Inside the hard drive:
1. The Actuator: This is a mechanical component driven by electromagnets, or voice coils, that moves the read-write arm.
2. The Read-Write Arm: This is what swings across the magnetic platter to store and retrieve your data.
3. The Central Spindle: This is what rotates the magnetic platter in a clockwise motion.
4. The Magnetic Platter: This is the central disk-looking platter that stores data using binary magnetism, quite the engineering wonder.
5. Internal Connections: These connect the hard drive to and communicate with the circuit board.
6. The Read-Write Head: This is the itsy-bitsy little magnet on the underside-tip of the read-write arm that creates the binary coding on the platter and retrieves data.
7. Underside Controls: This is the part of the hard drive that regulates how data flows to and from the magnetic platter.
8. The Data Connector: This connector transports data bits from the circuit board to the read-write head and then onto the platter.
9. The Small Spindle: This is what makes it possible for the read-write arm to move across the magnetic platter.
How does a hard drive work?
Each disk is coated with a film of magnetised metal grains. The data here are recorded as a magnetic pattern formed by groups of tiny grains.
The data is stored by converting the strings of bits into electric current fed through electromagnet.
