ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021

Information technology - AT attachment - Part 103: ATA/ATAPI Command Set - 3 (ACS-3)

ISO/IEC 11760-103:2021 specifies the command set host systems use to access storage devices. It provides a common command set for systems manufacturers, system integrators, software suppliers, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices. This standard maintains compatibility with the ACS-2 standard, ISO/IEC 17760-102, while providing additional functions.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 03-Jun-2021
• ICS: 35.200 - Interface and interconnection equipment
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 25 - Interconnection of information technology equipment
• Drafting Committee: WG 4 - ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 25/WG 4
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 04-Jun-2021
• Completion Date: 28-May-2021

Overview

ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021 - Information technology - AT attachment - Part 103: ATA/ATAPI Command Set - 3 (ACS-3) - is an international standard that specifies the ATA/ATAPI command set used by host systems to access storage devices. It provides a common command and feature set for system manufacturers, integrators, software and firmware suppliers, and intelligent storage device vendors. ACS-3 maintains compatibility with ACS-2 (ISO/IEC 17760-102) while adding new functions and clarifications for modern storage requirements.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard organizes technical content into command definitions, feature sets, protocols, and field descriptions. Key topics include:

• Feature set definitions and capability reporting (e.g., PACKET/ATAPI, 48-bit Address feature, Accessible Max Address).
• Device-level features such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ), Power Management, Power-Up In Standby (PUIS), and Advanced Power Management (APM).
• Data integrity and security features including the Security feature set, Sanitize Device procedures, and Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART).
• Device control and diagnostics: General Purpose Logging (GPL), Device Statistics Notification (DSN), streaming, and sense data reporting.
• Command and protocol details: PACKET command handling, IDENTIFY DEVICE/IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE**, command processing, state machines, STATUS/ERROR field definitions and ATA protocol semantics.
• Low-level structures: byte/word conventions, data structures, and error/status bit definitions used by firmware and drivers.

The standard includes normative references, detailed conventions, state diagrams, command phase descriptions, and field-level definitions necessary for interoperable implementations of the ATA/ATAPI command set.

Practical applications and who uses it

ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021 is used by:

• Storage device manufacturers (HDDs, SSDs, ATAPI devices) for firmware and command-set compliance.
• System integrators and OEMs to ensure host interfaces support required ATA features.
• Operating system and driver developers implementing ATA/ATAPI device drivers and storage stacks.
• Firmware engineers and embedded systems developers working on controllers and device microcode.
• Test labs and QA teams for interoperability, compliance testing, and validation of NCQ, SMART, sanitize, power-management behavior.

Common applications include developing device firmware, creating OS drivers, validating data center storage platforms, and ensuring backward compatibility with ACS-2 implementations.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 17760-102 (ACS-2) - previous edition for ATA/ATAPI command sets (compatibility maintained).
• Other parts of the ISO/IEC 17760 series covering AT attachment profiles and interfaces.

Keywords: ATA/ATAPI, ACS-3, ATA command set, storage devices, host systems, NCQ, SMART, sanitize, PUIS, power management, ISO/IEC 17760-103.

Standards Content (Sample)

ISO/IEC 17760-103
Edition 1.0 2021-06
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Information technology – AT attachment –
Part 103: ATA/ATAPI Command Set - 3 (ACS-3)

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ISO/IEC 17760-103
Edition 1.0 2021-06
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Information technology – AT attachment –

Part 103: ATA/ATAPI Command Set - 3 (ACS-3)

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 35.200 ISBN 978-2-8322-9827-5

