Updated 26 April, 2005

Technical Committee T13
AT Attachment

    Technical Committee T13 is responsible for all interface standards relating to the popular AT Attachment (ATA) storage interface utilized as the disk drive interface on most personal and mobile computers today.

    The charter of Technical Committee T13 is to provide a public forum for the development and enhancement of storage interface standards for high volume personal computers. The work of T13 is open to all materially impacted individuals and organizations.

    T13 is a Technical Committee for the InterNational Committee on Information Technology Standards (INCITS). INCITS is accredited by, and operates under rules approved by, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). These rules are designed to ensure that voluntary standards are developed by the consensus of directly and materially affected interests. INCITS develops Information Processing System standards, while ANSI approves the process under which they are developed and publishes them. The INCITS web site may be accessed at http://www.incits.org/. Of particular interest is the INCITS Antitrust Policy

 

Contents

 

Membership

Meetings

Reflector

FTP site

Standards
Published

Projects
Standards in Development

Withdrawn
Expired Standards

Project drafts
Current and Past

Documents 2005

Documents 2004

Documents 2003

Documents 2002

Documents 2001

Documents 2000-1996

Links

Rules


The T13 web site and FTP site are hosted by
Phoenix Technologies

T13 Documents are distributed in Adobe Acrobat format. The Acrobat Reader software for many operating systems is available at www.adobe.com

    Membership

    Committee officers

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Secretary

Dan Colegrove

Jim Hatfield

Mark Overby

Hitachi Global Storage Technology Inc.

Seagate Technology

 nVidia Corporation

2505 Anthem Village Dr. Ste. E-221

389 Disc Drive

 1430 NE 24th Suite 203

Henderson, NV 89052

Longmont, CO 80503

 Bellvue, WA 98007

Tel: 702 614-6119

720-684-2120

 425 417-9412

Fax: 702 614-7955

 

daniel.colegrove@hgst.com

 James.C.Hatfield@seagate.com

 moverby@nvidia.com

 T13 Web Site Editor

Mailing List Administrator

 

    Current Membership (click here)

    To become a member

    The work of T13 is open to all materially impacted individuals and organizations. To become a member, an individual or organization must attend two of three successive plenary meetings and submit a request for membership to the Chair on organizational letterhead stating the nature of materially affected interests. The individual or organization may then be granted membership at the second meeting.

    The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) is the Secretariat for INCITS. ITI charges a fee for membership to cover the INCITS Secretariat's operating costs. The membership classes and their Service Fees are currently:

    Principal - Service Fee $800 per year.
    Observer - Service Fee $800 per year.

    T13 publishes mailings after each plenary meeting. Fees for CD-ROM mailings are $300 per year for those within the USA and Canada and $400 for those outside the USA and Canada.

    Membership fees and mailings are administered by INCITS Secretariat, 1250 Eye Street, NW Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005. Phone: 202 737-8888, Fax: 202 638-4922, Email: INCITS@ITIC.ORG.

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    Meetings

    The meetings are open to all attendees. Two types of meetings may be held. Plenary meetings at which all official decisions are made, and ad hoc meetings (popularly known as working groups) at which assignments of the Plenary are carried out mainly consisting of detailed technical work to develop recommendations for adoption by the Plenary.

    Plenary meetings are currently three days long. Meetings begin at 9am. Meetings end at 5pm the first two days and 5pm on the third day.

    The current meeting schedule is:

    • June 21-24, 2005 - Plenary 53 - Irvine, CA- Hosted by Western Digital Announcement Agenda 3.5 Days
    • August 23-26, 2005 - Plenary 54 - Longmont, CO - Hosted by Maxtor 3.5 Days
    • October 18-21, 2005 - Plenary 55 - Las Vegas, NV - Hosted by Fujitsu 3.5 Days
    • December 13-16, 2005 - Plenary 56 - Las Vegas, NV - Hosted by Hitachi GST 3.5 Days
    • February 21-24, 2006 - Plenary 57 - Orange County, CA - Hosted by Western Digital 3.5 Days
    • April 18-21, 2006 - Plenary 58 - Longmont, CO - Hosted by Seagate 3.5 Days
    • June 20-23, 2006 - Plenary 59 - Seattle, WA - Hosted by nVidia 3.5 Days

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    Published Standards Sources

    Copies of published standards may be purchased from:

    ANSI, 25 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036, Tel: 212 642-4900,

    or

     Global Engineering Documents, 15 Inverness Way East, Englewood, CO 80112-5704, Phone: 800 854-7179, outside USA and Canada: 303 792-2181, International Sales Fax: 303 397-2740.

