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{{Other uses}}


{{about|the miniature hard disk drive format by IBM and Hitachi|the similar drive by Hewlett-Packard|HP Kittyhawk|other uses|Microdrive (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:MicroDrive1GB.jpg|thumb|right|200px|IBM 1 GB Microdrive]]
{{short description|One-inch hard disk format by IBM and Hitachi}}
{{multiple issues|
{{original research|date=July 2011}}
{{lead too short|date=July 2023}}
}}
{{ infobox media
| image = IBM Microdrive 0321.jpg
| caption = 1 GB IBM Microdrive
| type = [[Hard disk drive]]
| encoding = [[Run Length Limited|RLL]]
| capacity = 170 MB - 16 GB
| owner = [[IBM]], [[Hitachi]]
| manufacturer = [[IBM]], [[Hitachi]], [[Seagate Technology]], [[Western Digital]], [[Toshiba]], GS Magicstor
| dimensions = 42.0 mm × 36.0 mm × 5.0 mm|use=Portable devices, notebooks|extended from=|extended to=|released=September 9, 1998|discontinued=2012
}}


The '''Microdrive''' is a [[brand]] name for a miniature, 1-inch [[hard disk]] designed to fit in a [[CompactFlash]] (CF) Type II slot. The release of similar drives by other makers has led to them often being referred to as 'microdrives'. However, 'microdrive' is not a [[genericized trademark]]<ref>http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/b2b/media_app_systems/release/9297.html
The '''Microdrive''' is a type of miniature, 1-inch [[hard disk]] produced by [[IBM]] and [[HGST|Hitachi]]. These rotational media storage devices were designed to fit in [[CompactFlash]] (CF) [[CompactFlash#Type I and Type II|Type II]] slots.
"Microdrive" is a registered trademark of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
</ref> and manufacturers other than [[IBM]] up to 2003 and [[Hitachi, Ltd.|Hitachi]] after do not officially refer to these drives as Microdrives. Some other companies such as [[Sony]] have licensed the name and sell re-branded versions, others such as [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]] have their own designs which fit in the same form factor. [[Image:Microdrive-HDD-crop-front.jpg|thumb|200px|Front view of a Seagate brand Microdrive. This particular device was removed from an Apple iPod mini, and is intended only for embedded use.]][[Image:Microdrive-HDD-crop-rear.jpg|thumb|200px|Same Seagate device, however, rear view. Note the Apple Inc. logo on the lower left side of the label. See this [[:file:Ipod_mini_drive.jpg|image]] of a iPod mini with Microdrive intact.]]


By 2010, Microdrives were viewed as obsolete, having been overtaken by solid-state flash media in read/write performance, storage capacity, durability, and price.
These drives fit into any [[CompactFlash II]] slot; however, they may consume more power than [[flash memory]] (currents on the order of 190 mA, peak 310 mA, at 3.3 V) and therefore may not work in some low-power devices (e.g., handheld computers). Nevertheless, they have some benefits over flash memory in terms of the way data is stored and manipulated. <!-- such as? --> Microdrives can store 8 [[gigabyte|GB]] or more, but must be [[Disk formatting|formatted]] for a [[file system]] which supports this capacity, such as [[ext3]] or [[NTFS]] or FAT32 which might not be supported by older [[CompactFlash]] hosts. To avoid this problem, the operating system may partition a drive so that each filesystem is smaller than 4GB.


== History ==
As of 2011, Microdrives are increasingly being viewed as obsolete, having been eclipsed by solid-state flash media in read/write performance, storage capacity, durability, physical size, and price.
[[file:IBM Hitachi Microdrive.jpg|thumb|left|IBM and Hitachi Microdrive harddisk drives, with an [[Quarter (United States coin)|American quarter]] for size comparison]]


==History==
=== Precursors ===
{{Cleanup|section|date=August 2007}}
The Microdrive was developed and launched in [[1999]] by [[IBM]] with a capacity of 170 [[megabyte|MB]], which was expanded to 8 [[gigabyte|GB]] by 2006. They weigh about 16 [[gram (unit)|g]] (~1/2 [[ounce|oz]]), with dimensions of 42.8×36.4×5 mm (1.7×1.4×.2 in). These were the smallest hard drives in the world at the time. From 1999 to 2003 they were known as '''IBM Microdrives''', and from 2003 as '''Hitachi Microdrives''', when Hitachi bought IBM's hard drive division. Microdrive was a [[registered trademark]] by [[IBM]] and [[Hitachi, Ltd.|Hitachi]] for each period.


Prior to the 1-inch Microdrive, a 1.3-inch [[Hard disk drive|HDD]] nicknamed the "[[HP Kittyhawk microdrive|Kittyhawk]]" was developed and launched in June 1992 by [[Hewlett-Packard|Hewlett Packard]] with a capacity of 20, then later 40 MB. These units weighed about 28 [[gram (unit)|g]] (1 [[ounce|oz]]), with dimensions of 2.0" × 1.44" × 0.414" (50.8 mm × 36.5 mm × 10.5 mm) and were the physically smallest hard drives in the world before the Microdrive. The Kittyhawk was a failure however, and didn't last long in the market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Clark |date=15 September 2003 |title=The Lessons of New-Market Disruption; Hewlett-packard: Small Drive, Big Hopes |url=https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-lessons-of-new-market-disruption |access-date=14 September 2022 |website=[[Harvard Business School]]}}</ref>
IBM initially released a 170 MB and 340 MB model. The next year 512 MB and 1 GB models were announced and became available. In December 2002 Hitachi bought IBM's disk drive business, including the Microdrive technology and brand. By 2003, under Hitachi, bigger 2 GB models came out. Over the years, even larger sizes have become available.
There are licensed branded Sony models called [[Sony Microdrive]]; these are re-badged Hitachi made models.


=== Development ===
[[Image:Saegaet wiki.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Seagate 2.5 GB 1" CF Drive]]
[[file:Thomas Albrecht & Timothy Reiley showing the Microdrive, June 1999.gif|thumb|upright|Thomas Albrecht (left) and Timothy Reiley showing the Microdrive (right) next to a CompactFlash card]]
In [[2004]] [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]] launched 2.5 and 5 GB models as well, and tends to refer to them as either 1-inch hard drives, or CompactFlash hard drives due to the trademark issue. In 2005 it launched an 8 GB model as well.


