MAGNETIC DISK HERITAGE CENTER

The mission of the Magnetic Disk Heritage Center is to preserve the story and historic legacy of the magnetic disk drive industry.  Our overall goal is to present the history of magnetic disk storage in terms of the technology, the products and their applications to reflect these advances and their impact on society through media and publications.

Background

The Magnetic Disk Heritage Center (MDHC) was founded at Santa Clara University in 2001 in recognition of the approaching 50th anniversary of the creation of the first magnetic disk data storage device for the electronic computer age at 99 Notre Dame, San Jose, California.  Activities undertaken included making the Site a City Landmark and placing displays in the original building highlighting the early years where it all began. An original RAMAC disk drive was obtained on loan from IBM and student projects from 2003-2005 demonstrated the feasibility of restoring this drive to an operational state.  In 2005 the City of San Jose passed a resolution agreeing to work with MDHC to explore establishing a museum featuring magnetic disk storage at 99 Notre Dame.

In 2005 MDHC was changed to a separate non-profit organization and re-located to the Computer History Museum (CHM).  The original mission is being pursued in cooperation with CHM and the restoration of the RAMAC disk drive continued there.  The RAMAC restoration project can be visited on request. 

Information

Tel: 650-810-1884
Fax: 650-810-1055
[email protected]

Magnetic Disk Heritage Center

Computer History Museum
1401 N Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA

Board of Directors:

< Albert S Hoagland > –

Executive Director of MDHC

William Bernard – Board Secretary

David Bennet – Treasurer

Current team members of the

Restoration project:

Joseph Fang

Richard Oswald

Edward Thelen

David Bennet

CHM interface:

Dag Spicer (Senior Curator)