    Projects

    Earlier ATA standards are maintained to support product existing in the field that were manufactured compliant with those standards. It is recommended that the latest standard be utilized for new designs.

    Withdrawn Standards:

    0791M AT Attachment Interface for Disk Drives (ATA-1) (Withdrawn 6 August 1999 )
    For historical purposes the last committee draft of the standard is maintained as X3T9.2/791Dr4c.

    0948D AT Attachment Interface with Extensions (ATA-2) (Withdrawn in 2001)
    For historical purposes the last committee draft of the standard is maintained as X3T9.2/948Dr4c

    2008D AT Attachment - 3 Interface (ATA-3) (Withdrawn in 2002)
    For historical purposes the last committee draft of the standard is maintained as d2008r7b

    Published Standards:

    1153D AT Attachment - 4 with Packet Interface Extension (ATA/ATAPI - 4)

    Abstract: This standard specifies the AT Attachment Interface between host systems and storage devices. It provides a common attachment interface for systems manufacturers, systems integrators, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices. It includes the Packet Command feature known as the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI). This standard maintains a high degree of compatibility with the AT Attachment - 3 Interface (ATA-3), X3.298-1996, and earlier definitions of the AT Attachment Packet (ATAPI), and while providing additional functions, is not intended to require changes to presently installed devices or existing software.

    AT Attachment - 4 with Packet Interface Extension is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 317-1998 AT Attachment - 4 with Packet Interface Extension.   Erratum has also been published for NCITS 317.

    1321D AT Attachment - 5 with Packet Interface (ATA/ATAPI - 5)

    Abstract: This standard specifies the AT Attachment Interface between host systems and storage devices. It provides a common attachment interface for systems manufacturers, systems integrators, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices. It includes the Packet Command feature known as the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI). This standard maintains a high degree of compatibility with the AT Attachment - 4 with Packet Interface Extension (ATA/ATAPI-4), 1153D, and while providing additional functions, is not intended to require changes to presently installed devices or existing software.

    AT Attachment - 5 with Packet Interface is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 340-2000 AT Attachment - 5 with Packet Interface.

    An errata has been proposed, see document: e01122r0 ATA/ATAPI-5 Errata 6/4/01 mclean

    1410D AT Attachment - 6 with Packet Interface (ATA/ATAPI - 6)

    Abstract: This standard specifies the AT Attachment Interface between host systems and storage devices. It provides a common attachment interface for systems manufacturers, systems integrators, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices. It includes the Packet Command feature known as the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI). This standard maintains a high degree of compatibility with the AT Attachment - 5 with Packet Interface   (ATA/ATAPI-5), 1321D, and while providing additional functions, is not intended to require changes to presently installed devices or existing software.

    AT Attachment - 6 with Packet Interface is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 361-2002 AT Attachment - 6 with Packet Interface.

    1226DT Enhancded BIOS Services for Disk Drives

    Abstract: This technical report describes new services provided by BIOS firmware to support ATA hard disks up to 16 mega-tera-bytes (16x1018). Older BIOS services have a compatibilty limit of 528 MB and a theoretical limit of 8.4 GB.

    Enhancded BIOS Services for Disk Drivesis a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS

    1248D 1394 to AT Attachment - Tailgate

    Abstract: This standard specifies a bridge protocol between 1394 host systems and storage devices using the AT Attachment Interface. It provides a common attachment interface for systems manufacturers, system integrators, software suppliers, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices.

    1394 to AT Attachment - Tailgate is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 316-1998 1394 to AT Attachment - Tailgate.

    1367D Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension Services

    Abstract: This standard specifies a firmware (BIOS) interface for accessing an area of ATA drives that is normally hidden via the SETMAX command. This firmware interface builds on ATA/ATAPI-4 (NCITS 317-1998) to provide services that an operating system may use to access the hidden area in the same manner as a removable media device. This standard provides these capabilities using the existing ATA/ATAPI-4 command set, therefore it does not require changes to existing devices that support the optional SETMAX command. 

    Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension Services is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 346-2001 Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension Services.

    1386D BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services

    Abstract: This standard specifies  extensions to the INT 13 interface. This standard maintains a high degree of compatibility with the Enhanced BIOS Services for Disk Drives, NCITS TR-21, and while providing additional functions, is not intended to require changes to presently installed devices or existing software.

    BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 347-2001 BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services.

