Adaptec Unveils All-In-One Storage Expansion Kit; Home/SOHO users can increase PC storage, improve performance

Business Wire, March 11, 1996

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1996--Until now, when PC users needed to add storage to a PC, they had to haul their system to a service center, discard their old drive, then do a laborious, time-consuming, floppy-by-floppy transfer of data and applications to the new drive. Adaptec's new Power Storage Hard Drive Kit combines an industry standard, high-capacity (1.0 GByte) external hard drive with an Adaptec host adapter and requires less than 30 minutes installation time. It complements a PC's internal IDE/EIDE drive and provides future expansion options for six more SCSI peripherals.

According to Adaptec president and CEO Grant Saviers, "Most home and SOHO PC owners simply don't have the luxury of dumping old systems when better technology comes along. But if they don't, they are often denied the advantages of the best new applications. We're providing a solution to this dilemma: a simple and inexpensive storage expansion that will give new life to the large installed base of PCs."

The expansion kit can be tailored for a variety of uses. As a primary device it can be used by home and SOHO users for the operating system, as well as for storing and accessing data from applications that users need most often -- word processing, databases, home-based accounting, and educational software. For power users, it can also serve as a secondary storage device to keep less frequently used data such as desktop publishing documents, large multimedia programs, and downloaded information from the Internet. Furthermore, as an external drive, the kit is an ideal backup and archiving drive for making copies of current files and applications.

Bundled with the kit is Remove-IT software from Vertisoft, which allows users to delete Windows and DOS applications and files that are no longer needed. Users can also easily transfer applications between different disk drives and create compressed archives for secondary applications and files. Important note: the old drive and all its files can stay where they are and remain in use.

Storage Needs Grow

The market for upgrading desktop PC hard disk drive storage is exploding. International Data Corporation, based in Framingham, Mass., estimates the aftermarket for desktop hard disk drives will be 40 million units in 1996 and 75 million units in 1999.

"Windows 95 applications, multimedia games and video, graphics, and sound devices are increasingly saturating today's storage devices," said Rajesh Vashist, marketing manager of Adaptec's Enterprise Computing business unit. "Users now have an inexpensive option that is reliable and easy to install to take full advantage of Windows 95, Pentium PCs, and today's storage-hungry applications."

Easy Installation

Completing the hardware expansion takes less than 30 minutes and requires no technical expertise. With Adaptec's installation guide, users follow a simple process that explains how to open the computer, connect the drive and adapter, and configure the new system.

Why SCSI?

Inside every PC is an input/output (I/O) interface which controls the flow of data between the computer and its peripherals. Most PCs come standard with an I/O technology called IDE or EIDE - in many cases a limited solution for higher performance applications. Many of today's computer users are demanding a more robust solution, SCSI, for a variety of reasons: -0-

-- Only SCSI supports true multitasking under Windows 95.

-- Only SCSI enables users to add high performance peripheral devices such as fast, high-capacity Power Storage drives, CD-R drives, magneto-optical drives, and more.

-- Only SCSI lets users add as many as seven external peripheral devices to a single expansion port, just by plugging in a cable (IDE/EIDE only provides for internal expansion).

-- SCSI moves data in and out of the system at a much higher rate than either IDE/EIDE, freeing the PC's CPU to work faster at its own tasks. -0-

Adaptec Power Storage Kit Specs

The Power Storage Kit comes in either an ISA or a PCI version. Both come complete with the following items: -0-

-- Adaptec SCSI host adapter (AHA-1540CP for ISA; AHA-2940 for PCI)

-- High-performance (11.0 msec seektime), industry-standard, 1.0 GByte SCSI external hard drive

-- Complete, easy-to-follow, eight-step installation guide

-- Adaptec's EZ-SCSI installation software and operation manual

-- Vertisoft's popular Remove-IT (uninstall) software

-- One external SCSI cable and separate power cord -0-

Pricing/Availability

The Adaptec Power Storage Kit is available to end users at national and regional computer outlets and via traditional Adaptec distributors. The suggested retail price for both the ISA and PCI kits is $599. Product is in distribution today.

Adaptec, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPT) designs, manufactures and markets IOware solutions to eliminate performance bottlenecks between microcomputers, networks, and peripherals. Solutions range from simple connectivity products for single-user and small-office desktops, to intelligent subsystem, high-performance SCSI, RAID and ATM products for enterprise-wide computing and networked environments. Adaptec I/O solutions are incorporated into the products of virtually all the major computer and peripheral manufacturers around the world.