On the other hand, NT is extremely careless with the protection of the password database from attacks by hackers. At first glance it seems that there is no problem at all, since access to the database, there is only a system administrator and a limited number of specially designated by the administrator user (for example, Backup Operators, save your database on backup media). But in some, though relatively few Unices password file is freely available to all users of the system and often even “seen” on the web! Well, so what? – You ask. – After all passwords in the password file is still there, and “treatment” hash brute force takes too long, let a hacker goes through, if he does work so like … well, then this question: Is it possible in a single exhaustive search to crack all the machines in the network ? Do not rush to answer “no” because the correct answer is: yes!

Harddrive today increased so that a hacker can save the hashes of all the searched password. No matter how long it will take time: a month or even several years – now the cracker will be able to instantly recover a password on his hash – would be the only database password in your hands! Not only does the NT backup the password database by default are stored in shared folders, so authentication algorithm does not use bind (salt), resulting in identical hashes of passwords in the NT will always coincide, thereby greatly simplifying the hacking! However, from the attacks of this type of binding is still not saved, except that extends a little “agony” of the system.

There is no dispute – to remotely manage the server is very convenient, but let’s think – how much is safe? Alas, no convenience is not free! What is comfortable to administer, the comfortable and attack! This, incidentally, will be the ability and advanced shells, it maintains full programming languages ​​are very different from the ugliness that digest primitive wrapper NT. Generally, in the NT remote access is very little that can be done (although, from Windows 2000 to its still appeared more or less perfect mechanism of remote control).

Nevertheless, you should not go to extremes and completely abandon the possibility of remote administration. Of course, completely prohibiting remote access you will greatly enhance the security of your server, but … in this case will have to constantly right next to the server. Ask: why? A hacker who will drive? After all, to penetrate the victim machine through either set on her service (say, WEB) and therefore is highly undesirable to deprive themselves of all means of remote monitoring and management server.

In short, the remote control – double-edged sword, simultaneously weakening the security of the site, but also increasing the efficiency of detection and neutralization of attackers. On the other hand, in important cases, from the remote control is better just give up, replacing him chained to the server operator.

Modern operating systems long ago stepped over that line and no one is immune from mistakes. With probability close to unity can be argued that critical errors are present in any general-purpose operating system, and because any node in the network can be guaranteed to be hacked, it’s just a matter of time and effort.

Meanwhile, the error is extremely heterogeneous in nature: some are, as they say on the surface, and found even automated means to monitor the quality of code, while others, by contrast, are buried so deeply that they can be found only by accident. The fundamental problem of debugging is that any, even the slight modification of software code that might lead to a cascade of errors occurring in the most unexpected places. And therefore, making any changes were made in the interior of the operating system and / or its attendant applications must be accompanied by a full cycle of re-testing. But after thorough testing, as has been described above, do just impossible!

Excessive complexity of NT along with a huge number of amendments to the code of each new version, in fact, and explain its bad quality testing. Despite all the efforts made by Microsoft, NT vulnerability laid already in the politics of development, it is a fundamentally unrecoverable, ie fundamental.

Most Unixes on the contrary, a rather compact and contain the minimum necessary for the functioning of the system components (or, at least, allow yourself to cut back to a state). Moreover, they are slow, evolutionary (not revolutionary like the NT) the development does not contribute to the appearance of rough, easily detectable errors, which is famous for NT.

As a result, the power of the hacker who found a hole in UNIX, is much lower than if the hole is of similar size was detected in the NT (because not many of its varieties, each separate version of NT, set to a much larger quantity of machines, rather than UNIX) . That is why the NT still break down, or at least try to do it. The temptation is indeed so great that the hackers did not stop nor the absence of source code, nor the complexity of the analysis. In addition, the NT kernel is not overwritten every day, and almost all the holes found in the NT 4.0 remain valid in Windows 2000 and even in Windows XP. (More about this in the book by Chris Kasperski Technics network attacks “).