The idea of the Microdrive was created by IBM researcher [[Timothy J. Reiley]] who was working at the [[IBM Research|Almaden Research Center]] in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]. He wanted to create a small form factor hard disk drive with high capacity storage that would be used for mobile devices, after working on a project to look at [[Micromechanics]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Costlow |first=Terry |date=7 July 1999 |title=One inch no cinch for IBM storage gurus |work=[[EE Times]] |url=https://www.eetimes.com/one-inch-no-cinch-for-ibm-storage-gurus/ |access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref> Originally Reiley planned for the drive to use [[Microelectromechanical systems]] for parts of the drive such as the spindle motor and head actuator. [[Thomas R. Albrecht]], another researcher, collaborated with Reiley to design and create the drive. Thomas changed the drive technology to miniaturized conventional technologies instead due to the increased technical risk and costs of using microelectromechanical systems.<ref>{{Cite news |title=1999: IBM Microdrive, First One-Inch HDD |url=https://d1yx3ys82bpsa0.cloudfront.net/groups/ds-2-ibm-microdrive-120808.pdf |access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref>
Recently a Chinese manufacturer called GS Magic started marketing small form factor HDDs for CF; it has, however, been sued by Hitachi for patent infringement of the IBM design [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/05/business/worldbusiness/05copycat.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&oref=slogin] (as opposed to Seagate, which used its own technology). These drives are generally cheaper and of lower quality than Hitachi and Seagate drives and have received a plethora of bad reviews.*


The leader of mobile drive development at the [[IBM Fujisawa]] facility at the time, [[Hideya Ino]], highly sought the potential of a 1-inch disk drive. He had a team collaborate with the IBM researchers to create working prototypes. Those prototypes were then used to persuade product planning and marketing teams to support the project. Two notable people from the Japan development team were [[Mitsuhiko Aoyagi]] and Kenji Kuroki, who contributed to launching the product line. Bill Healey and John Osterhout worked at the storage technology division in San Jose and were responsible for the business development and marketing of the Microdrive.
*A link to the product announcement [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200403/ai_mark767788306], but as of yet, the company's website is down, the US distributor said they went out of business in 02/07, and no mention of the lawsuit or the reviews has been found.


=== Introduction ===
==Microdrive models by timeline==
In September 1998, IBM announced the Microdrive in North America with a maximum capacity of 340 MB.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farrance |first=Rex |date=11 September 1998 |title=IBM unveils smallest-ever hard drive |work=[[CNN]] |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9809/11/stampdrive.idg/index.html |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> It was advertised as being about the size of a large coin, weighing less than an AA battery, and storing over 200 times more data than a [[floppy disk]]. The Microdrive was expected to be available by mid-1999.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 September 1998 |title=IBM shows tiny disk drive; New microdrive, size of a large coin, is aimed at portable electronic devices |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://money.cnn.com/1998/09/09/technology/ibm/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> At the time, CompactFlash cards had a maximum capacity of 128 MB.<REF>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lVWAAAAMAAJ&q=released+256mb+CompactFlash+1999 | title=Liverpool and Manchester Photographic Journal | date=2002 }}</REF>
Date of release of large sizes.


On June 24, 1999, IBM Japan announced the IBM Microdrive 340 MB for ¥58,000 or $475 [[United States dollar|USD]]. It was planned to be marketed as a storage device for digital cameras and other handheld devices.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 June 1999 |title=The World's Smallest Hard Drive; IBM Japan pulls a tiny surprise out of its pocket. |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/25/the-worlds-smallest-hard-drive |access-date=14 September 2022}}</ref>
{|

|'''1999:'''||170 [[megabyte]] (IBM MD170/A)
On August 24, 1999, [[Microtech International]] announced they would be the first North American distributor of the 340 MB Microdrive.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 August 1999 |title=Microtech first to distribute IBMs 340MB Microdrive |work=[[Digital Photography Review]] |url=https://www.dpreview.com/articles/8248476086/microtech |access-date=14 September 2022}}</ref>

In June 1999, IBM launched the first generation 1-inch Microdrive. It had storage capacities of 170MB and 340MB at a price of $499. The physical dimensions of Microdrive were 1.65" × 1.42" × 0.197" (42.0 mm × 36.0 mm × 5.0 mm) and conformed to CompactFlash Type II card standard. A second generation of Microdrive was announced by IBM in June 2000 with increased capacities at 512 MB and 1 GB, with the 512 MB model costing $399 and the 1 GB model costing $499.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 June 2000 |title=IBM makes 512MB and 1GB Microdrive official |work=[[Digital Photography Review]] |url=https://www.dpreview.com/articles/4869383797/microdrive1gb-official |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=20 June 2000 |title=IBM unveils 1GB mini drive; New Microdrive triples capacity of miniature hard disk drive for portables |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://money.cnn.com/2000/06/20/technology/ibm_drive/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Hitachi Microdrive.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitachi 4 GB Microdrive]]
Following the merger of IBM and Hitachi HDD business units, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies continued the development and marketing of the Microdrive. In 2003, 2 GB and 4 GB models were announced by Hitachi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HITACHI GLOBAL : News Releases from Headquarters : Jan 6, 2003 |url=https://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/E/2003/0106b/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=www.hitachi.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bennett |first=Amy |date=26 August 2003 |title=Hitachi to ship 2GB, 4GB Microdrives this year |work=[[Computerworld]] |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2804630/hitachi-to-ship-2gb--4gb-microdrives-this-year.html |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> The 4 GB model was first available on February 20, 2004 for a price of $499.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Frauenheim |first=Ed |date=11 February 2004 |title=IBM to ship 4GB microdrive; Big Blue unveils tiny hard drive made by Hitachi, targeting laptop users. |work=[[ZDnet]] |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-to-ship-4gb-microdrive/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> This was followed by a 6 GB capacity model in February 2005 for a price of $299, with the 4 GB model dropping to $199.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Martyn |date=23 February 2005 |title=Hitachi slashes Microdrive prices, debuts 6GB model |work=[[Computerworld]] |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2569700/hitachi-slashes-microdrive-prices--debuts-6gb-model.html |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=24 February 2005 |title=Hitachi 6GB Microdrive sells for just $299 |work=[[Digital Photography Review]] |url=https://www.dpreview.com/articles/2096297670/hitachi-6gb-microdrive |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref> Hitachi additionally planned an even smaller 1-inch hard drive with a capacity of 8-10 GB under the code-name "Mikey" for late 2005 with a weight of 14 grams and a size of 40 mm × 30 mm × 5 mm.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kanellos |first=Michael |date=7 January 2005 |title=Hitachi drives get bigger--and smaller; Company cuts some fat from its diminutive devices, to squeeze them into cell phones, while upping the capacity of PC drives. |work=[[Cnet]] |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/hitachi-drives-get-bigger-and-smaller/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=7 January 2005 |title=Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Announces New Hard Drives |work=[[Videomaker]] |url=https://www.videomaker.com/videonews/2005/01/hitachi-global-storage-technologies-announces-new-hard-drives/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

By 2007, sales and profit of the Microdrive were dwindling so Hitachi discontinued production of 1 inch hard disk drives. Sales of 1-inch drives were only about 3,000 in a three-month period in 2007, while 560,000 units of 1-1.8-inch drives were sold throughout July to September 2007. Hitachi wanted to shift over to bigger 2.5 and 3.5-inch hard disk drives, rather than retain focus on the small hard disk drive business.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 2008 |title=Hitachi to phase out small hard drives |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUST22530420080104 |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

=== Seagate ===
[[File:Seagate ST1 2.5GB 20060112.jpg|thumb|upright|Seagate 2.5 GB Microdrive]]
In 2004, [[Seagate Technology|Seagate]] launched 2.5 and 5 GB hard disk drives in the same small physical form-factor as IBM Microdrive and referred to them as either 1-inch hard drives or CompactFlash hard drives due to the trademark issue. These drives were also commonly known as the [[Seagate ST1]]. In 2005, Seagate launched an 8 GB model. Seagate also sold a standalone consumer product based on these drives with a product known as the Pocket Hard Drive. These devices came in the shape of a hockey puck with an integrated USB 2.0 cable.

