The computer hard disk is the least resistant and most delicate hardware component. This is because it is made of mechanical components that vibrate and move continuously which, over time, deteriorate and which, at times, can fail in the mechanism.
To date, the average life of a hard disk is six years, but this duration varies greatly depending on the manufacturer and, above all, on the use made of it.
Most of the time, the hard disk breaks sooner than it should, because it does not do maintenance and does not take care of its integrity.
In this article we go to see the main problems suffered by internal hard drives in computers, both fixed and portable PCs, the most common causes of failures and what can be done to prevent them .
NOTE : This article is about traditional mechanical hard drives and does not cover SSD solid state drives that are now mounted on new computers.
SSDs suffer from life as limited as HDDs, but they spoil for different reasons.
In another article, the guide to keep the SSD disk fast and make it last longer .
Cause 1: Physical damage
If a laptop falls to the ground or if the PC, even the fixed one, gets hit hard, the first thing that risks breaking is the hard disk.
Hard drives are more fragile than might be expected because they are made of different moving parts that can fail even at the slightest disturbance.
Even a simple bump while the hard drive is spinning may be enough to break it
To avoid any problem, the precautions to be taken are not to remove the hard disk from the PC unless you transfer it to another computer, an operation to be done lightly and quickly.
Also, avoid moving, pushing or jolting the computer while it is turned on.
Fortunately, external portable hard drives and internal hard drives in portable PCs are more robust than those mounted in desktop PCs so you can move a laptop without problems even if turned on.
Cause 2: Excessive heat
The life of the hard disk can be drastically reduced in case of excessive heat.
The temperatures inside the computer tend to go up a lot in summer and when it is hot so you must always be careful to cool the computer and allow the right air flow.
It is therefore important, every now and then, to open the computer case (after turning it off) and clean the dust inside using also a can of compressed air to clean the tight corners.
Then make sure that the fans work and run as they should, especially on laptops that cannot be opened.
READ ALSO: How to keep the laptop cool
Thanks to some programs it is possible to see and control the temperature of the internal hard disk.
Cause 3: file fragmentation
File fragmentation per se is not a direct cause of hard drive problems.
Only the more fragmented the disk, the more it has to work to find the files and load the programs and, consequently, the more wear.
Fragmentation is now better managed on a Windows PC and automated in Windows 8.
In another article, we explained what fragmentation means and whether it is still useful to defragment.
If you wanted to have practical evidence of the benefits, in another article we explained how to defragment and clean a hard disk to optimize the computer
Cause 4: Frequently turn on and off
The computer on and off procedures make extensive use of the hard disk so you should avoid turning the PC on and off several times a day.
For this reason, Standby (hibernation) and hibernation modes are useful, to avoid having to turn off the PC every time you take a break and during the day.
Optionally, you cannot disable the hard drive and USB drive after a few minutes
Cause 5: Power surges or sudden power outages
Electricity is not always constant, in some moments the voltages exceed normal levels, even for only a few nanoseconds.
Voltage surges can cause damage to electronic devices, including internal computer components and including the hard disk.
It is therefore important to use one of those slippers with switch, which acts as a surge protector.
Even better would be to use a UPS to prevent the computer from turning off suddenly when the light goes out.
Suddenly shutting down your PC when the hard disk is working and writing data can be fatal.
These are the basic tips for the care and hard disk in the computer and the prevention of failures.
In another article some of the best free programs for Windows that are used to check the health and integrity of the hard disk have been listed to see if you need to start thinking about a possible replacement or if to intensify the operations of maintenance.
READ ALSO: 10 common mistakes in computer care to avoid
