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What is a Hard Drive?
Your hard drive is the place where all of your programs and files are stored inside your computer. A hard drive is also referred to as a hard disk or HDD.
A hard drive works in much the same way a cassette or VHS tape does. In the case of a tape, information is stored on a long magnetic strip. Instead of a long strip of tape, hard drives contain spinning disks made of glass or aluminum known as platters. Hard drives are similar to tapes in that information is stored by rearranging magnetic elements on the surface of the platter, just as the information on a VHS or cassette tape is changed by arranging data on its magnetic strip.
A “read and write head” mounted on a control arm is attached next to the platter in your hard drive; this head moves back and forth to read, write, and erase data. Most hard drives contain several platters that spin at high speeds, usually from 5,400 to 7,200 RPM (revolutions per minute). These platters continue to spin at all times while your computer is turned on, but the arm only begins to work when you alter data on the hard drive.
Because a hard drive is generally the central location of all the important stuff on your computer, it is essential to monitor its health and make frequent backups. Not doing so can lead to very damaging losses.
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