Which storage type is non-volatile and persists when the computer is powered off?

Which storage type is non-volatile and persists when the computer is powered off?

• A. RAM
• B. Secondary Storage
• C. Cache
• D. Register

Answer: (B)

Non-volatile storage keeps data even when the power is off, providing long‑term persistence for your files and programs. Among these options, secondary storage (like hard drives and SSDs) fits that role because it is designed to retain information without power, so your documents, the operating system, and applications remain available after you shut down or restart. The other options are volatile memory, meaning they lose their contents when power is removed. RAM is used for active programs and data the CPU is currently working with, so it’s fast but temporary. Cache is a small, ultra-fast storage area that helps speed up repeated data access, but it’s also volatile. Registers are the tiny storage locations inside the CPU for immediate calculations and instructions, and they don’t hold data once power ends. So, for data that must survive a power-off, secondary storage is the appropriate type.

Non-volatile storage keeps data even when the power is off, providing long‑term persistence for your files and programs. Among these options, secondary storage (like hard drives and SSDs) fits that role because it is designed to retain information without power, so your documents, the operating system, and applications remain available after you shut down or restart.

The other options are volatile memory, meaning they lose their contents when power is removed. RAM is used for active programs and data the CPU is currently working with, so it’s fast but temporary. Cache is a small, ultra-fast storage area that helps speed up repeated data access, but it’s also volatile. Registers are the tiny storage locations inside the CPU for immediate calculations and instructions, and they don’t hold data once power ends.

So, for data that must survive a power-off, secondary storage is the appropriate type.