TPI (Tracks per inch)
The number of tracks written within each inch of the disk’s surfaces, used to measure how closely the tracks are packed on a disk surface. Also known as track density.
Tagged Queuing
The ability of the drive to receive multiple I/O processes from each initiator.
Task File
The set of I/O Host Interface Registers used to transfer status, commands, and data between the host and the drive for the EIDE interface.
Thin Client Architecture
A computer system in which data is stored centrally, with only limited storage capacity at the various points of use.
Thin Film
A type of coating deposited on a flat surface through a photolithographic process. Thin film is used on disk platters and read/write heads, as well as on the write element of MR heads.
Thin-Film Inductive Head (TFI)
A head technology that uses a thin-film inductive element to read and write data bits on the magnetic surface of the disk.
Time-to-Capacity
Getting to market first with the next highest capacity hard drive.
Time-to-Market
The time it takes to bring a product from concept to market. Generally first-to-market is the desired time-to-market goal.
Time-to-Quality
The time required to bring a new product to market with the best possible level of quality and reliability.
Time-to-Volume
The time required to begin producing a new product in sufficiently high volume to fill commercial requirements.
Track
A concentric magnetic circle pattern on a disk surface used for storing and reading data.
Track-to-track Seek Time
The time that elapses when the read/write heads move from one track to an adjacent track.
Transfer Rate
The rate at which the hard drive sends and receives data from the controller. Processing, head switches, and seeks are all figured into the transfer rate in order to accurately portray drive performance. The burst mode transfer rate is separate from transfer rate, as it refers only to the transfer of data into RAM.
Translating BIOS
A system BIOS that allows access to EIDE drives larger than 528 MB.