CyberGrind // Orange Book

Computer Storage

Complete Reference Guide

8 sections · history · types · file systems · RAID · emerging tech · troubleshooting · recovery

01
📼
Storage Facts & History
1956
First HDD (IBM)
3.75MB
Original capacity
36TB
Largest HDD (2025)
IBM 305 RAMAC 51 years to 1TB $0.02/GB today
02
💾
Types of Storage Media
HDD, SSD, Optical, Flash — each with distinct trade-offs in speed, cost, durability, and capacity.
HDD SSD / NVMe Optical Flash / USB
03
🗂️
File Systems
NTFS, FAT32, APFS, ext4, BtrFS — the structures that organize data on every storage device.
NTFS ext4 FAT32 / exFAT APFS BtrFS
04
🔲
Drive Partitioning
MBR vs GPT, volumes, formatting, and defragmentation — managing the logical structure of physical disks.
MBR GPT Formatting Defrag
05
⚙️
RAID
RAID 0
Speed, no redundancy
RAID 1
Mirror, safe
RAID 5/6
Parity balanced
Striping Mirroring Parity RAID 10
06
🔬
Emerging Technologies
HAMR pushes HDD density beyond current limits. 3D NAND stacks flash vertically. DNA storage offers 215 PB/gram.
HAMR 3D NAND DNA Storage
07
🔧
Troubleshooting Hard Drives
Full disk errors, S.M.A.R.T. warnings, clicking sounds, cable checks, and when to call a technician.
S.M.A.R.T. Click of Death Disk Cleanup Cable Check
08
🛟
Data Recovery
Logical vs physical failure, software tools, cleanroom services, and the 3-2-1 backup rule.
Logical Recovery Cleanroom 3-2-1 Rule Recuva / R-Studio