Removable media

In computing, a removable media is a data storage media that is designed to be readily inserted and removed from a system. Most early removable media, such as floppy disks and optical discs, require a dedicated read/write device (i.e. a drive) to be installed in the computer, while others, such as USB flash drives, are plug-and-play with all the hardware required to read them built into the device, so only need a driver software to be installed in order to communicate with the device. Some removable media readers/drives are integrated into the computer case, while others are standalone devices that need to be additionally installed or connected. Examples of removable media that require a dedicated reader drive include: Optical discs, e.g. Blu-rays (both standard and UHD versions), DVDs, CDs Flash memory-based memory cards, e.g. CompactFlash, Secure Digital, Memory Stick Magnetic storage media Floppy and Zip disks (now obsolete) Disk packs (now obsolete) Magnetic tapes (now obsolete) Paper data storage, e.g. punched cards, punched tapes (now obsolete) Examples of removable media that are standalone plug-and-play devices that carry their own reader hardwares include: USB flash drives Portable storage devices Dedicated external solid state drives (SSD) Enclosured mass storage drives, i.e. modified hard disk drives (HDD)/internal SSDs Peripheral devices that have integrated data storage capability Digital cameras Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and handheld game consoles Portable media players Other external or dockable peripherals that have expandable removable media capabilities, usually via a USB port or memory card reader USB hubs Wired or wireless printers Network routers, access points and switches Using removable media can pose some computer security risks, including viruses, data theft and the introduction of malware. The earliest form of removable media, punched cards and tapes, predates the electronic computer by centuries, with the Jacquard loom of 1801 using interlinked cards to control the machine.