Most computers use a hard drive. This is a critical component of a computer along with the CPU, Memory and Motherboard. A hard drive is a hub on which resides an operating system, software programs and data. The hard drive permanently stores and allows access to all of these. If you are thinking of replacing your hard drive this page will provide guidance on how to buy a hard drive.

A definition of a hard drive is: "The hard drive is the primary storage unit of the computer. It is where the operating system, applications, files and data are kept. Hard drive space is typically measured in Gigabytes (GB) or storage; the larger the number, the more programs, games and data you can use on your computer.”’’ – Source, Dell glossary of computer terms http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/ap/topics/solutions/en/glossary_dt?c=my&cs=mydhs1&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=anavml

A hard drive should not be confused with RAM. The following analogy can be drawn:

1. A hard drive can be compared to a filing cabinet. Slower to access, but stored efficiently. Information on a hard drive is stored permanently whether the power is switched on or not
2. RAM can be compared to a desk, faster access and typically more unstructured. Information in RAM is temporary and only available whilst power is switched on for the current session, effectively if the power is switched off, it is like receiving a clear desk.

This guide is split into three clear steps, which help you to decide the best approach for you buy a hard drive: Step 1: Hard disk manufacturers Step 2: Hard drive functionality Step 3: Hard drive buying approach

In this step we consider the variety of Hard Drive manufacturers that you can choose to buy from. The choice is wide with CNet listing over 100 manufacturers and in excess of 13,000 models. http://reviews.cnet.com/hard-drives/?sa=1000036&tag=mncol;dir2.

In this step we list:

1. The current top 5 hard drives recommended by CNet
2. The top 5 recommended manufacturers and
3. A list of other CNet listed manufacturers with 30+ hard drives reviewed

The Top 5 hard drives recommended by CNet as at January, 2010:

1. Iomega Ego http://reviews.cnet.com/top-products/iomega-ego-portable-mac/4505-3190_7-33653988.html
2. Synology DS209 + NAS Serverhttp://reviews.cnet.com/top-products/synology-ds209-nas-server/4505-3190_7-33513797.html
3. Transcend Storejet 25Fhttp://reviews.cnet.com/top-products/transcend-storejet-25f-500gb/4505-9997_7-33513745.html
4. Zyxel NSA220http://reviews.cnet.com/top-products/zyxel-nsa-220-nas/4505-3190_7-32510412.html
5. Intel X25M http://reviews.cnet.com/top-products/intel-x-25m-solid/4505-9997_7-33244343.html

The top 5 manufacturers are listed below:

1. Dell http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_12790491_
2. HP http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_2792031_ http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_2792031_
3. IBM http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_3808668_
4. Seagate http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_16916442_
5. Western Digital http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5486147_

Other hard disk manufacturers are listed below, all have 30+ listings on CNet:

1. AcomData http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5412501_
2. Adaptec http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5260273_
3. Apple http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_3808715_
4. Apricorn http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5484098_
5. Areca Technology http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_13878687_
6. Axiom Memory Solutions http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_6244826_
7. Buffalo Technology http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_6798947_
8. Cavalry Storage http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_13993933_
9. CMS Products http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_8912915_
10. Fujitsu http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_3808937_
11. G-Technology http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_12790951_
12. Hitachi http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5245174_
13. Intel http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5246380_
14. Iomega http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5417058_
15. Kanguru Solutions http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_7942108_
16. LaCie http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_16431452_
17. Lenovo http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_12220754_
18. Micronet http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5446866_
19. OCZ Technology http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_8049761_
20. Overland Data http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_6252746_
21. Peripheral Enhancements http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_11795547_
22. Promise Technology http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5261170_
23. Samsung http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_3808730_
24. SanDisk http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5255588_
25. SimpleTech USA http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_16368468_
26. Sonnet Technologies http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_6245077_
27. Sun Microsystems http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5988603_
28. Toshiba http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_3808734_
29. Universal Buslink http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_11795900_
30. Verbatim http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_5260227_
31. Wiebe Tech http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3186_7-0.html?filter=1000036_6970048_

Buying a hard drive can be confusing. In this step we list all of the important attributes you need to consider when making a purchase.