    1407DT Address Offset Reserved Area Boot Method

    Abstract: This technical report describes the Address Offset feature and the method of booting an operating system from a reserved area using the Address Offset feature.

    Address Offset Alternate Boot Feature  is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI INCITS TR27-2001 Address Offset Alternate Boot Feature 

    1484D BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services - 2

    Abstract: This standard specifies  extends the definitions provided in 1386D BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services. It provides definition for Packet Sending Service and extends the types of buses and devices that can be controlled by EDD services.

    BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services - 2  is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 363-2002 BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services - 2.

    1510D ATA/ATAPI Host Adapter Standards (ATA Adapter)

    Abstract: This standard specifies an Open Host Controller Interface for ATA host adapters. Different types of host adapters, methods for their identification, and the programming interfaces used are defined.

    ATA/ATAPI Host Adapter Standards (ATA Adapter) is a completed project maintained by T13. It has been published as ANSI NCITS 370-2004 ATA/ATAPI Host Adapter Standards (ATA Adapter).

    A draft erratum is in development e05114r0

    Projects in Development:

    1532D AT Attachment - 7 with Packet Interface (ATA/ATAPI - 7)

    Abstract: This standard specifies the AT Attachment Interface between host systems and storage devices. It provides a common attachment interface for systems manufacturers, systems integrators, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices. It includes the Packet Command feature known as the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI). This standard maintains a high degree of compatibility with the AT Attachment - 6 with Packet Interface   (ATA/ATAPI-6), 1410D, and while providing additional functions, is not intended to require changes to presently installed devices or existing software.

    AT Attachment - 7 with Packet Interface is currently under development. The draft documents are Volume 1:d1532v1r4b Volume 2:d1532v2r4b Volume 3:d1532v3r4a

    A draft erratum is being developed: e05108r2

    1572D BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services - 3 (EDD-3)

    Abstract: This standard specifies  extends the definitions provided in 1484D BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services -2.

    BIOS Enhanced Disk Drive Services - 3 is currently under development. The draft document is d1572r3.

    1612DT ATA/ATAPI AV Command Set Usage Guidelines

    Abstract: This technical report collects useage guidelines for the audio/video commands described in ATA/ATAPI-7.

    ATA/ATAPI AV Command Set Usage Guidelines is currently under development. The draft document is d1612r0 .

    1696DT Time Limited Commands (TLC)

    Abstract: This technical report describes a method of limiting the time allowed to complete a group of commands.
    The draft document is dt1696r0

    1697D AT Attachment-8 - Serial Transport (ATA8-AST)

    The draft document is D1697r0b-ATA8-AST

    1698D AT Attachment-8 - Parallel Transport (ATA8-PT)

    1699D AT Attachment-8 - ATA/ATAPI Command Set (ATA8-ACS)

    Abstract: This document describes the ATA/ATAPI command set.

    The draft document is D1699r1c-ATA8-ACS

    1700D AT Attachment-8 - Architecture Model (ATA8-AAM)

    The draft document is D1700r0-ATA8-AAM

    1701DT Smart Command Transfer (SCT)

    Abstract: This technical report describes the transport of commands using the SMART Feature Set in ATA/ATAPI-7 interface devices.
    The draft document is dt1701r5

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    Email reflector

    T13 maintains an Email reflector for committee use and open discussion of topics within the scope of T13. Email traffic includes meeting notices and agendas as well as technical discussions on issues relating to the committee's projects. Personal mail or commercial advertising is not appropriate.

    To subscribe

    To subscribe send Email to: James.C.Hatfield@seagate.com
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    FTP site

    T13 maintains an FTP site as a repository of committee documents. Committee documents may be downloaded from ftp://ftp.t13.org.

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    Links (under development)

    INCITS

    International Committee for Information Technology Standards
    Project Proposal Guide
    Antitrust Policy

      T10

    SCSI

      T11

    Fibre Channel

    SFF Committee

    SATA

    Serial ATA

    IDEMA

    Global Engineering

    Document Distribution

    ISO

    International Standards Organization

    ANSI

    American National Standards Institute

    CFA

    Compact Flash Association

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    Committee Rules

    Committee standing rules and guidelines

      d96108r0 PDF DOC Standards Development Procedure
      d96110r2 PDF DOC Document Process
      d96111r0 PDF DOC Project Format Guideline
      e01129r2 PDF DOC Proposal Format Guideline
      d96119r2 PDF DOC Notification Procedure
      d96121r0 PDF DOC Tech Editor Funding
      d97124r1 PDF DOC IEEE Identification Registration