On the contrary, if some operating system is installed on computers in the world read, break it vouchsafed except masochists. In any case, the hacker will need a very strong incentive to study the latter. Of course, if the operating system protects bank machine guarding billion electronic dollars, for its safety, no administrator will not dare to guarantee that it is not surprising, because the less common operating systems are almost completely fall out of focus for information security professionals, so that often contain large amounts of trivial and easily detectable errors detected by even a cursory analysis.

Nevertheless, the installation of lesser system automatically cuts off a large army of “hackers” who use to attack other people’s exploits. And that you are not attacked by a pro, you must create a second line of defense – a unit with a time-tested and thoroughly checked by experts of the operating system.

Not a bad idea: at the forefront of defense to hoist some “rare earth” a clone of UNIX, but on the second – NT. Most hackers, as practice shows, mostly specialize in one operating system, and only in exceptional cases – two at once.

Blind techniques considered a protective mechanism as a black tongue with input and output. Methodically going through all possible input values ​​to an attacker tries to identify those of them that would violate the normal operation of a protective mechanism or to some extent weakened the degree of protection. This extremely simple and unpretentious intellectual strategy hacking is very popular among the young hackers, having read cheap fiction and holy believers in their exclusivity. However, after … dtsatoy account hacking attempts patience “hacker” ends and the whole euphoria suddenly goes away. Of course, from time to time some very lucky lucky people do manage to get it into one or the other secure system, but especially at risk, such attacks do not represent by its small size.

Indeed, the protective mechanism, the principle of action is unknown, can be broken only by brute force, then there is quite a predictable degree of security. Therefore, any more or less serious action begins with a study of the attacked object (targeted hacking). Hence: ceteris paribus the vulnerability of the system is inversely proportional to ease the analysis of its code. And the ease of the analysis is primarily determined by the availability of source code defense mechanism!

Most Unixes ship with source code, while the NT source code available, and the analysis dizassemblernyh listings are not only extremely time-consuming and exhausting itself, but also requires a fair amount of training, which is not all. In addition, NT security subsystem is much more complicated similar subsystems many Unixes and very superficially documented, and this deters many potential attackers.

As a result: the number of holes found in the NT throughout its existence, can be freely counted on the fingers of one hand (and, most of which was discovered almost by accident). In UNIX, by contrast, are constantly found holes. On the other hand…

It seems logical to test several popular systems, to select from them the most secure and … And then it turns out that:

a) a test no one has ever spent in any case, the material found on this topic on the Web, is subjective and superficial, strongly tied to specific implementations of inessential defects OS, most of whom long ago corrected the next patch;

b) if the NT family is represented by only three operating systems: most NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP with an almost identical architectures, the diversity of UNIX-like systems in general can not be described;

a) very difficult to choose appropriate security criteria: the number of recorded burglaries of the OS – it’s not quite the figure that we need: first, accurate statistics have not and can not in principle be (truly successful break-ins usually do not register) and, secondly, the statistics of this kind does not reflect the security, and the prevalence of certain systems and greatly distorted by the prevailing interest of hackers (simply speaking mode), the number of detected holes – in itself nothing says (although already would be for the reasons mentioned above).

So we decided to ignore the features of specific implementations, and compare the potential vulnerability of a conceptual family of operating systems NT and UNIX. What is a “potential vulnerability”? This is a property of the architects of the system, which under certain circumstances, with some likely to reduce the extent of its security. In particular, the complexity is considered one of the potential vulnerabilities of the conceptual and ceteris paribus less complicated system declares a more secure and, accordingly, reverse. Over, in addition to the complexity (by the way, the difficulty level is not measured by the volume of software code, and many interactions between the individual components of the program), plays an important role professional development, quality testing, etc. However, since all these factors are virtually impossible to objectively account (only Please do not say that LINUX tested by millions of people around the world – know-we know how they tested it), it is better to consider them at all than to take into account properly.

Also, we will only consider the conceptual vulnerabilities – ie, those who are so deeply buried in the system, without major surgery in the architecture of the nucleus they are not removed. (Nor do we get after this operation a completely different operating system?).

