How to use an HDD properly?

Harmful mistakes when using hard drives can easily lead to the loss of valuable data.

In the age of artificial intelligence, the skyrocketing demand for data storage has made HDDs increasingly valuable. Although SSDs still dominate much of the market, mechanical hard drives (HDDs) remain favored for their affordability and durability. However, along with their popularity come misconceptions that are silently harming devices and privacy.

HDD hard drives are still misunderstood by many people.

PHOTO: PHONG DO

Magnets aren't as scary as they look in the movies.

In action movies, a small magnet applied to the computer case is enough to erase all evidence stored on the computer. In reality, ordinary household magnets are not strong enough to scratch even a single piece of data on a hard drive.

Scientific tests have shown that even industrial magnets with a magnetic force of tens of kilograms would struggle to penetrate the dense magnetic shielding of modern hard drives. Therefore, you don't need to worry if you accidentally leave lightweight magnetic devices near your computer.

A massive security vulnerability in Quick Format.

The most common mistake when selling or giving away an old computer is simply using the 'Quick Format' command. In reality, this only erases the surface, while the data inside remains intact on the disk. With current data recovery software, anyone can retrieve your data in minutes. To protect your privacy completely, you must choose 'Full Format' (overwriting data with zeros) or use specialized data erasure tools.

The pitfall of 'permanent storage' when keeping hard drives in a drawer.

Many people have a habit of copying data to hard drives and then carefully storing them in a safe like a precious treasure. However, this is actually the quickest way to erase all data. The phenomenon of "bit rot" (data decay due to magnetic degradation) and the drying out of mechanical lubricant over time will cause the hard drive to become unbootable after a few years.

Experts recommend running your hard drive at least once every six months by plugging it into a computer so the motor spins and refreshes the data bits.

The habit of copying data and then storing it on a hard drive will cause you to lose all your data.

PHOTO: PHONG DO

Properly understanding your device not only helps extend its lifespan but also ensures that valuable memories and data never fall into the wrong hands or are tragically lost.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/su-dung-o-cung-hdd-nhu-the-nao-cho-dung-185260406094713479.htm