Glossary

MTTR – Mean Time To Repair. The average time it takes to repair a drive that has failed for some reason. This only takes into consideration the changing of the major sub-assemblies such as circuit board or sealed housing. Component level repair is not included in this number as this type of repair is not performed in the field.

OVERHEAD – The processing time of a command by the controller, host adapter or drive prior to any actual disk accesses taking place.

OVERWRITE – To write data on top of existing data, erasing it.

OXIDE – A metal-oxygen compound. Most magnetic coatings are combinations of iron or other metal oxides, and the term has become a general one for the magnetic coating on tape or disk.

PARTITION – A portion of a hard disk devoted to a particular operating system and accessed as one logical volume by the system.

PERFORMANCE – A measure of the speed of the drive during normal operation. Factors affecting performance are seek times, transfer rate and command overhead.

PERIPHERAL – A device added to a system as an enhancement to the basic CPU, such as a disk drive, tape drive or printer.

PHYSICAL FORMAT – The actual physical layout of cylinders, tracks, and sectors on a disk drive.

PLATED MEDIA – Disks that are covered with a hard metal alloy instead of an iron-oxide compound. Plated disks can store greater amounts of data in the same area as a coated disk.

PLATTER – An disk made of metal (or

other rigid material) that is mounted inside a fixed disk drive. Most drives use more than one platter mounted on a single spindle (shaft) to provide more data storage surfaces in a small package. The platter is coated with a magnetic material that is used to store data as transitions of magnetic polarity.

POH – Acronym for power on hours. The unit of measurement for Mean Time Between Failure as expressed in the number of hours that power is applied to the device regardless of the amount of actual data transfer usage. See MTBF.

POSITIONER – See actuator.

RAM – Acronym for random access memory. An integrated circuit memory chip which allows information to be stored and retrieved by a microprocessor or controller. The information may be stored and retrieved in any order desired, and the address of one storage location is as readily accessible as any other.

RAM DISK – A “phantom disk drive” for which a section of system memory (RAM) is set aside to hold data, just as if it were a number of disk sectors. The access to this data is extremely fast but is lost when the system is reset or turned off.

READ AFTER WRITE – A mode of operation that has the computer read back each sector on the disk, checking that the data read back is the same as recorded. This slows disk operations, but raises reliability.

READ VERIFY – A disk mode where the disk reads in data to the controller, but the controller only checks for errors and does not pass the data on to the system.

READ/WRITE HEAD – The tiny electromagnetic coil and metal pole piece used to create and read back the magnetic patterns (write or read information) on the disk. Each side of each platter has its own read/write head.

G-6 Maxtor D540X-4K 20.0/40.0/60.0/80.0 GB AT

D540X-4K specifications

The Maxtor D540X-4K is a notable hard disk drive that has made its mark in the world of computer storage solutions. Launched in the early 2000s, this drive was known for its high capacity and reliable performance, making it a popular choice among consumers and businesses alike.

One of the main features of the D540X-4K is its generous storage capacity. With a range of models available, users could select from configurations starting at 40GB to larger sizes, accommodating a wide variety of storage needs. This capacity was particularly advantageous during an era when digital media was rapidly expanding, allowing users to store everything from documents and photos to videos and applications without running out of space.

The D540X-4K utilizes an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) interface, also known as PATA (Parallel ATA), which ensures compatibility with a broad spectrum of computers. This interface was standard at the time, making the drive accessible to a wide user base. The drive also supports ATA-100, providing data transfer rates of up to 100 MB/s, which was impressive for its time.

In terms of performance, the drive operates at a speed of 5400 RPM, which, while not the fastest in comparison to modern solid-state drives, provided a suitable balance of speed and efficiency for the average user’s needs. This rotational speed ensured decent read and write times for everyday applications, making it a reliable option for personal computing.

Another characteristic of the D540X-4K is its advanced data protection features. The drive was equipped with Maxtor's unique Shock Protection Technology, which helps protect the drive’s internal components from damage due to shocks or drops. This feature contributed to increased reliability, especially for users in mobile or high-traffic environments.

The Maxtor D540X-4K also incorporates a Cache Buffer, which enhances performance by temporarily storing frequently accessed data. The cache sizes varied across models, with options of 2MB or more, aiding in quicker data retrieval and overall improved system responsiveness.

In summary, the Maxtor D540X-4K is a hard drive that stands out for its storage capacity, compatibility, and protective features. Even today, it serves as a reminder of the evolution of data storage technologies, as it laid the groundwork for the high-capacity drives we utilize in modern computing. Its legacy continues to influence new technologies while reflecting the needs of the early digital era.