hard drive
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hard drive
A magnetic or electronic storage medium in a computer on which the operating system, programs, and data are stored permanently.
Meine Festplatte ist fast voll, ich muss einige alte Dateien löschen.
My hard drive is almost full; I need to delete some old files.
hard drive
Colloquially and metaphorically, a person's memory or mind, as a place where information is stored.
Nach der langen Prüfung war meine persönliche Festplatte komplett leer.
After the long exam, my personal hard drive was completely empty.
The word is made up of 'fest' (fixed/solid) and 'Platte' (plate/disk). It literally describes a plate or disk that is built permanently into a device, unlike a removable medium such as a CD.
Die neue Festplatte hat eine Speicherkapazität von einem Terabyte.
The new hard drive has a storage capacity of one terabyte.
To indicate location, use 'auf der Festplatte' (on the hard drive; dative). To indicate direction, use 'auf die Festplatte' (onto the hard drive; accusative).
Alle wichtigen Dokumente liegen auf der Festplatte.
All important documents are on the hard drive.
In a computer context, 'Festplatte' is often combined with specific verbs: saving data on the hard drive, installing programs, formatting a hard drive, or deleting data from the hard drive.
Bevor du den Computer verkaufst, solltest du die Festplatte sicher formatieren.
Before you sell the computer, you should securely format the hard drive.
The metaphorical meaning for memory is used only colloquially and often humorously. It is uncommon in formal or written contexts.
Ich kann mich an seinen Namen nicht erinnern, meine Festplatte ist heute leer.
I can't remember his name; my hard drive is empty today.
memory
Das Gedächtnis is the usual word for the mental ability to store information and remember it. Die Festplatte can express the same idea only as a colloquial metaphor for a person’s head or mind. Use das Gedächtnis neutrally and die Festplatte deliberately as a figurative expression.
Für Zahlen ist ihr Kopf eine echte Festplatte.
When it comes to numbers, her mind is a real hard drive.
Sie hat ein ausgezeichnetes Gedächtnis für Namen.
She has an excellent memory for names.