Interface

IDE/ATAPI These work well with IBM compatible computers and are fairly easy to install. Typically each IBM computer has 4 slots available (these can be used for hard drives, CD rom, etc) Before making a purchase, check that you have at least 1 slot available.

SCSI SCSI drives work well with Apple and IBM compatible computers. SCSI drives are faster than IDE/ATAPI drives but can be more problematic to install. To install a SCSI hard drive you would need a SCSI card and in addition an available connection to the SCSI cable.

External Hard Drives Several external hard drive options exist, such as USB, Firewire and Parallel. When considering an investment in an external hard drive it is important to consider the speed difference to an internal hard drive. Also you need to you ensure you have the required drive connection.

Hard Disk Speed

The speed (also known as transfer rate) of the hard disk is a critical consideration for a hard disk purchase. When looking at the hard disk drive, look an RPM (Rotations Per Minute) with a speed of at least 7,200 RPM.

Cache

This relates to the embedded memory in a hard drive. This acts as a buffer between the computer and the physical hard disk platter , which is used for storage. Look for a cache of 64MB or more.

Capacity

This relates to the physical storage capacity of the hard drive. Ensure that you buy enough memory to meet all of your requirements. In 2010 an entry level hard drive has a capacity with a minimum capacity of 320GB.

Warranty

Check the warranty you get with the hard drive. How long is the warranty, what benefits does it bring?

There are a number of other hard drive criteria, for an example detailed hard drive specification, visit the link here for the Seagate Barracuda XT SATA 6 Gb/s 2-TB Hard Drive - ST32000641AShttp://www.seagate.com/www/en-gb/products/desktops/barracuda_hard_drives/barracuda_xt/#tTabContentSpecifications

In step 3, we provide our recommended approach to buying a hard drive. It is recommended that you should always have a firm understanding of your requirements (step 2), you should always read a range of independent reviews and should always look to find the best deal available. We have divided step 3 into 3 parts, listed below:

1. Reading through a range of reviews of various hard drives
2. Potential suppliers of hard drives
3. Searching for some discounts and coupons

Hard disk reviews

1. CNet, over 13,700 product reviewshttp://reviews.cnet.com/hard-drives/
2. PC Magazine, thousands of products to choose fromhttp://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,4642,00.asp
3. Test Freaks, over 460 hard disk reviewshttp://www.testfreaks.co.uk/internal-hard-drives/http://www.testfreaks.co.uk/external-hard-drives/

Potential suppliers of hard drives

1. Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/External-Hard-Drives-Storage-Add-Ons/b/ref=amb_link_1753562_37?ie=UTF8&node=595048 Amazon always have a wide selection of hard drives for sale from a range of suppliers within the Amazon store.
2. Bestbuy - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Drives-Storage/Hard-Drives/abcat0504001.c?id=abcat0504001 Bestbuy have an abundance of hard drives on sale and also tend to offer aggressive pricing, which could lead to you finding a good deal on a hard drive.
3. Ebay - http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p4634.m38.l1313&_nkw=hard+drives&_sacat=See-All-Categories A trading auction site, there is a wide selection of new and old hard drives for sale. You can either join the auction and bid for a bargain and/or there is also the opportunity to “buy now”.

Search for coupons and discounts

You are now ready to find competitive prices through coupons and discount.

Mahalo is an excellent place to go to find coupons and I can recommend all of the following pages to find coupons for hard drives – 4 All Memory Coupons | Hard Drive Coupons | Seagate Coupon Code | Western Digital Coupon

Another method of finding a low price is through price comparison sites, the following all feature hard drives:

1. Bizrate http://www.bizrate.com/hard-drives
2. Dealtime http://www.dealtime.com/xPP-hard_drives
3. Pricegrabber http://computers.pricegrabber.com/hard-drives/p/11/