GCSE (9-1) Computer Science
Mark Scheme
J277/01: Storage Scenarios
Question Answer Marks Guidance
1a Solid State (Drive) / SSD 1
AO1 (Knowledge)
Do not accept: "Flash Drive" or "USB" (implies external/portable, whereas question implies internal OS drive).
1b
  • It has the fastest read/write speeds (1).
  • This means the software/OS will load / boot up quicker (1).
 2
AO2 (Application)
Simply saying "It is faster" gets 1 mark. The second mark is for linking "speed" to the context of "loading software".
2 Type: Magnetic (1)

Justification (Max 2):
  • It has a lower cost per GB / cheaper to buy high capacities (1).
  • It has a very high capacity (suitable for 100TB) (1).
  • High speed is not required as data is accessed rarely (1).
 3
AO1 & AO2
Do NOT accept: "It is cheap" without the qualifier "per GB" or "for large amounts".
Students often mistakenly say Magnetic is "unreliable". Magnetic is reliable for long-term storage; it is just not durable against physical impact.
3
  • Reason 1: Cost per unit is very low (1) so they can make more profit / sell it cheaply (1).
  • Reason 2: Portability (1) - discs are thin/lightweight and easy to hand out (1).
  • Alt Reason: Read-Only nature prevents people casually deleting the music (1).
 4
AO2
The justification must match the scenario (selling an album).
Reject: "Capacity" as a benefit here (a USB drive actually has better capacity). The benefit of Optical here is strictly cost and distribution convenience.
4a Solid State / SSD 1
AO1
4b
  • It has no moving parts (1).
  • Whereas magnetic drives have moving heads/platters that can break if dropped/bumped (1).
 2
AO1
The key phrase "no moving parts" is essential for the durability mark in J277.
5 Indicative Content:
  • Durability: SSD is better because the photographer is travelling/in a jungle (rough terrain). Magnetic might break if dropped.
  • Portability: SSDs are generally smaller/lighter than external HDDs.
  • Capacity: Magnetic has higher capacity for the price, but SSD capacities are now sufficient for photos.
  • Conclusion: SSD is preferred due to the risk of physical damage in a jungle.

Levels:
Level 2 (4–5 marks): A detailed evaluation comparing both types, identifying SSD as the better choice. Discusses at least two characteristics (Capacity, Durability, Portability) in context.
Level 1 (1–3 marks): Identifies features of SSD or Magnetic but comparison is weak or lacks context. Lists characteristics without explaining why they matter to a jungle photographer. 		5
AO3 (Analysis/Evaluation)
Students often confuse "Durability" (physical robustness) with "Reliability" (data integrity). In this scenario (jungle/travel), Durability is the deciding factor.
OCR 2026