GSBUG Hardware Info SIG

1. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG June 12, 2003

2. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Agenda – June 12, 2003 • 7:00 – 7:05 Administration • 7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topic – Hard Drives and “Floppies”: 2003 Update • 8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News • 8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A) • 8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

3. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Administration • Welcome! Please Sign In. • What the SIG is…and is not. • Is – an information resource for computer users and potential computer users • Is NOT – a way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG) • Log – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

4. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Administration (continued): • Presentation materials will be posted at: http://gsbug.apcug.org/hwinfosig.htm • Prior presentation materials are also posted.

5. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update • “Hard disk drive (HDD)” – a readable, writeable, storage device with NON-separable media; the device which stores most computer programs and data. • “IDE” – integrated drive electronics • “ATA” – advanced technology attachment; ANSI for IDE • “SATA”(SATA/150) – serial ATA (vs PATA, parallel ATA – your “normal” IDE/ATA drive type) • “SCSI” – small computer system interface

6. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • “Ultra ATA” – higher speed ATA, incl. Ultra ATA/33, Ultra ATA/66, Ultra ATA/100 and Ultra ATA/133; depending on supplier, may be called UDMA (ultra direct memory access) • /xx or /xxx is max (burst) external data rate in MB/sec • Primary manufacturers – Hitachi (IBM), Maxtor (Quantum), Seagate, Western Digital • Other manufacturers – Fujitsu, Samsung, Toshiba

7. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Key performance indicators: • Spindle speed – higher the better • Internal (media) transfer rate (Mb/sec) – higher the better • Average seek time (ms) – lower the better • Latency (ms) – lower the better • Disk cache/buffer size (MB) – larger the better • Benchmarking: • Ziff Davis’ Disk WinMark (Business and High-End) – most recognized; virtually free

8. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Current capacity leaders (ATA) • Hitachi – Deskstar 180GXP, up to 180GB (up to 8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/100) • Maxtor – MaXLine II, up to 300GB (2MB cache, 5400 rpm, ATA/133) • Seagate – Barracuda 7200.7, up to 160GB (up to 8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/100, SATA) • Western Digital – WD2500JB, 250GB (8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/100)

9. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Current performance leaders (ATA) • Hitachi – Deskstar 180GXP, 699Mb/sec (up to 180GB, up to 8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/100) • Maxtor – DiamondMax Plus 9, highest performance? (up to 200GB, up to 8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/133, SATA) • Seagate – Barracuda 7200.7, 683Mb/sec (up to 160GB up to 8MB cache, 7200 rpm, ATA/100, SATA) • Western Digital – Raptor (WD360GD), 816Mb/sec (36.7GB, 8MB cache, 10000 rpm, SATA)

10. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Current capacity leaders (SCSI) • Hitachi – DK32EJ, up to 147.8GB (up to 16MB cache, 10025 rpm, U320) • Maxtor – Atlas 10K IV, up to 147GB (8MB cache, 10000 rpm, U320) • Seagate – Barracuda 180, 181.6GB (16MB cache, 7200 rpm, U160) • Western Digital – N/A

11. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Current performance leaders (SCSI) • Hitachi – Ultrastar 146Z10, max 825Mb/sec (up to 146.8GB, 8MB cache, 10000 rpm, U320) • Maxtor – Atlas 15K, 860Mb/sec (up to 73GB, 8MB cache, 15000 rpm, U320) • Seagate – Cheetah 15K.3, 891Mb/sec (up to 73GB, 8MB cache, 15000 rpm, U320) • Western Digital – N/A

12. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Price example – best found 6/1 was $110 (after rebate) for a Maxtor 160GB/8MB cache ATA/133 drive (Fry’s/ Outpost.com); “easy” to find larger drives (80GB and above) for $1/GB (after rebate). • Availability – check the web, Pomona, ACP, Fry’s • Reliability – even the best drives fail! • Warranty – MAY be non-existent if not purchased from a reseller that purchased through an “authorized” distributor or the drive was stolen. Check the manufacturer’s web site.

13. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Tips: • Set BIOS (drive ID) to “Auto”. SATA drives may have special BIOS settings to match the controller (HDC). • Watch the motherboard connector keying • “Short” end of cable towards the drive • Drive end of cable – the “red” wire/stripe installs closest to drive’s power connector; red wire of power connector towards the data cable. • Ultra ATA/66/100/133 drives require a 40-pin, 80-conductor cable & compatible HDC

14. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hard Drives: 2003 Update (continued) • Tips (continued): • SATA drives use different cables than PATA drives – both data (7-pin) and power (15-pin); data cables “should” be included with the motherboard or HDC; a power cable adapter is typically NOT included (you’ll need a “4-pin Molex to 15- pin serial” power adapter) – plan ahead! • Put HDDs on their own channel • Use HDD-included or third party “cloning” software to upgrade (e.g., PowerQuest’s Drive Copy or Drive Image, Symantec’s Ghost – as low as $9 + S&H on the web).

15. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • “Floppies”: 2003 Update • “Floppy disk drive (FDD)” – one form of readable, writeable, storage devices with separable media; for our purposes uses a 3.5” “diskette” as the storage medium • Key issues: • Capacity, performance • Ability to read/write standard 1.44MB FD • OS compatibility • Interface – available, appropriate, cost?

16. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • “Floppies”: 2003 Update (continued) • Standard floppy • 1.44MB; 62.5KB/sec transfer (standard internal floppy) • Reads/writes 1.44MB diskettes • 100% OS compatible (standard internal floppy) • Interfaces – standard internal floppy, parallel, PCMCIA, SCSI (external), and USB • Less than $10 (standard internal), Web

17. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • “Floppies”: 2003 Update (continued) • ZIP (Iomega) • 100, 250, and 750MB models – 1.4, 2.4, and 7.3MB/sec, respectively (internal drives) • Will NOT read or write 1.44MB diskettes; the 750 will not write to 100 media • <100% OS compatible (DOS and pre-Win 3.x not supported) • Interfaces – ATAPI (internal), parallel, SCSI (external), FireWire (IEEE-1394), and USB • Less than $30 for 100MB (ATAPI), Web + S&H • Value proposition vs CD-RW?

18. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • “Floppies”: 2003 Update (continued) • Gone (at least from the US market): • LS-120 (“SuperDrive”) – Imation, Mitsubishi, Panasonic/Matsushita • Sony’s “HiFD”

19. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News • Processors • AMD released the Athlon XP 3200+ – 2.2GHz, 400MHz FSB (first), 512K L2 – line extension. • Intel released 2.4, 2.6, and 2.8GHz Pentium 4 processors with 800MHz FSB and Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology – line extension.

20. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Core Logic (chipsets) • Intel released the 865PE and 865G chipsets – both support 800MHz FSB processors, AGP 8X graphics, and dual-channel DDR400 (PC3200) SDRAM; 865G includes Intel Express Graphics 2 (integrated graphics, 266MHz core, 350MHz DAC, and support for an AGP card slot). Paired with previously released ICH5/ICH5R. • Intel released the 865P chipset – same as 865PE except only supports 533MHz FSB processors and DDR333 (PC2700) SDRAM.

21. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Core Logic (chipsets) (continued) • NVIDIA released the nForce2 Ultra 400 and 400 Northbridges for AMD Athlon XP processors – adds 400MHz FSB support to nForce2; both support DDR400 (PC3200) SDRAM; Ultra version supports dual-channel DDR400. • SiS announced the SiS648FX Northbridge for Intel Pentium 4 processors – supports 800MHz FSB CPUs and single-channel DDR400 (PC3200) SDRAM.

22. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Core Logic (chipsets) (continued) • VIA (pre-)announced the KT600 Northbridge for AMD Athlon XP processors – adds support for 400MHz FSB processors; supports up to 4GB RAM in 3 DIMM sockets; only single-channel DDR400 (PC3200) supported. • VIA announced that the previously announced UniChrome KM400 Northbridge for AMD Athlon XP processors will include support for 400MHz FSB processors.

23. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • System RAM – nothing new • Motherboards • Intel released the D865PERC, D865PERL and D865GBF ATX form factor boards and the D865PESO and D865GLC micro-ATX form factor boards. • Major Taiwanese manufacturers release boards based on the just-released Intel 865PE, 865G, and 865P chipsets and the just-released NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 and 400 chipsets.

24. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Graphics Processors & Cards • NVIDIA released the GeForce FX 5900 GPU for high-end desktops – 256-bit /450MHz core, 256-bit/850MHz memory; uses DDR, not DDR-II; supports up to 256MB RAM. Still not fastest? ASUSTeK, Leadtek, MSI, PNY, other partners announce cards. • NVIDIA release the Quadro FX 500 GPU for workstations – 128-bit core, presumably 128-bit memory bus. PNY announced card, 128MB, AGP 8X, MSRP $449. • Hard Drives • Seagate announced 2.5” enterprise drive plans for 2004.

25. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Hard Drive Controllers – nothing new • Other Drives • Iomega enters market with two DVD writeable drives – a 4X/2.4X DVD+R/+RW and a 4X/2.4X DVD+R/-R/+RW/-RW; 2MB buffer; internal, ATAPI. • Plextor announced the PX-504UF external 4X/2.4X DVD+R/+RW drive w/ USB 2.0 and IEEE-1394 interfaces. • Samsung released the SM-252 52x24x52x16 CD-R/-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive – 8MB buffer, ATAPI, MSRP of $129.

26. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Sound processors & cards – nothing new • Modems & NICs – nothing new • Chassis & power supplies – nothing new

27. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Random Access

28. GBBUG Hardware Info SIG • Recap, Preview, and Close • Recap • Preview • Featured Topic for July 10 – CD, DVD, and Other Non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives: 2003 Update • Close (please police up the area)