Product Description
The hard disk drive is one of the finest examples of the precision control of mechatronics, with tolerances less than one micrometer achieved while operating at high speed. Increasing demand for higher data density as well as disturbance-prone operating environments continue to test designers' mettle. Explore the challenges presented by modern hard disk drives and learn how to overcome them with Hard Disk Drive: Mechatronics and Control.

Beginning with an overview of hard disk drive history, components, operating principles, and industry trends, the authors thoroughly examine the design and manufacturing challenges. They start with the head positioning servomechanism followed by the design of the actuator servo controller, the critical aspects of spindle motor control, and finally, the servo track writer, a critical technology in hard disk drive manufacturing. By comparing various design approaches for both single- and dual-stage servomechanisms, the book shows the relative pros and cons of each approach. Numerous examples and figures clarify and illustrate the discussion.

Exploring practical issues such as models for plants, noise reduction, disturbances, and common problems with spindle motors, Hard Disk Drive: Mechatronics and Control avoids heavy theory in favor of providing hands-on insight into real issues facing designers every day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hard Drive Basics
I bought this book to better understand the fundamentals of the Hard Drive itself and not software and Operating Systems. I found this book to have a logical topic progression and a sweeping review of Hard Drive fundamentals. It delivered what I needed in an effective manner with plenty of tables and diagrams to aid understanding.

Another review of this book stated it was lacking on discussing some aspects, like the physics of magnetism, but my intention was simply to garner a better understanding of the mechanical/electrical parts of a Hard Drive. There are plenty enough math ideas to ponder for me, but perhaps if one is an Engineering Student you might enjoy additional formulas and deeper physics. However, especially for those of us who simply want a more concrete understanding of what happens inside the Hard Disk, this book is very useful.

The only negative I found was the sometimes odd phrasing, but the book repeats the main points in numerous ways to make itself understandable even for those of us who are 'layman'.

I would have given 5 stars and not 4 if it was offered at a lower price.

Good engineering book for the scope of topics covered
I have been searching for a good book on hard disk drives. I believe
this is a good one from the point of view of control engineering. Important topics are adequately covered with a good introduction to the
design of the hard disk drive itself.

However, if you are looking for book to understand Physics of hard disk
drives - GMR, perpendicular recording etc., -- this is not the one.

As it says, it is an engineering book on Mechatronics as it applies to
the design of hard disk drives. ... Read more

Product Description

The second edition of this monograph provides a systematic treatment of the design of hard disk drive servo systems updated to reflect recent improvements in spindle speed and bit density and other changes in this fast-moving field. In particular, it focuses on the applications of some newly developed results in control theory, i.e., robust and perfect tracking control and composite non-linear feedback control which are suitable for track following and seeking respectively. Emphasis is placed on hard disk drive servo systems with single- or dual-stage actuation using a voice-coil-motor actuator enhanced in the latter case by the addition of a micro-actuator providing faster responses and therefore higher bandwidth in track following. Modeling and compensation of nonlinearities and friction in microdrives, disturbance rejection and resonance compensation are also addressed. The Linear Systems and CNF MATLAB^® toolkits used to develop many of the results can be downloaded from the book's website.

Product Description
This book will take you from basic academic knowledge about magnetics to a proficient understanding of the most recent advances in the technology. This book offers the latest information about disk technology, including: the fundamentals of magnetics, MIG heads, thin film heads, magnetoresistive heads, thin film media, electrical and mechanical integration of these components into a drive, and how to record writing and reading processes magnetically. You'll also learn about giant magnetoresistance, contact recording, and future disk drive industry developments. MAGNETIC DISK DRIVE TECHNOLOGY is an excellent guide for practitioners, researchers, and recent graduate engineers in the field of magnetics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Book review
Book was in perfect condition, and delivered promptly.Useful book for anyone wanting a quick overview of hard drives.