2 ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021 © ISO/IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD. 16
INTRODUCTION . 18
1 Scope . 20
2 Normative references . 20
3 Terms, definitions, abbreviations, and conventions . 21
3.1 Terms and definitions . 21
3.2 Symbols and abbreviations. 30
3.2.1 Abbreviations . 30
3.2.2 Units: . 31
3.2.3 Mathematical operators: . 31
3.2.4 Other Symbols . 31
3.3 Conventions. 31
3.3.1 Overview . 31
3.3.2 Precedence . 32
3.3.3 Lists . 32
3.3.4 Keywords . 33
3.3.5 Numbering . 34
3.3.6 Bit conventions . 35
3.3.7 Number range convention . 35
3.3.8 State diagram conventions . 35
3.3.9 Byte, word, DWord, QWord, and DQWord Relationships . 37
3.3.10 ATA string convention . 38
3.3.11 Offset Convention . 39
4 Feature set definitions . 40
4.1 Overview. 40
4.1.1 Feature set summary . 40
4.1.2 Capacity reporting . 41
4.2 General feature set . 42
4.3 The PACKET feature set . 42
4.3.1 Overview . 42
4.3.2 Identification of PACKET feature set devices . 43
4.3.3 Signature for ATAPI devices . 43
4.3.4 The PACKET command . 43
4.4 48-bit Address feature set. 43
4.5 Accessible Max Address Configuration feature set . 44
4.5.1 Overview . 44
4.5.2 SET ACCESSIBLE MAX ADDRESS EXT description . 44
4.5.3 Device Statistics data . 44
4.6 Advanced Power Management (APM) feature set . 44
4.7 CompactFlash Association (CFA) feature set. 45
4.8 Device Statistics Notification (DSN) feature set. 45
4.8.1 Overview . 45
4.8.2 DSN notifications . 46
4.8.3 DSN notifications setup . 46
4.9 Extended Power Conditions (EPC) feature set. 47
4.9.1 Overview . 47
4.9.2 Power conditions . 47
4.9.3 Power condition timers . 47
4.9.4 Interaction with resets, commands, and other features if the EPC feature set is enabled . 48

4.10 Free-fall Control feature set . 49
4.11 General Purpose Logging (GPL) feature set . 49
4.12 Long Logical Sector (LLS) feature set . 50
4.13 Long Physical Sector (LPS) feature set. 51
4.14 Native Command Queuing (NCQ) feature set . 53
4.14.1 Overview . 53
4.14.2 Priority . 54
4.14.3 Unload with NCQ commands outstanding . 54
4.14.4 Command Phases . 54
4.15 Power Management feature set. 55
4.15.1 Overview . 55
4.15.2 Power management commands .55
4.15.3 Standby timer . 56
4.15.4 Power Management states and transitions . 57
4.16 Power-Up In Standby (PUIS) feature set. 60
4.16.1 Overview . 60
4.16.2 Interactions with IDENTIFY DEVICE and IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE commands . 60
4.16.3 PUIS feature set device spin-up subcommand . 60
4.17 Sanitize Device feature set . 61
4.17.1 Overview . 61
4.17.2 Sanitize operation scope . 61
4.17.3 Sanitize commands . 61
4.17.4 Sanitize operations . 61
4.17.5 Command processing during sanitize operations . 62
4.17.6 Sanitize Operation Completed Without Error value . 62
4.17.7 Failure Mode Policy value . 62
4.17.8 Sanitize Antifreeze value . 63
4.17.9 Sanitize Device state machine . 63
4.18 Security feature set. 66
4.18.1 Overview . 66
4.18.2 Disabling and enabling the Security feature set . 66
4.18.3 Passwords . 66
4.18.4 Master password capability . 67
4.18.5 Frozen mode . 67
4.18.6 Commands . 67
4.18.7 Security initial setting . 67
4.18.8 Password Rules . 67
4.18.9 Password attempt counter and SECURITY COUNT EXPIRED bit . 68
4.18.10 Master Password Identifier feature . 68
4.18.11 Security states . 69
4.19 Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) feature set . 78
4.19.1 Overview . 78
4.19.2 Device SMART data structure . 78
4.19.3 Background data collection . 78
4.19.4 Off-line/Captive mode data collection . 78
4.19.5 Threshold exceeded condition . 79
4.19.6 SMART feature set commands . 79
4.19.7 SMART operation with power management modes . 79
4.19.8 SMART device error log reporting . 79
4.20 Sense Data Reporting feature set . 79
4.21 Software Settings Preservation (SSP) feature set. 80
4.22 SATA Hardware Feature Control. 81
4.23 Streaming feature set . 82
4.23.1 Streaming feature set overview . 82
4.23.2 Streaming commands . 82
4.24 Trusted Computing feature set . 83
4.25 Write-Read-Verify feature set . 84

