Friday, October 21, 2011

Long Live The All Important Hard Drive

By Arlene Case


It is no coincidence that the hard drive is the most valuable part of the computer, and also the most delicate. The hard drive is the depository of all information and data that ends up in our computer, and that includes the programs. Maintaining and monitoring the performance of your hard drive can help guard against data loss and increase the life of your computer. Some of the things below are very important in preserving your hard drive.

Do not expose your computer to strong vibrations, hard impacts, and sudden and violent movements that can damage the hard disk and other important parts. Laptops that you carry around are very vulnerable especially to vibrations and accidental bumps so keep that in mind all the time. Do not be fooled by the tough look of the hard disk because its inside is frail and fragile. Handle your hard disk with care.

Hard drives write files in a non-linear way that scatters small pieces of the file across the drive. After a time, data in your drive are scattered around like buckshots. So the computer will have to search far and wide every time a file will have to be accessed making the computer work more. To avoid fragmentation, make regular use of the Windows disk defragmenter to tidy up the hard drive and improve performance.

Another cause of worry and no less dangerous are power surges and outages. This can be prevented with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to regulate the power supply. Lightning strikes are notorious for frying the inner workings of computers, and it is recommended that you disconnect the computer from all power sources in a thunderstorm. A UPS can give you temporary protection only so you will have enough time to save and close your open files and shut down the computer properly.

There are a thousand and one ways that you can lose data, and your best option is to have back up files. You have several back file options - DVDs, external hard drives, or online storage centers. Large companies often rent storage space at secure storage centers to back up their data. Back up is only worthwhile if you do it regularly.

There are software that will monitor and analyze the condition of your computers and will tell you if it detects anything amiss so you can perform remedial measures. Most computer-supply stores will be able to recommend a good application for your needs.

The computer has become so important and influential in our way of life that we cannot afford to lose data and the preventive steps enumerated above can go a long way in preserving and keeping our hard drives safe.




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