Storage Devices

Correct Answer: 2

RAID 0, also known as striping, requires a minimum of two drives to function. It splits data evenly across two or more disks, offering improved performance. However, RAID 0 provides no fault tolerance, meaning if any drive fails, all data in the RAID 0 array is lost. One drive is not enough for RAID 0 as it cannot perform striping. Three or four drives are not the minimum required, as RAID 0 can work with just two drives, although more drives can be used for further performance gains at the cost of increased risk of data loss. While RAID 0 requires only 2 drives to function, you can use more to further enhance performance through increased data striping. However, the risk of data loss increases with the number of drives used in RAID 0. This is because if any single drive in the array fails, all data on the array is lost, as there is no redundancy in RAID 0 to protect the data. The more drives you have, the higher the probability that one of them might fail, thereby increasing the overall risk to your data.

Correct Answer: Check connection cables

The first step in troubleshooting an external HDD that is no longer recognized by the computer should be to check the connection cables. Loose or faulty cables can cause the computer to fail to detect the external drive. Reformatting the HDD, using third-party partitioning software, or upgrading the operating system are more advanced steps that may cause data loss and should only be attempted after confirming the cables are properly connected and the issue persists. It's understandable to consider software solutions like data recovery tools when dealing with hard drive issues, especially if the data is not accessible or the drive appears corrupted. However, the rationale behind checking the connection cables first is based on a common troubleshooting principle: start with the simplest and most likely solutions before moving to more complex ones. Here’s why checking cables is often recommended as the first step: Immediate Verification: It quickly verifies whether the issue is due to something as simple as a loose or faulty cable. This is a low-effort check that can instantly resolve the issue if the cable is indeed the problem. Cost-Effective: It doesn’t involve any cost, unlike purchasing or using third-party software, which might also require a learning curve to use effectively. Safety: Jumping directly to software solutions, especially those that might involve disk operations like formatting or partition management, can put the data at further risk if not done correctly. Physical connection checks are non-invasive. If the cables are confirmed to be working correctly and the drive is still not recognized, then it would be appropriate to consider software solutions. These tools can help, especially in cases where the drive is recognized but the data isn't accessible, or if the drive needs to be repaired or data needs to be recovered. In such scenarios, third-party tools can indeed be very useful. In summary, the approach to troubleshooting should generally follow a path from the simplest fixes (like checking cables) to more complex measures (like using recovery software), especially in a professional or support scenario, to efficiently and safely resolve the issue.

Correct Answer: External HDD

An external HDD is a cost-effective solution for storing non-essential files while keeping the laptop portable and convenient to use. Upgrading or adding storage devices to the laptop could be more complex and costly, while cloud storage may not be ideal for users with limited internet access.