Maxtor 160GB drive does not format to full size

Two readers confirm that the recently released Maxtor 160GB drive will only format to about 128GB. One reader explains:

"This is due to a limitation of the ATA/IDE interface. Apparently this isn't a machine-specific problem, but rather an any ATA machine problem, and Maxtor (according to a press release on their site) is working on new ATA interface designs which will allow the use of drives larger than 128 Gb (or 136.9 Gb in base 10 numbers). This new technology though isn't due out until next year sometime."

Update: The Alchemy ATA 133 PCI card (available now for the Mac) supports drives larger than 137 GB (128GB). The Alchemy web page states: "ATA 133 is the only standard that supports drives larger than 137 GB (128 GB in real terms). If you install a very large drive on a ATA 66 or ATA 100 bus, it will only be partially recognised." The MDJ adds: "If you already own a Miglia Alchemy ATA100 card, you're in luck: the Alchemy Firmware Update 2.0 boosts the firmware on the ATA100 card to ATA133, adding nifty new features at no additional cost."