How does an external hard drive work

While working with computers, everyone needs to back up his/her data from time to time. Now, whenever it comes to backing up the entire data of a computer, most people prefer to go for an external hard drive. It is so because transferring the files and folders from your computer to such a drive is an easy process. The only thing that you need to do is, just drag and drop the data onto the drive. However, there is a very thorough procedure behind this process which you must consider if you really wish to make the most out of your investment.

The components of an external hard drive: Before considering the functioning of an external hard drive, it is crucial to get familiar with components which are the same for all sorts of external drives. Basically, such a hard drive possesses an aluminum coating similar to that of an internal hard disk. If this layer or coating is damaged, then your hard drive turns into a useless metal square. Inside this coating a chip that consists of several small circuits is located which helps in storing the data. Apart from this, a motor is also fitted inside this layer which acts as a cooling fan for the hard drive. Finally a head is attached over the surface of the disk that works like a record.

Now, when you have come to know the components of a typical external hard drive, it's time to consider its working mechanism. Basically, all the information from a computer to an external disk is transferred through a USB port. However, in some advanced computers it may be Firewire. Both of these ports make an external hard drive an addition to the storage capacity of the computer. In order to make this drive communicate with your computer, you need to install a driver which is usually provided with it. But, in most cases you don't need this driver as the operating system itself recognizes your external hard drive as a mass storage device.

Once the drive is identified by the computer, you can easily drag and drop the files into it. Most external hard disks are integrated with both the ROM and RAM storage mechanics, which enables them not only to store the information but also retrieve it for further use. Remaining components of the drive perform the tasks such as establishing and maintaining the connection between computer and disk, operating the drive etc. Here the cooling fan reduces the temperature of the external hard drive so that it may not overheat.

After the connection is established, the transfer of information occurs in both directions, from external hard drive to computer and vice versa. The USB cord is used to carry the current while the drive is connected to the computer. That's why you must eject the drive from computer and then physically remove it. Because pulling out the drive directly from the USB hub may harm either the computer or external hard drive or both.

How to Recover Windows 7 Administrator Password

We worked around Windows 7 and found some super secret features. These features are hidden that we doubt even the most educated, deeply experienced IT professionals will be able to find them.

1. The most puzzling and nefarious bit of code that we found in the bowels of Windows 7 was what appeared to be a spam bot that could be used to flood the mailbox of a targeted user, or even take down the person’s system.

Of course, this could just be next iteration of Windows Live Mail. However, we're concerned that if this code fell into the wrong hands, it could be used to unfairly target the perceived enemies of Windows,

2. Apple opened the door to more users especially IT professional in past years by building Boot Camp into its Macintosh computers to allow them to run Windows alongside Mac OS X in a multiboot configuration.

Not to be outdone, Microsoft as a secret dual-boot loader in Windows 7 that allows it to emulate Mac hardware and configure Mac OS X as an alternative boot option using the standard off the shelf Mac boot discs. In a fit of cleverness, Microsoft has decided to name it Training Camp, which we discovered when we uncovered the Help file. However, we're not sure what it is training for.

3. Much like the way Microsoft is offering a crimped version of Windows 7, known as Starter Edition, we’ve also found an alternate version of the Windows Registry.

Since this mysterious alternate Registry does not have any official name, let’s call it Registry. The Starter Edition because it is a greatly simplified and dumbed-down version. In fact, instead of five hives like the standard Registry, this one only has two: HKEY_CLUELESS_USER and HKEY_CRAPPY_MACHINE. We’re still not sure what purpose this alternate Registry will serve. The only thing we can think of is that it is made to simplify the process of building Windows software for developers who have been writing Windows code for decades but are still too lazy to follow best practices in terms of file organization and user security.

4. One of the most underused utility in the Microsoft Zune platform is squirting, which allows a Zune user to share a song with another Zune user over Wi-Fi network although the squirted song can only be used for three days or three plays. Microsoft belives this feature is very innovative and deserves much more attention and usage than it has received. Therefore, it has quietly added it into Windows 7.

