Module 6 Review: Computer Storage

Consolidate Your Learning

A review of the core concepts of computer storage, from hardware and partitioning to filesystems and troubleshooting, with activities to reinforce your understanding.
Author

Chuck Nelson

Published

October 22, 2025

1 Purpose

This document provides a comprehensive review of the key concepts covered in the Computer Storage module. Through a series of active learning exercises and review questions, you will solidify your understanding of everything from the physical hardware to the logical structures that make data storage possible. The goal of these activities is to help you connect concepts and apply your knowledge to practical, real-world situations.

2 What You’ll Accomplish

By the end of this review session, you will have:

  • Reinforced your knowledge of storage hardware, partitioning, and filesystems.
  • Practiced applying concepts of RAID, encryption, and drive maintenance.
  • Tested your ability to systematically troubleshoot common storage-related issues.

3 Active Learning and Engagement

Complete the following exercises to actively engage with the material and deepen your understanding.

3.1 Exercise 1: Concept Mapping

This activity helps you visually organize the key terms and their relationships, strengthening your mental model of the system.

Using a digital tool like draw.io, create a concept map that connects the following terms. Draw lines between related concepts and write a short phrase on the line to describe the relationship. Export your finished map as an image and save it for your own review.

  • SSD
  • HDD
  • NVMe
  • SATA
  • M.2 Form Factor
  • GPT
  • MBR
  • Partition
  • Filesystem
  • NTFS
  • exFAT
  • RAID 1 (Mirror)
  • S.M.A.R.T.
  • TRIM
  • Btrfs/ZFS
  • Snapshot

3.2 Exercise 2: Scenario Challenge

This activity challenges you to apply your knowledge to a realistic problem, a key skill for any IT professional.

Read the following scenario and write your answers to the questions in your personal notes.

A client brings you an older laptop with a single 500GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD). They complain that it takes several minutes to boot up and is very slow at opening applications. They have two goals: 1. Make the laptop significantly faster for daily use. 2. They also have a new 4TB external drive that they want to use to back up their data and share large video files with a friend who uses a MacBook.

  1. Recommendation for Goal 1: What single hardware upgrade would you recommend to make the laptop faster? Be specific about the drive type and interface if possible.
  2. Recommendation for Goal 2: Which filesystem should you format the 4TB external drive with to ensure it works on both the client’s Windows PC and their friend’s Mac without file size limitations?
  3. Justification: Briefly explain why you chose that filesystem over FAT32 or NTFS.

3.3 Exercise 3: Peer Instruction

This activity helps you solidify your own understanding by explaining concepts to others and hearing their perspectives.

This exercise is for discussion. Find a partner or a small group and choose one of the tabbed sections below. Each person should choose a different topic (A, B, or C) and take a turn explaining it to the others.

Person A explains: The key differences between a physical HDD and an SSD. Use an analogy to describe how they work.

Person B explains: The major limitations of the MBR partitioning scheme and why GPT is the modern standard.

Person C explains: The purpose of the chkdsk command in Windows and what kind of problems it is designed to fix.

Person A explains: The performance difference between a SATA SSD and an NVMe SSD. What interface does each use?

Person B explains: The difference between RAID 0 (Striping) and RAID 1 (Mirroring). Which one provides redundancy?

Person C explains: Two key features of an advanced filesystem like ZFS or Btrfs (e.g., Copy-on-Write, Snapshots).

Person A explains: The difference between FAT32 and exFAT. When would you choose one over the other?

Person B explains: The difference between a Quick Format and a Full Format.

Person C explains: The purpose of S.M.A.R.T. technology and what you should do if a tool reports a “Caution” or “Bad” health status.

4 Review Questions

Answer the following questions to test your knowledge.

  1. A user wants the fastest possible boot drive for their new PC. Which of the following would be the best choice?

    1. 3.5” HDD
    2. 2.5” SATA SSD
    3. M.2 NVMe SSD
    4. 2.5” SSHD

  2. You are trying to partition a new 8TB hard drive, but your system only allows you to use 2TB of the space. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

    1. The drive was initialized with a GPT partition table.
    2. The drive was initialized with an MBR partition table.
    3. The drive is formatted with FAT32.
    4. The drive has run out of over-provisioned space.

  3. What is the primary purpose of the TRIM command for an SSD?

    1. To encrypt the data on the drive.
    2. To inform the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use, improving performance.
    3. To physically check the drive platters for errors.
    4. To mirror data onto a second drive for redundancy.

  4. A client needs to format a 128GB USB drive to move large files between their Windows PC and their partner’s MacBook. Which filesystem is the most appropriate choice?

    1. NTFS
    2. ext4
    3. APFS
    4. exFAT

  5. Which RAID level is designed for performance by striping data across multiple drives but offers no protection against drive failure?

    1. RAID 1
    2. RAID 0
    3. RAID 5
    4. RAID 10

  6. Which feature of an advanced filesystem like ZFS or Btrfs allows for instantaneous, space-efficient backups of the filesystem’s state?

    1. Over-provisioning
    2. Journaling
    3. Snapshots
    4. Defragmentation

  7. In a modern UEFI-based computer, where does the firmware look for the operating system’s bootloader files?

    1. In the Master Boot Record (MBR).
    2. In the EFI System Partition (ESP).
    3. In the first 512 bytes of the active partition.
    4. In the Windows registry.

  8. A user reports a loud, repetitive clicking sound coming from their computer. This is a classic symptom of what type of failure?

    1. Filesystem corruption on an SSD.
    2. A failing fan in the power supply.
    3. Imminent mechanical failure of an HDD.
    4. A virus corrupting the boot sector.

  9. What is the primary function of a TPM chip when used with BitLocker full-disk encryption?

    1. To speed up the read/write performance of the drive.
    2. To securely store the encryption keys and tie them to the specific hardware.
    3. To scan the drive for bad sectors.
    4. To provide a backup copy of the partition table.

  10. In Linux, a new, formatted partition is made accessible to the user by attaching it to a directory. What is this process called?

    1. Lettering
    2. Indexing
    3. Mounting
    4. Compiling

  11. A S.M.A.R.T. utility reports a drive’s status as “Caution” due to a high “Reallocated Sectors Count.” What does this indicate?

    1. The drive is running out of space.
    2. The drive is physically failing and has started using its spare blocks.
    3. The drive needs to be defragmented.
    4. The drive’s filesystem is corrupt.
    1. M.2 NVMe SSD
    1. The drive was initialized with an MBR partition table.
    1. To inform the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use, improving performance.
    1. exFAT
    1. RAID 0
    1. Snapshots
    1. In the EFI System Partition (ESP).
    1. Imminent mechanical failure of an HDD.
    1. To securely store the encryption keys and tie them to the specific hardware.
    1. Mounting
    1. The drive is physically failing and has started using its spare blocks.

5 Reflect and Review

ImportantFinal Reflection: 3-2-1

You’ve reached the end of the module review. Take a final moment to synthesize your thoughts. In your personal notes, write down:

  • 3 concepts from this module that you feel most confident about now.
  • 2 topics that you found most interesting or surprising.
  • 1 area you still want to review or a question you plan to ask.
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