Maxtor ATLAS 10K IV User Manual page 243

HARD ERROR – A data error that persists
when the disk is re-read, usually caused by
defects in the physical surface.
HARD-SECTORED – The most common
method of indicating the start of each sector on
a disk, based on information located in the
embedded servo. This method is more precise
than soft-sectored techniques and results in
lower overhead. (See also soft-sectored.)
HEAD – The tiny electromagnetic coil and
metal pole used to create and read back
magnetic patterns on the disk. Also known as
read/write head.
HEAD CRASH – Damage to the read/write
head, usually caused by sudden contact with
the disk surface. Head crash can also be caused
by dust and other particles.
HEAD ASSEMBLY – The tiny
electromagnetic or magneto-resistive element
used to write and read back the magnetic
patterns of data on the recording media. See
also Diamond Head.
HEAD DISK ASSEMBLY (HDA) – The
assembly made up of the spindle motor,
spindle, head positioner (actuator), head
preamp electronics, and magnetic disk
assembly.
HIGH-CAPACITY DRIVE – By industry
conventions typically a drive of 100 megabytes
or more.
HIGH-LEVEL FORMATTING – Formatting
performed by the operating system to create the
root directory, file allocation tables and other
basic configurations. (See also
.)
formatting
HOME – Reference track used for recalibration
of the actuator. Usually the outermost track
(track 0).
HOST ADAPTER – A plug-in board that acts
as the interface between a computer system bus
and the disk drive.
INITIALIZATION – See
INTERFACE – A hardware or software
protocol, (contained in the electronics of the
disk controller and disk drive) that manages the
exchange of data between the drive and
computer. The most common interfaces for
small computer systems are AT (also known as
IDE) and SCSI.
INTERLEAVE – The arrangement of sectors
on a track. The Interleave Factor is the number
of sectors that pass beneath the read/write
heads before the next sector arrives. For
example, a 3:1 interleave factor means that the
heads read a sector, then let two pass by before
reading another, requiring three full
revolutions of the disk to access the complete
data track. Maxtor drives have an interleave
factor of 1:1, allowing the system to access a
full track of data in a single revolution.
INTERLEAVE FACTOR – The number of
sectors that pass beneath the read/write heads
before the next numbered sector arrives. When
the interleave factor is 3:1, a sector is read, two
pass by, and then the next is read. It would take
three revolutions of the disk to access a full
track of data. Maxtor drives have an interleave
of 1:1, so a full track of data can be accessed
within one revolution of the disk, thus offering
the highest data throughput possible.
INTERNAL DRIVE – A drive mounted inside
one of a computer's drive bays, or a hard disk
on a card installed in one of the computer's
expansion slots.
low-level
I/O PROCESS – An I/O process consists of an
initial connection (nexus) followed by zero or
more reconnections, all pertaining to a single
command or a group of linked commands. An
I/O process normally ends with a BUS FREE
phase following a COMMAND COMPLETE
or a RELEASE RECOVERY message.
Glossary
I
low-level formatting
G-5
Maxtor Atlas 10K IV
.