Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6Gb/s WD5000AAKX

clocka · 9 Nov 2010 at 09:11

Anyone know if this uses the faster 667GB platters that the Samsung f4 320gb uses?

It has sata 6gbps, if it has the new faster platters then this drive could be the new must have small speedy drive at £34 on ocuk.

http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-364-WD

DragonQ · 9 Nov 2010 at 09:18

Not sure how a 500 GB drive can have 667 GB platters...

Andrew Moore · 9 Nov 2010 at 09:21

Its speeds are around the 130/140Mb/s mark so its certainly quite a pokey little drive

Andy

clocka · 9 Nov 2010 at 10:59

DragonQ said:
Not sure how a 500 GB drive can have 667 GB platters...

they can short stroke the drive so that only 500gb is usable, thats what new 320gb drives do as they all use 500gb platters now, except the 320gb samsung f4 which uses a 667gb platter. It means faster speed

Atom · 9 Nov 2010 at 14:31

Are these advanced format? Am putting together a testbed for WHS Vail and advanced format drives are not suitable for the os disk..

tbh · 9 Nov 2010 at 16:11

clocka said:
they can short stroke the drive so that only 500gb is usable, it means faster speed

Presumably because the slower inner sectors of the disk are inaccessible?

clocka · 9 Nov 2010 at 19:13

the inner sectors are the faster ones, its the outer sectors that they stop you from using.

Deluxe1 · 11 Nov 2010 at 13:08

Atom said:
Are these advanced format? Am putting together a testbed for WHS Vail and advanced format drives are not suitable for the os disk..

Yes they are.

Atom · 11 Nov 2010 at 13:39

Deluxe1 said:
Yes they are.

Looks like it will have to be another Seagate then... I only need 160gb so could use a WD Black lappy drive..

Deluxe1 · 11 Nov 2010 at 13:41

Well i think they are,i'm just going by what it says on the packaging of the drive:

ATTENTION!

ADVANCED FORMAT DRIVES REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INSTALLATION STEPS BLAH BLAH BLAH

DragonQ · 11 Nov 2010 at 13:49

I think Vista/7/2008/2008 R2 all correctly sort out Advanced Format drives but XP needs special alignment tools.

Toughnoodle · 11 Nov 2010 at 14:17

500GB by the looks of it:

http://rml527.blogspot.com/2010/09/hdd-platter-capacity-database.html

DragonQ · 11 Nov 2010 at 14:25

WD5000AAKX isn't even in that list...

Deluxe1 · 11 Nov 2010 at 14:27

Has anyone ordered the above drive and actually recieved a 32mb cache one?

Had mine turn up today but it was only a 16mb cache drive.

Toughnoodle · 11 Nov 2010 at 14:52

Toughnoodle said:
500GB by the looks of it:

http://rml527.blogspot.com/2010/09/hdd-platter-capacity-database.html

Aah, you're right. I saw KS, but thought KX. Unlucky, otherwise it looks like a good resource.

Atom · 11 Nov 2010 at 16:34

Deluxe1 said:
Has anyone ordered the above drive and actually recieved a 32mb cache one?

Had mine turn up today but it was only a 16mb cache drive.

Sure you ordered the right one? There are 2 different drives listed on ocuk.

Deluxe1 · 11 Nov 2010 at 16:43

Yeah it was the 32mb cache i ordered but theyve taken that down now as i cant see it so maybe they dont have those and did only have the 16mb ones.

Anyways,i sent it back earlier and they said they would ship out the correct drive once theyve recieved it.

clocka · 30 Nov 2010 at 16:14

anyone seen any reviews comparing this drive with the Samsung F4 320GB?