Introduction - Seagate Medalist Pro Series Product Manual

Medalist Pro 6450/5040 Product Manual, February 1997 1

Introduction

This manual describes the functional, mechanical and interface specifi-
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cations for the Medalist Pro 6450 and Medalist Pro 5040 hard disc
drives. The drives are referred to throughout this manual by their model
numbers, ST36450A for the Medalist Pro 6450 and ST35040A for the
Medalist Pro 5040.
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Seagate desktop products take a step into the future with the ST36450A
and ST35040A. These drives feature MR heads and PRML recording
technology, Fast ATA-2 performance, segmented cache, embedded
servo technology, low noise, power management and S.M.A.R.T. capa-
bilities.
The ST36450A contains five discs and the ST35040A contains four
discs. These drives use MR heads and PRML recording technology that
provide the drives with increased areal density. This means that more
data can be stored on each disc.
Fast ATA-2 performance means that the drives support PIO mode 4,
multiword DMA mode 2 transfer modes and multiple block read/write.
When the host chooses either transfer mode, the drives provide burst-
transfer rates of up to 16.6 Mbytes per second. The multiple block
read/write feature allows the drives to store several blocks of data in
cache and transfer them in a single burst.
These drives use a 512-Kbyte segmented cache. Segmenting the cache
provides a designated area where blocks of contiguous read or write data
can be staged for transfer in a single burst.
The ST36450A and ST35040A drives have other features that ensure
fast data throughput. Embedded servo technology allows the drives to
position the heads for data retrieval efficiently and accurately while
eliminating the periodic thermal recalibration that can interrupt during
data transfers. These drives also use a 16-bit microprocessor and an
intelligent controller that provides data streaming: direct data transfers
between the drive and the host without microprocessor intervention.
These features allow for a sustained data-transfer rate that facilitates
video playback and other multimedia operations.
These drives support Active, Idle and Standby power-management
modes. Power-saving modes can be controlled by the host computer.
Standby mode reduces power consumption to 1 watt (typical) while
retaining drive accessibility.
Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) is
available on these drives. This feature is discussed on page 35. To use
the feature, you must have a BIOS, a software driver or application
software that supports S.M.A.R.T.