A drive is a location (medium) that is capable of storing and reading information that is not easily removed, like a disk or disc. All drives store files and programs used by your computer. For example, when you write a letter in a word processor, the program is loaded from the hard drive. When you save the document, it's saved to the hard drive or other disk or drive. The picture is an example of different drives listed in Microsoft Windows My Computer.
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- Portable external hard drives are a little pricier than their desktop, plug-in equivalents, but they can fit in your pocket, and in some cases transfer data just as fast. Consider your own needs, and if you need to take your data with you anywhere, get a portable external hard drive. External hard drive prices.
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In the picture, drive A: is the floppy drive, C: is the primary hard drive, D: and E: are partitions, and F: is the CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive is usually the last drive letter. In most situations, the hard drive is the C: drive, and a CD-ROM or other disc drive is the D: drive.
![Portable drive for computer Portable drive for computer](https://megagames.com/sites/default/files/rig-images/firefly_lo_res1.jpg)
Some users may confuse a 'drive' with a 'driver.' These are separate terms. If you're looking for help with installing or updating the software related to hardware, see our driver page.
Types of computer drives
Below are examples of different drives you could have in a computer or are accessible by the computer. Xcom 2 wotc legendary guide.
TipToday, most of the drives listed below are obsolete. The most common drives used with home computers are hard drives, SSDs (solid-state drives), disc drives, and USB drives.
- Bernoulli drive (obsolete)
- Disc drives: Blu-ray, CD-R, CD-ROM, CD-RW, and DVD.
- Flash drive.
- Floppy disk drive (obsolete)
- LS-120 (obsolete)
- SuperDisk (obsolete)
- Zip drive (obsolete)
What is a fixed drive?
A fixed drive is any drive inside the computer that is not easily removable or portable. For example, most hard drives inside the computer are considered a fixed drive.
What is a portable drive and removable disk?
A portable drive and removable disk is any drive or disk that can be transported between computers. The most common portable drives today are the USB card readers, USB jump drives, and USB external hard disk drives.
TipIf your computer has a card reader, the drive is always available but not accessible until you insert a card into the drive. Other portable drives, like USB flash drives and external hard drives, do not show until they are connected to the computer and are the last drive when detected.
What drives does my computer have?
All computers are different. However, as technology has advanced and laptops have gotten thinner, most computers no longer use different drive types. Today, almost all computers will at least have one hard drive and may have a disc drive and card reader with no other drives. Also, all computers have USB, eSATA, and other technologies that allow external drives to connect to the computer. Desktop computers also support the ability to add additional drives inside the case.
How to identify a drive
Understanding how drives work on your computer is the first step in identifying the drives connected to your computer. Computers running a Microsoft operating system (e.g., MS-DOS and Windows) that have a floppy drive have either A: or B: depending on the type of floppy drive. If your computer does not have a floppy drive (most computers today), the A: and B: drive will be missing.
Your primary hard drive is always be the C: drive. If it is partitioned, it may also have additional drive letters for each partition. However, the primary partition will be C:.
Next, if your computer has a disc drive, it defaults as the next available drive letter. The disc drive is often D: or E:, but may be a different drive letter if your computer has multiple drives and partitions.
NoteTo open a disc drive on your computer, there must be a disc in the drive. Otherwise, you get an error.
Next, if your computer has a card reader, it may assign drive letters to each of the available card slots in the computer. These drives appear on your computer but are inaccessible when you attempt to open the drive. The exorcist tradition in islam pdf by bilal philips islam. For example, attempting to open one of these types of drives gives you an error to 'Insert a disk into the drive.' After inserting a card, the drive assigned to that slot changes and has a different drive label to help identify the drive.
Finally, all following drive letters are added as new drives are connected. For example, connecting an external USB drive or a USB thumb drive. These drives appear as the new drive is connected to the computer. For example, if the next available drive letter is I:, when connecting a USB thumb drive to the computer, the I: drive appears and is accessible.
How to read data on a drive?
In Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and other GUIs (graphic user interfaces), you can read the data on a drive by opening the drive. In Windows and most other operating systems, you open the drive by double-clicking on the drive, which in Windows is the C: drive. If the drive is connected, formatted, and has no errors, it displays its contents in the file explorer.
Why would a drive not open?
If the drive is visible but not accessible, the following is a list of reasons you may be unable to open the drive.
- New drive and has not yet been partitioned and formatted so that it can be read by the operating system.
- Drive has removable media that is not inserted. For example, a floppy drive without a floppy disk inserted or a disc drive without a disc inserted.
- External drive that is not connected.
- Network drive with no network connection.
- Drive is corrupt or has other problems.
