Breaking the 137GB Storage Barrier

Past barriers often frustrated people trying to add a new hard disk to an older system when they discovered that not all of the designed capacity of the hard disk was accessible. This inability to access the entire drive is referred to as a “capacity barrier” and it has been seen and overcome many times in the computer and disk drive industry.

The 137-gigabyte barrier is the result of the original design specification for the ATA interface that provided only 28 bits of address for data. This specification means a hard disk can have a maximum of 268,435,456 sectors of 512 bytes of data which puts the ATA interface maximum at 137.4 gigabytes.

10,000,000

1,000,000

100,000

10,000

1,000

100

10

Win2000

137GB

 

WinME

WinXP

 

 

Win98

33GB

 

 

 

 

Win95(osr2)

8GB

 

 

 

 

Win95A

4GB

 

2GB

 

 

Win 3.x

 

DOS 5.x

 

 

528MB

 

4.x

128MB

 

 

 

 

 

3.x

32MB

 

 

10MB

16MB

 

 

 

 

 

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

10 megabytes:early

PC/XT limit

 

 

 

 

16 megabytes:

FAT 12 limit

 

 

 

 

32 megabytes:

DOS 3.x limit

 

 

 

 

128 megabytes:

DOS 4.x limit

 

 

 

 

528 megabytes:

Early ATA BIOSs without BIOS extensions

 

2.1 gigabytes:

DOS file system partition limit

 

 

4.2 gigabytes:

CMOS extended CHS addressing limit (not widely experienced)

8.4 gigabytes:

BIOS/Int13 24-bit addressing limit

 

 

32 gigabytes:

BIOS limit

 

 

 

 

A-2 Maxtor D540X-4G

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Image 42
Maxtor D540X-4G manual Dos

D540X-4G specifications

The Maxtor D540X-4G, introduced in the early 2000s, is a notable hard disk drive that carved a niche in the consumer and business storage market. It is part of the D540X series, known for its reliability and substantial storage capacity for its time, boasting an impressive 4GB of storage.

One of the standout features of the D540X-4G is its advanced ATA/100 interface, allowing for a high data transfer rate of up to 100 MB/s. This was a significant leap forward in performance, enabling faster access to data and improved system responsiveness. Unlike older interfaces, the ATA/100 significantly reduced bottlenecks, making it an ideal choice for users who required efficient data management.

The D540X-4G was built on a 5400 RPM spindle speed. While this wasn't as fast as some higher-end drives available at the time, it provided a balance between speed and thermal efficiency. The combination of its rotational speed and data density allowed for a commendable average seek time, which translated into quicker file access for everyday applications, such as word processing and spreadsheet management.

Another commendable attribute of the D540X-4G is its acoustic management technology, which ensured that the drive operated quietly, minimizing distraction in office environments or home setups. This was particularly beneficial for users who needed to maintain a serene working atmosphere.

In terms of durability, the D540X-4G featured a robust design with built-in shock protection. This characteristic offered an additional layer of safety for data integrity, especially vital in portable systems where exposure to movement is frequent. Maxtor also placed a focus on providing error-correction capabilities, which further enhanced data reliability.

The D540X-4G utilized a halogen-free design in its manufacturing process, reflecting an early commitment to environmental considerations, which would become increasingly important in the years to follow.

Overall, the Maxtor D540X-4G hard drive highlighted the advancements in storage technology of the time, combining ample capacity, improved speed, and reliability in a user-friendly package. It appealed to a broad spectrum of users, from everyday home computing to small business applications, making it a valuable player in the computing landscape during its era.