Description

The Western Digital WD600AB-22CBA0 is a 60GB hard drive from the Caviar series (often listed as Caviar or Caviar SE in some contexts), a mainstream 3.5-inch IDE/PATA drive released around 2001–2002. This model was part of Western Digital’s value-oriented lineup for desktop PCs during the early Pentium 4 / Athlon era.

*** Hard drive is tested for good S.M.A.R.T. , no bad sectors and is formatted as an NTFS partition. Actual drive is pictured.

Here are the key specifications compiled from product listings, vendor data sheets, and consistent historical references:

• Capacity: 60 GB (formatted; actual usable space ~55–56 GiB due to binary vs. decimal GB calculation)
• Interface: IDE / PATA (Parallel ATA), Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-5), backward compatible with ATA/66, ATA/33, etc. → Max theoretical burst transfer rate: 100 MB/s
• Form Factor: 3.5-inch (standard desktop, ~1-inch height)
• Spindle Speed: 5400 RPM
• Cache / Buffer: 2 MB
• Average Seek Time: ~9.5 ms (read/write; typical for the Caviar series at this time)
• Platter / Head Configuration: Typically 3 heads / 2 platters (common for 60GB Caviar models around this period)
• Other Features:
  • Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) read channel technology for better data integrity
  • Reed Solomon ECC for error correction
  • Automatic head parking for shock protection
  • Data Lifeguard (Western Digital’s monitoring and protection tech)
  • Quiet operation relative to contemporaries (no Fluid Dynamic Bearing in this specific model; ball-bearing spindle typical)
• Power Consumption: Typical for the era (~5–7W active; uses standard 4-pin Molex power connector)
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): ~400,000–600,000 hours (manufacturer claim for Caviar series)
• Acoustics: ~28–30 dB idle/seek (relatively quiet for 5400 RPM)
• Compatibility: Works with older motherboards supporting IDE/ATA; jumper settings for Master/Slave/Cable Select (CS pins often used; refer to WD’s jumper block diagram on the drive label)
• Jumper Settings (standard WD Caviar ATA layout):
  • Master (or single drive): Jumper across pins 5-6 (or as labeled)
  • Slave: No jumper
  • Cable Select (CS): Jumper across CS pins (usually pins 3-4); drive position on 80-wire cable determines role