Related pages
CD terms, Current drive, Disk drive, Drive bay, Drive letter, Hard drive terms, Hardware terms, Hierarchical file system, Logical drive, Storage device, USB drive
The Compaq Portable, one of the first portable IBM PC compatible systems
A military-type mobile computer housed in a reinforced case
A portable computer with three LCD screens
A portable computer with one 20.1-inch LCD screen, EATX motherboard
The MIT Suitcase Computer, MIT Digital Systems Laboratory, 1975
A portable computer is a computer designed to be easily[1] moved from one place to another and included a display and keyboard. The first commercially sold portable was the 50-pound (23 kg) IBM 5100, introduced 1975. The next major portables were Osborne's 24-pound (11 kg) CP/M-based Osborne 1 (1981) and Compaq's 28-pound (13 kg) 100% IBM PC compatibleCompaq Portable (1983). These 'luggable' computers lacked the next technological development, not requiring an external power source;[2] that feature was introduced by the laptop.[3][2] Laptops were followed by lighter models, so that in the 2000s mobile devices and by 2007 smartphones made the term almost meaningless. The 2010s introduced wearable computers such as smartwatches.[4]
Portable computers, by their nature, are generally microcomputers.[5] Larger portable computers were commonly known as 'Lunchbox' or 'Luggable' computers. They are also called 'Portable Workstations' or 'Portable PCs'. In Japan they were often called 'Bentocom'. (ベントコン, Bentokon) from 'bento'.
Beijing express email address extractor free. Portable computers, more narrowly defined, are distinct from desktop replacement computers in that they usually were constructed from full-specification desktop components, and often do not incorporate features associated with laptops or mobile devices. A portable computer in this usage, versus a laptop or other mobile computingdevice, have a standard motherboard or backplane providing plug-in slots for add-in cards. This allows mission specific cards such as test, A/D, or communication protocol (IEEE-488, 1553) to be installed. Portable computers also provide for more disk storage by using standard disk drives and provide for multiple drives.
History[edit]
SCAMP[edit]
In 1973, the IBM Palo Alto Scientific Center developed a portable computer prototype called SCAMP (Special Computer APL Machine Portable) based on the IBM PALM processor with a Philips compact cassette drive, small CRT and full function keyboard. SCAMP emulated an IBM 1130 minicomputer in order to run APL1130.[6] In 1973, APL was generally available only on mainframe computers, and most desktop sized microcomputers such as the Wang 2200 or HP 9800 offered only BASIC. Because SCAMP was the first to emulate APL1130 performance on a portable, single user computer, PC Magazine in 1983 designated SCAMP a 'revolutionary concept' and 'the world's first personal computer'.[7][8] The engineering prototype is in the Smithsonian Institution.
IBM 5100[edit]
Successful demonstrations of the 1973 SCAMP prototype led to the first commercial IBM 5100 portable microcomputer launched in 1975. The product incorporated an IBM PALM processor, 5-inch (130 mm) CRT, full function keyboard and the ability to be programmed in both APL and BASIC for engineers, analysts, statisticians and other business problem-solvers. (IBM provided different models of the 5100 supporting only BASIC, only APL, or both selectable by a physical switch on the front panel.)[9][10]IBM referred to its PALM processor as a microprocessor, though they used that term to mean a processor that executes microcode to implement a higher-level instruction set, rather than its conventional definition of a complete processor on a single siliconintegrated circuit; the PALM processor was a large circuit board populated with over a dozen chips. In the late 1960s, such a machine would have been nearly as large as two desks and would have weighed about half a ton (0.45 t). In comparison, the IBM 5100 weighed about 53 pounds (24 kg and very portable for that time).[11]
MIT Suitcase Computer[edit]
The MIT Suitcase Computer, constructed in 1975, was the first known microprocessor-based portable computer. It was based on the Motorola 6800. Constructed in a Samsonite suitcase approximately 20 by 30 by 8 inches (510 mm × 760 mm × 200 mm) and weighing approximately 20 lb (9.1 kg), it had 4K of SRAM, a serial port to accept downloaded software and connect to a modem, a keyboard and a 40-column thermal printer taken from a cash register. Built by student David Emberson in the MIT Digital Systems Laboratory as a thesis project, it never entered production. It is currently in the collection of Dr. Hoo-Min D. Toong.[citation needed]
Xerox NoteTaker[edit]
Xerox NoteTaker, developed in 1976 at Xerox PARC, was a precursor to later portable computers from Osborne Computer Corporation and Compaq, though it remained a prototype and did not enter production.
