The Deskstar 7K1000.C continued to deliver with the humble HDS721050CLA662, a 500GB drive where simplicity sums it up best. Over 10 years later, it still holds on strong, with this particular example being exceptionally fresh in terms of usage time.
Drive Attributes ----------------------------------------- Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.C HDS721050CLA662 ----------------------------------------- Capacity 500GB Mfc Date 2012-09 Format 3.5" Interface SATA Platters 1 Heads 2 Cache 16MB RPM 7200 Protocol Serial-ATA/600 Origin China (HGSP(S)) Codename Jupiter -----------------------------------------
Being a single platter drive, density is 500GB per-platter. This particular drive was built in Q3 of 2012.
The label remains as classically Hitachi as ever, with Deskstar branding being long-since omitted. Everything is clear & simple.
This drive was manufactured in China, in a factory which would continue to develop these models under the hands of Toshiba, such as with the HDWD110.
The base of the drive is quite empty, being a design utilised in various different models.
The PCB utilises a microcontroller supplied by LSI, with ID MUSE-B2B2-L. The spindle motor controller is unbranded as usual (top right), with 16MB of cache provided by Samsung (top left).
Underneath the PCB, there’s not much to speak of. The usual three screws for the head-stack & actuator assembly.
It’s a single platter 500GB drive, so results are in-line with expectations. Certainly a far sight faster than multi-platter 500GB drives of years past.
A drive being salvaged long ago from a discarded desktop, this unit has been barely used. Given the reputation these drives hold, it should last a good while longer. Luck can always bite back, nonetheless.
If you missed the video I made on this drive, you can find it here: