Cylinders versus tracks...

[Chuck Guzis]

On 22 Dec 2006 at 11:24, Brian L. Stuart wrote:

> I'm not sure there is a correct convention.  I do know that controller
> programming can be a bit weird.  The old AT-style controllers on PCs
> seemed to want the cylinders and heads numbered from 0 and the
> sectors numbered from 1. 

At least one WD PeeCee controller stashed disk parameters on sector 
0, side 0, track 0--i.e., it didn't use the built-in BIOS tables.  
IIRC, the WD 1006 series did this.  So, there was no prohibition to 
actually having a zeroth sector--my first do-it-yourself hard disk 
for my PC (using a WD1001 controller) used physical numbering from 0. 

Cheers,
Chuck