computer science

HD Tach

HD Tach is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand HD Tach rather than just read about it. In short: HD Tach is a software program for Microsoft Windows (2000 or XP) that tests and graphs the sequential read, random access and interface burst speeds of attached storage devices (hard drive, flash drive, removable drive etc.). Drive technologies such as SCSI, IDE/ATA, IEEE 1394, USB, SATA and RAID are supported.

Key takeaways

HD Tach belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect HD Tach to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of HD Tach from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

HD Tach is a software program for Microsoft Windows (2000 or XP) that tests and graphs the sequential read, random access and interface burst speeds of attached storage devices (hard drive, flash drive, removable drive etc.). Drive technologies such as SCSI, IDE/ATA, IEEE 1394, USB, SATA and RAID are supported. A prominent feature of the software was an included library of drive benchmarks, as well as the option to save your own drive's benchmarks locally or submit them to an online database. The company's website also had a forum with over 2000 user posts. On December 5, 2011, citing the lack of time to devote to the project, Simpli Software formally announced on its website that HD Tach had reached end-of-life and was no longer being supported. The domain has since expired. The latest version of this application (3.0.4.0) is not fully compatible with Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. However, HD Tach works in these operating systems by running it in Windows XP SP2 or SP3 compatibility mode. HD Tach 2.70 is the last version to work on Windows NT 4.0.

History HD Tach was originally developed by TCD Labs, Inc. In 2000 the company was acquired by Oak Technology, Inc. Simpli Software, Inc. was formed by the original group of TCD Labs employees and acquired all rights to the benchmarks and source code from Oak Technology in 2003. The domain name displayed in the software, simplisoftware.com, began resolving to a domain reseller landing page in November 2012.

Bibliography Nistor, Codrut (2007-08-17), HD Tach 3 Review, retrieved 2008-06-03{{citation}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) Brozio, Kristofer (2006-08-07), HD Tach RW V 3.0.1.0 from Simpli Software, retrieved 2008-06-03

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with HD Tach

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what HD Tach claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to HD Tach before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about HD Tach ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of HD Tach

In research: HD Tach appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses HD Tach in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: HD Tach is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Benchmarks (computing), Storage software, Storage software stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for HD Tach outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study HD Tach in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what HD Tach means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain HD Tach out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is HD Tach in simple terms?

Why does HD Tach matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study HD Tach?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on HD Tach.