Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1057 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Western Digital
• Model: WD5000AAKS
• Released on: 2008-07-14
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.97" h x 5.91" w x 7.87" l, 1.39 pounds
• Memory: 0MB DRAM
• Hard Disk: 500GB
• Processors: 1

Manufacturer's Description
With SATA and EIDE interfaces, cache sizes ranging from 2 MB to 16 MB, WD Caviar Blue drives offer a full range of performance features. Pick the drive that suits your needs with the confidence in knowing that all WD Caviar Blue drives are built to the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Data Lifeguard is an exclusive set of data protection features, including shock protection, an environmental protection system and real-time embedded error detection and repair. WD's Data Lifeguard technology automatically finds, isolates, and repairs problems that may develop over the life of a hard drive.

Data Lifeguard Tools are software utilities designed for WD hard drives that work with the embedded Data Lifeguard features to make hard drive installation,diagnostics and repair both simple and worry-free. (Download Data Lifeguard Tools)

ShockGuard instantaneously protects the hard drive against damage from bumps and vibrations while it is running. This technology enables WD Caviar drives to achieve industry-leading shock specifications.

Up to 142,800 digital photos Up to 125,000 songs (MP3);Up to 12,500 songs (uncompressed CD quality) Up to 38 hours of Digital Video (DV) Up to 220 hours of DVD quality video Up to 60 hours of HD video

Customer Reviews

Seems OK
Swapped out an 80GB Seagate Barracuda for this Western Digital 500GB baby.

Easy enough to install: Acronis True Image, straight swap, restore the disk image and resize the disk partitions (using EASEUS Home Partition Manager - a free utility).

I don't think it's quite as quiet as the one its replaced but it's not quite Whisper Quiet. That said it's nothing like as bad as a Maxtor I had in a Dell which sounded like someone rattling a bag of marbles.

Being OEM you just get the drive, no cables, no jumpers, no instructions (though you can find them on the WD website itself under Support). It doesn't have a "legacy power connector" something which worried me but turned out to be OK as the power comes via the SATA connection.

Longevity? Reliability? Dunno. Only been in my PC 3 hours so far. But a previous WD Caviar lasted just under 10 years so I'll be optimistic on that one.

Excelent value for money!!
Got this 2 add to my other 160gb hard drive as i run 2 operating systems on one pc. Great hard drive for the money! great value! and big 500g also i normaly always buy weston digital drives as they are very reliable and quiet. Top buy for the money and i would recommend this to anyone after a new drive.

Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATAII 16MB Cache 3.5 inch Internal Hard Drive OEM
Hi
At 10 pence per gigabyte you can't really complain!

I have an existing Seagate drive that is beginning to make unnerving rattling sounds and so I have installed this Caviar drive and activated the backup software that comes free within the Vista control panel to do a daily update copy of all my files.

When the Seagate does finally fall of its perch I will set up a pair of 500GB drives in a Raid 1 configuration but the thought of doing this now and having to re-install all my software before I really have to is just too much!

The Caviar drive installed easily, runs quietly and, so far, "does exactly what it says on the tin." Time will tell!