hard drive /memory

[Dajstar]

My laptop seems to have a very small hard drive , 1.99GB capacity and 74mb free.

I dont know exactly what this means , whats the difference between 'memory' and 'hard drive space' ??

Just ordered a new pc with 80GB and 1024mb , so what sort of things use the memory and what things use hard drive space ?

Thanks in advance

[ajmmac]

ur hard drive stores all the programs u need to make ur whole system work--1st u have what is called the operating system--commonly at present windows xp but there are others--like apple mac operating system and more which can also run on a windows type pc--then u have what are called application programs--these are programs u use to do things--like word processing, creating other documents--play/edit/record music and video--surf the internet and send and receive mail--finally u have what are called driver program--everything u connect to ur computer requires the computer to have a way of controlling/talking to it--this is done with a driver--so u have a driver for ur mouse/keyboard/monitor/printer and anything else u use--more to follow

[MrsJo49155]

http://www.weeno.com/art/0699/87.html

check out the above and all will become clear! (I think!)

[ajmmac]

in addition to hard disk storage u have memory chips--these are commonly called ram (random access memory)--everything u do runs in ram and not directly(normally) from the hard disk--when u switch on the pc the oper system gets loaded into ram--if u then click to run a program, say word to ceate a doc, word gets loaded into ram--when u swirch off, ram gets emptied which is why u must save any work u do onto ur hard disk so u can go back to it at another time--hope this helps

[ajmmac]

the site link given by MrsJo... is good and covers what i have said but be aware the figures given for ram and hard disk space are way way out of date