[ExtractStream] 137 GB maximum

[Robert J. Seymour, Jr.]

From: gekea@y... [mailto:gekea@y...]
> i was wondering...ATA uses 28 bit for addressing sectors on a hard
> drive...putting the max storage space that can be recognized on any
> one HD at 137 GB.

See the recent slashdot discussion for several perspectives on this issue:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/06/30/2059227&mode=thread . There is
a new ANSI ATA standard in the works with 48 byte addressing (144 pentabytes
of addressible storage space).

> is the ATA 28 bit addressing a wintel standard or does it span across
> to the linux world too? meaning tivo would reach it's limits with
> (2) 137GB drives.

ATA is a hardware standard, what operating system (linux/windows/etc), cpu
manufacturer (intel/powerpc/etc.), or device (PC/TiVo/etc) its hosted in is
irrelevant with respect to its addressing limits. With current TiVo's you
won't be able to exceeed 137GB per drive (excepting a possible hack for new
drive interfaces, but that seems unlikely).

Regards, Robert


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