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Ask

GATE2009-51

+28
votes
5.4k views
asked Sep 22, 2014 in Operating System by Kathleen Veteran (52.1k points)
edited Jun 24, 2018 by kenzou
5.4k views

A hard disk has 63 sectors per track, 10 platters each with 2 recording surfaces and
1000 cylinders. The address of a sector is given as a triple ⟨c, h, s⟩, where c is the
cylinder number, h is the surface number and s is the sector number. Thus, the 0th
sector is addresses as ⟨0, 0, 0⟩ , the 1st sector as ⟨0, 0, 1⟩ , and so on

The address ⟨400, 16, 29⟩ corresponds to sector number:

A. 505035
B. 505036
C. 505037
D. 505038

gate2009 operating-system disks normal

answer comment

commented Jun 12, 2016 by Chandra Kishore (61 points)

How to find reverse of this solution.

Like.. to find the address of the sectors of 505035, 505036, 505037 and so on..

commented Aug 1, 2016 by cse23 Loyal (8.5k points)

edited Dec 24, 2016 by saurabh rai

+7
⟨400,16,29⟩ it means we have to cross 400 clyinder, 16 surfaces and 29 sectors

now we have to see total no. of sectors to cross

for 400 clyinders, no. of sectors to be crossed

=400 *10*2*63
 after reaching at 400th clylinder we have to go at 16th surface for which no. of
sectors to be crossed

=16 *63 (each suface has 63 sectors)

now we are at 16th surface of 400th clylinder then we can directly go to 29th sector
of this surface

Total sectors crossed = (400*10*2*63) + (16*63) +29

=505037 is the answer...???

commented Aug 1, 2016 by pC Boss (21.2k points)

+1
@cse23

How did u interpreted that data on disk is stored cross sectionally ? and not
linearly ?

commented Nov 28, 2016 by vnc Active (2.8k points)

last term should be 29 instead of 20

GATE2013-29
GATE2015-1-48

GATE2015-2-49

#Disk

harddisk

Hard disk
2 Answers

+63
votes

answered Jan 5, 2015 by Pragy Agarwal Boss (22.5k points)

edited Jul 8 by ajaysoni1924

The data on a disk is ordered in the following way. It is first stored on the first sector
of the first surface of the first cylinder. Then in the next sector, and next, until all the
sectors on the first track are exhausted. Then it moves on to the first sector of the
second surface (remains at the same cylinder), then next sector and so on. It exhausts
all available surfaces for the first cylinder in this way. After that, it moves on to repeat
the process for the next cylinder.
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So, to reach to the cylinder numbered 400(401th cylinder) we need to skip 400 × (10
× 2 ) × 63 = 504, 000 sectors.

Then, to skip to the 16th surface of the cylinder numbered 400 , we need to skip
another 16 × 63 = 1, 008 sectors.

Finally, to find the 29 sector, we need to move another 29 sectors.

In total, we moved 504, 000 + 1, 008 + 29 = 505, 037 sectors.

Hence, the answer to 51 is option (C).

comment
 comment

commented Jan 10, 2015 by Sandeep_Uniyal Loyal (7.7k points)

reshown Jan 10, 2015 by Sandeep_Uniyal

+1
In the statement "Finally, to find the 29 sector, we need to move another 29
sectors" in your explanation you said that we moved another 29 sectors to reach
sect 29, but finally we need to access sect 29 which is 30th sector and question
asks for that sect number which is having address 29 in 17th surface(surface no 16)
which is further on 401 st cylinder (cylinder number 400 ) .So according to me
answer is (D).

Give it a thought or correct me if I am missing something !!

commented Jan 10, 2015 by Pragy Agarwal Boss (22.5k points)

+17
It is true that the counting starts from 0, so the 29th sector is actually the 30th
sector. Or is it?!

Notice that although the counting begins with 0, the starting sector is labelled the
0th sector, and not the first.

So, to reach the sector marked by the address <0, 0, 3>, we need to goto the
sector labelled number 3 (not number 4)

<0,0,0> = 0th sector

<0,0,1> = 1st sector

<0,0,2> = 2nd sector

<0,0,3> = 3rd sector

...

<0,0,29> = 29th sector.

commented Jan 10, 2015 by Sandeep_Uniyal Loyal (7.7k points)

 +1
Thanx @Pragy...Got it now .Actually I thought it is asking for "Number of sectors
like from 0-3 we have 4 sectors .But question actually calls number 3 sector as 3rd
sector and not 4th as you said.

commented Dec 19, 2015 by Gate Mm Active (1k points)

moved Mar 26, 2018 by sourav.

–2
for b part chck the options to see who gives the desired no of sectrs

commented Jun 12, 2016 by Chandra Kishore (61 points)

How to find reverse of this solution.