4 ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021 © ISO/IEC 2021
5 ATA protocols . 85
6 Normal and Error Output field descriptions . 86
6.1 Overview. 86
6.2 STATUS field. 86
6.2.1 Overview . 86
6.2.2 ALIGNMENT ERROR bit . 86
6.2.3 BUSY bit . 87
6.2.4 CHECK CONDITION bit . 87
6.2.5 DATA REQUEST bit . 87
6.2.6 DEFERRED WRITE ERROR bit . 87
6.2.7 DEVICE FAULT bit . 87
6.2.8 DEVICE READY bit . 87
6.2.9 ERROR bit . 87
6.2.10 SENSE DATA AVAILABLE bit . 88
6.2.11 STREAM ERROR bit . 88
6.2.12 Transport Dependent bits and fields . 88
6.3 ERROR field. 89
6.3.1 Overview . 89
6.3.2 ABORT bit . 89
6.3.3 COMMAND COMPLETION TIME OUT bit . 89
6.3.4 END OF MEDIA bit . 89
6.3.5 ID NOT FOUND bit . 89
6.3.6 ILLEGAL LENGTH INDICATOR bit . 90
6.3.7 INTERFACE CRC bit . 90
6.3.8 SENSE KEY field . 90
6.3.9 UNCORRECTABLE ERROR bit . 90
6.4 INTERRUPT REASON field. 90
6.4.1 Overview . 90
6.4.2 COMMAND/DATA bit . 90
6.4.3 INPUT/OUTPUT bit . 90
6.5 COUNT field . 90
6.5.1 Overview . 90
6.5.2 Contiguous stream logical sectors that contain potentially bad data . 90
6.5.3 NCQ Tag . 91
6.6 SACTIVE field. 91
6.7 SATA STATUS field . 91
6.8 LBA field. 91
6.8.1 Overview . 91
6.8.2 LBA of First Unrecoverable Error . 91
7 Command descriptions . 92
7.1 Command description introduction . 92
7.1.1 Overview . 92
7.1.10 Command Code Usage . 96
7.2 Accessible Max Address Configuration . 97
7.2.1 Accessible Max Address Configuration overview . 97
7.2.2 GET NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT – 78h/0000h, Non-Data . 97
7.2.3 SET ACCESSIBLE MAX ADDRESS EXT – 78h/0001h, Non-Data . 98
7.2.4 FREEZE ACCESSIBLE MAX ADDRESS EXT – 78h/0002h, Non-Data. 99
7.3 CHECK POWER MODE – E5h, Non-Data . 100
7.4 CONFIGURE STREAM – 51h, Non-Data . 101
7.5 DATA SET MANAGEMENT – 06h, DMA . 103
7.6 DEVICE RESET – 08h, Device Reset . 106
7.7 DOWNLOAD MICROCODE – 92h, PIO Data-Out/Non-Data . 107
7.8 DOWNLOAD MICROCODE DMA – 93h, DMA . 120
7.9 EXECUTE DEVICE DIAGNOSTIC – 90h, Execute Device Diagnostic . 121