Seagate launched their 6 GB mini drive on the same day as Hitachi, in February 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hachman |first=Mark |date=23 February 2005 |title=Seagate, Hitachi Announce 6-GB 1-Inch Drives |work=[[Extreme Tech]] |url=https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/74532-seagate-hitachi-announce-6gb-1inch-drives |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

=== Western Digital ===
In early 2005, Western Digital announced they would be joining the mini hard drive market with their own drives. These would be available by the second half of 2005 and reach capacities up to 6 GB.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shim |first=Richard |date=19 January 2005 |title=Western Digital to enter minidrive arena; Hard drive maker plans to start shipping a one-inch product in the second quarter. |work=[[CNET]] |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/western-digital-to-enter-minidrive-arena/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

Western Digital launched a 6 GB external USB 2.0 microdrive as a part of the Passport Pocket brand in March 2006. This was made as a competitor to the Seagate Pocket Hard Drive. The unit had 2 MB of cache, 11 ms seek, spun at 3,600 RPM, and was 60 × 45 × 9 mm. The price for the unit was $130 upon release. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Tony |date=29 March 2006 |title=WD unveils 6GB pocket drive |work=[[The Register]] |url=https://www.theregister.com/2006/03/29/wd_passport_6gb/ |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

=== GS Magicstor ===
[[File:Magicstore.jpg|thumb|upright|Magicstor 2.2 GB Microdrive]]On July 16, 2003, a Chinese manufacturer called GS Magicstor, Inc. (subsidiary of GS Magic, Inc.) announced it had produced 1-inch hard disk drive with capacity of 2.4 GB at the beginning of the year 2003, originally marketed as an alternative to Microdrive by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. It was to be followed by 2.2 and 4.8 GB 1-inch HDD that was unveiled in 2004 International CES, with 0.8-inch HDD. On December 28, 2004, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies announced it had filed lawsuit against GS Magicstor, Inc., GS Magic, Inc., and Riospring, Inc. for infringement of multiple Hitachi GST's patents relating to hard disk drives, after GS Magic Inc. had started promoting mini-HDD (small form factor hard disk drive).

=== Cornice ===
[[File:Cornice Microdrive.jpg|thumb|upright|Cornice 4 GB Microdrive]]
Cornice was founded in 2000. Based in Longmont (Colorado), it quickly came out with 4GB and 8GB microdrive models, destined to the MP3 player and mobile phone markets. Hit with patent infringement lawsuits by Seagate and other disk drive companies, and faced with stiff competition and lagging sales, the company eventually folded in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillware.com/hard-drive-data-recovery/thinking-small-the-cutest-hard-drive-ever-made/|title=Thinking Big, Building Small: Cornice Case Studye|website=Gillware|date=22 September 2015 }}</ref>

=== Toshiba ===
[[File:Toshiba microdrive.jpg|thumb|upright|Toshiba 4 GB 0.85" drive]]
Toshiba decided to skip the 1" form factor, and in March 2004 announced a 0.85" drive that shipped in September of the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.global.toshiba/ww/news/corporate/2004/03/pr1601.html|title=Toshiba Enters Guinness World Records Book with the World's Smallest Hard Disk Drive|website=Toshiba}}</ref> This form factor remains the smallest one ever shipped. Capacities of 2 and 4 GB were offered,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fwAAAAAAMBAJ&dq=toshiba+0.85+inch+hard+drive&pg=PA46|title=Popular Science|first=Bonnier|last=Corporation|date=December 11, 2004|publisher=Bonnier Corporation|via=Google Books}}</ref> destined primarily to the cellular phone market <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringPorn/comments/xw3nd3/worlds_smallest_hdd_085inch_toshiba_4gb_in_nokia/|title=World's smallest HDD (0.85-inch Toshiba 4GB in Nokia N91)|website=Reddit|date=5 October 2022 }}</ref>

=== Samsung ===
[[File:Samsung Microdrive.jpg|thumb|upright|Samsung 30 GB microdrive]]Samsung entered the microdrive market at a very late stage in 2008 with announced capacities of 20, 30 and 40 GB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/samsung/docs/HU030HA.pdf|title=Ultra mobile PATA & CEATA Spinpoint A1|website=Seagate}}</ref> Doing away with the bulky compact flash II connector, Samsung Spinpoint A1 microdrives were able to use a 1.3" diameter disk, while keeping the same outer microdrive dimensions (42.8mmx32.4mmx5mm). They also used perpendicular recording technology which had just been introduced in the hard disk industry. At the time when flash memory was becoming the medium of choice for all portable application, Samsung's entry was very short lived, with only one product carrying the 30 GB model known to ship: [[JVC]]'s Everio GZ-MG73, an ultra-slim camcorder<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/Samsung-039-s-Miniature-Spinpoint-A1-Miniature-HDD-Gets-Popular-76513.shtml|title=Samsung's Spinpoint A1 Miniature HDD Gets Popular|website=Softpedia|date=17 January 2008 }}</ref>

=== Discontinuation ===

By 2006, flash-based CompactFlash cards surpassed Microdrives in maximum size and over time became less expensive as well, which rendered the technology obsolete.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/25-years-of-compactflash-a-look-back-at-the-pioneering-format|title=25 Years of CompactFlash: A Look Back at the Pioneering Format|website=PCMAG}}</ref> As of July 2012, there are no known manufacturers of 1-inch form-factor hard disk drives. Hitachi had also stopped production of its trademarked Microdrive product.