Like.. to find the address of the sectors of 505035, 505036, 505037 and so on..

commented Jun 19, 2016 by biranchi Active (1.3k points)

+1 Very well explained.

commented Dec 8, 2016 by Kai Active (2.6k points)

@Pragy but then how can you be sure that in convention <c,h,s> , for s the numbering
begins from 1 but for cylinder it begins from 0? It's nowhere mentioned in the question
that 1st cylinder is addressed as <1,0,0>

commented Dec 8, 2016 by Kai Active (2.6k points)

 @Sandeep

I think you're right

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8950810/do-we-call-the-first-bit-in-a-byte-bit-1-
or-0

Even in bit conventions the first bit is called as "bit 0".

@Arjun if possible please see this.

commented Dec 8, 2016 by pC Boss (21.2k points)

+3
@arjun sir ,
How could one interpret that data on disk is stored cross sectionally ? and not
linearly ?
 +2
votes

answered Jan 5, 2015 by Ravi Thakur (353 points)

edited Jan 7, 2015 by Ravi Thakur

(See UPDATE below) May be my interpretation flawed.. but here's my approach:

First, let us understand the story behind the DISK's Model which I have inferred after
a two hour long research from this paper:
http://www2.cs.uh.edu/~paris/7360/PAPERS03/IEEEComputer.DiskModel.pdf

So, as per the question, there are 10 platters which are like the simple (2-sided) RW
CD..
A cylinder is a stack of tracks. Don't think them as tracks on a surface but a cross-
sectional stack of tracks across all the platters.
Imagine stacking all the platters one one top of the other (which they actually are on a
spindle) and then looking at a track which in turn is a cylinder through all the platters
below..

If the image is still unclear, refer to the diagrams in the paper or the web.

Now, as per the question,

10 platters (2-sided),, 1000 cylinders per platter (or 500 per surface), 63 sectors per
track (which is on a cylinder on each surface - logically).

Now, the address <400,16,29> corresponds to,

PS: It must be noted that this is a 0-based address as per the question.
Hence, it is actually <401st cylinder, 17th surface, 30th sector>..

Skipping 16 (0-15) surfaces above the 17th (on which the sector is located) =>

skipping 16 x 500 x 63 sectors +

(on the 17th surface) skipping 400x63 sectors +

(on the 400th cylinder) skipping 29 sectors

= 529229
UPDATE:
The question is not ambiguous but my interpretation was flawed in the sense that the
sectors are not numbered laterally but CROSS-SECTIONALLY across the platters
(rather surfaces).

So the sectors are first numbered sequentially on the 0th cylinder of the 0th surface on
the 1st platter and then the 1st surface (the other recordable end) of the same platter.

Similarly, if the head is on the 1st cylinder => It has skipped the 0th cylinder.
Further, depending on the cylinder position of the head, it can be inferred how many
times, all the 10 platters were skipped.

To make this even more evident and clear, let us rectify the above interpretation.

So, <400,16,29> can still be interpreted as: the head on the 401th cylinder, 17th
surface and the 30th sector on that surface as explained above due to the 0 based
index.

Hence, we have skipped

400 x 2 <individual tracks per surface> x 10 <platters> x 63 <sectors> + 16
<cylinders skipped no 17th surface> x 63 + 29 <sectors skipped no the
401st track>
= 505037

comment

commented Jan 7, 2015 by Ravi Thakur (353 points)

Feedback: Although I appreciate the other answer by @Pragy, it would have been
further appreciated if the interpretation in my answer was corrected instead of a
downvote.. Am I right? :)

commented Jan 10, 2015 by Pragy Agarwal Boss (22.5k points)

edited Jan 10, 2015 by Pragy Agarwal

+15
Heres the obvious rule:
 If you have some approach and wish to discuss it, either open up a new thread, or
drop a comment on the question.

Also, heres how the downvote to an answer should be interpreted:

"The answer was flawed/was misleading/was spam/poorly

structured/had poor grammar/was racist/sexist/ or some other
genuine cause."

A downvote is NOT a personal attack at the person, who's answer/comment

received the downvote.

commented Dec 29, 2015 by mithilesh_rns (13 points)

how... 400*20 is giving no. of surfaces... for track why we are not multipling with
1000..then we should multiply with 63....so answer should be...
400*20*1000*63+16*1000*63+29 correct me where i m wrong

commented Sep 23, 2018 by Kaluti Loyal (5.4k points)

When read write head arm is at 400 cylinder it means we have surpassed 400*20*63
as each cylinder has 20 surfaces each containing 63 cylinder in addition to that we are
at 16th track containing 63 sectors each so add 16*63 in addition we have surpassed
total 29 cylinders here that gives 505037

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Answer: C

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