Skip to main content

Friday, April 5, 2024

· 3 min read

What is the relation between filesystem, volume, partition and disk? What are they?​

Filesystem, volume, partition, and disk are fundamental components within the realm of computer storage, particularly in the context of hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). Here's an explanation of each and their relationship:

  1. Disk: A disk, in the context of computing, refers to the physical storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). It consists of one or more platters (in HDDs) or memory chips (in SSDs) on which data is stored.

  2. Partition: A partition is a logical division of a physical disk. It involves dividing the disk into separate sections that the operating system treats as independent units. Each partition can be formatted with a particular filesystem and can contain its own set of files and directories. Partitions are useful for various purposes, such as organizing data, separating operating system files from user files, or hosting multiple operating systems on a single disk.

  3. Volume: A volume is a logical storage unit that can span one or more partitions. It represents a formatted section of a disk that is accessible to the operating system and applications as a single entity. Volumes are typically associated with a specific filesystem, which determines how data is organized and stored on the volume. In simpler terms, a volume is what you see and interact with when you access a storage device (e.g., drive letters like C:, D:, etc., in Windows, or mount points in Unix-like systems).

  4. Filesystem: A filesystem is a method of organizing and storing files and directories on a storage device. It provides a structure for accessing, reading, and writing data stored on the disk. Filesystems define how data is stored, named, and accessed, including aspects such as directory structure, file naming conventions, and metadata storage. Examples of filesystems include NTFS (used in Windows), ext4 (used in many Linux distributions), and APFS (used in macOS).

Relationship:

  • A disk is the physical storage medium.
  • A disk can be divided into one or more partitions.
  • Each partition can be formatted with a filesystem.
  • Each formatted partition represents a volume, which is the accessible storage unit seen by the operating system and users.

In summary, partitions divide disks into manageable sections, volumes represent accessible storage units within those partitions, and filesystems dictate how data is organized and stored within volumes. Together, they form the foundation of storage management in computer systems.

What is the distinction between "drive" and "disk"?​

  1. Drive: Refers to the entire storage unit, including both the physical disk (in the case of HDDs) or memory chips (in the case of SSDs), as well as any associated hardware components responsible for reading from and writing to the storage medium. This includes not only the memory or storage components themselves but also components such as controllers, interfaces, and connectors.

  2. Disk: Often refers specifically to the physical storage medium itself, whether it's the spinning platters inside a hard disk drive (HDD) or the memory chips inside a solid-state drive (SSD). It typically refers to the component where data is stored magnetically (in HDDs) or electronically (in SSDs), excluding other components such as controllers or interfaces.

In common usage, the terms Drive and Disk are often used interchangeable.