{"id":793,"date":"2023-03-10T12:00:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T11:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bananahdd.nl\/?p=793"},"modified":"2023-03-10T12:02:03","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T11:02:03","slug":"western-digital-expert-wd100ba-60ak-10gb-1999","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bananahdd.nl\/index.php\/2023\/03\/10\/western-digital-expert-wd100ba-60ak-10gb-1999\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Digital Expert WD100BA-60AK 10.2GB (1999)"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is in essence a Western Digital produced DPTA-371020 from the Deskstar 34GXP series, a familiar sight makes itself known, but with a more unusual story. This drive hails from the era where Western Digital really were on their knees, experiencing sharp losses.<\/p>\n

Like NEC had done only a couple years prior, Western Digital turned to IBM to license their drive designs, with much success to follow.<\/p>\n

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A WD-IBM thing.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
  Drive Attributes<\/strong><\/em>\r\n  --------------------------------------\r\n  Western Digital Expert WD100BA-60AK\r\n  --------------------------------------\r\n  Capacity      10.2GB\r\n  Mfc Date      1999-10-09\r\n  Format        3.5\"\r\n  Interface     PATA\r\n  Platters      2\r\n  Heads         3\r\n  Cache         2MB\r\n  RPM           7200\r\n  Origin        Singapore (WD)\r\n  Codename      Plide (IBM) \/ Tride (WD)\r\n  --------------------------------------<\/pre>\n
Before that of IBM’s insistence with ramp-loading designs, this one uses a CSS-based (contact start\/stop) implementation. While the succeeding<\/span> 40GV & 75GXP series were surely terrible, at least they cemented IBM’s ramp-loading ideology into the future. This drive is a later Expert variant, as the series was initially served under 22GXP design, before switching to 34GXP based architecture. This included a completely different model identifier layout.<\/p>\n
Given that this drive only has 3 heads, the top surface being unutilised, each surface has an approximate density of 3.4GB. Western Digital were limited to 27.3GB in capacity with the WD273BA, being the same as a DPTA-372730 in design. NEC had the same limitation, 4 platter configurations being the maximum allowance under contractual agreements with the 34GXP’s. After all, giving away IBM’s key 5 platter capacity advantage to competing vendors wouldn’t be an ideal move.<\/p>\n
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Label differences only.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
This drive was produced in Singapore, in one of Western Digital’s existing factories. Western Digital’s other major factory in Malaysia wasn’t excluded, being another manufacturing location of this series. In a move of individuality, the label cut-out is entirely different, recycling next to nothing from IBM’s label design like NEC had done.<\/p>\n
Originally, this drive was in a Compaq machine, serving a relatively unextraordinary existence. The asset tag sticker fell off, but there are a few other OEM indications on the label itself, particularly with the OEM identifier within the model number.<\/p>\n
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The rear.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Compared to the usual 34GXP, no major alterations to the design were made. Expectedly so, assuming the limitations IBM imposed were strict enough, which would be the main presumption here. There is one interesting supplier difference though, as seen below.<\/p>\n
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The usual change.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
As seems all too common with design reproductions, the choice of the spindle motor supplier remains the major differential. Western Digital used Nidec motors for a very long time prior to these drives, making the presence of the brand on this drive to be an expected outcome. It’s a neat difference compared to how IBM & NEC chose their motor suppliers, nonetheless.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, it’s just a standard three-phase BLDC motor.<\/p>\n
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Under the PCB.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
From here, there aren’t really any differences to spot, compared to a standard 34GXP.<\/p>\n
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The foam reveals more..<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The cast base itself is marked as being produced two months before the drive was finalised.<\/p>\n
Western Digital ended up stamping some information under the foam, but it doesn’t reveal all too much.<\/p>\n
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The PCB.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The PCB itself is quite unextraordinary. The usual Mitsubishi microcontroller, Samsung cache & Hitachi spindle motor controller. Western Digital stuck to what was provided, probably as a result of the non-existent wiggle room entertained within the deal. It surely must have been all too tempting otherwise.<\/p>\n
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SMART.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Compared to a 34GXP, Western Digital had a little more room to play with the firmware. By that, literally nothing is different aside from the identification model. At least it’s more than NEC did…<\/p>\n
This one has had quite a bit of use time, but it’s not too bad all things considered. It’s in perfect health, as one would expect from 34GXP’s, a design which has generally held up quite well.<\/p>\n
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Factory tests.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
It’s nice to see the tests run at the factory present in the self-test log, usually being a blank canvas instead.<\/p>\n
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Ref: Maximum PC, July 1999 [1]<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>An earlier Expert revision being shown off above, shows their placement in the market. Not as particularly high-end as with IBM, but holding good value nonetheless. It’s unclear if the same areal density disparity remained with all Experts (given WD’s differing supplier requirements), or if it were a limitation per-IBM’s request. We’ll never know.<\/p>\n
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An ad. (Ref: Maximum PC, March 1999) [2]<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>A fate where IBM almost purchased Western Digital ended up being quite ironic, seeing as Western Digital now own all the tech concerning what became of their storage division in HGST. Reality truly can be quite tragic indeed.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the Expert series was quite successful for the company, even if modern Western Digital attempt to sweep it under the rug in terms of documentation. While they may want us to forget this past exchange, history will forever haunt them with these superbly exceptional models.<\/p>\n
If you missed the video I made on this drive, you can find it here:<\/p>\n