Buffalo Japan is selling a transparent hard disk drive for its 50th anniversary

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Blast from the past? In 1998, Buffalo Japan introduced the "skeleton hard disk," a drive designed to showcase its inner workings. To mark its 50th anniversary, the company is releasing an updated version of the original HDD. Priced at 100,000 yen (approximately $696), the new Skeleton Hard Disk offers a 4TB capacity – but getting your hands on one will be a challenge.

Buffalo designed the Skeleton Hard Disk as an external USB drive with a premium package and design, though its technical specifications aren't groundbreaking. Using a standard USB 3.2 (Gen 1) interface, the drive lets users see the spinning magnetic surface and moving read/write heads during I/O operations. Forget state of the art. We want novelty.

Unfortunately, Buffalo didn't release specific internal specifications, so it's unclear whether Buffalo chose CMR or SMR recording technology for this celebratory product. While Buffalo designed the USB HDD as a desk centerpiece, the company reassures customers that it still serves as a standard external USB storage device.

Buffalo offers a dedicated application called SeekWizard, a Windows-only utility that runs the HDD in various "demo" modes. The tool lets users choose from different head movement patterns, including "random seek," "sequential seek," and "second hand step."

Buffalo says the new Skeleton Hard Disk builds on a modernized version of the original concept design, retaining the essence of its innovative predecessor while offering a more refined, contemporary look. The hefty chassis provides a "unique" desk presence and reinforces the product's premium feel, making it stand out as an exclusive collector's item. The elegant packaging adds an unexpected touch of sophistication – something rarely seen with standard USB hard disk drives, enhancing the overall luxury appeal.

The company designed the Skeleton Hard Disk to appeal to Buffalo's most devoted magnetic recording storage technology fans. Only 50 units are available, so the company will hold a Japan-exclusive lottery to determine which lucky customers will receive one of these extremely limited edition HDDs. Winners should expect their shipments sometime in June.

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Buffalo Japan is selling a transparent hard disk drive for its 50th anniversary

 

[opckieran]

Reminds me of older WD Raptor drives.

 

[toooooot]

Very cool but too expensive as well.

 

[Axeia]

I tried doing this myself many years ago. Think I tried with like 5 drives and all but one immediately died. One survived for a couple of days.

The good old days of cutting holes in your case and HDDs, you can buy anything nowadays.

 

[The Talking Tech]

I want oneeeeee!

 

[Godel]

They probably should have added something like a desk clock to it if it's going to be prominently on your desk all the time.

 

[Later]

Reminds me of older WD Raptor drives.

Yeah ! Is not something new, only for the ones born in 2015.

 

[Str8Shot]

I tried doing this myself many years ago. Think I tried with like 5 drives and all but one immediately died. One survived for a couple of days.

The good old days of cutting holes in your case and HDDs, you can buy anything nowadays.

Why did they fail?

 

[JohnRambo4]

I tried doing this myself many years ago. Think I tried with like 5 drives and all but one immediately died. One survived for a couple of days.

The good old days of cutting holes in your case and HDDs, you can buy anything nowadays.

I think the microscopic dust kills it. I always wanted to do this but never got around to it. I thought maybe it could work by making a clean room box out of a clear storage container with glove holes and an fan and air filter.

 

[Axeia]

Why did they fail?

One dust particle on the platter and the disk is a goner. I had hoped that in the bathroom running hot water and using steam to hopefully get dust out of the air was sufficient. Turns out it wasn't.
All the victims were from really old computers, ranging from 80 to 320GB so nothing of value was lost.

If anyone wants to attempt this themselves make sure it's not a disk where they replaced the air with helium or it definitely won't survive.