Kõvaketas

Kõvaketas, also known as a hard disk drive (HDD), is a non-volatile data storage device used for storing and retrieving digital information. It consists of a flat circular disk (platter) coated with magnetic material, which is used to read and write data. The disk is spun at high speeds, and a read/write head, which is similar to the needle on a record player, moves across the surface to access data. The data is stored in the form of magnetic patterns, which are read and written by the read/write head.

HDDs are commonly used in computers, servers, and other electronic devices for storing operating systems, applications, and user data. They are known for their large storage capacities and relatively low cost per gigabyte. However, they are also slower than solid-state drives (SSDs) in terms of data access speed, as the read/write head must physically move to the desired location on the disk.

The performance of an HDD is typically measured in terms of its rotational speed, which is the speed at which the disk spins. Common rotational speeds include 5400 RPM, 7200 RPM, and 10000 RPM. The transfer rate, which is the speed at which data is read from or written to the disk, is also an important factor in determining the performance of an HDD.

In recent years, HDDs have been largely replaced by SSDs in many applications due to their faster data access speeds and lower power consumption. However, HDDs are still used in some applications where large storage capacities are required, such as in data centers and backup systems. They are also used in some portable devices, such as external hard drives, due to their relatively low cost and large storage capacities.