How Do Hard Drives Actually Store Data in Practice?

Studies show that people spend up to ten hours a day to screen time. In many cases, this isn’t always for entertainment. Often, people use their screens for work purposes.

If you’re like most people, you probably spend time on screens, too. You save your work files, send documents to coworkers, and download media to listen to offline. You probably do it so often that you never ask how your computer stores it all.

And yet, knowing how computers store data is essential. One day, you may sell or donate your digital assets. If you’re not careful, doing so could risk exposing personal data.

So, in this guide, we’ll explore how digital data management works. Read on to learn everything you need to know!

How to Store Data: Hard Disk Drive

There are two primary ways that computers utilize to store data. The traditional method is through a hard disk drive, also called an HDD. Sometimes people refer to it as the hard drive. 

Currently, hard drives remain the predominant technology for data storage. So, how do they work?

A hard drive uses an ingenious system of magnetic mass storage. Essentially, it records all of the coding and software in its network. This process allows you to retrieve the data again at convenient speeds.

Hard drives serve devices beyond your desktop computer. Some portable music players and video cameras use them to store their data. The same holds for DVD players and game consoles. 

Using Solid State Drive Technology

Solid state drive technology, or SSDs, is an alternative way to store data. Unlike HDDs, they do not utilize magnetic mass storage. Instead, they use a series of chips that attach directly to the circuit board.

The data you store becomes encoded in these chips, allowing for the best data security. SSDs form the primary hard drive for music players, mobile phones, tablets, and smart technology. 

Wiping Your Hard Drive

Let’s say you’re a small business owner and you wanted to donate work computers as a tax-deductible charity expense. If you did this, you would need a way to wipe your computer hard drives. 

The reason for this wiping is that your hard drive stores sensitive company information. If that information fell into the wrong hands, it could lead to intense legal battles. 

So, how can you wipe your hard drive? The short answer is that it depends on whether you have an SSD system or an HDD.

If you have an SSD system, the simplest way is the degaussing process. This process wipes the magnetic force and erases your data from the HDD. 

If you use an HDD, however, hard drive wiping software is a better choice. For an example of such software, check out Certus Software today!

Learn More About Data Storage

If you’re curious about how computers and other devices store data, there’s plenty of information to discover! Learn more about these processes today.

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