Must-have Checklist: Choosing a Hard Drive

Adding a nice chunk of extra storage space for your computer with a new hard drive can be exciting, like getting a storage shed for the back yard to store and organize tools and toys. However, there are more reasons than storage capacity to buy a hard drive, and size isn’t the only thing that matters when comparing your options.

Why Buy a Hard Drive?

Most people buy hard drives out of necessity – their current hard drive is old or too small or doesn’t work at all. Or they may have recently purchased a computer that came with a drive that had limited storage, so they want to swap the drive out for a bigger one. Smart computer users may buy extra hard drives as a backup solution; and demanding techies and gamers may upgrade their drive for optimal performance.

Jump drives / flash drives / thumb drives and online storage are other popular options for storing and transporting data, but are generally considered to be less robust, temporary solutions compared to hard drives. They are intended to complement a hard drive rather than replace one.

Hard Drive Features

Whatever their reasons for buying a hard drive, shoppers usually compare the following features:

Storage Capacity

At first, those 80 gigabytes of storage may seem like way more than necessary, but as software is added, files are created and information is downloaded, those GBs will fill up fast. Then it’s time to either clean stuff out or buy an additional “container”. So for capacity’s sake, it’s better to go bigger.

Like any storage space, hard drives work best when well-organized so that time is not wasted in search of pieces and parts. Dividing a large hard drive into smaller partitions can help, but the bigger the space, the longer it takes to search it – each and every time. By using several smaller drives instead of one big one, storage capacity is unlimited, backups of data can be made easily, and performance is not sacrificed for size. This is accomplished with RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology, where multiple hard drives are grouped together so the computer sees them as one. RAID controllers are bought separately to manage the array (multiple drives).

Speed / Portability

Hard drives have platters that spin, and a read/write head or “needle” that reads them like a record player. Hard drives that

· have platters that spin faster (at higher RPM)

· can transfer information faster (media transfer rate)

· use less power

· are connected to the computer with speed-optimizing cables or cards

These drives can make a big difference in overall computer speed.

Some drives are installed inside a computer, while others can be connected externally. Portable or external hard drives are designed for frequent transport between computers. They generally hold much more information than the largest jump/flash/thumb drives. A general rule for choosing between them is: installed drives perform faster because it takes less time for them to exchange messages with the computer.

Shock Resistance / Heat / Sound

A hardy hard drive goes a long way toward preventing data loss. Shock resistance – how well a hard drive can take being dropped, banged, etc. – is especially important when considering portable drives. This is another good reason for a primary drive to be installed in a computer rather than connected externally.

High-powered drives can generate a lot of heat, which can reduce the life of the drive. The faster or hotter the drive, the more cooling is required. Ways of managing temperature include installing extra fans or upgrading, making sure vents are not covered, and keeping the computer well ventilated, in a cooler room and off the floor.

Some hard drives, especially faster ones or those that are bigger in physical size, can generate a lot of noise. To cut down on noise, look for low-noise disks, compare dBa levels and store the computer in a cabinet rather than out in the open.

Backup / Reliability

Extra hard drives -- especially portable ones -- make great backup solutions. Hard drives used primarily for backup should provide enough storage space to keep three copies of the main drive. For example, if a primary hard drive holds 100 gigabytes, but only 30 gigs are being used, backup drive space should total 90 GB to allow for multiple backups of all software and files. (See the discussion of RAID technology in Storage Capacity above.)

Backups should also be replicated across different technologies. Using a combination of an extra hard drive or RAID array, online data backup and a flash drive for critical information prevents loss of data from mechanical malfunction, loss of that tiny little flash drive, or environmental factors like flooding or fire.

Techie Tip: Don’t put the cart before the horse! The fastest, biggest hard drive is only as good as the computer running it. Although hard drives frequently come with software to help older computers handle the capacity of the drive, some computers simply cannot keep up with high performance drives. Upgrading to a new computer that includes a new hard drive is sometimes the best solution.