Hard sectoring in a magnetic or optical data storage device is a form of sectoring which uses a physical mark or hole in the recording medium to reference sector locations.
In older 8- and 51⁄4-inch floppy disks, hard sectoring was implemented by punching "sector holes" in the disk to mark the start of each sector. These were equally spaced holes, at a common radius. This was in addition to the "index hole", situated between two sector holes, to mark the start of the entire "track" of sectors. When the index or sector hole was recognized by an optical sensor, a sector signal was generated. Timing electronics or software would use the faster timing of the index hole between sector holes, to generate an index signal. Data read and write is faster in this technique than soft sectoring as no operations are to be performed regarding the starting and ending points of tracks.
Read more about Hard Sectoring: Storage Formats Using Hard Sectoring
Famous quotes containing the word hard:
“Affection, indulgence, and humor alike are powerless against the instinct of children to rebel. It is essential to their minds and their wills as exercise is to their bodies. If they have no reasons, they will invent them, like nations bound on war. It is hard to imagine families limp enough always to be at peace. Wherever there is character there will be conflict. The best that children and parents can hope for is that the wounds of their conflict may not be too deep or too lasting.”
—New York State Division of Youth Newsletter (20th century)