Great for newcomers only!
The book is simple yet concise in presenting disk drive mechanisms for thelayman and does away with excessively complex formulations found in mosttexts. That's the main reason why I rate it as excellent for newbies to thedata storage industry. As for experts, it serves as good instructionalmaterial as well as a handy reference. The contents are well-delivered,breaking into different sections for discussion and each chapter endingwith references for in-depth reading. While the book attempts to cover theevolution of drive design (e.g. ferrite technology), there is alsoup-to-date coverage on newer stuff like giant magnetoresistive heads andPRML technology. On the other hand, the disappointing areas are the lack ofdiscussion in mechanical aspects, assembly and perhaps, on the servo andspindle control.

In general, this is a helpful book for peopleinterested in basic understanding of a magnetic disk drive. Wish I havethis sooner... ... Read more

Product Description
This book, which applies not only to the Amstrad PC but all IBM PC clones, is devoted entirely to the use of hard disks, particularly as an add-on, covering formatting, first use, directory trees, maintenance, utilities and the setting up of various popular programs so as to take maximum advantage of the hard disk. ... Read more

Product Description
Leading problem -- Drive and memory problems are the leading technical problems with computers and this book focuses specifically on that point. It includes error codes and messages difficult to find elsewhere. A Quick Reference -- Unlike other "pocket references" which attempt to serve as miniature textbooks, this book is intended to provide concise, no-frills procedures and explanations. A reader can quickly find the answers to their drive and memory problems and questions. Handy, portable design -- The small trim size makes these books great for techniicans in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Referencia
Cada profesional del servicio a computadoras debe tener una biblioteca de referencia y en ella tener este libro. Ayuda a resolver problemas no comunes que se presentan y causan dolores de cabeza. Como libro de referencia en el taller es muy bueno. Lo recomiendo en versiones más actualizadas.

A must have reference
The book is very useful in emergency cases, and every computer technician must have bigelow's book on his shelf. It is my first reference in times of troubleshooting. If you're already a guru, you can skip the explanation part of the subject you're interested in and merge directly into the symptoms section. I only wished that it coverd more topics like CPUs, Motherboards, expansion cards... The bottom line, It's a very good book. ... Read more

Product Description
Focuses on helping IT professionals and users make the most of hardware and disks with Windows 2000. Delivers practical examples, real-world techniques, and insight. For IT professionals and for all users of Windows 2000 Professional. Questions and answers throughout. Softcover.Amazon.com Review
Hardware devices, particularly hard disk drives, are peculiar creatures in the Windows world. Although stunning advances in capability have taken place in recent years, the requirements of backward compatibility dictate that modern devices be similar in many ways to products sold 5 (or even 15) years ago. Windows 2000 Hardware and Disk Management is about the intersection of Microsoft's latest operating systems and various hardware specifications. It's a valuable resource for system administrators, system integrators, and power users interested in getting the most from the disk subsystem and other hardware interfaces of Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server.

Coverage of hardware devices other than hard disks isn't deep--there's one paragraph dedicated to resolving this common problem: "The printer does not print." Indeed, this book would be better if it included explicit coverage of how Windows 2000 interacts, for example, with SCSI drives ("SCSI" isn't even in the index). Still, this book earns its keep by detailing how to use Windows 2000's disk-administration tools--it sticks to the software level. You'll find clear guidance on how to establish and discontinue drive mirroring, for example, and how to set up a safety net based on RAID-5 volumes. There's also a brief but worthwhile introduction to the process of creating and maintaining a storage scheme based on the distributed file system (DFS). --David Wall

Topics covered: The hardware-management tools that ship with Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server. Modems, network cards, printers, and multimedia devices all get their moments in the sun, but hard disks represent the main event. There's coverage of dynamic disks, dynamic volumes, the distributed file system (DFS), RAID-5 support, and plenty of administration and management tools. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Niche Book
I was the technical editor for Curt on this book and have had the opportunity to work with him on other books.His writing style is excellent and he never spends more time than necessary on any onetopic.

For those wishing to learn more about the hardware requirementsfor Win2000, this is the book.You won't find vague chapters coveringnumerous other Win2000 topics lightly-- that's for other books.This onefocuses on what it takes to manage the physical server that is runningWin2000.

