What just happended.. (theory from a n00b)

[adamknox]

Is this following theory possible??
My computers been REALLY slow the last few days so i deicded to clean up all the old documents/pictures i dont need any more (along with videos and music)
I started with a 1Tb hard drive with 485GB free. i ended up 592GB free. Now something odd happended.
Once i deleted enough to have 500GB free (well just above 500GB) my computer suddenly sprung to life. I could open windows in a few milliseconds again. open programs in a few seconds etc. Now im a noob when it comes to understanding Hard drives and platters so dont laugh if this is WAY OFF!

As i have a 1Tb hard drive it must have two 500GB platters? (thats the n00b part) So once it got over 500GB it started accessing the 2nd platter which made it near enough grind to a hault in places. Would this mean the 2nd platter is faulty? I have run a number of hard drive tests wich all have passed.

 

[AbsenceJam]

Just a coincidence, and it doesn't work that way.

Your 1TB drive might have 2-4 platters, it's all hidden from the OS and they're filled up from the outside of each platter so the 'end' of the disk is the innermost track of them all.

If you want a bit more quickness make your first partition for the OS, programs etc smallish and it'll be nippier since it's on the fastest past of the drive.

 

[rpstewart]

Unfortunately that's not how multi platter drives work, the data will be spread pretty much evenly between the two platters.

So why did the PC suddenly slow and speed up - I'm not sure.

 

[adamknox]

Ok lol Like i say im a total noob! lol! thanks for your help and information!!
P.s that is what i love about this forum. If i had asked in my old computer forum (tomshware which i NEVER go on now) i would have had 1 post explaining the way it worked and 10 posts telling me to go F my self and not to post if i dont understand what im on about. lol + comes with an amazing shop with free postage for members! cant whack it lol