7.10 FLUSH CACHE – E7h, Non-Data . 123
7.11 FLUSH CACHE EXT – EAh, Non-Data . 124
7.12 IDENTIFY DEVICE – ECh, PIO Data-In . 125
7.13 IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE – A1h, PIO Data-In . 162
7.14 IDLE – E3h, Non-Data . 182
7.15 IDLE IMMEDIATE – E1h, Non-Data . 184
7.16 NCQ QUEUE MANAGEMENT – 63h, Non-Data . 186
7.16.8 ABORT NCQ QUEUE – 63h/0h, Non-Data. 188
7.16.9 DEADLINE HANDLING – 63h/1h, Non-Data . 191
7.17 NOP – 00h, Non-Data . 194
7.18 PACKET – A0h, Packet . 195
7.19 READ BUFFER – E4h, PIO Data-In . 198
7.20 READ BUFFER DMA – E9h, DMA . 199
7.21 READ DMA – C8h, DMA . 200
7.22 READ DMA EXT – 25h, DMA . 201
7.23 READ FPDMA QUEUED – 60h, DMA Queued . 202
7.24 READ LOG EXT – 2Fh, PIO Data-In . 204
7.25 READ LOG DMA EXT – 47h, DMA . 206
7.26 READ MULTIPLE – C4h, PIO Data-In . 207
7.27 READ MULTIPLE EXT – 29h, PIO Data-In . 208
7.28 READ SECTOR(S) – 20h, PIO Data-In . 209
7.29 READ SECTOR(S) EXT – 24h, PIO Data-In . 210
7.30 READ STREAM DMA EXT – 2Ah, DMA . 211
7.31 READ STREAM EXT – 2Bh, PIO Data-In . 214
7.32 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) – 40h, Non-Data . 215
7.33 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT – 42h, Non-Data . 216
7.34 RECEIVE FPDMA QUEUED – 65h, DMA Queued . 217
7.35 REQUEST SENSE DATA EXT – 0Bh, Non-Data . 219
7.36 Sanitize Device . 220
7.36.2 BLOCK ERASE EXT – B4h/0012h, Non-Data. 221
7.36.3 CRYPTO SCRAMBLE EXT – B4h/0011h, Non-Data. 224
7.36.4 OVERWRITE EXT – B4h/0014h, Non-Data. 226
7.36.5 SANITIZE ANTIFREEZE LOCK EXT – B4h/0040h, Non-Data. 229
7.36.6 SANITIZE FREEZE LOCK EXT – B4h/0020h, Non-Data . 231
7.36.7 SANITIZE STATUS EXT – B4h/0000h, Non-Data . 232
7.37 SECURITY DISABLE PASSWORD – F6h, PIO Data-Out . 234
7.38 SECURITY ERASE PREPARE – F3h, Non-Data . 236
7.39 SECURITY ERASE UNIT – F4h, PIO Data-Out . 237
7.40 SECURITY FREEZE LOCK – F5h, Non-Data . 239
7.41 SECURITY SET PASSWORD – F1h, PIO Data-Out . 240
7.42 SECURITY UNLOCK – F2h, PIO Data-Out . 242
7.43 SEND FPDMA QUEUED – 64h, DMA Queued . 244
7.43.4 SFQ DATA SET MANAGEMENT – 64h/00h, DMA Queued. 246
7.44 SET DATE & TIME EXT – 77h, Non-Data . 248
7.45 SET FEATURES – EFh, Non-Data . 249
7.45.6 SET FEATURES subcommands . 250
7.45.7 Enable/disable volatile write cache . 252
7.45.8 Set transfer mode . 253
7.45.9 Enable/disable the APM feature set . 254
7.45.10 Enable/disable the PUIS feature set . 254
7.45.11 PUIS feature set device spin-up . 254
7.45.12 Enable/Disable Write-Read-Verify feature set . 255
7.45.13 Set Maximum Host Interface Sector Times . 256
7.45.14 Enable/disable read look-ahead . 256
7.45.15 Enable/disable reverting to defaults . 256
7.45.16 Enable/Disable the Free-fall Control feature set . 257
7.45.17 Enable/Disable SATA feature . 257

