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In today’s technologically advanced world, data storage plays a vital role in our everyday lives. From storing personal files to running complex software, having a reliable and efficient storage solution is crucial. One such storage device that has been a staple in the tech industry for decades is the Hard Disk Drive, commonly known as HDD.
An HDD is a non-volatile storage device that uses magnetism to store and retrieve digital information. It is composed of one or more rigid metal platters coated with a magnetic material and mounted on a spindle within an airtight enclosure. An actuator arm with read/write heads moves across the platters to access and modify the stored data. This mechanical design differentiates HDDs from their solid-state counterparts, like Solid-State Drives (SSDs), which rely solely on electronic circuitry for data retrieval.
There are primarily two types of HDDs available in the market: Internal HDDs and External HDDs. Internal HDDs are designed to be installed within a computer system, either as the primary storage device or as additional storage alongside an existing drive. On the other hand, External HDDs are portable and come in a variety of sizes, allowing easy connection and disconnectivity from multiple devices such as laptops, gaming consoles, or smart TVs.
Deciding whether to buy an HDD depends on your specific storage needs and usage patterns. HDDs have limitations when it comes to data transfer speeds and responsiveness, especially when compared to the faster and more durable SSDs. However, HDDs offer larger storage capacities at a comparatively lower cost per gigabyte, making them an attractive option for those requiring ample space for storing multimedia files, large software applications, or extensive databases.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to purchase an HDD will depend on your specific requirements and budget. This article aims to explore the various aspects of HDD technology to help you make an informed decision.
HDD is the most common type of hard drive on computers. So what is this hard drive, what features does it have, how many types, let’s find out the drive with Tnhelearning.edu.vn!
What is HDD?
HDD, also known as hard drive (Hard Disk Drive, abbreviated: HDD) is a device used to store data on the surface of circular disks covered with magnetic material. Hard drives are “non-volatile” memory, which means they don’t lose data when power is stopped on them.
Laptop HDDs currently have two common speeds of 5400 RPM (revolutions per minute) or 7200 RPM , with the exception of a few hard disks that spin up to 15,000 RPM.
Structure of HDD
Disk Cluster
The disc assembly consists of a rotating shaft that is responsible for transmitting the motion of the magnetic disk and the motor is mounted coaxially with the rotating shaft and the discs.
Reader cluster
The reader cluster includes:
– Head: The head reads/writes data.
– Need to move the reader (head arm or actuator arm).
Circuit assembly
- Control circuit : Responsible for controlling the coaxial motor, controlling the movement of the read head moving lever to ensure it reaches the correct position on the disc surface.
- Data processing circuit : Used to process the read / write data of the hard drive.
- Buffer memory (cache or buffer) : Is a place to temporarily store data during data reading/writing. The data on the cache will be lost when the hard drive stops being powered.
- The power connector supplies power to the hard drive.
- Connector to communicate with the computer.
- The jumpers set the hard drive’s working mode : Select the hard drive’s working mode (SATA 150 or SATA 300) or the order of the channels on the IDE interface (master or slave). or self-selected), select other working parameters, etc.
Hard disk cover
The hard drive case consists of the following parts: The base contains the components mounted on it, the cover covers to protect the internal components.
The hard drive enclosure has the main function of locating components and ensuring a tight seal that does not allow dust to get inside the hard drive. In addition, the hard disk cover is also impact resistant (to a low level).
Magnetic disc
A magnetic disk is a circular metal disk mounted inside a hard drive. Some disks are mounted on a spindle motor to create multiple data storage surfaces in a smaller space.
To maintain organized data storage and retrieval, magnetic disks are arranged into specific structures. These specific structures include tracks (tracks), sectors, and clusters.
- Track : Each magnetic disk is divided into thousands of tightly packed concentric circles, called tracks. All information stored on the hard drive is recorded on the track.
- Sector : Each track is broken down into smaller units called sectors. Sector is the basic unit of data storage on the hard drive.
- Cluster : Sectors are often grouped together to form clusters.
Working principle of HDD
The basic working principle is to have a circular disc made of aluminum (or glass, or ceramic) coated with a magnetic material. In the middle of the drive there is a rotating motor to read/write data, combined with these devices are electronic boards to control the read/write head to the correct position of the disc from earlier while spinning to decode information.
