What is its use?
2006-08-22 13:35:34 · 9 answers · asked by dia04 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
If it blinks while your program is reading or writing on your HD then it's a HDD(Hard disk drive) activity indicator. It's usually mounted on the front panel of your desktop but if it's inside connected to the hard disk the it must have been a modified version.
2006-08-22 13:40:55 · answer #1 · answered by Nevwe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It blinks at a rate proportional to the temperature in the computer case. By counting the blinks for a full 60 seconds you will find that the number of blinks equals the temperature inside the case. If you ever see your hard drive blinking extremely rapidly it means your computer is on fire and you should put it out.
2006-08-22 13:41:35 · answer #2 · answered by Doctor Hand 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So you know when it's loading something. When you start your computer, and when the light stops blinking you know it's done booting. Or when it stops blinking you know when your program is loading.
You shouldn't unplug your computer but if you absoultly have to wait for the light to stop blinking so you know it's not writing any data, and you won't lose that data being written.
If it continuously blinks for long periods of time you got a problem. It may even be Windows defraging your hard drive in the background or indexing your files so you can search faster.
Turn of indexing:
http://www.lifehacker.com/software/optimization/turn-off-indexing-and-speed-up-windows-xp-031440.php
2006-08-22 13:37:56 · answer #3 · answered by Glenn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Blinking lights usually mean the system is working -- reading or writing data for example. Worry when they stop blinking, permanently.
2006-08-22 13:38:07 · answer #4 · answered by TheHumbleOne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To show you that it is spinning and reactive. If you are waiting for something to happen (especially during an OS installation) it shows you that the entire thing hasn't just frozen.
2006-08-22 13:44:02 · answer #5 · answered by Kikka 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just telling you that there is activity going on. Could be your virus program scanning or zone alarm or spyware. Or just you surfing.
Hope that helps.
2006-08-22 13:39:16 · answer #6 · answered by phy333 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
simply, notifying that the Hard disk is being active, read/write process!
2006-08-22 13:40:21 · answer #7 · answered by Mohammed J 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you're talking about the ACCESS light...
it's on whenever you're disk drive is being USED.
2006-08-22 13:37:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It there to show you that it is doing stuff.
2006-08-22 13:37:39 · answer #9 · answered by Yahoo! Answerer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