Micro Star or Small One[edit]
An early portable computer was manufactured in 1979 by GM Research,[12] a small company in Santa Monica, California. The machine which was designed and patented by James Murez. It was called the Micro Star and later changed the name to The Small One. Although Xerox claims to have designed the first such system, the machine by Murez predated anything on the market or that had been documented in any publication at the time – hence the patent was issued. As early as 1979, the U.S. Government was contracting to purchase these machines. Other major customers included Sandia Labs, General Dynamics, BBN (featured on the cover of their annual report in 1980 as the C.A.T. system) and several dozen private individuals and companies around the world. In 1979, Adam Osborne viewed the machine along with several hundred other visitors at the first computer show that was sponsored by the IEEE Westec in Los Angeles. Later that year the machine was also shown at the first COMDEX show.
Portal R2E CCMC[edit]
R2E CCMC Portal laptop in September 1980 at the SICOB show in PARIS
The portable micro computer; the 'Portal' of the French company R2E Micral CCMC officially appeared in September 1980 at the Sicob show in Paris. The Portal was a portable microcomputer designed and marketed by the studies and developments department of the French firm R2E Micral in 1980 at the request of the company CCMC specializing in payroll and accounting. The Portal was based on an intel 8085 processor, 8-bit, clocked at 2 MHz. It was equipped with a central 64 KB RAM, a keyboard with 58 alpha numeric keys and 11 numeric keys (separate blocks), a 32-character screen, a floppy disk: capacity = 140 000 characters, of a thermal printer: speed = 28 characters / sec, an asynchronous channel, a synchronous channel, a 220 V power supply. Designed for an operating temperature of 15–35 °C (59–95 °F), it weighed 12 kilograms (26 lb) and its dimensions were 45 cm × 45 cm × 15 cm (17.7 in × 17.7 in × 5.9 in). It provided total mobility. Its operating system was Prolog. A few hundred were sold between 1980 and 1983.
Osborne 1[edit]
The first mass-produced microprocessor-based portable computer released in 1981 was the Osborne 1, developed by Osborne, which owed much to the NoteTaker's design. The company had early success with the design and went public but later due to small screen sizes and other devices being released found trouble selling the Osborne.
Grid Compass[edit]
The Grid Compass ran its own operating system, GRiD-OS. Its specialized software and high price (US$8,000–$10,000) meant that it was limited to specialized applications. The main buyer was the U.S. government. NASA used it on the Space Shuttle during the early 1980s, as it was powerful, lightweight, and compact. The military Special Forces also purchased the machine, as it could be used by paratroopers in combat.[13]
Kaypro[edit]
Another early portable computer released in 1982 was the Kaypro.
Compaq Portable[edit]
In January 1983, the first IBM PC compatible portable computer (and the first 100% IBM PC compatible, or 'clone,' of any kind) was the Compaq Portable.
Commodore SX-64[edit]
The first full-color portable computer was the Commodore SX-64 in January 1984.
Apple Macintosh[edit]
Apple Inc. introduced and released the Macintosh Portable in 1989, though this device came with a battery, its weight caused many at the time to consider this a “luggable” rather than a true laptop.
Modern use[edit]
Portable computers have been increasing in popularity over the past decade,[citation needed][when?] as they do not restrict the user's mobility as a desktop computer does, and do not restrict the computer power and storage available as a laptop computer does. Wireless access to the Internet, extended battery life, and more elaborate cases permitting multiple screens and even significant RAID capacity, have contributed.
Smallest Portable Hard Drive
See also[edit]
Best Portable Computers
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portable computers. |
Portable Computer Hard Drive
- Handheld PC (palmtop)
- Personal digital assistant (PDA)
- DYSEAC, 1954, housed in a truck
References[edit]
- ^as contrasted with DYSEAC and MOBIDIC, 1950s era military systems which were Truck-based/'movable by truck'
- ^ abShanna Freeman. 'What was the first portable computer?'.
- ^'and plug in instead of relying on battery power.'
- ^Petre, Reza Rawassizadeh, Blaine A Price, Marian. 'Wearables: Has the Age of Smartwatches Finally Arrived? | January 2015 | Communications of the ACM'. cacm.acm.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
- ^'What is a Portable Computer? | ACME Portable Machines'. Acmeportable.com. 2014-05-23. Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ^Freeman, Shanna (2012-09-19). 'HowStuffWorks 'What was the first portable computer?''. Computer.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ^PC Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 6, November 1983, ‘’SCAMP: The Missing Like in the PC's Past?‘’
- ^'IBM Archives: IBM 5100 Portable Computer'. 03.ibm.com. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ^This author learned this from an original IBM document for operators of the 5100 but does not recall the title of the document.
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2019-03-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^'Industrial Portable Computers'. Advantech. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ^'Computer History Museum'. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^didyouknowwebsite (2020-06-14). 'The Space Age Best Inventions We use Today'. Did You Know?. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
Portable Hard Drives For Laptops
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