== Features ==
[[file:IPodMiniMicrodrive4GB.jpg|thumb|upright|The iPod Mini 1st gen, which uses a Microdrive to store data]]

Microdrives weigh less than a roll of [[135 film|35mm film]].<ref>Hitachi Microdrive with PCMCIA advert on the box: https://allegro.pl/oferta/dysk-hd-cf-hitachi-4gb-microdrive-hms360404d5cf00-8477630440</ref>

Until 2006, Microdrives had higher capacity than CompactFlash cards. As of 2006, Microdrive's capacity advantages were exceeded by CompactFlash cards (which are the same size and are often compatible with each other), and USB flash drives. <ref>[https://www.engadget.com/2006/12/12/corsair-launches-16gb-flash-voyager-drive/ Corsair launches 16GB Flash Voyager drive]</ref>

Microdrives allow more write cycles than flash storage, making them suitable for use as [[swap space]] in embedded applications. Flash storage always needs to move some old data around while writing, to ensure the flash's finite write life is consumed equally. Microdrives are better at handling power loss in the middle of writing: a bug in the [[wear levelling]] algorithm can cause data loss in flash storage were a card unplugged at the exact wrong time. Data on rotational disks is modified in place, and hard drive algorithms at the time were much more advanced than those of flash storage. Being mechanical devices however, they are more sensitive to physical shock and temperature changes than flash memory. For example, a microdrive will generally not survive a 4-foot (1.2-meter) drop onto a hard surface whereas CF cards can survive much higher falls.{{cn|date=July 2023}} They are not designed to operate at high altitudes (over 10,000 feet or 3,000 meters) but can be safely used on most commercial aircraft as cabins are generally pressurized.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Microdrives are not as fast as the high-end CompactFlash cards; they generally operate at around 4–6 megabytes per second while high-end CF cards can operate at 45 megabytes per second.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Unlike flash storage, Microdrives require power even when no data is being transferred to or read from them, just to keep the disk spinning in order to maintain quick access. As a result, many devices such as the iPod mini leave the drive switched off for most of the time while periodically starting it up to fetch data from it to fill the device's buffer. Microdrives will switch off after idling for more than a few seconds to counter this problem; however, this means that it needs to spin up for the next access, which takes about 1 second. This effect would be particularly problematic if an operating system is being run from the drive, as seen in the case of the [[LifeDrive|Palm LifeDrive]].{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Since they are thicker than flash-based CF cards, Microdrives require a Type II slot. Many newer compact cameras only have a Type I slot due to the increasing popularity of flash-based cards, so Microdrives have limited popularity outside of the professional photography market.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Certain bus-powered CF card readers lack the power needed to run a Microdrive although they do take CF II cards. When using such a device, it will usually be detected by the host, but errors will occur once the user attempts to access the drive.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Some "OEM Only" drives use the CompactFlash form factor but only provide a 5V IDE/ATA interface. These will not work in readers or devices which expect a 3.3V interface and full CompactFlash functionality.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

== Models ==
[[File:IBM Microdrive 7621.jpg|thumb|A pair of 1gb IBM Microdrives, with a [[PCMCIA]]/[[Cardbus]] adapter]]
[[File:Secure Digital Sizes (cropped).JPG|thumb|upright|Size comparison from top to bottom: [[microSD]], [[miniSD]], [[SD card]], Microdrive]]

=== By timeline ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Date of release of large sizes.
!Date!!
|-
|-
|'''1999:'''||340 megabyte (IBM)
|'''June 1999'''||IBM releases 170, 340 MB Microdrives
|-
|-
|'''2000:'''||512 megabyte, 1 [[gigabyte]] (IBM)
|'''June 2000'''||IBM releases 512 MB, 1 GB Microdrives
|-
|-
|'''2003:'''|| 2 gigabytes (Hitachi)
|'''2003'''|| 2 GB, 4 GB (Hitachi)
|-
|-
|'''2004:'''|| 4 gigabytes (Hitachi), 2.5 and 5 gigabytes (Seagate)
|'''2004'''|| 2.5 and 5 GB (Seagate)
|-
|-
|'''2005:'''|| 6 gigabytes (Hitachi), 8 gigabytes (Seagate)
|'''February 2005'''|| 6 GB (Hitachi), 8 GB (Seagate)
|-
|'''2006:'''|| 8 gigabytes (Hitachi)
|-
|-
|'''2006'''|| 8 GB (Hitachi)
|}
|}


=== By manufacturer ===
==Availability==
[[File:Seagate Microdrive (5GB).png|thumb|Inside a 1-inch Seagate 5 GB drive, with a [[50 cent euro coin]] for size comparison]]
As of [[2006]] the most commonly-seen microdrives are the smaller sizes, up to 1GB. Larger (2GB to 8GB) drives, such as the 4GB and 6GB Hitachi models, the 5GB and 8GB Seagate models and the 2.2GB Magicstor drive are also available but are often embedded in [[Pocket hard drive]]s, "high end" mobile phones, music players, and other entertainment devices. Such embedded devices are far more popular than the loosely-sold Microdrives intended as a CompactFlash card alternative.


; IBM:
In the [[United States]] most electronics shops do not sell separate Microdrives as they may find it economically unviable to stock them due to the fast-moving nature of the market, however they are readily available on several websites. But in most developed [[Asia]]n cities such as [[Hong Kong]] and Japan [[Tokyo]], a 8GB version of the Seagate ST1 are selling at the price (as of second quarter 2006) as low as USD $220 in retail shops, and under USD $50 on [[eBay]].
* 170 MB
* 340 MB
* 512 MB
* 1 GB
* 4 GB
* 8 GB
* 16 GB


Several physical examples of Microdrives are held by the [[Computer History Museum]].<ref>[https://docs.rs-online.com/0843/0900766b800bb67c.pdf "IBM family of Microdrives", Data sheet G225-6801-02]</ref>
==Applications==
[[Image:IBM-Microdrive.jpg|thumb|right|200px|IBM 1 GB Microdrive]]
* CF to IDE adaptors and USB card readers enable microdrives to be used in computers, they can then be formatted with any filesystem that the operating system supports such as [[ext3]] or [[NTFS]] or [[FAT32]]. It is even possible to run an operating system directly from the Microdrive. Such a system would be rather sluggish for today's standards but still a viable option for some embedded applications. IDE adaptors are inexpensive because, like the PCMCIA adaptors, they have no integrated circuits.
* Some high capacity [[USB drive]]s are microdrives with a USB interface; they can often be recognized by a rectangular shape. These devices are sometimes called [[Pocket hard drive]]s. However there is currently a trend for selling desktop PCs with integrated multi-card readers. If this trend continues this could eliminate the need to integrate them into pocket hard drives with USB connections.
*The original [[JVC]] Everio camcorders (GZ-MC200/MC100) used 4GB IBM/Hitachi Microdrives as storage instead of the magnetic tape or DVD more commonly seen in products of this type. Current Everio models use the more common 2.5" HDDs.
* Some PDA users use Microdrives to boost the storage capacity of their PDA. The [[LifeDrive]] has an integrated 4 gigabyte microdrive as its main selling point.
* Microdrives are found in the discontinued [[iPod mini]] and [[Creative ZEN|Creative Zen Micro]] [[mp3 player]]s, among others. Companies making such players order the Microdrives in large quantities, which can mean that it is cheaper to buy an mp3 player with an integrated Microdrive than a separate Microdrive to add to an expandable mp3 player. An example is the Creative MuVo; many of these were bought up by those interested in purchasing a Microdrive and stripped for their Microdrive which was then replaced by a lower capacity CompactFlash card.
* When combined with a PCMCIA adaptor and used in a [[laptop]] Microdrives can be a viable alternative to [[USB flash drive]]s purely due to their price. The use of Microdrives over chip-based CF cards is unlikely to make any notable difference to the battery life of the laptop, and any impact that would damage the Microdrive is likely to break other components of the laptop as well. However these devices cannot be used with ordinary desktop PCs unless they are fitted with [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]] PCMCIA adaptors or CF card readers.
* There are third-party devices intended to let users of the [[Sony PSP]] use memory cards other than [[Memory Stick]]s. Some claim to be compatible with MicroDrives, and some even come with a MicroDrive in the package. However, while such converters work perfectly for other kinds of flash memory ([[Secure Digital card|SD]] and [[CompactFlash]]), it is no longer possible (due to firmware upgrades) to use actual MicroDrives on the PSP. The acceptable timeout delay has been decreased from the first firmware revisions, and as a result loading a game from the hard disk results in a timeout error.


