Optimizing Linux with cheap flash drives

Posted Feb 2, 2014 3:20 UTC (Sun) by jzbiciak (guest, #5246)
In reply to: Optimizing Linux with cheap flash drives by ewen
Parent article: Optimizing Linux with cheap flash drives

It's not really constant linear velocity, as you can't speed up and slow down the rotation of the disk platter nearly fast enough. That's what the early CD-ROMs used to do, and seeking sucked because not only did you have to move the head, you also had to accelerate the media. Hard drives don't do that. The only time I hear my hard drives change rotational velocity is when I power up or power down my machine.

Rather, the bit-rates speed up at the outer edge of the disk and slow down as you move in, giving you a relatively constant areal bit density. The platter moves with constant angular velocity (ie. 5400 RPM, 7200 RPM, what-have-you), and the bit-rate varies by zone.