Mobile Vista will need hybrid hard drives

SOFTWARE OUTFIT, Microsoft has confirmed that its mobile version of Vista it will need a hybrid hard drive to run, when it hits the shops.

The Vole slipped the requirement into a Windows Logo Device Program Requirements document that was released last week.

Document V3.01 states "a minimum of 50MB of non-volatile cache must be available for use by Windows." It also specifies some pretty strict minimums for read and write throughput, stating "The NV-Cache must be able to perform sequential reads with a throughput of at least 16MB/sec, and sequential writes with a throughput of at least 8MB/sec."

It goes on to say that "16MB/sec is highly recommended" for the latter.

In clarifying the situation, Volish programme manager for Windows Client Performance, Matt Ayres, told TG Daily that Microsoft wants hybrid hard-drives in all Windows laptops from June 1, 2007. We don't think that's the launch date for Vista.

The Vole has been working with Samsung and Seagate and others to make sure that the hybrid hard-drive change happens. µ

L'Inqs
Windows Logo Device Program Requirements (1Mb Word file)
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