What Is Stored on a Computer's Hard Drive?
Computer hard drives contain one or more magnetic coated platters that store data, commands, settings and other system information. Some data is located in different areas of the hard drive depending on type and importance or function.
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Firmware
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Firmware is a program or set of instructions that is stored on the circuit board of a hard drive. Firmware can be upgraded as manufacturer updates are released.
Master Boot Record
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The master boot record (MBR) is a small program located in the first sector of a hard drive that stores partition information such as number, size and boot order.
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Operating System
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An operating system is a program that runs other software, manages hardware and controls system security. Examples of operating systems are Windows Vista, Ubuntu Linux and Mac OS X.
Programs
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Programs and applications like word processors, media players and Internet browsers are also stored on the hard drive. They may be part of the operating system, or be provided by third-party sources.
Personal Files
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Personal documents and files like MP3s, photos, emails, letters, databases and videos are all stored on the hard drive. To avoid losing important data, back up your hard drive on a regular basis.
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