What's inside a hard drive?

[Bluerain]

I'm serious, I know in a cdrw /dvdrom there's a laser ,but what's inside a HD?


I hear it make noise sometimes, is something in there turning?

If so, what's it made of,whatever it is that's turning?

Also,is there a laser in there also?

Blue

I know it sounds silly ,but i'm curious : >

 

[amdskip]

ummm, there are metal platters of sorts, kinda like cds

there are also a couple strong magnets and the metal platters are spinnning and that is what you are hearing

 

[Colt45]

1 or more disks with magnetic coating, and a head apperatus to read/write to the discs.
motor to turn the discs, chipset on the bottom of the drive..
and a big magnet! heh

 

[Windogg]

Very highly polished aluminum (glass in the case of IBM) platters
A motor to drive the platters on a spindle
A arm that moves across the hard drive to read and write to the platters
A very powerful magnet to control the arm

At work I used to take apart old HDDs and give the platters to the ladies as mirrors. They are usually so smooth that the image beats that of any mirror. The magnet is so powerful that holding it within 3 - 6 inches of a metal door frame would cause it to fly our of your hand.

Windogg

EDIT: Damn 3 responses at once

 

[Bluerain]

Wow, i find these replies interesting,thanks so much : >

This blows my mind...

"At work I used to take apart old HDDs and give the platters to the ladies as mirrors. They are usually so smooth that the image beats that of any mirror. The magnet is so powerful that holding it within 3 - 6 inches of a metal door frame would cause it to fly our of your hand"

Are they really that shiny and powerful?

I think i'll have to keep a eye open for old pc's that have been thrown out : >>>

I really have to take one apart now and see about the shiny and strength : >

Thanks so much

Blue

 

[JetBlack69]

Oh man, if only I were at my dorm room right now. I have 2 broken hard drives (one IDE the other a laptop drive) open and being displayed by my mirror. I'll have to take some pictures for you when I get back. It is really cool inside.

 

[Bluerain]

Jetblack,

Thanks, that would be nice:>

Blue

PS: the arm inside, does it have a laser on it?

Sorry about the silly questions, i just find these tidbits interesting : >

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

<< Jetblack,

Thanks, that would be nice:>

Blue

PS: the arm inside, does it have a laser on it?

Sorry about the silly questions, i just find these tidbits interesting : > >>


no its a magnetic head, not a laser. the platters have little metal bits which can be in two positions: on or off. the head moves over them (imagine a record player), and reads if they are a 1 or a 0.

 

[JetBlack69]

Just did a quick search on google.com and found this picture of the inside of a hard drive.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

<< Just did a quick search on google.com and found this picture of the inside of a hard drive. >>



hehe you beat me to it

good pic and an explanation of how hard drives work

 

[Pariah]

Actually, a hard drive is just metal casing with little magical gnomes running around inside memorizing what you want them to. For more detailed information, check out this link:

PCGuide

I couldn't find any pictures or references to the magical gnomes here, but trust me, they are there.

 

[JetBlack69]

<<

<< Just did a quick search on google.com and found this picture of the inside of a hard drive. >>



hehe you beat me to it

good pic and an explanation of how hard drives work >>



(nelson laugh) HA HA!! (/nelson laugh)

Actually, you found a better web site because it actually explains it. However, I HATE the colors on the site (yellow on light blue = YUCK!!)

 

[Bluerain]

My my, each link gets better and better,THANKS!

I still have to find one and take it apart : >

I love technology!

Thanks to all
Deborah(Bluerain)

 

[Oyeve]

<< Very highly polished aluminum (glass in the case of IBM) platters >>



Yep, IBM uses glass. I found out the hard way several years ago when I took apart an IBM laptop HD for kicks and attempted to bend the platter with my hands........10 stiches later, I decided not to do that anymore.

I also find it ironic that some of the strongest magnets in the world are in HDs. These are some very powerful magnets. When I was a PC tech several years ago, i would collect these magnet and stick them in the ceiling tiles. At one point there was so much magnetism in the tech room that all the monitors turned purple! He he he. Hope I dont get a brain tumor because of that.

 

[Huz]

Hard drives are filled with a delicious blueberry preserve. IBM is especially nice on a good loaf of sourdough. Maxtor are the anomaly of the lot; they're filled with pig feces. Ick.

 

[AndyHui]

Don't I have a FAQ on this???

What is inside hard drives and how do they work?

Just goes to show you that no-one ever reads them....

 

[Pariah]

There are no pictures in that FAQ. There are also no convenient links to the FAQ either, the only link I see is the one in your signature, so from now on I'm going to need you to post a message in every thread.

 

[AndyHui]

There's a link to the FAQs at the top of the main www.AnandTech.com page. There's also links to the FAQs in various member's sigs as well.

 

[Elledan]

<<

<< Very highly polished aluminum (glass in the case of IBM) platters >>



Yep, IBM uses glass. I found out the hard way several years ago when I took apart an IBM laptop HD for kicks and attempted to bend the platter with my hands........10 stiches later, I decided not to do that anymore. >>

Ouch! :Q



<< I also find it ironic that some of the strongest magnets in the world are in HDs. These are some very powerful magnets. When I was a PC tech several years ago, i would collect these magnet and stick them in the ceiling tiles. At one point there was so much magnetism in the tech room that all the monitors turned purple! He he he. Hope I dont get a brain tumor because of that. >>

Well, you never know

Hmm... unfortunately I don't have any broken HD's lying around. Even the 40 MB ones don't seem to want to die =(

 

[jcovercash]

go there, that is an 1882x1434 pic of an Hd inside




Josh

 

[SuperSix]

<< Actually, a hard drive is just metal casing with little magical gnomes running around inside memorizing what you want them to. For more detailed information, check out this link:

PCGuide

I couldn't find any pictures or references to the magical gnomes here, but trust me, they are there. >>



I've found that keeping foil on you head will block the gnome visions..

 

[Bluerain]

I've been keeping my eyes peeled for any pc's that have been thrown out, none yet : (


i wasn't looking , i would see them all the time!

I must take hardrive apart : >>>

PS:That last pic was awesome!

Blue

 

[Cheesemoo]

where did i put that 500 meg HD ?????

 

[CigarSmokedByClinton]

oh, I thought porn was inside my hard drive.......... well, I guess I learn something every day.....

HEHE

Cigar


PS due to forum rules, I can't post teh picture of whats inside my harddrive!!!

 

[jamarno]

The head amplifier chip is inside - short wires mean less signal deterioration, and tucked in a corner is probably a bag that's normally labelled "do not eat" when it's found in a package of food.