; Hitachi:
Sometimes when a device with an integrated Microdrive stops working the device is taken apart and stripped of its Microdrive, which is then sold on. Unfortunately, Microdrives taken from such devices may not work in digital cameras. These drives must be accessed using [[Advanced Technology Attachment|ATA]] mode, which is not supported in all devices. Such drives, therefore, do not sell for nearly as much as CF-enabled Microdrives. An ATA-only Microdrive can be used in simple pass-through CompactFlash to IDE/SATA adapters for embedded use, however most digital cameras and some card readers will be unable to access the device.
* 512 MB
* 1 GB
* 2 GB
* 3 GB
* 4 GB
* 5 GB
* 6 GB
* 8 GB


IBM and Hitachi models were fitted with 128 [[kilobyte|KB]] of cache memory.
===Devices with integrated microdrives===
*[[iPod mini|Apple iPod mini]]: 4GB and 6GB Hitachi (CF mode disabled)
*[[Creative MuVo]]: 4GB Hitachi (CF mode disabled in later models)
*[[Creative ZEN]] [[Creative ZEN#Zen Micro|Micro]]: 5GB/6GB Seagate
*[[Creative ZEN]] [[Creative ZEN#Zen MicroPhoto|MicroPhoto]]: 4GB/8GB Seagate
*[[Dell Digital Jukebox]]: 5GB Seagate ST1
*[[Hewlett-Packard]] Photosmart 475: Unknown (1.5GB available to user)
*[[High Tech Computer Corporation|HTC]] Athena (Dopod U1000, HTC Advantage, T-Mobile Ameo): 8GB Unknown (most suggest Hitachi)
*[[iriver]] H10: 5GB and 6GB Seagate
*[[Mio Technology|Mio]] 269/269+ : 2.5GB Seagate
*[[Nokia]] N91: 4GB Hitachi
*palmOne [[LifeDrive]]: 4GB Hitachi
*[[Rio Carbon]]: [[Seagate ST1]] 5GB
*[[Sharp Zaurus]] Sl-C3000
*RCA Lyra H106A Series: 6GB Seagate
*Sharp Zaurus Sl-C3100
*Sharp Zaurus Sl-C3200
*Sony NW-A1000: 6GB Hitachi
*[[TrekStor vibez]]: 8GB/12GB Cornice Dragon
*Olympus M:robe m100 mp3 player
*[[Navman]] iCN 650: 2GB Hitachi
*[[iriver]] E10: 6GB Hitachi
*[[Philips]] PSA612: 4GB Hitachi


; GS Magicstor:
==Advantages of Microdrives==
* 2.2 GB [[AT Attachment|ATA]], [[USB]] (NATIVE), & CF variants
* Until 2006, Microdrives had higher capacity than CompactFlash cards.
* 3 GB ATA
* Microdrives allow more write cycles, making them suitable for use as [[swapspace]] in embedded applications.
* 4 GB ATA & CF variants
* Microdrives might be better at handling power loss in the middle of writing. Flash storage always needs to move some old data around while writing, to ensure the flash's finite write life is consumed equally; if there were a bug in the [[wear levelling]] algorithm it could cause data loss if the card were unplugged at the exact wrong time. Data on a magnetic hard drive is modified in place, and hard drive algorithms have many years more experience and testing over Flash.
* 6 GB


; [[Seagate ST1]]:
==Disadvantages of Microdrives==
* 2.5 GB
[[Image:MicroHDD.jpg|thumb|right|Inside a 1-inch Seagate drive]]
* 4 GB
* As of 2006, Microdrive's capacity advantages were exceeded by CompactFlash cards<ref>[http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06092603_sandiskextremelll.asp SanDisk introduces the world’s highest capacity card for professional photographers - the 16-gigabyte SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash]</ref>(which are the same size and are often compatible with each other), and USB flash drives.<ref>[http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/12/corsair-launches-16gb-flash-voyager-drive/ Corsair launches 16GB Flash Voyager drive]</ref>
* 5 GB
* Being mechanical devices they are more sensitive to physical shock and temperature changes than flash memory, though in practice they are very robust and manufacturers have added several features to the more recent models to improve reliability.
* 6 GB
* A microdrive will generally not survive a 4 foot (1.2 metres) drop onto a hard surface whereas CF cards can survive much higher falls.
* Newer Microdrives have a mechanism to hold the heads off the platter while the device is not in use. Early IBM models do not have this—when one gently shakes such a drive one can hear the heads click from side to side.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}
* Microdrives are not as fast as the high-end CompactFlash cards; they generally operate at around 4–6 megabytes per second while high-end CF cards can operate at 45 megabytes per second. This may cause problems for photographers who shoot sequences of large images in rapid succession.
* They are not designed to operate at high altitudes (over 10,000 feet), but can be safely used on most commercial aircraft as cabins are generally pressurized.
* Outside of the professional photography market, Microdrives have more limited popularity by general consumers because many newer compact cameras lack CF/CF II slots due to the increasing popularity of portable flash media.
* Only high capacity models are manufactured, as it is not profitable to make low-capacity Microdrives. At the end of 2005 only capacities above 2 gigabytes are manufactured while 256MB and 512MB CompactFlash cards were still in production. Lower capacities are still readily available second hand on [[eBay]] but these are usually the same price as CF cards of the same size.
* Unlike flash memory, Microdrives require power even when no data is being transferred to them to keep the disc spinning. As a result many devices such as the iPod mini leave the drive switched off for most of the time while periodically starting it up to fetch data from it to fill the device's buffer. Microdrives will switch off after idling for more than a few seconds to counter this problem however this means that more time is lost constantly spinning the drive up. This effect would be particularly problematic if an operating system is being run from the drive. However the drive can be forced to stay running if the host device is programmed to write random bits of data to it.
* Certain bus-powered CF card readers lack the power needed to run a Microdrive although they do take CF II cards, when using such a device it will usually be detected by the host but errors will occur once the user attempts to access the drive.
* Some "OEM Only" drives use the CompactFlash form factor but only provide a 5V IDE/ATA interface. These will not work in readers or devices which expect a 3.3V interface and full CompactFlash functionality [http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=41985&forum_id=52 ],
* Microdrives also require some time to spin up, this is very low when compared to regular hard drives but not as fast as flash memory.
* Since Microdrives are often integrated in another device this can cause trouble if the drive breaks, it is usually the most fragile component of the device and if the device is out of warranty it can be very difficult to replace the drive


