HARD DISKS

Hard disk drive

A hard disk drive is a non-volatile storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly
rotating rigid (i.e. hard) platters with magnetic surfaces. Hard Disk is an electromechanical data
storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information using one or
more rigid rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material. The platters are
paired with magnetic heads, usually arranged on a moving actuator arm, which read and write
data to the platter surfaces.[2] Data is accessed in a random-access manner, meaning that
individual blocks of data can be stored or retrieved in any order and not only sequentially. HDDs
are a type of non-volatile storage, retaining stored data even when powered off.

Types of Hard Disks

Types of Hard Drive are as follows:

1. Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA)
2. Serial ATA (SATA)
3. Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)
Parallel ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)
These were the first types of hard disk drives and they made use of the Parallel ATA interface
standard to connect to computers. These types of drives are the ones we refer to as Integrated
Drive Electronics (IDE) and Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics (EIDE) drives. These PATA
drives were introduced by Western Digital back in 1986. They provided a common drive
interface technology for connecting hard drives and other devices to computers.

 Data transfer rate can go up to 133MB/s and a maximum of 2 devices can be connected
to a drive channel.

 Most of the motherboards have a provision of two channels, thus a total of 4 EIDE
devices can be connected internally.

 They make use of a 40 or 80 wire ribbon cable transferring multiple bits of data
simultaneously in parallel.

 These drives store data by the use of magnetism.

 The internal structure is one made of mechanical moving parts.

Serial ATA Storage Drives
These hard drives have replaced the PATA drives in desktop and laptop computers. The main
physical difference between the two is the interface, although their method of connecting to a
computer is the same. Here are some advantages of SATA Hard Disk Drives. Worth noting is
that their capacities vary a lot and so does the prices. When buying a disk drive, you need to
know its storage capacity and how much storage you want.

 SATA drives can transfer data faster than PATA types by using serial signaling technology.
 SATA cables are thinner and more flexible than PATA cables.
 They have a 7-pin data connection, with cable limit of 1 meter.
 Disks do not share bandwidth because there is only one disk drive allowed per SATA
controller chip on the computer motherboard.
 They consume less power. They only require 250 mV as opposed to 5V for PATA.
Small Computer System Interface
These are quite similar to IDE hard drives but they make use of the Small Computer System
Interface to connect to the computer. SCSI drives can be connected internally or externally.
Devices that are connected in a SCSI have to be terminated at the end. Here are some of their
advantages.
 They are faster.
 They are very reliable.
 Good for 24/7 operations.
 Have a better scalability and flexibility in arrays.
 Well-adapted for storing and moving large amounts of data.
 Physical components of Hard Disk Drive
A hard disk is a sealed unit containing a number of platters in a stack. Hard disks may be
mounted in a horizontal or a vertical position. In this description, the hard drive is mounted
horizontally. Electromagnetic read/write heads are positioned above and below each platter.
As the platters spin, the drive heads move in toward the center surface and out toward the
edge. In this way, the drive heads can reach the entire surface of each platter

PLATTERS:
Platter is a circular, metal disk that is mounted inside a hard disk drive. Several platters are
mounted on a fixed spindle motor to create more data storage surfaces in a smaller area. The
platter has a core made up of aluminium or glass substrate, covered with a thin layer of Ferric
oxide or cobalt alloy. On both sides of the substrate material, a thin coating is deposited by a
special manufacturing technique. This, thin coating where actual data is stored is the media
layer.

Hard drive platters

When the magnetic media is applied to the surface of the substrate material, a thin lubricating
layer is applied to protect the material. This complex three layered media is discussed in detail
as follows:

THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL:

The bulk material of which platters are made up, forms the base on which media layer is
deposited. The substrate has no specific function but to support the media layer. The most
commonly used material for making this physical layer is an Aluminium alloy. This alloy is rigid,
lightweight, stable, inexpensive, easy to work with and is readily available. Earlier, since the gap
between the heads and the platter was relatively high, the platter surface being smooth and
flat was less of an issue. However, as technology advances, the gap between heads and platters
is decreasing and the speed that the platters spin at is increasing. For this reason demand for
alternatives on the platter material are increasing. Glass platters are replacing aluminium
platters because they provide improved rigidity, better quality, thinner platters, and thermal
stability.