A large number of hackers and security experts together to create a new service that will collect information about vulnerabilities, security-tools, as well as views on computer security. Organization Internetworked Security Information Service (ISIS) will bring together the loose alliance of four independent project: a database Open Source Vulnerability Database, a service definition of damage Alldas.de, a database software tool PacketStorm and group monitoring vulnerabilities VulnWatch. “There are many commercial organizations, free of charge providing such information, but always there so it will be?”, – Said director of research and development at security firm @ Stake Uisopal Chris (Chris Wysopal). – We call your project ‘open source’, because information contained in it will be absolutely open and free. ”

The announcement was made in Las Vegas at the conference Black Hat Security Briefings, devoted to modern trends in computer security. Just a week before Symantec acquired SecurityFocus, which owns the mailing list Bugtraq – most popular in the security-community source of information about bugs in the software. Former President SecurityFocus Stephanie Von (Stephanie Fohn) appreciates this as a positive step: “Anything that gives the community more resources, good.”

Representatives of the new organization did not point the finger at this acquisition as one of the reasons for the creation of the alliance, but pointed out that commercial firms will not be allowed to play its active role. “We’re not going to sell anything, – said the moderator of the mailing list VulnWatch Manzuyk Steve (Steve Manzuik). – Suppliers, if they wish, can use our information, but ISIS will never pursue selfish goals.”

In VulnWatch already have one list of information about errors, and now to him to add a second, VulnDiscuss, which enables security experts and hackers to discuss details pertaining to certain issues. PacketStorm ISIS initiative will provide students with access to protection and hacker tools, as well as for software exploits, and Alldas.de will continue to maintain its database of incidents that resulted in property damage. The database of Open Source Vulnerability Database will store information about errors in the software, which anyone can copy and post on its website.

Last week, a special adviser to U.S. President for Cyber ​​Security Richard Clarke (Richard Clarke) supported the criticism of software developers for low-quality products. “We should not expect that companies that produce software that catches all of his vulnerability – he said. – Among us there are those whose duty to do so.” Clark reprimanded the software industry, Internet service providers, equipment manufacturers and users of wireless networks and others for what the United States was vulnerable to attacks via the Internet. However, he stressed that those who find bugs in software should not be made public. “It is irresponsible to find a weak spot, to put it in popularity all over the world before the amendment will be released,” – he said.

Initially, the plans of Mark Shuttleworth, the founding father of Ubuntu, creating a whole new distribution does not occur. He believed that the developers of Debian, which existed at that time for ten years, will perceive his ideas and agreed to change some of their habits, so that it will be possible to reform from the inside. Very quickly, Mark realized that he was mistaken. Habits change did not happen, and in general most of the Debian developers felt that major changes will only hurt him. Then Mark has conceived a new project. In April 2004 he collected in his London flat a dozen friends Developer Debian, and invited them to create a new distro. So there was Ubuntu.

Mark Shuttleworth was not an outstanding programmer. His main talent was from another area, he knew how to conduct successful business in modern conditions. Still, the idea at first glance, seemed crazy adventure. He is neither more nor less, offered no niggle, and immediately take up the creation of the software environment that could undermine the hegemony of Microsoft’s end-user computers, which he considered “a bug’s number one” of the modern world. How could a team of a dozen people to confront the technological, marketing and financial power of Microsoft?

But it turned out that Ubuntu has a match in the powder keg. Developers almost immediately achieved impressive success, which seems to have stunned even themselves. What were these innovative ideas?

In the first place, the distribution is skillfully combines two of the principle of development. On the one hand, a small organized team of professionals working a full-fledged working day for a full-fledged dollar ensures the regularity of release and a good “fit” applications, there are included by default.

C other, a huge mass of amateur volunteers who have “third party” repository, test the alpha and beta, writing tips at many sites, forums and blogs, produce magazines and books. Their work is not paid by Canonical, but is organized with admirable thoroughness and skill, so that no work shall be no one wants. In contrast to the majority distributions, make a clear distinction between “ordinary users” and the developer of Ubuntu is extremely difficult! From this environment and grow new developers professionals. There is even a code regulating the relations within the community. Mark, an experienced businessman who understands what a large, stable, well-organized and growing user community is key to the success of any post-industrial business.