; Seagate ST1.2:
==CF hard drive models by manufacturer==
* 4 GB
''Many smaller sized models are no longer offered, as they have been supplanted by [[flash memory]].''
* 8 GB


; Seagate ST1.3:
'''IBM MicroDrive (now manufactured by Hitachi)'''
* 170 megabyte
* 12 GB
These Seagate models were fitted with 2[[Megabyte|MB]] of [[Disk_buffer|cache memory]].
* 340 megabyte
* 512 megabyte
* 1 gigabyte
* 4 gigabyte


; Sony Compact Vault:
'''Hitachi MicroDrive'''
* 2 GB (rebadged Hitachi)
* 512 megabyte
* 4 GB (rebadged Hitachi)
* 1 gigabyte
* 5 GB (rebadged Seagate)
* 2 gigabyte
* 8 GB (rebadged Seagate)
* 3 gigabyte
* 4 gigabyte
* 6 gigabyte
* 8 gigabyte
''IBM and Hitachi models fitted with 128 [[kilobyte|KB]] of cache memory''


; Toshiba (0.85" Form Factor):
'''GS Magic'''
* 2 GB
* 2.2 gigabyte [[AT Attachment|ATA]], [[USB]](NATIVE), & CF variants
* 4 GB
* 3 gigabyte ATA
*4 gigabyte ATA & CF variants
* 6 gigabyte


; Cornice:
'''[[Seagate ST1]]'''
* 2.5 gigabyte
* 2 GB
* 4 gigabyte
* 4 GB
* 5 gigabyte
* 8 GB
* 6 gigabyte
* 8 gigabyte
* 12 gigabyte
''These Seagate models are fitted with 2 [[Megabyte|MB]] of [[cache memory]]''


; [[Western Digital]]:
'''Sony Compact Vault'''
* 6 GB
* 2 gigabyte (rebadged Hitachi)
* 4 gigabyte (rebadged Hitachi)
* 5 gigabyte
* 8 gigabyte


== See also ==
'''Cornice'''
* 4 gigabyte


* [[Digital camera]]
==See also==
*[[Digital cameras]]


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}


{{refs}}
==External links==
*[http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2001/microdrive.html Review: IBM's 1GB Microdrive]—Review on [[MP3 Newswire]]
*[http://www.hitachigst.com/ Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST)]
*[http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/seagate-st1-5gb.html Review of Seagate ST1 5 GB 1-inch hard disk for CF]
*[http://pineapple.vg/?op=gallery&album=microdrive Taking apart a 5GB Seagate 1-inch drive]


== External links ==

* [https://www.hgst.com/sites/default/files/resources/ibm_md_datasheet.pdf IBM family of Microdrives - HGST]
* [http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2001/microdrive.html Review: IBM's 1GB Microdrive]: review on [[MP3 Newswire]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121121165023/http://www.hgst.com/ Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050507022205/http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/seagate-st1-5gb.html Review of Seagate ST1 5GB 1-inch hard disk for CF]

{{Hitachi}}
{{Memory Cards}}
{{Memory Cards}}


[[Category:Hard disk drives]]
[[Category:Portable hard drives]]
[[Category:Discontinued media formats]]
[[Category:Divested IBM products]]
[[Category:Hitachi products]]
[[Category:IBM storage devices]]
[[Category:IBM storage devices]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1999]]

[[de:Microdrive (Festplatte)]]
[[es:Microdrive]]
[[ko:마이크로드라이브]]
[[he:MicroDrive]]
[[nl:Microdrive]]
[[ja:マイクロドライブ]]
[[pl:Microdrive]]
[[ru:Microdrive]]
[[zh:微型硬碟]]

Latest revision as of 19:40, 23 August 2024

This article is about the miniature hard disk drive format by IBM and Hitachi. For the similar drive by Hewlett-Packard, see HP Kittyhawk. For other uses, see Microdrive (disambiguation).
Microdrive
1 GB IBM Microdrive
Media typeHard disk drive
EncodingRLL
Capacity170 MB - 16 GB
Developed byIBM, Hitachi
Manufactured byIBM, Hitachi, Seagate Technology, Western Digital, Toshiba, GS Magicstor
Dimensions42.0 mm × 36.0 mm × 5.0 mm
UsagePortable devices, notebooks
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1998
Discontinued2012

The Microdrive is a type of miniature, 1-inch hard disk produced by IBM and Hitachi. These rotational media storage devices were designed to fit in CompactFlash (CF) Type II slots.

By 2010, Microdrives were viewed as obsolete, having been overtaken by solid-state flash media in read/write performance, storage capacity, durability, and price.

History

[edit]
IBM and Hitachi Microdrive harddisk drives, with an American quarter for size comparison

Precursors

[edit]

Prior to the 1-inch Microdrive, a 1.3-inch HDD nicknamed the "Kittyhawk" was developed and launched in June 1992 by Hewlett Packard with a capacity of 20, then later 40 MB. These units weighed about 28 g (1 oz), with dimensions of 2.0" × 1.44" × 0.414" (50.8 mm × 36.5 mm × 10.5 mm) and were the physically smallest hard drives in the world before the Microdrive. The Kittyhawk was a failure however, and didn't last long in the market.[1]

Development

[edit]
Thomas Albrecht (left) and Timothy Reiley showing the Microdrive (right) next to a CompactFlash card

The idea of the Microdrive was created by IBM researcher Timothy J. Reiley who was working at the Almaden Research Center in San Jose. He wanted to create a small form factor hard disk drive with high capacity storage that would be used for mobile devices, after working on a project to look at Micromechanics.[2] Originally Reiley planned for the drive to use Microelectromechanical systems for parts of the drive such as the spindle motor and head actuator. Thomas R. Albrecht, another researcher, collaborated with Reiley to design and create the drive. Thomas changed the drive technology to miniaturized conventional technologies instead due to the increased technical risk and costs of using microelectromechanical systems.[3]

The leader of mobile drive development at the IBM Fujisawa facility at the time, Hideya Ino, highly sought the potential of a 1-inch disk drive. He had a team collaborate with the IBM researchers to create working prototypes. Those prototypes were then used to persuade product planning and marketing teams to support the project. Two notable people from the Japan development team were Mitsuhiko Aoyagi and Kenji Kuroki, who contributed to launching the product line. Bill Healey and John Osterhout worked at the storage technology division in San Jose and were responsible for the business development and marketing of the Microdrive.