If you like this one, I can tell you that Curt has other bookson other Win2000 subjects that I've read.His stuff is easy to read andwon't bog you down. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on January 21, 2002. The length of the article is 894 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: TOSHIBA INTRODUCES WORLD'S HIGHEST CAPACITY 1.8-INCH HARD DISK DRIVES.(Product Announcement)
Publication: EDP Weekly's IT Monitor (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 21, 2002
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 43Issue: 3Page: 1

Article Type: Product Announcement

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

resource-full book, but little for the average computer user

Do you know how to get to Mouse Properties in the control panel without instructions? If not, then you might not be able to follow half the material in this book.

Examples of Annoyances addressed in this book:
"I replaced my CMOS backup battery just a few months ago, but I still see occasional CMOS battery errors..."
"I updated my BIOS and need to clear the CMOS RAM, but my motherboard lacks the proper jumper..."
"I want to overclock my PC..."
"Will my system crash if two PCI devices share the same IRQ line?"
"I tried to install DDR333 DIMMs along with my existing DDR400 DIMMs... I thought the modules were compatible..."
"I ran the System File Checker for Windows XP and got a DLL cache error."

There are a few easier topics that an average computer user like me can find useful and understandable ("My CD-RW drive refuses to eject my audio CD."), but the examples above are typical of the difficulty level of the content.

I'm a big fan of the Annoyances series, and this is a book meant for those who are keenly interested in computers, so I'll make sure to go back and read it after I've accumulated more knowledge. In the meantime, it'll serve as a standby reference to consult if a particular hardware problem comes up.

Awesome
This is one of the most useful books I have ever bought.I had three particular problems in mind, and I wasn't buying this book specifically for them; it was more for reference.But I opened it up and it had clear, concise, and easy instructions for doing what I needed- much better than the information I had gotten through hours of internet searches into the problems.

This is a must own for any PC owner, ESPECIALLY if you have Windows.

Interesting resource for hardware hackers
I liked this book, but that's easy because it's a topic that interests me. If hardware hacking is something that you enjoy you will probably find a lot to like in this book. Because in general it's all about the tips and tricks.

That being said this book, like all of the Annoyances books, is not a complete reference. You won't find the list of PC cards, but you will find tips on how to fix flaky USB connections and the like.

A great book to have around "just in case"...
O'Reilly has a series of Annoyances books on the market, and I recently had a chance to review the PC Hardware Annoyances book by Stephen J. Bigelow.It's a really good book with an enormous number of tips and tricks to fix misbehaving computer components.

Chapter List:
Desktop Annoyances: Setup Annoyances; Keyboard Annoyances; Mouse Annoyances; Startup Annoyances; BIOS/CMOS Annoyances; Memory Annoyances; Processor Annoyances; Card and Port Annoyances; Maintenance Annoyances
Laptop/PDA Annoyances: Setup/Startup Annoyances; Battery Annoyances; LCD Annoyances; PC Card Annoyances; PDA Annoyances; Maintenance Annoyances
Graphic Annoyances: Configuration Annoyances; Driver Annoyances; Upgrade Annoyances; Desktop Annoyances; Monitor Annoyances; 3D Annoyances; Video Capture/Playback Annoyances; Player Software Annoyances
Sound Annoyances: Configuration Annoyances; Setup Annoyances; Speaker Annoyances; CD Audio Annoyances; Music Player Annoyances
Hard Drive Annoyances: Configuration Annoyances; Performance Annoyances; Maintenance Annoyances; Backup and Restore Annoyances
CD/DVD Drive Annoyances: Configuration Annoyances; Performance Annoyances; Playback Annoyances; Recording Annoyances; Rewriting Annoyances; Burning Software Annoyances; DVD Player Annoyances
Network Annoyances: Configuration Annoyances; Modem Annoyances; Cable Annoyances; DSL Annoyances; Wireless Networking Annoyances; General Networking Annoyances; Printer and File Sharing Annoyances; Firewall Annoyances
Printer and Scanner Annoyances: Setup Annoyances; Performance Annoyances; Maintenance Annoyances; Color Printer Annoyances; Paper Annoyances; Scanner Annoyances
Index

As you can see, Bigelow covers a lot of ground in the book.I almost view this as a combination between a Hacks book and a compilation of questions asked by readers.And in fact, the compilation angle is pretty accurate.O'Reilly solicits annoyances from a number of sources, and these submissions make up a large part of what the author writes about.The questions can range anywhere from pretty basic ("my cursor skips all over the screen, and the mouse doesn't seem to be controlling it very well") to pretty advanced ("I get an HPF9XDR0 error whenever I try to print to my HP printer"), and Bigelow covers all of them with complete and often humorous information.In between the annoyance/fix entries, you will find a number of warnings, tips, and tools that will make your interactions with your hardware much more error-free.

