A microcomputer uses magnetic or optical media storage. A magnetic media stores the data on a material which is magnetisable and the information is read using a head. The optical media is comprises of the modern disks, hard drives etc. which are read by the optical reader.

Answer:

The storage subsystem of a microcomputer is responsible for storing and retrieving data. It consists mainly of two types of media with varying capacities: magnetic and optical media.

Magnetic Media:
- Magnetic media is a type of storage medium that uses magnetism to store and retrieve data.
- It includes devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and magnetic tape.
- HDDs are commonly used in microcomputers as the primary storage medium due to their high capacity and fast access times.
- Magnetic tape is often used for backup and archival purposes due to its low cost and high capacity.

Optical Media:
- Optical media is a type of storage medium that uses light to store and retrieve data.
- It includes devices such as CDs (Compact Discs), DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), and Blu-ray discs.
- CDs are commonly used for storing music, software, and other forms of data.
- DVDs have a higher capacity than CDs and are often used for storing movies and other large files.
- Blu-ray discs have an even higher capacity than DVDs and are commonly used for high-definition video and data storage.

Differences:
- Magnetic media stores data by magnetizing particles on the medium, while optical media stores data by using pits and lands that reflect light differently.
- Magnetic media can be written to and erased multiple times, while optical media is typically write-once or read-only.
- Magnetic media has faster access times than optical media, but optical media has higher capacities.

Conclusion:
In summary, the storage subsystem of a microcomputer consists mainly of magnetic and optical media with varying capacities. Magnetic media, such as hard disk drives and magnetic tape, is commonly used for primary storage, while optical media, such as CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, is used for storing large files and archival purposes.