Uddesh Sahadeo

What is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)?

A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), more commonly referred to as a Hard Drive (HD), is a non-volatile secondary storage device which can be used as either an internal or external storage device.

It stores data using a magnetic arm with a read/write head on the platter, divided into sectors and subdivided into tracks. Contained within the air-tight case of the Hard Drive are one or more than one platters which spins at rapid speeds depending on the model of hard drive referred to and is recorded in “Rotations Per Minute” (RPM).

Image result for diagram of hard drive platter — *Diagram of a the platter of a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)*

Depending on the generation of hard drive, it uses either a Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA), or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA), or Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) data connection.

SATA Connection

PATA Connection

SCSI Connection

Older generations of Hard Drives store several gigabytes (GB). However with advancement in technology, Hard Drives can now store several terabytes (TB) of data.

Hard Drives can vary from 3.5″ for desktops and 2.5″ for laptops.

enNG0RR-min_zpsx1belbey — Samsung 2.5″ Laptop Hard Disk Drive V.S. Western Digital Green 3.5″ Desktop Hard Disk Drive.

What is a USB Flash Drive?

A USB Flash Drive, or in layman’s terms “Memory Stick, Thumb Drive, Pen Drive”, is a small form factor, portable, non-volatile, secondary, external storage device.

Kingston DTSE9 32GB USB Flash Drive

USB Flash Drives uses the technology like a Solid State Drive (SSD), that is, “Solid State” Technology. The device is based on Solid State circuitry and therefore has no physically moving parts.

Benefits of using a USB Flash Drive:

Capacities of USB Flash Drives over the years have increased drastically and being able to store up to 1 Terabyte (TB) of data.

These USB devices are “Plug and Play” (PnP) enabled devices and portable due to its small form factor.

“Blazing Fast” transfer speeds varying from 5Gbps for USB 3.0, 5Gbps for USB 3.1 Gen 1, and 10Gbps for USB 3.1 Gen 2!

Due to Solid State technology and no moving parts, they consume considerably less power compared to Hard Disk Drives

USB Flash Drives have the ability to run Applications and Programs directly from the device.