Virtual Curiosities

Hard Disk Drive

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What is a Hard Disk Drive?

A hard disk drive (abbreviated HDD) is a common mass storage device installed inside the computer's tower that reads and writes data to a hard disk contained within.

Photo of a hard disk of 500 gigabytes labelled WD Scorpio Blue. The device is a rectangular metal block that's not very thick.
A 500 gigabyte hard disk drive. Photo: Matt Kieffer. License: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Photo of a metal disk attached to a rectangular electronic device.
A hard disk drive with its cover removed, revealing the hard disk within. Photo: Uwe Hermann. License: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Written by Noel Santos.

About the Author

I'm a self-taught Brazilian programmer graduated in IT from a FATEC. In a world of increasingly complex and essential computers, I decided to use my technical expertise in hardware, desktop applications, and web technologies to create an informative resource to make PC's easier to understand.

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