The "bad" thing about a book like this is that *your* particular annoyance may not be covered.Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do about that.But the breath of questions covered should give you some insights that can be applied to your problem if it isn't answered directly.This is a book you probably want to have around your bookshelf "just in case" something goes wrong.Very well done. ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A magneto-optical drive is a kind of optical disc drive capable of writing and rewriting data upon a magneto-optical disc. Both 130 mm (5.25 in) and 90 mm (3.5 in) form factors exist. The technology was introduced at the end of the 1980s. Although optical, they appear as hard disk drives to the operating system and do not require a special filesystem (they can be formatted as FAT, HPFS, NTFS, etc.). Magneto optical drives are common in some countries such as Japan but have fallen into disuse in the United States. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Software Industry Report, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on May 21, 2001. The length of the article is 452 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ZIP 250 INTERNAL SCSI DISK DRIVE INTROD BY WINSTATION SYSTEMS.(Product Announcement)
Publication: Software Industry Report (Newsletter)
Date: May 21, 2001
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 33Issue: 10Page: 8

Article Type: Product Announcement

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on November 15, 1999. The length of the article is 382 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: MAXTOR CORP. ANNOUNCES 7200 RPM, 40.9 GIGABYTE IDE HARD DISK DRIVE: New DiamondMax Plus 40 Well Suited For Server And Entry-Level RAID Applications.(Product Announcement)
Publication: EDP Weekly's IT Monitor (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 15, 1999
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 40Issue: 44Page: 1

Article Type: Product Announcement

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from CD Computing News, published by Worldwide Videotex on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 545 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: INTERSIL DEBUTS LASER DRIVER FOR DVD/CD DISK DRIVES.(EL6119C)(Product Announcement)
Publication: CD Computing News (Newsletter)
Date: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Worldwide Videotex
Volume: 16Issue: 9Page: NA

Article Type: Product Announcement

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on July 9, 2001. The length of the article is 1806 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: CMS EXPANDS CAPACITY OF PORTABLE DESKTOP STORAGE SOLUTIONS.(CMS Peripherals' Desktop Automatic Backup System hard disk drive)(Product Announcement)
Publication: EDP Weekly's IT Monitor (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 9, 2001
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 42Issue: 26Page: 4

Article Type: Product Announcement

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Federal Computer Market Report, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on October 8, 2001. The length of the article is 372 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: BCC'S 10K AND 15K EXTENDER DISK DRIVES -EDD- NOW SUPPORT HIGH-SPEED LINK WITHIN ISERIES MODELS.(Product Announcement)
Publication: Federal Computer Market Report (Newsletter)
Date: October 8, 2001
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 25Issue: 19Page: 8

Article Type: Product Announcement

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Software Industry Report, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on January 21, 2002. The length of the article is 368 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: TOSHIBA INTRODUCES WORLD'S HIGHEST CAPACITY 1.8-INCH HARD DISK DRIVES.(Toshiba MK1003GA 10GB and Toshiba MK2003GAH 20GB hard disk drives)(Product Announcement)
Publication: Software Industry Report (Newsletter)
Date: January 21, 2002
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 34Issue: 2Page: 6

Article Type: Product Announcement

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, published by Millin Publishing, Inc. on May 21, 2001. The length of the article is 452 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ZIP 250 INTERNAL SCSI DISK DRIVE INTROD BY WINSTATION SYSTEMS.(Product Announcement)
Publication: EDP Weekly's IT Monitor (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 21, 2001
Publisher: Millin Publishing, Inc.
Volume: 42Issue: 19Page: 7

Article Type: Product Announcement

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more