Hard Disk Drive Knowledge Base

Question

What precautions do I need to take when installing my new Hitachi Global Storage Technologies hard disk drive?

Answer

Modern disk drives are highly complex products. In many cases, particularly with high capacity, high performance drives, careful preparation is required when installing a new drive in a system. The following steps will ensure that Hitachi Global Storage Technologies drives meet their high reliability specifications and that drive warranty terms are not voided.

A typical installation preparation sequence would include:

1. Physical mounting design - screws, brackets, cabling etc. Make sure the drive physically fits into available mounting bays. Ensure that the drive is mounted in conformance with its Functional Specification, and that it is not distorted or stressed by the mounting hardware. Check that cable lengths, terminators, etc. meet the relevant interface specifications for ATA (IDE), SCSI, or SSA.

2. Thermal considerations - airflow and drive temperature measurements. The higher performance Hitachi Global Storage Technologies drives MUST have sufficient airflow to meet the temperature limits shown in the specifications. Failure to achieve this will shorten drive life, risking customer data and invalidating warranty terms.

3. Interface and controller compatibility evaluation. Unfortunately, not all types of controllers will work with all types of drives. This is often due to different interpretations of the interface specs. Planned combinations of peripheral devices must be checked out. Different device combinations can keep devices from performing at their optimum level. The Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Technical Support Center can provide information on compatibility testing with some controllers, but this information is provided without guarantee and each application should be verified by the user.

4. BIOS and operating system compatibility. Over the last several years disk drive capacity has increased dramatically. Often the BIOS of a system must be upgraded to support a high capacity drive. In some cases, operating systems must have special functions enabled or disabled to accommodate a high capacity drive and to allow it to perform to its full potential. The Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Technical Support Center can provide assistance in determining if the BIOS of a system needs to be upgraded.

5. Planning for handling. One of the main causes of drive failures at the installation stage is inadequate handling. All disk drives are sensitive to damage from mechanical shock and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Adequate ESD precautions are mandatory for the handling of most electronic components and disk drives are no exception. A drive should NEVER be removed from its protective ESD bag unless the person involved is properly grounded. Grounding wrist bands can be purchased at any local electronics store.