A hard disk is one of the main components in a computer, without which the system will not be able to function, since all data, including the operating system, is stored on it. Like any device, the hard drive also has a controller.
The mechanical structure of the hard drive becomes the most vulnerable point in the entire system unit. This is the only component that cannot be easily replaced, as it is a permanent data warehouse.
What is a controller and what is it for ?
A hard disk controller is a device that is located on the motherboard in order to connect a drive to it. Its task is to ensure uninterrupted transmission of information in both directions, that is, from the hard drive to a computer or similar drive, and vice versa.
This device can be integrated into the motherboard, and the external hard disk controller can be connected to the expansion board on the motherboard. However, more and more often you can see in operation multiports, which include an asynchronous adapter, a game slot and a disk controller. It can also act as a controller of an external hard drive.
Device drivers
Thanks to the driver of the hard drive controller, BIOS recognizes the drive in the system, which makes it possible to use it. If it so happened that the BIOS recognized the hard drive without drivers, then you do not need to worry about their need.
In the absence of drivers, you need to download them to a disk or flash drive to install. To do this, you need to find out which interface is used to connect, since each connector has its own data transfer speed. These drivers are installed through the BIOS, which must be activated when the computer starts.
Troubleshooting
Failures in the ranks of hard disk controllers are not uncommon, but this can not always be seen. The most common causes of problems may include the following:
- Incorrect operation of the computer power supply, which does not provide a stable supply of power to the controller.
- Poor cooling system of the case or its complete absence, leads to overheating of parts or the device as a whole.
- Incorrect operation leads to the ingress and adhesion of foreign particles, and they, in turn, contribute to the burning of contacts.
- Careless use can cause mechanical damage - just a slight push will cause the controller and hard drive to fail.
Not having heard the characteristic rotation of the heads of the hard drive, it can be logically assumed that the device is in a malfunctioning state. However, there are problems such as sticky magnetic heads or jamming of the motor. That is, the problem is not always the malfunction of the hard disk controller.
What you need to do to increase disk resource:
- To prevent damage, you need to correctly select the power supply. Based on the energy consumption data of the entire system, you can determine how much power the power supply is needed. You should always pay attention to the quality certificate - it is shown on the package.
- The presence of additional fans in the PC case will never hurt, in addition, cooling the entire system will save the life of the computer.
- You can not constantly keep the system unit in the open state - this provokes the presence of foreign particles inside the case.
Replacing the hard drive controller
If the drive controller malfunctions, it’s worth noting about repairing it, but about completely replacing the board, as this is the best option. But not so simple. The fact is that there is a ROM on the board that has the function of launching a hard disk. She is responsible for starting up the rest of the disk system - the engine, head identification, access to utility firmware.
Another catch is that for each hard drive, volatile memory is individual. That is, before moving the ROM to a working board, you need to flash the "native" memory. For these purposes, there is a hardware-software complex PC3000Express. If the controller no longer has breakdowns, then you can start the procedure for reading information.
In some cases, when there is no program or it does not work with ROM, you have to unsolder it from one board and put it on another. In any case, if you find or suspect a malfunction with regards to the hard drive, you should contact a computer service where specialists can determine the nature of the damage and help restore the data.