There are actually a number of reasons why you need to install Agilent specific hard drive onto your oscilloscope.
1. This is the most important. Agilent software is installed on the hard drive, which then installs all of the drivers necessary for the software. Many issues occur with the driver installation of a non Agilent hard drive in an oscilloscope, which Agilent doesn't support.
2. The correct size of the hard drive is included.
3. A recovery partition is now included in this!
4. You are completely supported by Agilent for the hard drive.
THere are probably a few more reasons, that someone else might want to add, but these are a few of the reasons it is necessary to buy an Agilent specific hard drive.
Because there have been many different hard drives and Infiniium application versions on these hard drives, Agilent is in the process of providing hard drive replacement kits for the most recent and current Infiniium scopes.
One kit will be for the EIDE drives in the 5483x, 5485xA, and DSO80000A scopes. The part number is 54855-68704. This kit should be available by 1 March 07.
NOTE: Not all 5483x scopes have XP. In this case, the kit will not work. Only 5483x scopes that were shipped with XP or have been upgraded to XP via the N5383A upgrade kit can use this kit.
The other kit will be for the SATA drives in the MSO/DSO8000A and DSO80000B scopes. The part number is D8100-68701. This kit should be available by 1 March 07.
1. This is the most important. Agilent software is installed on the hard drive, which then installs all of the drivers necessary for the software. Many issues occur with the driver installation of a non Agilent hard drive in an oscilloscope, which Agilent doesn't support.
2. The correct size of the hard drive is included.
3. A recovery partition is now included in this!
4. You are completely supported by Agilent for the hard drive.
THere are probably a few more reasons, that someone else might want to add, but these are a few of the reasons it is necessary to buy an Agilent specific hard drive.