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Almost all desktop computers
have a hard drive inside them, but do you really know what
they are? Many people when they hear the word hard
drive,
think
that
it refers
to the computer as a whole. In reality, though, the hard drive is just one
of many different pieces that
comprise
a computer. The hard drive is one of the most important parts of your computer
because it is used as a long-term storage space for your data. What that
means, is regardless of whether or not the computer is on, or you lose power,
the data will still stay stored on this drive keeping it safe. On the other
hand, it tells you how important backing up your data is, because if the
hard drive malfunctions there is a good chance you will lose it all.
A hard drive
is an integral piece of equipment for your computer as your operating system
and all your data are typically stored there. In the majority of the situations,
if you did not have a working hard drive, or the hard drive malfunctions,
you would not be able to boot your computer into the operating system and
would
get
an
error.
If
you
opened
your computer case and wanted to find your hard drive, it would look similar
to
the image below:
Image of a Hard Drive
How hard drives work
If you were to open your hard drive, which would immediately
void your warranty and potentially damage it, you would see something like
the image below:
Inside a Hard Drive
A hard drive consists of the following:
Magnetic platters - Platters are the round plates in the
image above. Each platter holds a certain amount of information, so a drive
with
a lot of storage will have more platters than one with less storage. When
information is stored and retrieved from the platters it is done so in
concentric
circles, called tracks, which are further broken down into
segments called sectors.
Arm - The arm is the piece sticking out over
the platters. The
arms will contain read and write heads which are used to read and
store the magnetic information onto the platters. Each platter will have its
own arm which is used to read and write data off of it.
Motor - The motor is used to spin the platters from 4,500 to 15,000 rotations
per minute (RPM). The faster the RPM of a drive, the better performance you
will achieve from it.
When a the computer wants to retrieve data off of the hard drive, the motor
will spin up the platters and the arm will move itself to the appropriate position
above the platter where the data is stored. The heads
on the arm will detect the magnetic bits on the platters and convert them into
the
appropriate
data
that can be used by the computer. Conversely, when data is sent to the drive,
the heads will this time, send magnetic pulses at the platters changing the
magnetic properties of the platter,
and thus storing your information.
It is important to note, that since the data stored on your hard drive is
magnetic, it is not a good idea to play with a magnet near your hard drive
:)
Hard Drive Interfaces
A hard drive connects to your computer through a specific type of interface.
The interface on your hard drive must match the corresponding interface on
your motherboard. If you purchase a new hard drive that has a interface that
your motherboard does not support, it will not work in your computer. Currently
there are three interfaces that have become the standard for connecting your
hard to your computer. Some information about each of these interfaces are
below.
IDE or ATA -
This is currently the most common interface used but is quickly becoming
overcome
by the newer SATA interface. Hard drives using this type of interface have
speeds up to 100 Mbps.
SATA - A newer interface that uses less bulky cables and
has speeds starting at 150 Mbps for SATA and 300 Mbps for SATA II. Almost
all computer manufacturers have started using SATA drives.
SCSI - This type of interface is typically used in a business
environment for servers. Hard Drives designed for a SCSI interface tend
to have a faster RPM which therefore provides better performance.
When buying a hard drive
When purchasing a hard drive there are some characteristics you want to keep
in mind that will help you determine the right drive for your needs.
These characteristics are:
Seek Time - The amount of time required to move a drive's
read/write head to a particular location on the disk. The lower the number,
the better.
Access time - The actual amount of time from when a data
is requested from a drive and delivered. The lower the number, the better.
RPMS - How fast the platters spin. The higher the number,
the faster the drive will be.
Capacity - The amount of storage space available on
the drive. Typically most drives purchased today will be 80 Gigabytes or
greater. An 80 GB hard drive will on average cost around 60 USD.
Interface - How the hard drive connects to your computer.
Make sure that the hard drive's interface is supported on your computer before
you purchase it.
If you have any questions about this tutorial or about hard drives, feel free
to post them in the computer help forums.
Have a problem and would like to ask us for help? To learn how to ask your question Click Here!
Do you have popups or other malware infecting your computer? If so, Start Here!
Are you having trouble using this site? Then you should visit the New User Orientation Center!