The result is obvious – the continuing growth in popularity, improve the quality of the distribution and support, a gradual increase in revenue the company Canonical, which, however, is not impressive against the backdrop of Red Hat or Novell.

A very important point plan was initially targeting the decentralized development and use around the world. Ubuntu has become one of the first distrubutivov cosmopolitan, with no clearly defined reference to the place of birth, he “lives” only on the Internet. It perfectly supports dozens of languages, and the media on which is spread distribution, be it a CD or DVD, are absolutely identical in Greenland, that in Argentina, that in Madagascar, which in the depths of Siberian mines. Anyone who has ever had to bind to the Russian interface Arabic, say, a version of Windows, will appreciate the advantage

Technically, Ubuntu is not represented, and even now, perhaps, is not surprising. The main tools that are used by its developers to ensure the well-known principle of “just works” created before Ubuntu, Ubuntu is and certainly not specifically for Ubuntu. The question was correct selection (one problem – one application, and the “correct” application) and a good pre-grinding, testing and support. The result is now an Ubuntu user can not reflect too much on, say, conflict of drivers and libraries, at least as long as the uses of the program from the official repositories. However, the work of the developers themselves Ubuntu, like all other Linux distributions, greatly complicated by the anarchy that reigns among the developers of applications: try to maintain order in the repository when the developers of the programs themselves are often unpredictable and often change their functionality, dependencies, interfaces and tear rework previously announced deadlines releases. Sami software releases that have common dependencies, does not sync, which forces to include these releases in the distribution of the delay or, in extreme cases, resorting to gross distortions such as the availability of the system at the same time two or three versions of the same library.

To learn how to walk up the steps of frequencies

As you know, overloking – this occupation, a product which is on the order raised by the frequency overclock glands. And the essence of this activity is actually overclocking.

In order to overclock the processor, there are two ways: increasing the frequency multiplier and raising the FSB frequency. Let us examine them in detail.

An increase in the multiplier, we “touch” only the processor, causing the run on inflated frequencies exclusively to one, but not the other inhabitants of the system.

Show the working of the system bus accelerates all devices connected to the bus, such as sound card, video card, TV-tuners, video capture card and stuff.

The first method is the most hassle-free, because the increase in the multiplier we overclock the actual stone, and all other devices sitting on the system bus, you can work on the old frequencies. Therefore, an increase in the multiplier can not worry about the ability of iron that is connected to the system bus, normally work at higher frequencies, bus, since we are using a multiplier driven by the extremely processor and other components of the system at the same time does not touch.

Challenge of the second method lies in the fact that not all (the concept of “not all” in the tenfold representation concerns noname expansion cards) cards can operate at higher frequencies, which requires them overclocked bus. Inability to pay to work at too high frequencies might lead to various glitches, from lockups during peak (and possibly below the peak) loads on the system of elementary failure to run companies. And if the bus is not overclocked to handle your hard drive, there is a chance of losing all data on it.

“And what for us to drive the bus” – you say – will raise only factor. Raise the multiplier – it is certainly useful, but there is a BUT – try to imagine all the fun of this activity will be the exclusive owner of processors from AMD. Holders of stones from Intel are less fortunate, since Intel has long been tightly locks manually change the multiplier. This feature is only available in the very first “Intel’s” models. Therefore stones AMD part more suited to overclocking than the stones of its main competitor.

In fact, the dispersal system bus slightly more efficient than increasing the multiplier, as the bus driving away, we will automatically overclock the system as a whole, hence the faster will operate all its systems, components. Although, if there is a possibility (and there is a processor from AMD), should combine both methods of dispersal. Only on the establishment of both methods in the proportions you will achieve a successful high performance of your PC.

Operation “multiplier”

This section makes sense to read only those who are going to overclock the processor AMD, because, as I mentioned above, any Intel processor can adjust the multiplier is completely nullified.

