Abstract: A disk drive system includes a disk drive controller system having separate head positioning and data transfer subsystems and supporting up to four disk drives, two of which may be removable and two of which may connect through a standard ST506 interface. The system provides a read and write protected cylinder for removably drive and a read only cylinder for removable drives which may store a unique serial number as well as other write protected data. Each removable disk drive may includes a register storing an identification code which may be used to control operation of the drive.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a disk controller system having separate head positioning and data transfer subsystems and supporting up to four disk drives, two of which may be removable, portable drive units and two of which may connect through a standard ST506 interface. The removable disk drives incorporate a read and write protected data cylinder for storing information such as the maintenance history of the drive, and a read only cylinder for storing a unique serial number as well as other write protected data. The system also features a high capacity, high speed sector buffer which allows continuous transfers of data to or from noninterleaved sectors and supports concurrent disk and system accesses.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a disk controller system having separate head positioning and data transfer subsystems and supporting up to four disk drives, two of which may be removable and two of which may connect through a standard ST506 interface. The system provides a read and write protected cylinder for removable drives, a read only cylinder for removable drives which may store a unique serial number as well as other write protected data, and a high capacity, high speed sector buffer which allows continuous transfers of data to or from noninterleaved sectors and supports concurrent disk and system accesses.

Abstract: A portable hard disk drive module enclosing all of the operative components of the disk drive is removably received by a receptacle in a microcomputer system. The disk drive module and the receptacle each have an electrical connector and these connectors are coupled when the module is in an operating position within the receptacle. The connectors comprise the sole interface between the operative components of the disk drive and the remainder of the computer system. The receptacle includes a transport mechanism for moving the module from a load position to the operating position and from the operating position to a module unload position. Accordingly, movement of the module between these positions in the receptacle is completely under machine control.