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Hard Disk Drives
In a personal computer, a hard disk drive controls the positioning, reading, and writing of the hard disk, where data is stored.
4,496 Questions
Do all partitions on a computer have to be formatted with the same file system?
Not necessarily. If you only use Windows, it makes no sense to have different file file systems, as FAT32 is rather inefficient and Windows 2000/XP/Vista default to NTFS anyway. If you dual-boot with Linux, you should use different file systems, as Linux doesn't handle NTFS very well, Windows can't read Linux partitions (like ext3 or ReiserFS) at all without additional software, and FAT32 is unsuitable for both. If you use Linux by itself, you can use multiple file systems without any issue, although sticking to one may be easier for performance or maintenance reasons (ReiserFS is faster; ext2/3 has more widespread support in various recovery tools).
Do hard disks provide fast or slow access to data compared to a RAM?
NO! Think about this logically.....
A HARDDRIVE (HDD)
1. reiceives a signal to write information to the in a location on a platter (the metal disc(s) inside a HDD)
2. the platter must already be spinning at the required RPM's or it will need to take the 1/5 sec - 1/10 sec to speed up.
3. the metal arm with the sensor must move back and forth on the disc writing the information.
4 receives signal to access information (that was just written) in a location on a platter
5. the platter must already be spinning at the required RPM's or it will need to take the 1/5 sec - 1/10 sec to speed up.
6. the metal arm with the sensor must move back and forth on the disc reading the information, and either, #1 cache parts before sending, or #2, stream it to the CPU
7. The information is then sent to the CPU along an extremely thin, but fast wire.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
1. The CPU sends information Directly to the RAM, and stores it.
2. The CPU recalls some or all of the information and is sent back to the CPU along a fast thin metal wire.
Even HDD that spins at over 7200 RPM can never match the speed of ram. Hard drives are the equivelent of looking for your answer in the library, while RAM is like "googling" the answer.
Ram is also rated by speed. Some ram is slower than others. This is a 256mb ATI RADEON x1800 is slower than an NVidia 64mb GeForce 4. The NVidia card is MUCH older, but faster, and for games that require less technology, and only 64 mb of ram, the NVidia will always outperform the newer larger card.
Ram is rated by "Bandwidth" usually in terms of Gigabytes per second. This is the sole most important fact in choosing ram or a video card of the desired size.
Do not make the mistake of thinking you are "upgrading" your computer by putting in 2 more gigs of ram you got for a steal of a deal as the store probably got the deal, not you. Always check to make sure the ram has the highest ratting possible.
The only reason ram might not matter, is if the ram is faster than the circuitry, or CPU itself.
always compare the max speed of your system with the part you want to buy. Doing so will almost always give you the same performance for LESS COST!!!
How do you permanently delete data off hard disk?
There are two variants of doing it:
1. Delete all the files from the disk a nd than rewrite it. All the data will be overwritten.
2. Use one of cleaning programs: so called cleaners.
What is another name for floppy?
The other name for a Floppy Disk is "Diskettes or Floppies" answer by Lloyd Gordon 1-876-471-1662
How do you format a hard drive with no disc?
i had this problem with a toshibalaptop i just got but has no workingcdrom or floppy pretty much i justtook the drive out and stuck it intomy other laptop formated and installeddos 6.22 this works easy because dosis very simple you would prob havetrouble installing other OS's.
If you need to install something newerlike 2000 or something your best betwould be to partition the drive into2 the first being a small 5, 10mband then the 2nd being the rest ofthe drives space. install a simpledos onto the first partition thencopy the OS's setup files to the 2ndthen stick it into the computerand when it boots to dos you shouldbe able to run setup.I've never done this but shouldwork with a little bit of finesse
as far as i know there is no wayto format a drive without a osor boot disk. I've heard of a fewmachines that will boot usingthe serial port but i have no ideaif this is true I've never seen thisor researched it. good luck
you can also press F8 or F5 or what ever key to go to safe mode. then it should ask you if want to go into safe mode with MS-DOS. in there type command c:/ then format.
How many hard disk can connect system?
It all depends on your motherboard and case. I can have 8 drives in my case, but with my motherboard I can only have 8 SATA connections. So if you want an optical drive you have to sacrifice a HDD. However with HDD's being as cheap as they are you shouldn't need too many.
What is the maximum number of times a hard disk can be formatted?
You can format a hard drive continuously until the end of its life. Formatting is not any different than regular use.
And formatting is nothing but writing the hardisk sectors into value zero and its a myth that harddisl life reduces
Every harddisk has different life , you can formatt the hard disk according to the hard disk , to check this , visit the web site of the company of hard disk .
An IDE cable connects a hard drive or CD drive to the main board of the computer.
What utility reorganizes data on a disk to increase disk performance?
De Fragment
Windows 7:
1. Click on the start button click computer
2. Once your on the document screen named computer click the hard drive to De fragment.
3. Right click the icon and click properties once there click the tab called Tools
4. Click "De Fragment Now"
Windows XP:
- Click the start button, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
- Click the volume that you want to defragment.
- Click De-fragment to begin the DeFragment.
- I Hope This Helped
How much memory does AVG antivirus take up on your computer?
It should take about 8 or more, but i like it because its not a huge program like avast or avg and other ones.
What is the function of disk platter in Hard Disk?
Computer hard disk drives may be made of a stack of one or more disks (made out of metal or ceramic) covered in a magnetic "paint". Each of these disks is called a "platter".
What method of storing data on two or more hard drives that work together?
method of storing data on two or more hard drives that work together?
Is a hard disk drive input or out put?
A hard disk drive (HDD) is neither an input nor an output device. It is a Storage Device. It helps to store the data in a Non-Volatile form (i.e Data stored in Hard Drive is not lost even after it's power source removed) and data can be retrieved at any time by enabling power for the Hard Drive.
Where can I purchase portable external hard drives?
Some great places to purchase cheap external hard drives are Amazon, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Fry's Electronics, and Office Depot. Make sure to check out coupon codes for extra deals at these retailers.
Will replacing your hard drive get rid of a virus?
it should, but a better option would be to get a good antivirus program (AVG is my recommendation). Don't bother with Symantic or many other 'top-sellers' because they don't catch much and can fix even less.
What are the advantages of a hard disk drive?
Although many times slower than system memory (RAM), hard-drives provide extremely large storage capacity and are cheaper to produce (byte for byte). Also, RAM requires electrical power to maintain state (volatile memory) whereas hard-drives will maintain state without any power (non-volatile memory); we only require power to change the state.
When was the invention of the compact disk?
The compact disc is a spin-off of the much less successful Laserdisc technology. In 1979, Sony and Philips Consumer Electronics set up a joint task force of engineers to design a new digital audio disc. The task force, led by prominent members Kees Schouhamer Immink and Toshitada Doi, progressed the research into laser technology and optical discs that had been started by Philips in 1977.
What is the difference between a boot partition and system partition?
Basically the system volume is required to start up, and the boot volume contains the OS.
From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314470:
The system volume refers to the disk volume that contains the hardware-specific files that are needed to start Windows, such as Ntldr, Boot.ini, and Ntdetect.com.
On computers that are running the Intel x86 line of CPU processors and later versions, the system volume must be a primary volume that is marked as active. This requirement can be fulfilled on any drive on the computer that the system BIOS searches when the operating system starts.
The system volume can be the same volume as the boot volume. However, this configuration is not required. The boot volume refers to the disk volume that contains the Windows operating system files and the supporting files. By default, the Windows operating system files are in the WINDOWS folder, and the supporting files are in the WINDOWS\System32 folder.
The boot volume can be the same volume as the system volume. However, this configuration is not required.
There is only one system volume. However, there is one boot volume for each operating system in a multiboot system."
HDD stands for Hard drive disk. The HDD is what all your files are saved to. It a double sided disk that is build to be read at extremely high speeds.
First check if you could alter the boot sequence in your bios. Power up your computer, after the memory test, take note of the line normally at the bottom screen similar to "Press Del to enter setup" and do it (others are Function keys like [F1]). At BIOS screen locate where the boot sequence is and set your CD ROM to boot first before your hard drive(HD) and floppy disk(FD). Save and exit, restart and install.
Older BIOS do not have this feature so your stuck with a FD, you could:
1. The easy way, download a Win2000 installation boot disk image, create the boot disk, boot up (if it boot form HD instead, set up BIOS to boot from FD first as describe above) and install.
2. The hard way, create a boot disk from a computer with Win2000 installed. Go to [Start][Programs][System Tools][Backup] and create an Emergency Repair Disk(ERD). In your PC, boot up from ERD, select Command prompt only from boot menu, navigate to your Win2000 CD, open the directory i386 and run WINNT.EXE.
Explain the working principle of the hard disk drive?
A hard disk uses platters, round discs that are coated with a special media that is designed to store data in magnetic patterns. These discs rotate so that heads, electromagnetic read/write devices, can either record data onto the platters or read what the platters already contain. Each platter has tracks which is then broken down into sectors which is where pieces of data is actually recorded.
How do you reset your hard drive?
Formatting, there's no easier way to clean a Hard drive as new like formatting
Do people use floppy disks today?
I still use floppy disks for backing up some small files, like Word Documents, Text Files, and small "WAV file sound effects when I don't have any CDs or my flash drive is full.
I still have some old DOS games on floppy that I still play sometimes, though I have them backed up on CD, but I still play the games on Floppy if I can't find the CD.
I also maintain an Emergency Boot Disk, in case my computer crashes or gets hit by a virus and I need to go into DOS to resurrect the computer.
My School has older computers in the Social Studies computer lab that has computers with floppy disks, but I've never used them, I have a Pen drive for that! But I've seen the School IT guy use them to keep these old machines going.
My current Workplace has a few older printing presses that need to be "calibrated" using 4 unmarked floppy disks, in order, or the margins will be off and that docked from your pay. Luckily they copies of copies of copies of the original disks and they are different colors, so they always go Yellow-Blue-Black-Grey, Yellow-Blue-Black-Grey, etc.
The U.S. Government has a protocol that sensitive, classified military documents, such as Nuclear Defense Information, that was written in the 1980s, when floppy disks were the only way to distribute computer information. It would cost so much to transfer all the information to a more modern format, dispose of the old disks and write new protocol that they continue to use floppy disks to distribute this information in 2010 as they did in the 1980s.
There are a lot of older technology still in daily use that requires the use of floppy disks, like industrial equipment and cash registers. I went shopping early at a thrift store (shortly after they opened) once and I had to wait for them to boot the register from 3 floppy disks to buy some clothes, this was in 2008, too!
I remember saving some songs I had composed on an electric keyboard using a integrated floppy disk and could play them as "MIDI" files either on the keyboard or on my computer! But that was back in 2003.
Older digital cameras store their pictures on a floppy disk, also. Most of those cameras are of better quality than the modern, cheap flash-based digital cameras, film-like without the film. Though many of these have been abandoned in favor of new, flsh-based cameras.
Many Developing and Third-World countries use older, obsolete computers that have no other way to transfer and store data than floppy drives, after the developed world deemed them to be "obsolete" and were considered "junk" their still serving Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Islands as daily work-horses in homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and government offices.
As you can see floppy disks are still used, just usually as a legacy system, once all these technologies clunk out, they will be obsolete.