This will allow cubical mates to share songs with each other from their huge libraries of Zune Marketplace selections, and laptop users will even be use to shoot songs to each from other across the aisle in the subway, for instance. In a surprising move, there is currently no PC to Zune or Zune to PC option. However, we’ve learned that Palm has also discovered this feature and apparently developed its own module to allow PC-to-Palm Pre squirting and vice-versa.

5. We don’t know how Microsoft did this. It looks like they would have needed cooperation from the hardware manufacturers. Nevertheless, it appears that the company has created its own highly-secret software that can turn any standard LCD monitor into a touch screen.

Now users will no longer have to a do a simple click and drag to resize photos. Instead they’ll be able to reach up to their screens with both hands and use a set of complicated multi touch gestures to do the same thing, and it will only take 5-10 seconds longer.

Have you found any secret features deep within the recesses of Windows 7? Any features you wish you could find if you were really looking?

Windows 7's Secrets

We worked around Windows 7 and found some super secret features. These features are hidden that we doubt even the most educated, deeply experienced IT professionals will be able to find them.

1. The most puzzling and nefarious bit of code that we found in the bowels of Windows 7 was what appeared to be a spam bot that could be used to flood the mailbox of a targeted user, or even take down the person’s system.

Of course, this could just be next iteration of Windows Live Mail. However, we're concerned that if this code fell into the wrong hands, it could be used to unfairly target the perceived enemies of Windows,

2. Apple opened the door to more users especially IT professional in past years by building Boot Camp into its Macintosh computers to allow them to run Windows alongside Mac OS X in a multiboot configuration.

Not to be outdone, Microsoft as a secret dual-boot loader in Windows 7 that allows it to emulate Mac hardware and configure Mac OS X as an alternative boot option using the standard off the shelf Mac boot discs. In a fit of cleverness, Microsoft has decided to name it Training Camp, which we discovered when we uncovered the Help file. However, we're not sure what it is training for.

3. Much like the way Microsoft is offering a crimped version of Windows 7, known as Starter Edition, we’ve also found an alternate version of the Windows Registry.

Since this mysterious alternate Registry does not have any official name, let’s call it Registry. The Starter Edition because it is a greatly simplified and dumbed-down version. In fact, instead of five hives like the standard Registry, this one only has two: HKEY_CLUELESS_USER and HKEY_CRAPPY_MACHINE. We’re still not sure what purpose this alternate Registry will serve. The only thing we can think of is that it is made to simplify the process of building Windows software for developers who have been writing Windows code for decades but are still too lazy to follow best practices in terms of file organization and user security.

4. One of the most underused utility in the Microsoft Zune platform is squirting, which allows a Zune user to share a song with another Zune user over Wi-Fi network although the squirted song can only be used for three days or three plays. Microsoft belives this feature is very innovative and deserves much more attention and usage than it has received. Therefore, it has quietly added it into Windows 7.

This will allow cubical mates to share songs with each other from their huge libraries of Zune Marketplace selections, and laptop users will even be use to shoot songs to each from other across the aisle in the subway, for instance. In a surprising move, there is currently no PC to Zune or Zune to PC option. However, we’ve learned that Palm has also discovered this feature and apparently developed its own module to allow PC-to-Palm Pre squirting and vice-versa.

5. We don’t know how Microsoft did this. It looks like they would have needed cooperation from the hardware manufacturers. Nevertheless, it appears that the company has created its own highly-secret software that can turn any standard LCD monitor into a touch screen.

Now users will no longer have to a do a simple click and drag to resize photos. Instead they’ll be able to reach up to their screens with both hands and use a set of complicated multi touch gestures to do the same thing, and it will only take 5-10 seconds longer.

Have you found any secret features deep within the recesses of Windows 7? Any features you wish you could find if you were really looking?