| For several different reasons, storage is a very | | | | the platters, which are magnetic media. Platters are |
| important part of a computer. These days, | | | | what carry the data throughout the hard drive. |
| computers do far more than they ever have in the | | | | Platters are constructed from optical glass, aluminum, |
| past. From businesses to family photo's, storage is | | | | or ceramic and normally coated with a layer of |
| the ideal way to keep documents on your computer. | | | | magnetic material. Once the hard drive begins to heat |
| The most popular method of storage is the hard disk | | | | up, the platters will start to expand, which changes |
| drive, which we all count on for keeping our data | | | | their size. When this happens, the magnetic surface |
| safe. | | | | on the platters will get destroyed, which results in a |
| Even though the hard drive stores data, it isn't | | | | loss of data. If the physical area of the platters are |
| perfect by any means. Hard drive failure is very | | | | damaged, it will result in unreadable sectors. |
| common with all computers, with no real way to | | | | Other areas of the hard drive that can be damaged |
| prevent it. Although there are several different | | | | due to overheating are the read and write heads, |
| reasons why a hard drive can fail, the most common | | | | head actuator, and the controller chip. Hard drives are |
| is overheating. Viruses and crashes are common as | | | | very sophisticated pieces of hardware, and can't |
| well, along with theft and accidental deletion. | | | | handle overheating. The read and write heads are a |
| With the older style and mechanics of hard drives, | | | | common example, as they can easily render the drive |
| the RPM speed was low, meaning that the drives | | | | useless if they become damaged. If they get too |
| wouldn't overheat. The hard drives we use now | | | | hot, they don't make any contact with media, which |
| days, have speeds between 7,200 and 10,000 RPM, | | | | pretty much stops the flow of transfer from |
| meaning that they can get quite hot when they start | | | | information to the computer. |
| working. Computers of this day and age come with | | | | To prevent your hard drive from overheating, you |
| fans to cool everything down, with most hard drives | | | | should always make sure that it is cooled properly |
| including temperature sensors as well, so you can | | | | and well ventilated. You can always get additional |
| keep track of just how hot your hard drive | | | | fans and coolers, which will improve both ventilation |
| becomes. | | | | and the flow of air in your computer. You can buy |
| With hard drives today, overheating is a very | | | | fans and coolers at very affordable prices, which |
| common problem. The faster hard drives come with | | | | makes them an ideal investment for keeping your |
| speeds of 10,000 RPM, which can make the | | | | hard drive or hard drives cool. |
| temperature soar above 70 degrees F, really heating | | | | You can also get software that monitors the |
| things up inside the drive. The mechanics on the | | | | temperature of your hard drive as well. Whether it's |
| inside are built to withstand the heat, although if | | | | software, or additional fans, you should always |
| things become too hot, you'll encounter problems. If | | | | ensure that your hard drives are kept cool. By |
| a drive becomes too hot and ends up losing the data, | | | | keeping them cool, you'll greatly reduce the amount |
| it may be next to impossible to retrieve the | | | | of crashes. You'll also increase the stability of your |
| information - no matter how good your data | | | | hard drive as well, which will make your entire |
| recovery specialists may be. | | | | computer perform much better. |
| One area that suffers from the drive overheating is | | | | |