6 ISO/IEC 17760-103:2021 © ISO/IEC 2021
7.45.18 Enable/Disable the Sense Data Reporting feature set . 259
7.45.19 Long Physical Sector Alignment Error Reporting Control . 259
7.45.20 Extended Power Conditions subcommand . 260
7.45.21 Enable/Disable the DSN feature set . 270
7.46 SET MULTIPLE MODE – C6h, Non-Data . 271
7.47 SLEEP – E6h, Non-Data . 273
7.48 SMART . 274
7.48.2 SMART DISABLE OPERATIONS – B0h/D9h, Non-Data . 275
7.48.3 SMART ENABLE/DISABLE ATTRIBUTE AUTOSAVE – B0h/D2h, Non-Data . 276
7.48.4 SMART ENABLE OPERATIONS – B0h/D8h, Non-Data . 278
7.48.5 SMART EXECUTE OFF-LINE IMMEDIATE – B0h/D4h, Non-Data. 279
7.48.6 SMART READ DATA – B0h/D0h, PIO Data-In . 283
7.48.7 SMART READ LOG – B0h/D5h, PIO Data-In. 288
7.48.8 SMART RETURN STATUS – B0h/DAh, Non-Data. 289
7.48.9 SMART WRITE LOG – B0h/D6h, PIO Data-Out. 290
7.49 STANDBY – E2h, Non-Data . 291
7.50 STANDBY IMMEDIATE – E0h, Non-Data . 292
7.51 TRUSTED NON-DATA – 5Bh, Non-Data . 293
7.52 TRUSTED RECEIVE – 5Ch, PIO Data-In . 295
7.53 TRUSTED RECEIVE DMA – 5Dh, DMA . 302
7.54 TRUSTED SEND – 5Eh, PIO Data-Out . 303
7.55 TRUSTED SEND DMA – 5Fh, DMA . 305
7.56 WRITE BUFFER – E8h, PIO Data-Out . 306
7.57 WRITE BUFFER DMA – EBh, DMA . 307
7.58 WRITE DMA – CAh, DMA . 308
7.59 WRITE DMA EXT – 35h, DMA . 309
7.60 WRITE DMA FUA EXT – 3Dh, DMA . 310
7.61 WRITE FPDMA QUEUED – 61h, DMA Queued . 311
7.62 WRITE LOG EXT – 3Fh, PIO Data-Out . 313
7.63 WRITE LOG DMA EXT – 57h, DMA . 315
7.64 WRITE MULTIPLE – C5h, PIO Data-Out . 316
7.65 WRITE MULTIPLE EXT – 39h, PIO Data-Out . 317
7.66 WRITE MULTIPLE FUA EXT – CEh, PIO Data-Out . 319
7.67 WRITE SECTOR(S) – 30h, PIO Data-Out . 321
7.68 WRITE SECTOR(S) EXT – 34h, PIO Data-Out . 322
7.69 WRITE STREAM DMA EXT – 3Ah, DMA . 323
7.70 WRITE STREAM EXT – 3Bh, PIO Data-Out . 326
7.71 WRITE UNCORRECTABLE EXT – 45h, Non-Data . 327
8 SCT Command Transport . 329
8.1 Introduction . 329
8.1.1 Overview . 329
8.1.2 SCT command interactions with ATA commands . 330
8.1.3 Resets . 330
8.2 Processing SCT commands . 331
8.2.1 Processing SCT commands overview . 331
8.2.2 SCT capability identification . 331
8.2.3 SCT Command transfer . 331
8.2.4 SCT data transfer . 336
8.2.5 SCT status . 342
8.3 SCT Command Set . 348
8.3.1 Overview . 348
8.3.2 SCT Write Same command . 349
8.3.3 SCT Error Recovery Control command . 354
8.3.4 SCT Feature Control command . 356
8.3.5 SCT Data Table command. 360

9 Normal and Error Outputs . 364
9.1 Overview. 364
9.2 Normal Outputs. 364
9.3 Error Outputs . 380
Annex A (normative) Log Definitions . 409
A.1 Overview . 409
A.2 General Purpose Log Directory (GPL Log Address 00h) . 412
A.3 SMART Log Directory (SMART Logging Log Address 00h) . 412
A.4 Comprehensive SMART Error log (Log Address 02h) . 413
A.5 Device Statistics log (Log Address 04h) . 414
A.5.1 Overview . 414
A.5.2 List of Supported Device Statistics log pages (log page 00h) . 416
A.5.3 Free Fall Statistics (log page 02h) . 417
A.5.4 General Statistics (log page 01h) . 419
A.5.5 General Errors Statistics (log page 04h) . 423
A.5.6 Rotating Media Statistics (log page 03h) . 425
A.5.7 Solid State Device Statistics (log page 07h) . 430
A.5.8 Temperature Statistics (log page 05h) . 431
A.5.9 Transport Statistics (log page 06h) . 439
A.5.10 Reserved (log page 08h.FFh) . 441
A.6 Device Vendor Specific logs (Log Addresses A0h-DFh) . 441
A.7 Extended Comprehensive SMART Error log (Log Address 03h) . 441
A.8 Power Conditions log (Log Address 08h) . 445
A.8.2 Idle power conditions (log page 00h) . 445
A.8.3 Standby power conditions (log page 01h) .
...