Hard drives are storage devices that store all of a computer's files and operating system. They were invented in 1950 and originally called "fixed disks". Hard drives contain magnetic platters that spin and read/write heads that access data. Key components include the spindle, actuator arm, and logic board. Specifications like capacity, rotational speed, and interface type are used to describe hard drive performance. Recent flooding in Thailand damaged hard drive factories, increasing prices and decreasing supply.

1. By: Akram Ali

2. What Are Hard Drive Disks?
 Hard Drives are the main storage device
for all the data on your computer
 It is where you store all your files,
documents and even your Operating
System
 They are often abbreviated as HDD or
called Hard Drives
 The Hard Drive is a storage device since
it is used to store data.

3. History Of Hard Drives
 Were invented in 1950
 Often called “fixed disks” which was a
codename for the IBM product
 They were very large measuring up to
twenty inches in diameter
 Later they were given the name “Hard
Drive” to differentiate them from Floppy
Disks

4. Early Hard Drives

5. Diagram Of The Hard Drive

6. Parts of The Hard Drive
 Spindle- The shaft that rotates in the
middle of the hard drive. Is attached to
the platter.
 Platter- A round magnetic plate inside
the hard drive. There are many platters
in a hard drive.
 Actuator & Actuator Arm- Is the part of
the hard drive where the read/write head
attaches.

7. Parts of The Hard Drive Cont.
 Read/Write Head- Is a instrument that
read or writes data on to a magnetic
plate
 Logic Board- A circuit board that controls
the Hard Drive and its functions
 SATA Power Connecter- Provides
electricity to hard drive so that it may
operate

8. Parts of The Hard Drive Cont.
 SATA Data Connector- Allows the hard
drive to communicate with other parts of
the computer and transfer data
 SATA: Serial Advanced Technology
Attachment. It is bus interface that
allows the connecting of mass storage
devices.

9. A Hard Drive In Operation

10. Specifications
 Capacity: Is how much data the hard
drive can store (ex. 500 GB)
 Rotational Speed: Measured in rotations
per minute(RPM). It is how fast the
spindle inside the hard drive can rotate
per minute (ex. 7200 RPM)
 Seek Speed: Measured in milliseconds,
it is the amount of time it takes for a
hard drive to find a specific piece of data

11. Specifications
 Interface: Is the connector that is used
for the hard drive to interface with the
computer. (ex. PATA,SATA,USB)
 Buffer: Is buffer memory that loads
information that the processor is likely to
ask for. This will keep the data flowing
smoothly.

12. Future Trends
 Hybrid Hard Drives: Is a hard drive that
holds all the components in a traditional
hard drive. However, now a small Solid
State Drive has been integrated into it.
Seagate, the manufacturer of the hard
drive, claims that the Hybrid Hard Drive
can be up to three times faster than a
traditional hard drive.

13. Additional Information
2011 Thailand Flooding
 Hard Drive Manufacturers have risen the prices by
20 to 40 percent, due to flooding.
 In Thailand, which is the second highest exporter of
hard drives in the world was flooded damaging many
of the factories and killed 377 people since July
2011.
 Western Digital predicts that it will not have
production back to pre-flood levels until the third
quarter of 2012.
 This has caused the price of computers to increase
and decrease sales all over the technology industry.

14. Works Cited
 http://www.pcworld.com/article/125778-
3/how_to_buy_a_hard_drive.html
 http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/actuator.html
 http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/H/head.html
 http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/platter.html
 http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/spindle.html
 http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Softw
are/2002/InsideHardDrive.asp
 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397008,00.asp
 http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/28/us-thai-floods-
drives-idUSTRE79R66220111028
 http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/hard-
drive-shortages-continue-bite-tech-industry-184973