were made obsolete by floppy disk
s.
Some more recent removable disk storage
media are referred to as disk cartridges. This is most common with Zip disk
s. It is very rare, but not unheard of, to refer to the 3½-inch microfloppy
as a disk cartridge.
s and magneto-optical discs were either permanently enclosed in a protective plastic sheath, or placed into a sheath before being inserted into the drive. This sheath was often called caddy, but sometimes also disk cartridge.
Computer storage
Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
.
1960s storage medium
An early disk cartridge was a single hard disk platterHard disk platter
A hard-disk platter is a component of a hard-disk drive: it is the circular disk on which the magnetic data is stored. The rigid nature of the platters in a hard drive is what gives them their name . Hard drives typically have several platters which are mounted on the same spindle...
encased in a protective plastic shell. When the removable cartridge was inserted into the cartridge drive peripheral device, the read/write head
Disk read-and-write head
Disk read/write heads are the small parts of a disk drive, that move above the disk platter and transform platter's magnetic field into electrical current or vice versa – transform electrical current into magnetic field...
s of the drive could access the magnetic data storage
Data storage device
thumb|200px|right|A reel-to-reel tape recorder .The magnetic tape is a data storage medium. The recorder is data storage equipment using a portable medium to store the data....
surface of the platter through holes in the shell. The disk cartridge was a direct evolution from the disk pack
Disk pack
A Disk pack is a layered grouping of hard disk platters . A disk pack is the core component of a hard disk drive. In modern hard disks, the disk pack is permanently sealed inside the drive...
drive, or the early hard drive. As the storage density
Computer storage density
Memory storage density is a measure of the quantity of information bits that can be stored on a given length of track, area of surface, or in a given volume of a computer storage medium. Generally, higher density is more desirable, for it allows greater volumes of data to be stored in the same...
improved, even a single platter would provide a useful amount of data storage space, with the benefit being easier to handle than a removable disk pack. An example of a cartridge drive is the IBM 2310. Disk cartridges were made obsolete by floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
s.
Modern storage medium
Disk storage
Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...
media are referred to as disk cartridges. This is most common with Zip disk
Zip drive
The Zip drive is a medium-capacity removable disk storage system that was introduced by Iomega in late 1994. Originally, Zip disks launched with capacities of 100 MB, but later versions increased this to first 250 MB and then 750 MB....
s. It is very rare, but not unheard of, to refer to the 3½-inch microfloppy
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
as a disk cartridge.
Protective casing
Some types of optical discOptical disc
In computing and optical disc recording technologies, an optical disc is a flat, usually circular disc which encodes binary data in the form of pits and lands on a special material on one of its flat surfaces...
s and magneto-optical discs were either permanently enclosed in a protective plastic sheath, or placed into a sheath before being inserted into the drive. This sheath was often called caddy, but sometimes also disk cartridge.