120 likes | 248 Vues
This guide covers essential concepts of hard drive storage, including the structure and functionality of disk drives, formatting techniques, and file system partitions. Learn about critical terminology such as bit, byte, sector, cluster, track, and cylinder, as well as how hard drive capacity is calculated. Understand low-level and high-level formatting processes, and discover the significance of data organization within file systems. This foundational knowledge is crucial for effective data management and computer forensics.
E N D
Computer ForensicsBACS 371 Computer System Basics 2 Hard Drive Storage & File Partitions
Computer System Basics 2 • Hardware • Disk Drives • Formatting • Data Storage • File Systems • File Partitions
Hardware • Disk Drives • Formatting • Low-Level Formatting • High-Level Formatting • Data Storage • Encoded Bit • Byte • Word • Sector • Cluster • File
Hard Drive Basics • Head • Device which reads and writes data on the disk • Track • Individual circles on disk platter where data are located • Cylinder • A column of tracks on a disk drive with 2 or more platters • Sector • An individual section of data on a track – the smallest amount of data which can be written to the disk – usually 512 bytes • Disk Capacity (CHS calculation) = #cylinders (platters) * #tracks * #sectors
CHS Calculation Example Platter Sector Track Cylinder Capacity = Heads * Tracks * Sectors * Bytes/Sector
Hard Drive Data Storage I • Bit • Binary Digit • Stores either a ‘1’ or a ‘0’ • Byte • 8 bits • Single ASCII character • Values from 0~255 • Word • Usually 4 Bytes • Represents the minimum piece of information which a computer can manipulate • Values from 0~4,294 ,967,296 Bit Byte Word 8 bits 32 bits or 4 bytes
Hard Drive Data Storage II • Sector • Minimum storage size on a hard drive • One “pie shaped” arc of a platter • Common storage size of 512 Bytes • Established during low-level formatting • Numbered sequentially starting at 1 • Cluster (File Allocation Units) • Minimum storage size for a file as determined by file system • Common cluster size is 4096 Bytes (4KB) – 8 Sectors • File • Determined by file system Sectors Clusters File * Just an example, your file may occupy more or fewer clusters. 8 Sectors 2 Clusters
Formatting and Partitioning • Low-Level Formatting • Physically defines tracks and sectors on disk • Does erase data • Typically only performed at factory • Partitioning • High-Level Formatting • Dividing the disk into volumes – process of defining the file system structure • Appear as logical drives to OS • Does not destroy data on Disk
To open Computer Management, click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Partitions