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                                                                       EXHIBIT 5

                     OPINION OF GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP

                                  March 8, 2001


(949) 451-3800                                                     C 96182-00002

Western Digital Corporation
20511 Lake Forest Drive
Lake Forest, California 92630

         Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8 for
             1,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") to be filed by Western Digital Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act") of an additional 1,000,000 shares of the Company's common
stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), reserved for issuance
under the Western Digital Corporation Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan for
Non-Employee Directors (the "Plan").

         For purposes of rendering this opinion, we have made such legal and
factual examinations as we have deemed necessary under the circumstances and, as
part of such examination, we have examined, among other things, originals and
copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such
documents, corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary
or appropriate. For the purposes of such examination, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures on original documents and the conformity to
original documents of all copies submitted to us.

         On the basis of and in reliance upon the foregoing, we are of the
opinion that assuming the Registration Statement shall have become effective
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act, the shares of Common Stock
being offered under the Plan, when issued and paid for in accordance with the
provisions of the Plan will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act.

                                                 Very truly yours,


                                                 /s/ GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                     Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP