Fun With Hard Drives

Hard drives need to remain hermetically sealed otherwise they tend to stop functioning. But have you ever wondered what a hard drive looks like on the inside while it is running? Thanks to someone sacrificing a hard drive (they won't be able to use it again), now you can see what really happens.



And if you've never defragmented a hard drive, this is what it looks like in time lapse mode.

Building Your Own Computer

It sure is easy to drive down to Best Buy or Costco and buy a computer. But there is something satisfying about building your own computer and configuring it exactly the way you want it. Some students might consider this a daunting task and would never attempt it. Watching the video below will give you a rough idea of what is involved in assembling a computer.



Now I wouldn't suggest running out to build a computer after just watching this video. You probably should do some more research first. Naturally, How Stuff Works has a section on How To Build a Computer. PC Mech has a Build Your Own PC section that gives step by step instructions with over one hour of video.

Although most of you won't build a computer from scratch, you may need to upgrade some components of your computer. For instance, you may need to upgrade your RAM to get the best performance out of Windows Vista. Or maybe you are craving a new Blu-ray drive for your desktop computer. You can find plenty of videos on YouTube that show you how to upgrade your computer like the one below on how to install RAM.



There are numerous online merchants where you can buy the parts to assemble your computer. Two of my favorite spots are New Egg and TigerDirect. I have friends who have had excellent experiences with New Egg and I have been very satisfied with my purchases from TigerDirect. And Crucial is a fantastic web site for purchasing RAM (as mentioned in the video) which I have used numerous times.

Discussion Questions for Students:
1) Have you ever built, modified or upgraded a computer? If so, how successful were you? (i.e. did the computer work when you got done?)
2) Would you ever consider building your own computer from scratch? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?
3) If you had problems building or upgrading your computer, who would you consult for help? Does the Geek Squad (at Best Buy) help with assembling computers (they do perform upgrades)?