MEDIA LAYER :

The substrate material forms the base upon which actual recording media is deposited. The
media layer is a thin coating of magnetic material applied to the surface of the platters and
where the actual data is stored. Its thickness is only a few millionths of an inch. Special
techniques are employed for the deposition of magnetic material on the substrate material. A
thin coating is deposited on both sides of the substrate, mostly by vacuum deposition process
called magnetron sputtering. Another such method is electroplating, using a process similar to
that used in electroplating jewelry.

PROTECTIVE LAYER:

On the top of the magnetic media, is applied a super-thin, protective, lubricating layer. This
layer is called the protective layer because it protects the disk from damage caused by
accidental contact from the heads, “head crash” or other foreign material from entering the
drive

PLATTER DIVISIONS:
In order to get maintain the organized storage and retrieval of data the platters are organized
into specific structures. These specific structures include tracks, sectors, and clusters.

TRACKS:
Each platter is broken into thousands of tightly packed concentric circles, known as tracks.
These tracks resemble the structure of annual rings of a tree. All the information stored on the
hard disk is recorded in tracks. Starting from zero at the outer side of the platter, the number of
tracks goes on increasing to the inner side. Each track can hold a large amount of data counting
to thousands of bytes.
SECTORS:
Each track is further broken down into smaller units called sectors. As sector is the basic unit of
data storage on a hard disk. A single track typically can have thousands of sectors and each
sector can hold more than 512 bytes of data. A few additional bytes are required for control
structures and error detection and correction.

CLUSTERS:
Sectors are often grouped together to form Clusters.

READ/WRITE HEADS:
The heads are an interface between the magnetic media where the data is stored and
electronic components in the hard disk. The heads convert the information, which is in the form
of bits to magnetic pulses when it is to be stored on the platter and reverses the process while
reading.
The heads are the most sophisticated part of the hard disk. Each platter has two read/write
heads, one mounted on the top and the other one at the bottom. These heads are mounted on
head sliders, which are suspended at the ends of head arms. The head arms are all fused into a
singular structure called actuator, which is responsible for their movement.

THE SPINDLE MOTOR:

Spindle motor plays an important role in hard drive operation by turning the hard disk platters.
A spindle motor must provide stable, reliable, and consistent turning power for many hours of
continuous use. Many hard drive failures occur due to spindle motor not functioning properly
HARD DISK LOGIC BOARD:

Hard disk is made with an intelligent circuit board integrated into the hard disk unit. It is
mounted on the bottom of the base casting exposed to the outer side. The read/write heads
are linked to the logic board through a flexible ribbon cable.

DRIVE BAY:
The entire hard disk is mounted in an enclosure designed to protect it from the outside air. It is
necessary to keep the internal environment of the hard disk free of dust and other
contaminants. These contaminants may get accumulated in the gap between the read/write
heads and the platters, which usually leads to head crashes.
The bottom of the disk is also called base casting. The drive mechanics are placed in the base
casting and a cover, usually made up of aluminium is placed on top to enclose heads and
platters. The entire contents placed on the base and cover chamber are collectively known as
the head-disk assembly. Once this assembly is opened, it would instantly contaminate the
contents and eventually ruin the drive. On the bottom of the base casting is present the logic
board, which is separated from the base casting using a cushioning material.

Cables used for Hard Drive

There are several types of hard drives, and they all require different data cables. To connect a
hard drive to a computer, one must have the proper cables and plug the cables into the
appropriate places.

