Hard Drive Introduction: Form Factors, Spindle Speeds, and Interfaces

            If you’re just introducing yourself to the world of computer storage options, you’ll be coming across thousands of options from dozens of manufacturers. Familiarizing yourself as well as possible with the variety of options on the market is the best way to ensure that you choose the right hard drive for your specific needs. Here, I will be aiming to arm you with all the introductory knowledge for your future hard drive purchases. The information covered here will include a short introduction on hard drive form factors, spindle speeds, interfaces, and other general information. Keep reading below for more information.

Hard Drive Form Factor

The form factor of your hard drive refers to its standardized dimensions. The form factor is the largest determining factor in selecting a hard drive for a specific system. Over the years, form factors have progressed to become smaller. Whereas the first hard drives were the size of refrigerators and had capacity for a few megabytes of data, today’s hard drives have been micronized to the point that terabytes of storage can fit on a very small form factor. In general, however, hard drives have been standardized into a few form factors. 3.5 is the standard for desktop drives, and offer the highest availability in capacity and spindle speed (this is also the standard form of server hard drives). 2.5 hard drives are typically intended for use in notebooks, though can be mounted in desktops as well. 1.8 drives aren’t as common, but are usually intended for ultra-thin or ultraportable computer solutions.

Hard Drive Spindle Speeds

One important factor to pay attention to in any potential purchase is the hard drive’s spindle speed. A hard drive works by using an actuator arm and a magnetically receptive platter to both write data (store) and read data (retrieve). The data is stored on an actual physical location on a platter, and the actuator arm (with a magnetically receptive head) must seek to this location before the data can be read. Thus, the speed of the drive’s performance is determined in no small part by the rate at which this data can be located. A higher spindle speed allows the data to be read at a faster rate as the platter rotates more quickly. Spindle speeds range from a relatively slow 5,400 RPM into the 7,200 range (standard for most budget-efficient drives), and the higher end 10K and 15K range. Solid state drives work with a flash storage alternative, and thus can cut out the mechanical operating principal. Such drives offer much higher speeds.

Hard Drive Interfaces

 
Today’s standard hard drive interfaces with your motherboard via a SATA connection. My own system uses a 496798-001 SATA cable to interface, though SAS drives are also compatible with SATA connections. Other interfaces include older IDE drives and SCSI. However, SATA I, II, and III have proven to be the most advantageous interfacing option. Hopefully I’ve provided you with a solid introduction to the basics of hard drives. Thanks for reading!

Affordable Tech: Refurbished Servers, Phones, TVs and More

                I’ve always found myself to be more willing to treat myself to a gadget than a fancy meal at an expensive restaurant. Some of us just enjoy technology more than the others, and it’s through this enjoyment that I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of everything from computers and smart phones to TVs and tablets. If you’re anything like me, you probably enjoy the amount of utility and entertainment value encompassed in a collection of tech. However, technology can pose a large cost problem. If I were always racing around finding the newest, fastest, and most powerful technology on the market, I would have little to no money left! Instead, I opt to buy my tech second hand when available, and with a careful bit of budgeting, I’ve stayed well below budget while still adding to my collection. If you’re building your collection, you’ll probably be looking at three areas I indicated earlier: TVs, phones, and computers. Here are a few tips for each of these categories on finding the best deals.

Finding an Affordable TV

As of the writing of this article, the current “best and brightest” in TV technology are LED TVs and 4K displays. I’ll start off by saying that if you’re expecting to find an LED TV with a 4K display for a half-off discount, you’re going to be largely disappointed. The best bet is to look for LCD TV’s from major manufacturers like Sony or Samsung. These offer a higher degree of quality compared to similarly sized LCD TVs. From here, it is best to look for factory refurbished TVs. These are televisions which were returned back to the factory for some reason, perhaps for a factory error a dead-on-delivery malfunction. However, the manufacturer doesn’t simply retire the television. They repair it and offer it as a discount as an opened/refurbished product. This is the same quality as a brand new television.

Upgraded Phones Without Contract

It seems like the only way you can come across an affordable phone is by agreeing to a two year contract (or some equivalently long-term, binding agreement). Just because you want to upgrade your phone doesn’t mean you need to lock yourself into another contract. The used market can be a good resource for an affordable phone, but only if the quality of the phone can be verified. Phones undergo a certain amount of wear and tear in use, so the older a phone and the more it was used, the more likely it will show its age.

Computer Equipment

Computer equipment is a costly investment new, which is why so many people opt for the alternatives. The best alternative is refurbished equipment, which has been maintained, cleaned, and tested before you ever purchase it. Refurbished computer resellers often stock a large quantity of parts and can build an entire system for you from scratch, which helps with cost and customizability. Refurbished server deals like these are a common choice for small businesses, and can certainly proof an excellent cost advantage in home computer builds as well.

DIY Computer Hardware Projects

As a rule, if I can do my own work, then I do it. There are not a whole lot of projects I won’t tackle, from car repairs to basic home furnishing jobs. However, when it came to performing my own computer work, I was at a bit of a loss. Though there are plenty of resources online, though I found myself wading through article after article attempting to find the right resource for my project. Thus, the Do It Yourself project turned into something less than an enjoyable hobby activity. If you’re thinking of attempting your own computer work, you should come into the project with a good idea of what needs doing and how to do it. Below, I will give you a short introduction on basic installations of some of the most common computer components. It is important to note proper safety protocols. Always ensure you have discharged your static by touching a grounded metal object or by using an anti-static wrist band. Always ensure that your computer system has been unplugged from its power source, and never attempt to open your power supply unless you are certified in its maintenance. That said, continue reading below!

Installing Hard Drives (Desktop, Server)

Installing a desktop or server hard drive is one of the most easy and accessible computer hardware upgrades. Before you even begin the installation, you will want to make certain you have backed up the entire drive in a secure location. It would be a shame to lose all of your data trading away an old hard drive, later finding that you had no backups! After you’ve got your case open, you will need to locate the open drive bay. Most computers have space for two to four, though eight and more aren’t unheard of. The open drive will most likely be underneath your CD/DVD drive. You will need a data cable (most often a SATA cable) to install the drive. Mount the drive in the open bay by inserting it in with its ports facing the open interior of the computer. Attach the indicated side of the SATA cable to the motherboard, the other to the hard drive. Secure power and give her a spin!

Installing Processor (Desktop, Server)

The processor is a straightforward installation. Locate the socket on your motherboard, and note that the socket cover indicates one corner with some sort of market (usually a gold square or triangle). Remove the socket cover by lifting the pin or the clamp. Place your processor in the socket with the processor’s indicated corner matching the same corner indicated by the processor cover. Replace the cover, install the heat-sink, and you’re good to go.

Installing Additional Ram (Desktop, Server)

Additional RAM is perhaps the easiest upgrade to pursue. Locate the empty DIMM slots on your motherboard and remove clamps, if there are any. RAM module in hand, line the pins up with the slots and push the RAM firmly into place. In the case of my X7403A RAM, I installed two sticks as a kit. Ensure you have the requisite DIMM availability before pursuing this upgrade!