Do stones AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) and Duron, this option is on hold, and although the motherboard Soltek SL-KV75 + and Abit KT7 incorporated the possibility of rasfiksatsii, operates it, alas, only if I am not mistaken, the first issues of the above mentioned processor models. However, it is tiring to fudge the people. It turned out that the signal lines corresponding to the value of the multiplier, though severed, but the procedure is performed on bridges of L1, which are displayed on the surface of the stone. For this thread, and missed. If we peremknem severed the line (it can be done using a soft pencil M2 or M3, or M4, pairwise overwriting severed L1 bridges on the surface of stone), the ability to adjust the frequency factor will be returned. This method (brushing bridges) so good is that if necessary it will be easy to return the processor type of product, simply erasing graphite surface of the stone spirits. Once the bridges peremknuty, you can safely change in the permitted frequency multiplier in the BIOS of the motherboard limits. On a specific line in the BOIS, I can not specify, as each “Nurse” title we need parameters to be distinct.

How inflated

As I said above, dispersing the bus system, we automatically “overlochim” all that it planted. And once we overclock all, if until now you made overloking installed in your PC card or a group of cards, we strongly recommend to remove this acceleration. To do so should at least because if there are any disruptions on your computer you clearly knew that all claims should be directed solely processor, but for everything else to pay attention is not necessary. If, however, leave the overclocking (unless, of course, he was promoted to “experience” on the processor), then when a failure will cause unclear: pererazognali you got carried away overlokingom processor or video card, say, or RAM.

I will also say this: if you – the owner noname device connected to the system bus, then work at high frequencies issued by the bus, the device or one of them can not pull that can cause failure of an elementary computer run. So before dispersing tires strongly advise you to take out of your computer all expansion cards except the video card, and leave the memory (without a PC certainly does not run:)), and after this Overclock bus, raising its frequency through the motherboard BIOS. If your computer is successfully started, add expansion cards one by one and catch the bugs after you add each card. If you had caught at least one, know that it recently added piece of iron does not pull too high FSB, and either would have these same frequencies to underestimate the plank, podsilnoy lronburg, or to find more “endurance” piece of metal. Usually at the overclocked bus crash begin noname device. If the inflated frequencies do not want to run the video card, do not rush to abandon it. If it works with a slot AGP, set in the BIOS of the motherboard, setting AGP-slot, a single value more slowly. Ie if it was 8x – put 4.

Feed, but not overfed!

Another even more so not the way a complement to overclocking – is increasing the voltage applied to the processor. When a little (just a little bit! Other bedrooms) overvoltage the CPU, he, as if finding a “second wind”, is able to work at an even greater frequency. Just remember – in no case be carried away playing with increasing voltage. If the file is too high amount of current, “percent” immediately burned. CPU voltage, as well as all other parameters related to its dispersal, is regulated in the BIOS of the motherboard. When lifting the voltage should move in short steps 0,1, and if your “mother” makes it possible, with an even smaller intervals. That is, if credit default voltage – 1.5 V, set the first 1.6, carefully (remember – carefully!) To test the processor on the new strain, and only if it is not buggy and cooling system to cope with the increased heat, if necessary to raise the voltage to 1.7 V.

Everything related to the cooling

I think, you know, and if not available, then happily put on notice that any piece of iron at the overclocked state is basking in a few times stronger than it is at work in the regular frequencies. So, as you probably already guessed, the cooling system in your computer will improve. That is, if your old cooler is installed on running at 500 Hz processor, an excellent job of cooling, then an increase in processor speed for a few tens of hertz to heat up enormously, and the cooler can easily stop doing its job, risking overheating are the main cause of death disbanded stone. Only replace the cooler should be only if you use the increase in the multiplier, and if the frequencies are operating the system bus, it is desirable to strengthen and cooling of the devices were planted on her, as they will automatically be overclocked.