There are three main types of hard drive data cables:

 IDE/PATA: - An IDE/PATA hard drive cable is a ribbon cable containing 40 pins. Either
one or two devices may be connected to an IDE/PATA cable, and the devices need not
be of the same type. For example, an IDE/PATA DVD-R drive may be connected along
with an IDE/PATA hard drive on the same cable.
  SATA Cable: - A SATA hard drive cable has seven conductors and is smaller than an
IDE/PATA cable. A SATA cable connects a single hard drive to a single connector on the
SATA controller, which is usually found on the computer's motherboard.


SCSI: - SCSI cables look similar to IDE/PATA cables in that both drives use ribbon cables.
However, SCSI cables have more pins than IDE cables. Depending on the SCSI interface, a SCSI
cable may have 50 or 68 pins.
 GRAPHIC CARD
A graphics card is a type of display adapter or video card installed within most computing
devices to display graphical data with high clarity, color, definition and overall appearance. A
graphics card provides high-quality visual display by processing and executing graphical data
using advanced graphical techniques, features and functions. A graphics card is also known as a
graphics adapter, graphics controller, and graphics accelerator card or graphics board.

How to insert the new GPU:

1. Power down the PC.

2. Hit the switch on the back of the PC to turn off supply to the PSU.
3. Extract the side panel.
4. Remove the screws holding the GPU in on the rear bracket.

.
5. Hover the new GPU over AGP (PCI-e) slot.
6. Push down on the card to slide the connector into the slot.

7. Ensure the secure lock clicks into place.

8. Screw the rear bracket down to secure the card to the chassis.
 9. Connect any required PSU cables.
10. Reattach the side panel.

Now, all you need to do is to plug in the display connectors on the rear of the case, whether
they're Display Port, HDMI, DVI or VGA. After that hit the PSU power switch and boot up
Windows. If the PC does not turn on or no signals get sent to the monitor, we'll need to double-
check that all cables are connected correctly (both inside and on the rear of the PC) and the
GPU is seated properly in the AGP (PCI-e) slot.

Install Drivers

Before the GPU can be used for intensive workloads like gaming, you need to get new drivers
installed so Windows and software can effectively communicate with the card. Insert your
driver disc or download the drivers. If your graphics card came with a driver disc, you can insert
it now to begin the driver setup process. If your card did not come with a disk, or you want to
ensure that you have the latest release of the drivers possible, you can download the drivers
directly from internet depending on what type of card you installed.

Install the drivers. The driver installation process is mostly automatic, though you may get
asked if you want to install any additional graphics card management software. This additional
software is optional, but can help ensure that your drivers stay up to date. Your display will
most likely flicker and reset during the installation process. Drivers contained on a disc are
almost always out of date by the time they are purchased, so you will most likely be asked to
update after installing them.
 SOUND CARD CONNECTION

A sound card is an expansion component used in computers to receive and send audio. Sound
cards are configured and utilized with the help of a software application and a device driver.
The input device attached to receive audio data is usually a microphone, while the device used
to output audio data is generally speakers or headphones.

The sound card converts incoming digital audio data into analog audio so that the speakers can
play it. In the reverse case, the sound card can convert analog audio data from the microphone
into digital data that can be stored on the computer and altered using audio software. Sound
cards are also known as audio adapters.

Steps to insert Sound Card: -

1. Turn off your PC, unplug it, and remove your computer’s case. The tiniest sound card
slots in your computer, about an inch long, are PCI-Express 1x slots. The adjacent slots,
about three times as long, are usually PCI slots.
2. Hold the new card by its edges and position it over the appropriate empty slot, either
PCI or PCI-Express 1x, then push the card slowly into the slot.The edge with the shiny
metal bracket faces toward the back of your computer. Line up the tabs and notches on
the card’s bottom edge with the notches in the slot. You may need to rock the card back
and forth gently. When the card pops in, you can feel it come to rest. Don’t force it.

3. Secure the card in the slot with a screw.

4. Plug the computer’s power cord back into the wall and PC, and then turn on your PC.
5. Windows usually recognizes a newly installed card, displays a message saying it
recognizes the new device, and automatically sets the card up to work correctly.
6. If Windows doesn’t correctly identify your card or doesn’t recognize it at all, install the
driver software that came with your card.