So your operations such as copying music, movies or data from your computer to another device (USB, Hard Drive) fast or slow also depend on this part, moreover the material of the components in the hard drive. The better this is, the more secure the data you save on this will be.
Types of HDDs
HDD hard drive includes HDD Internal and HDD External, in which:
- HDD Internal: 3.5-inch in size and most have a capacity of 4 TB. HDD Internal has a read and write speed of about 530 MB/s. Usually, this hard drive costs nearly 2-7 million. But in general, the Internal HDD is still more affordable than the External HDD.
- External HDD : 2.5-inch in size, most with a maximum capacity of 2 TB powered via USB or Thunderbolt connectivity. However, the mobile hard drive market is increasingly diverse, with many specially designed models with huge storage capacity such as Backup Plus Desktop with capacities up to 5 TB.
Specifications on HDD
- Disk Capacity HDD- HDD capacity : Hard drive capacity is calculated in units: bytes, Kb, MB, GB, TB.
- Average Seek Time HDD – Average seek time HDD : Is the average seek time it takes the reader to move from one Cylinder to another random Cylinder.
- Random Access Time HDD – HDD random access time : The average time it takes the hard drive to search for a random data. This is an important parameter that affects the performance of the hard drive and the system.
- Data access time HDD – Data access time HDD : Total seek time = Average Seek time (time to move the head from one cylinder to another) + Random Access Time (one sector search time) on a specified track).
- MTBF HDD – Mean Time Between Failures HDD : The reliable working time of HDD is the life of the hard drive (in hours). With hard drives operating at 15,000 rpm with MTBF up to 1.4 million hours.
Features of HDD
About the popular maximum capacity
In terms of capacity, HDD has reached about 1TB or more.
About speed
An HDD will take time to ramp up to operating specifications, and will continue to be slower than an SSD during normal use.
About fragmentation
HDDs work best with larger files laid out in contiguous blocks. That way the player can start and end reading it in one continuous motion. When the hard drive begins to write, large files can become scattered around the platter, leading to fragmentation.
About durability
HDDs can experience physical damage that causes the storage device to stop working or cause data loss. Additionally, HDDs are electromechanical devices – with moving parts – that often make them vulnerable to physical shock.
About popularity
Because of the low cost, HDD hard drives are often more abundant than SSDs. We often see cheap laptops often equipped with this type of hard drive. In addition, mid-range and high-end laptops that use SSDs also have a place to add an HDD.
Advantages and disadvantages of HDD
Advantage:
– HDD hard drive is designed with a simple design .
– Capable of storing a lot of data but the price is extremely reasonable.
– HDD size is usually 3.5” and 2.5” respectively for desktop and laptop computers.
Defect:
– Uses more power than SSD.
– Loud noise when operating.
– Affected by magnetism .
Popular HDD brands
Popular HDD brands today include: Western Digital (WD), Seagate, Toshiba, Hitachi, Dell, Kiwivision, Sony,…
Above is information about the HDD that Tnhelearning.edu.vn shares with you. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below the article.
In conclusion, a HDD, also known as a hard disk drive, is a primary storage device used to store and retrieve digital data on personal computers. It is a non-volatile storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve data. HDDs are available in various capacities ranging from a few hundred gigabytes to several terabytes.
There are two main types of HDDs: internal HDDs and external HDDs. Internal HDDs are installed inside a computer’s chassis and are primarily used as a primary storage device. On the other hand, external HDDs are portable and can be connected to a computer via USB or other interfaces.
Deciding whether to purchase an HDD depends on your specific needs and requirements. HDDs are generally a cost-effective solution for storing large amounts of data, making them ideal for tasks such as data backup, media storage, and general-purpose computing. However, if you require faster data transfer speeds or need more reliability and durability, you may consider investing in alternative storage options like solid-state drives (SSDs).
It is advisable to assess your storage requirements, budget, and performance preferences before making a decision. Researching and understanding the different types of storage devices available in the market can help you make a better-informed choice. Ultimately, the decision to buy an HDD or any other storage device depends on your individual needs and circumstances.
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