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Seagate Momentus 5400.3 ST9120822AS

120 GB, 2.5-inch SATA mobile HDD. Identify the full AS suffix; ATA/PATA members of the broader family are different devices.

Original schematic of the Seagate ST9120822AS mobile SATA drive
LOCAL MODEL-CODED ART // NOT TO SCALE

IDENTIFICATION: Confirm exact model and firmware before using family-level setup information or selecting a replacement.

Recorded specifications

Exact model / capacityST9120822AS / 120 GB nominal
Form factor / height2.5-inch / 9.5 mm
InterfaceSerial ATA, 1.5 Gb/s generation, with NCQ
Rotation / cache5,400 RPM / 8 MB buffer
Sector / recording format512 bytes per sector; perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR), not 512e.

Compatibility, noise, shock and reliability

  • Requires a SATA controller/bridge and 5 V drive power; confirm the bay permits 9.5 mm height and the firmware can address the device.
  • Manufacturer family data identifies about 2.3 bel idle noise and 2.5–3.0 bel seek sound power. Published shock limits are 350 G operating (2 ms) and 900 G non-operating (1 ms); these standardized limits do not make a powered drive impact-safe.
  • The series' load/unload endurance and error-rate figures are ratings for a population. They cannot predict an individual drive's health; stop repeated tests if it clicks or returns read errors.
  • Read-only imaging is preferable when preserving data. Verify the host-visible sector size before cloning or partitioning.

Manufacturer documents

  1. Seagate Momentus 5400 Data SheetManufacturer series specifications, including interface, acoustic and environmental ratings.
  2. Seagate Momentus 5400.3 SATA Product Manual (archival copy)Seagate-issued manual, publication 100398882; use its model table for the ST9120822AS suffix.
  3. Seagate Manuals LibraryOfficial manufacturer index for manuals and product support.