| The computer component that holds data is a hard | | | | is portable and operates on plug and play basis. The |
| drive and an external hard drive is a hard drive that is | | | | external hard drive can be used as a storage device |
| outside the computer case in its own enclosure (also | | | | for any computer with a USB or Fire Wire capability. |
| called hard drive cage). Every computer needs at | | | | Hard drives are available in two basic formats: SATA |
| least one hard drive to store its operating system, | | | | (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) and IDE |
| programs and user interpretation. It is usually internal but | | | | (Integrated Drive Electronics). IDE drives use a 40-pin |
| additional external hard drives have become | | | | connection and are cheaper and SATA hard drives |
| indispensable. | | | | are faster and transfer data at six times the speed of |
| An external hard drive has become indispensable | | | | IDE external hard drive. |
| because there are potential security threats to our | | | | An external hard drive is basically composed of the |
| computers like virus due to Internet access even after | | | | Platters, the Spindles and Spindle Motor, the Read |
| employing anti-virus programs and firewalls. | | | | Write Head and the Head Actuator. |
| Apart from this, inadvertent corruption of sensitive | | | | The Platters are the actual discs inside the external |
| documents and additional space required for | | | | drive that store the magnetized data. Platters made |
| multimedia storage are some of the problems and one | | | | of glass or ceramic are used because they are thinner |
| single solution to all such problems is the external hard | | | | and are more heat resistant. Generally, the external |
| drive. | | | | hard drives have at least two platters and the larger |
| The external hard drive is enclosed in an enclosure | | | | the storage capacity of the hard drive the more the |
| outside the main computer and is slightly larger than | | | | platters. The Spindle Motor is built right into the |
| the hard drive itself and sometimes has a cooling fan. | | | | Spindle and spins the Platter at a constant set rate |
| The external hard drive is connected to the computer | | | | ranging from 3600 to 7200 rpm. The Read/Write |
| through a high-speed interface cable, which enables | | | | Head reads and writes the data to the Platter. There |
| the external hard drive to communicate with the | | | | is necessarily one head per platter side and each head |
| computer by means of interfaces like USB and Fire | | | | is attached to a single actuator shaft. Only one of |
| Wire. | | | | the heads is active at a time reading or writing the |
| An external hard drive is a very constructive piece of | | | | data. All the heads are attached to a single head |
| equipment in the sense that it allows the user to back | | | | actuator, which moves the head around the Platters. |
| up or store important information detached from the | | | | The platters spindle, spindle motor, head actuator and |
| main internal hard drive, which could be affected by | | | | the read or write head are all contained in a chamber |
| on-line or off-line activities. An external hard drive can | | | | called the Hard Disc Assembly (HDA) |
| hold sensitive documents, DVD images, disc images, | | | | We can even buy several hard drives and barter |
| large music files, movies and also a back up of the | | | | them in and out of the same enclosures, using one for |
| contents of the main internal hard drive safely and | | | | work, one for back up, and one for multi media and |
| securely. When on line, external hard drive can even | | | | song and so on and thus there are boundless reasons |
| be left turned off. | | | | to use an external hard drive. |
| An external hard drive has another advantage – it | | | | |