The two steps the operating system takes to use a disk to hold its files are and _

Partitioning: This involves dividing the disk into separate sections called partitions. Each partition can be used independently to store different types of data or operating systems.

Logical formatting: This process creates a file system structure on a partition, defining how data is organized and stored on the disk. It creates directories, files, and other metadata necessary for file management.

These two steps are essential to prepare a disk for storing and managing files effectively.