In contemporary usage, "memory '' is usually semiconductor storage read - write random - access memory, typically DRAM (dynamic RAM) or other forms of fast but temporary storage. "Storage '' consists of storage devices and their media not directly accessible by the CPU (secondary or tertiary storage), typically hard disk drives, optical disc drives, and other devices slower than RAM but non-volatile (retaining contents when powered down).
where is the data stored in a computer
hard disk drives