Einführung

[edit]

In September 1998, IBM announced the Microdrive in North America with a maximum capacity of 340 MB.[4] It was advertised as being about the size of a large coin, weighing less than an AA battery, and storing over 200 times more data than a floppy disk. The Microdrive was expected to be available by mid-1999.[5] At the time, CompactFlash cards had a maximum capacity of 128 MB.[6]

On June 24, 1999, IBM Japan announced the IBM Microdrive 340 MB for ¥58,000 or $475 USD. It was planned to be marketed as a storage device for digital cameras and other handheld devices.[7]

On August 24, 1999, Microtech International announced they would be the first North American distributor of the 340 MB Microdrive.[8]

In June 1999, IBM launched the first generation 1-inch Microdrive. It had storage capacities of 170MB and 340MB at a price of $499. The physical dimensions of Microdrive were 1.65" × 1.42" × 0.197" (42.0 mm × 36.0 mm × 5.0 mm) and conformed to CompactFlash Type II card standard. A second generation of Microdrive was announced by IBM in June 2000 with increased capacities at 512 MB and 1 GB, with the 512 MB model costing $399 and the 1 GB model costing $499.[9][10]

Hitachi 4 GB Microdrive

Following the merger of IBM and Hitachi HDD business units, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies continued the development and marketing of the Microdrive. In 2003, 2 GB and 4 GB models were announced by Hitachi.[11][12] The 4 GB model was first available on February 20, 2004 for a price of $499.[13] This was followed by a 6 GB capacity model in February 2005 for a price of $299, with the 4 GB model dropping to $199.[14][15] Hitachi additionally planned an even smaller 1-inch hard drive with a capacity of 8-10 GB under the code-name "Mikey" for late 2005 with a weight of 14 grams and a size of 40 mm × 30 mm × 5 mm.[16][17]

By 2007, sales and profit of the Microdrive were dwindling so Hitachi discontinued production of 1 inch hard disk drives. Sales of 1-inch drives were only about 3,000 in a three-month period in 2007, while 560,000 units of 1-1.8-inch drives were sold throughout July to September 2007. Hitachi wanted to shift over to bigger 2.5 and 3.5-inch hard disk drives, rather than retain focus on the small hard disk drive business.[18]

Seagate

[edit]
Seagate 2.5 GB Microdrive

In 2004, Seagate launched 2.5 and 5 GB hard disk drives in the same small physical form-factor as IBM Microdrive and referred to them as either 1-inch hard drives or CompactFlash hard drives due to the trademark issue. These drives were also commonly known as the Seagate ST1. In 2005, Seagate launched an 8 GB model. Seagate also sold a standalone consumer product based on these drives with a product known as the Pocket Hard Drive. These devices came in the shape of a hockey puck with an integrated USB 2.0 cable.

Seagate launched their 6 GB mini drive on the same day as Hitachi, in February 2005.[19]

Western Digital

[edit]

In early 2005, Western Digital announced they would be joining the mini hard drive market with their own drives. These would be available by the second half of 2005 and reach capacities up to 6 GB.[20]

Western Digital launched a 6 GB external USB 2.0 microdrive as a part of the Passport Pocket brand in March 2006. This was made as a competitor to the Seagate Pocket Hard Drive. The unit had 2 MB of cache, 11 ms seek, spun at 3,600 RPM, and was 60 × 45 × 9 mm. The price for the unit was $130 upon release. [21]

GS Magicstor

[edit]
Magicstor 2.2 GB Microdrive

On July 16, 2003, a Chinese manufacturer called GS Magicstor, Inc. (subsidiary of GS Magic, Inc.) announced it had produced 1-inch hard disk drive with capacity of 2.4 GB at the beginning of the year 2003, originally marketed as an alternative to Microdrive by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. It was to be followed by 2.2 and 4.8 GB 1-inch HDD that was unveiled in 2004 International CES, with 0.8-inch HDD. On December 28, 2004, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies announced it had filed lawsuit against GS Magicstor, Inc., GS Magic, Inc., and Riospring, Inc. for infringement of multiple Hitachi GST's patents relating to hard disk drives, after GS Magic Inc. had started promoting mini-HDD (small form factor hard disk drive).

Cornice

[edit]
Cornice 4 GB Microdrive

Cornice was founded in 2000. Based in Longmont (Colorado), it quickly came out with 4GB and 8GB microdrive models, destined to the MP3 player and mobile phone markets. Hit with patent infringement lawsuits by Seagate and other disk drive companies, and faced with stiff competition and lagging sales, the company eventually folded in 2007.[22]

Toshiba

[edit]
Toshiba 4 GB 0.85" drive

Toshiba decided to skip the 1" form factor, and in March 2004 announced a 0.85" drive that shipped in September of the same year.[23] This form factor remains the smallest one ever shipped. Capacities of 2 and 4 GB were offered,[24] destined primarily to the cellular phone market [25]

Samsung

[edit]
Samsung 30 GB microdrive

Samsung entered the microdrive market at a very late stage in 2008 with announced capacities of 20, 30 and 40 GB.[26] Doing away with the bulky compact flash II connector, Samsung Spinpoint A1 microdrives were able to use a 1.3" diameter disk, while keeping the same outer microdrive dimensions (42.8mmx32.4mmx5mm). They also used perpendicular recording technology which had just been introduced in the hard disk industry. At the time when flash memory was becoming the medium of choice for all portable application, Samsung's entry was very short lived, with only one product carrying the 30 GB model known to ship: JVC's Everio GZ-MG73, an ultra-slim camcorder[27]

Discontinuation

[edit]

By 2006, flash-based CompactFlash cards surpassed Microdrives in maximum size and over time became less expensive as well, which rendered the technology obsolete.[28] As of July 2012, there are no known manufacturers of 1-inch form-factor hard disk drives. Hitachi had also stopped production of its trademarked Microdrive product.

Eigenschaften

[edit]
The iPod Mini 1st gen, which uses a Microdrive to store data

Microdrives weigh less than a roll of 35mm film.[29]

Until 2006, Microdrives had higher capacity than CompactFlash cards. As of 2006, Microdrive's capacity advantages were exceeded by CompactFlash cards (which are the same size and are often compatible with each other), and USB flash drives. [30]

Microdrives allow more write cycles than flash storage, making them suitable for use as swap space in embedded applications. Flash storage always needs to move some old data around while writing, to ensure the flash's finite write life is consumed equally. Microdrives are better at handling power loss in the middle of writing: a bug in the wear levelling algorithm can cause data loss in flash storage were a card unplugged at the exact wrong time. Data on rotational disks is modified in place, and hard drive algorithms at the time were much more advanced than those of flash storage. Being mechanical devices however, they are more sensitive to physical shock and temperature changes than flash memory. For example, a microdrive will generally not survive a 4-foot (1.2-meter) drop onto a hard surface whereas CF cards can survive much higher falls.[citation needed] They are not designed to operate at high altitudes (over 10,000 feet or 3,000 meters) but can be safely used on most commercial aircraft as cabins are generally pressurized.[citation needed]

Microdrives are not as fast as the high-end CompactFlash cards; they generally operate at around 4–6 megabytes per second while high-end CF cards can operate at 45 megabytes per second.[citation needed]