What can be done with the standard cooling the CPU and graphics card. In the preview, should at least replace the thermal paste between the chip and heatsink. If you have it factory, then either it was originally slo-quality (usually it happens at noname devaysov), or if the device is fairly old, thermal interface is likely to have dried up and unable to properly conduct heat. If your situation coincided at least one item, safely remove the radiator (only proceed more cautiously, that together with the radiator is not inadvertently tear a piece of crystal), remove leftover pasta, fat from the surface of the crystal, and radiator mazhte thermal paste KPT-8 or AlSil to choose from and over again Gather everything together. If the cooling surface is smooth enough for her scratches, then take a skin-”nulevku, put it on a flat surface such as glass, and sand the surface of a cooling radiator, if not to a mirror finish, then at least to bring the surface in gladchayshee state. Where doing the manipulation was not shot down at least some amount of heat, think about replacing an old fan of the warming over the CPU or an expansion card to a more powerful turntable. Also, think about it, should not be installed on the processor is not one, but two cooler and more massive, highly desirable copper radiator. Of course, the spread on the cooling system through the nose and resort to every kind of exotic water-cooling systems and freonok not required, but in any case not skimp on the quality of the cooling system. I hope you do not need to explain the difference between expensive and high quality. And the savings can get you an exorbitant price.

Also, do not pobrezguyte improve cooling of the shell itself, namely to put at least one fan on the front and rear system unit. Which one is which direction will spin up to you. Just be aware that if the number of case they will only, at least one of the fans should run at blowing out. Why even? The fact that I know of at least one case in which, when one of the case fans blowing out, and the second for intake temperature in the shell was higher than when both were spinning “blowing out”, and fresh air in sistemnik got through it Side vents. Also, if possible, should be equipped with hull “Carlson” sides and top cover sistemnik. Incidentally, this is an option to avoid excessive noise from aircraft carriers, in which, after installation of such a number of turntable turns your system unit. The smaller the fan, the faster must be spinning each of them, what would have time to drive sufficient for normal cooling of the air, and have time to blow out all hunted and collected the Celsius air back into the environment. The more decks, the slower can be (and can, in principle, and not be) the speed of their rotation. Cold, so to speak, not speed, but a number.

How not to send a piece of metal on his last journey

Remember, take any piece of metal, in particular a processor failure can be:

1) Overheating stone for overclocking

2) non-compliance on the organization of cooling, as described in the article.

So do not skimp on the efficient cooling system, as well as the time allowed under the rigorous tests and will be happy.

Truth: Formatting a disk does not reduce its lifetime. It’s not stressful for the hard disk. Heads do not touch the plates, so that damage to the disc can only be shaken, and, while it is running. You can format your hard disk at least twenty times a day, and he will not run worse than any other the exact same hard drive.
Legend 2: Format the results in the formation “of a” layer on the surface of the plate, causing the formation of bad sectors.

Truth: Formatting does not lead to deposition of any layers on the disk platters. Hard disk – it’s sealed unit in which it is unlikely the presence of dust. Even if there was dust or some kind of particles, why formatting or any other operation should contribute to the deposition of these particles on the plate?

Legend 3: Formatting contributes to the rapid wear of the drive heads.

Truth: The formatting is fairly smoothly sector by sector, and it is very unlikely that such consistent smooth transitions that something might be damaged.

Legend 4: Defragment the hard drive leads to rapid wear of the drive heads.

Truth: This statement is close to the truth. Defragmenting your hard drive can lead to a large number of search operations and data redistribution. This causes the head to transfer large amounts of data are not consistent across the wafer surface. On the other hand, after defragmenting the data did not have to look at different ends of the disc. This significantly reduces the number of head movements, and improving the performance of the hard drive in read / write. So, on the one hand we can say that the defragment – is stressful to drive, but on the other hand, further work without a HDD defragmenting is for him an even more serious stress.

Legend 5: If the disk already has bad sectors, format, would increase their number.

Truth: If you are on your hard drive is already there is even a small amount of bad sectors that have resulted from damage caused by a head, then guaranteed to be appearing more and more bad sections. When you format a new bad sectors appear only because the program first checks the formatting of the disc, and notes were noticed failures. So, new failures do not appear and manifest themselves. Formatting does not affect the number of bad sectors, it simply allows you to see the real picture with the bad sections “in all its glory.”

Legend 6: Pumping software from the Internet reduces the duration of “life” of the hard drive.

