kõvaketast

Kõvaketas, more commonly known as a hard disk drive (HDD), is a non-volatile storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information. It consists of one or more rigid, rapidly rotating disks coated with magnetic material. Data is read and written by magnetic heads that move across the surface of the disks.

The primary function of a hard disk drive is to permanently store the operating system, applications, and user data of a computer. Unlike volatile memory (RAM) which loses its data when power is cut, data on a hard disk is retained, making it essential for long-term data storage.

Hard disk drives have been a fundamental component of computers for decades. Early HDDs were large and had limited storage capacity, but technological advancements have led to smaller, faster, and significantly higher-capacity drives. They are characterized by their storage capacity, measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB), and their rotational speed, measured in revolutions per minute (RPM), which affects data access speed.

While solid-state drives (SSDs) have become increasingly popular due to their superior speed and durability, HDDs remain a cost-effective solution for storing large amounts of data. They are commonly used in desktops, laptops, external storage devices, and servers where high capacity at a lower price point is a priority. The mechanical nature of HDDs makes them susceptible to physical shock, which is a key differentiator compared to SSDs.