Unlike flash storage, Microdrives require power even when no data is being transferred to or read from them, just to keep the disk spinning in order to maintain quick access. As a result, many devices such as the iPod mini leave the drive switched off for most of the time while periodically starting it up to fetch data from it to fill the device's buffer. Microdrives will switch off after idling for more than a few seconds to counter this problem; however, this means that it needs to spin up for the next access, which takes about 1 second. This effect would be particularly problematic if an operating system is being run from the drive, as seen in the case of the Palm LifeDrive.[citation needed]

Since they are thicker than flash-based CF cards, Microdrives require a Type II slot. Many newer compact cameras only have a Type I slot due to the increasing popularity of flash-based cards, so Microdrives have limited popularity outside of the professional photography market.[citation needed]

Certain bus-powered CF card readers lack the power needed to run a Microdrive although they do take CF II cards. When using such a device, it will usually be detected by the host, but errors will occur once the user attempts to access the drive.[citation needed]

Some "OEM Only" drives use the CompactFlash form factor but only provide a 5V IDE/ATA interface. These will not work in readers or devices which expect a 3.3V interface and full CompactFlash functionality.[citation needed]

Models

[edit]
A pair of 1gb IBM Microdrives, with a PCMCIA/Cardbus adapter
Size comparison from top to bottom: microSD, miniSD, SD card, Microdrive

By timeline

[edit]
Date of release of large sizes.
Date
June 1999 IBM releases 170, 340 MB Microdrives
June 2000 IBM releases 512 MB, 1 GB Microdrives
2003 2 GB, 4 GB (Hitachi)
2004 2.5 and 5 GB (Seagate)
February 2005 6 GB (Hitachi), 8 GB (Seagate)
2006 8 GB (Hitachi)

By manufacturer

[edit]
Inside a 1-inch Seagate 5 GB drive, with a 50 cent euro coin for size comparison
IBM
  • 170 MB
  • 340 MB
  • 512 MB
  • 1 GB
  • 4 GB
  • 8 GB
  • 16 GB

Several physical examples of Microdrives are held by the Computer History Museum.[31]

Hitachi
  • 512 MB
  • 1 GB
  • 2 GB
  • 3 GB
  • 4 GB
  • 5 GB
  • 6 GB
  • 8 GB

IBM and Hitachi models were fitted with 128 KB of cache memory.

GS Magicstor
  • 2.2 GB ATA, USB (NATIVE), & CF variants
  • 3 GB ATA
  • 4 GB ATA & CF variants
  • 6 GB
Seagate ST1
  • 2.5 GB
  • 4 GB
  • 5 GB
  • 6 GB
Seagate ST1.2
  • 4 GB
  • 8 GB
Seagate ST1.3
  • 12 GB

These Seagate models were fitted with 2MB of cache memory.

Sony Compact Vault
  • 2 GB (rebadged Hitachi)
  • 4 GB (rebadged Hitachi)
  • 5 GB (rebadged Seagate)
  • 8 GB (rebadged Seagate)
Toshiba (0.85" Form Factor)
  • 2 GB
  • 4 GB
Cornice
  • 2 GB
  • 4 GB
  • 8 GB
Western Digital
  • 6 GB

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Gilbert, Clark (15 September 2003). "The Lessons of New-Market Disruption; Hewlett-packard: Small Drive, Big Hopes". Harvard Business School. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. ^ Costlow, Terry (7 July 1999). "One inch no cinch for IBM storage gurus". EE Times. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  3. ^ "1999: IBM Microdrive, First One-Inch HDD" (PDF). Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  4. ^ Farrance, Rex (11 September 1998). "IBM unveils smallest-ever hard drive". CNN. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  5. ^ "IBM shows tiny disk drive; New microdrive, size of a large coin, is aimed at portable electronic devices". CNN. 9 September 1998. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Liverpool and Manchester Photographic Journal". 2002.
  7. ^ "The World's Smallest Hard Drive; IBM Japan pulls a tiny surprise out of its pocket". IGN. 24 June 1999. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Microtech first to distribute IBMs 340MB Microdrive". Digital Photography Review. 24 August 1999. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  9. ^ "IBM makes 512MB and 1GB Microdrive official". Digital Photography Review. 21 June 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. ^ "IBM unveils 1GB mini drive; New Microdrive triples capacity of miniature hard disk drive for portables". CNN. 20 June 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  11. ^ "HITACHI GLOBAL : News Releases from Headquarters : Jan 6, 2003". www.hitachi.com. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  12. ^ Bennett, Amy (26 August 2003). "Hitachi to ship 2GB, 4GB Microdrives this year". Computerworld. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  13. ^ Frauenheim, Ed (11 February 2004). "IBM to ship 4GB microdrive; Big Blue unveils tiny hard drive made by Hitachi, targeting laptop users". ZDnet. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  14. ^ Williams, Martyn (23 February 2005). "Hitachi slashes Microdrive prices, debuts 6GB model". Computerworld. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Hitachi 6GB Microdrive sells for just $299". Digital Photography Review. 24 February 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  16. ^ Kanellos, Michael (7 January 2005). "Hitachi drives get bigger--and smaller; Company cuts some fat from its diminutive devices, to squeeze them into cell phones, while upping the capacity of PC drives". Cnet. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Announces New Hard Drives". Videomaker. 7 January 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Hitachi to phase out small hard drives". Reuters. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  19. ^ Hachman, Mark (23 February 2005). "Seagate, Hitachi Announce 6-GB 1-Inch Drives". Extreme Tech. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  20. ^ Shim, Richard (19 January 2005). "Western Digital to enter minidrive arena; Hard drive maker plans to start shipping a one-inch product in the second quarter". CNET. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  21. ^ Smith, Tony (29 March 2006). "WD unveils 6GB pocket drive". The Register. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  22. ^ "Thinking Big, Building Small: Cornice Case Studye". Gillware. 22 September 2015.
  23. ^ "Toshiba Enters Guinness World Records Book with the World's Smallest Hard Disk Drive". Toshiba.
  24. ^ Corporation, Bonnier (December 11, 2004). "Popular Science". Bonnier Corporation – via Google Books.
  25. ^ "World's smallest HDD (0.85-inch Toshiba 4GB in Nokia N91)". Reddit. 5 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Ultra mobile PATA & CEATA Spinpoint A1" (PDF). Seagate.
  27. ^ "Samsung's Spinpoint A1 Miniature HDD Gets Popular". Softpedia. 17 January 2008.
  28. ^ "25 Years of CompactFlash: A Look Back at the Pioneering Format". PCMAG.
  29. ^ Hitachi Microdrive with PCMCIA advert on the box: https://allegro.pl/oferta/dysk-hd-cf-hitachi-4gb-microdrive-hms360404d5cf00-8477630440
  30. ^ Corsair launches 16GB Flash Voyager drive
  31. ^ "IBM family of Microdrives", Data sheet G225-6801-02
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Microdrive&oldid=1241899577"