Seagate BarraCuda Pro Serial ATA Product Manual, Rev. A
25
www.seagate.com
Configuring and mounting the drive
1.3
Configuring and mounting the drive
This section contains the specifications and instructions for configuring and mounting the drive.
1.3.1
Handling and static-discharge precautions
After unpacking, and before installation, the drive may be exposed to potential handling and electrostatic discharge
(ESD) hazards. Observe the following standard handling and static-discharge precautions:
1.3.2
Configuring the drive
Each drive on the Serial ATA interface connects point-to-point with the Serial ATA host adapter. There is no master/
slave relationship because each drive is considered a master in a point-to-point relationship. If two drives are attached
on one Serial ATA host adapter, the host operating system views the two devices as if they were both “masters” on two
separate ports. Both drives behave as if they are Device 0 (master) devices.
1.3.3
Serial ATA cables and connectors
The Serial ATA interface cable consists of four conductors in two differential pairs, plus three ground connections. The
cable size may be 30 to 26 AWG with a maximum length of one meter (39.37 in).
See
for connector pin definitions. Either end of the SATA signal
cable can be attached to the drive or host.
For direct backplane connection, the drive connectors are inserted
directly into the host receptacle. The drive and the host receptacle
incorporate features that enable the direct connection to be hot
pluggable and blind mateable.
For installations which require cables, users can connect the drive as
illustrated in
.
Figure 2.
Attaching SATA cabling
Each cable is keyed to ensure correct orientation. BarraCuda Pro Serial ATA drives support latching SATA connectors.
Caution
• Before handling the drive, put on a grounded wrist strap, or ground oneself frequently by touching the metal chassis of a
computer that is plugged into a grounded outlet. Wear a grounded wrist strap throughout the entire installation procedure.
• Handle the drive by its edges or frame
only
.
• The drive is extremely fragile—handle it with care. Do not press down on the drive top cover.
• Always rest the drive on a padded, antistatic surface until mounting it in the computer.
• Do not touch the connector pins or the printed circuit board.
• Do not remove the factory-installed labels from the drive or cover them with additional labels. Removal voids the warranty.
Some factory-installed labels contain information needed to service the drive. Other labels are used to seal out dirt and
contamination.
