Stiction

(n.) Short for static friction, a condition in which a hard disk drive’s read/write heads become stuck to the disk s platters with enough strength to keep the platters from spinning, resulting in hard drive failure. When a computer is turned off, its hard drive’s read/write heads park on the platter’s landing zones. Under normal circumstances, the heads will lift off the platter when the computer’s hard drive is activated and the platters rotate. Stiction typically occurs when a computer has been turned off for long periods of time.