Truth: A redefinition of any programs on the Internet does not affect the lifespan of the hard drive. Your disc is spinning almost constantly, even when you’re at it do not burn and nothing he did not read, and with each turn, each read or write operations, he moves a little closer to its natural “death.” Regardless of whether you write on it the data downloaded from the Internet or taken from any other location (for example, a stick or CD-ROM).

Legend 7: loss of power give rise to bad sectors on your hard drive.

Truth: Interruptions to the supply voltage does not lead to the formation of bad sectors. If no voltage is automatically unloading recording heads, which eliminates the damage of the disk plates.

Legend 8: Cheap power supply “is slowly killing” hard drive.

Truth: If a cheap power supply is burnt, and sends high-voltage pulse to the hard drive, it kills him not slow, and almost instantly. If a cheap power supply can not provide a sufficient voltage level, the disc simply will not work properly.

Legend 9: If the hard drive constantly spins up and stops spinning, it means that the power supply that provides sufficient voltage level, it can not provide it.

Truth: Insufficient voltage to power the hard drive will cause it to stop and to stop working on your computer. Even if the voltage rises to the level required, the disc does not work, and the computer must be restarted. Promotions and stop disk associated with its reconfiguration.

Legend 10: loud clicks, reaching it from the hard drive – is the sound of parking his head.

Truth: This is probably a sound that is associated with changes in temperature drive or from a blow on the head plate.

Legend 11: For the head movement is responsible motor that can fail with heavy use.

Truth: Modern actuators are not controlled engines. In the past, they are really driven by a stepper motor, but is now used for this purpose electromagnetic mechanism, and not mechanical motor.

Legend 12: Frequent parking disk heads leads to the failure of the engine responsible for their movement.

Truth: See the legend 11. In addition, we can say that parking in modern drives automatically when power is turned off, and is responsible for this spring. Even if the head moved by the stepper motor, parking in no way would reverberate on its efficiency.

Legend 13: Hard disk is dispersed only to read or write, and in standby mode, the disc stops spinning.

Truth: platter spinning at all times.

Legend 14: Better when the disk rotates as slowly as possible so as not to chafe the engine.

Truth: Typically, plates to spin when you turn on your computer and continue to swirl. The most difficult part of the engine – this is unwinding and maintain an adequate speed requires significantly less effort. If the disc rotation speed is reduced, and need something to write or to read the disc again have to disperse. That is why it is better not to lower disc rotation speed so as not to lose in productivity and not create stress for the spindle motor.

Legend 15: Some bad sections can be called a virtual disk, since they disappear after formatting.

Truth: concepts such as virtual and physical bad sectors does not exist. Bad sector – is part of the disk, which can not normally something to write or read. This may be due to faulty support or physical damage. Any programmatic way, including formatting, do not fix it.

Legend 16: Low-level formatting can “hide” bad sectors.

Truth: Formatting low can replace bad sectors sectors with backup tracks that exist on any disk, but does not restore the damaged areas. Naturally, the performance will suffer, as the heads will be looking for sectors on the backup paths. The appearance of bad sectors, even if they are thus eliminated – a sign that the disc is something wrong. Even a single blow heads on the surface of the plates can cause small fragments of plates and damage the heads. Fragments, as well as a damaged head, may in future lead to the emergence of more and more damage. From all this it should make one important conclusion: if your disk bad sectors begin to appear, and you do not want to lose important information necessary to make a copy and at the first opportunity to change the disc. A hard disk can work out in such a situation is still quite a lot of time without the appearance of new bad sites, but from new failures are not perfect.

Legend 17: To improve performance, you need to format the hard drive as often as possible.

Truth: This is another common misconception. Some formatting will not improve disk performance. If you notice that the performance of disk operations for several months, much worse, it could be caused by fragmentation of data on disk. In this case, performance drops because of frequent need to search for parts of the same file in different parts of the disk during any read / write operations.

Legend 18: Hard disk can be installed only in horizontal position.

Truth: Disks can be mounted in any position – horizontally, vertically and even upside down.

Legend 19: If you plan to install the disc vertically, before using it to always format in an upright position.

Truth: As we have said, the hard drive will work in any position. There is no need to format it is in the position where it will be used.