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These days, internal HDDs can reach a maximum capacity of 20 TB. You can picture it like a record player, with the vinyl disk being the platter containing the information, and the arm being the heads that scan that information.īecause data is stored magnetically, HDDs are non-volatile devices, meaning that they retain data even when the computer is turned off. The same head that can “read” data can also “write” it, by changing the magnetization of bits on a platter.Īny time a change is made-such as a new file being saved or a file being deleted-the head of the hard drive will adjust the magnetism of the platter accordingly. The head can detect the magnetism of each portion, thus “reading” information from it. Each tiny portion of the platter houses a bit, which will be equal to either 1 or 0. The read/write heads of a hard drive are used to input these ones and zeros by magnetizing portions of the platter.
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Hard disk drive function series#
The faster the magnetic disk rotates, the quicker your computer is able to access information from it.Īll digital data comes in the form of binary code-a series of ones and zeros that can represent any piece of information. Hard disk drives are made up of magnetized disks-known as platters-that spin rapidly, typically somewhere between 5,400 and 15,000 RPM. The more “traditional” type of hard drive is HDD. While you may see SSDs referred to as types of hard drives, this isn’t too accurate, and it’s important to understand the difference between an HDD and an SSD. Generally speaking, secondary storage comes in two forms: hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). This is known as secondary storage, and the RAM (Random Access Memory) of a computer is its primary storage. Types of secondary storageĪll computers require drives store data on a long-term basis. Here, we’ll explore the different kinds of hard drives and their advantages and disadvantages. Every computer has an internal hard drive, but you can also get external hard drives that can be used to expand the storage of a computer. A hard drive is a piece of hardware used to store digital content and data on computers.