Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the Seagate ST318406LC hard drive, based on available technical information and user discussions.
Q: What is the Seagate ST318406LC?
A: The Seagate ST318406LC is a 18.4GB 3.5-inch Ultra320 SCSI hard disk drive designed for enterprise server and workstation environments, offering high reliability and sustained data transfer rates for legacy storage systems.
Q: What are the key specifications for this drive?
A: Key specifications include a formatted capacity of 18.4GB, a 10,000 RPM spindle speed, an Ultra320 SCSI interface with a maximum data transfer rate of 320 MB/s, an average seek time of approximately 4.2 ms, and a 8MB cache buffer.
Q: What type of connector does the ST318406LC use?
A: It uses a standard 68-pin high-density SCSI connector for data and a separate 4-pin power connector, typical for internal Ultra320 SCSI devices.
Q: Is this drive compatible with modern systems?
A: Compatibility is limited due to the Ultra320 SCSI interface. Direct connection to modern motherboards requires a compatible SCSI host adapter (PCIe or PCI-X) and appropriate drivers. Many modern operating systems may lack native driver support.
Q: What is the typical operating temperature range for this drive?
A: The standard operating temperature ranges from 5°C to 55°C (41°F to 131°F), with non-operating storage extending from -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F).
Q: Can the ST318406LC be used as a boot drive?
A: Yes, if your system includes a SCSI controller that supports boot from SCSI devices, the drive can serve as a boot drive for compatible operating systems like Windows NT, Windows 2000, or certain Linux distributions with appropriate SCSI drivers loaded.
Q: What is the power consumption of this drive during operation?
A: Typical power consumption is approximately 10.5 watts during read/write operations and about 7.5 watts during idle mode, making it relatively efficient for a 10,000 RPM enterprise drive from its era.
Q: How does this drive compare to modern SATA or SAS drives?
A: The ST318406LC is significantly slower and smaller in capacity compared to modern HDDs or SSDs. Modern SATA or SAS drives offer capacities exceeding 20TB, faster sequential transfer rates, and lower power consumption per gigabyte, but this drive was designed for legacy SCSI-based reliability in older servers.
Q: What does the LC suffix signify in the model number?
A: LC typically indicates the drive uses a low-profile or specific connector variant, in this case referring to the internal 68-pin SCSI configuration, distinguishing it from other interface types like FC-AL or SCA.
Q: Is this drive still available for purchase new?
A: This drive is obsolete and no longer manufactured or sold as new by Seagate. It may be available through used or refurbished channels from specialty retailers or surplus electronics suppliers for legacy system repairs.
Q: What is the expected lifespan of the ST318406LC?
A: Enterprise drives from this era typically have a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 800,000 to 1,200,000 hours under controlled conditions, though actual lifespan depends heavily on operating environment, power cycling frequency, and manufacturing variance. Many units still operate reliably but should be considered at end-of-life for critical data storage.