Removing PSU from CDC 9766 drive

From: R. D. Davis <rdd_at_smarty.smart.net>
Date: Fri Oct 8 11:18:07 1999

Quothe John Lawson:
> Having just shipped on of these beasts to a Friend in Another
> Countery(tm)... perhaps I can help a bit.
>
> First, it's a shame that it has to be parted out, but in truth,
> there a lot of 9766s about, and they're big and heavy.. 700lb. and
> 220V, and delicate, and the media is expensive... oh well... still
> no excuse not to love them.

Alas, I thought I could at least part them out, now I'm told that I
can only remove small bits like the boards, but not take them away yet
unless the scrap dealer doesn't want them (or will sell them). Like
the Autologic system, these have to go out the door in one piece, so I
have to wait to talk with the scrap dealer to see what I can take
away... hopefully I can get the PSUs from these. :-(

Thanks for the information; I'll save it for future reference. It's
so much more pleasant to put things together and see them working, and
preserved, than to have to take things apart knowing that they'll not
be reassembled to form a working system or peripheral again. I hate
to see anything scrapped, it's such a terrible waste. New computer
systems are just boring compared older systems and the sounds of such
things as a 14" disk drive spinning up, etc. If I'd started working
with computers today, instead of with systems that required a room
with special power and air-conditioning, I'd probably not have become
as interested in computers.

> The front cover lifts from the back and pivots up at the front
> panel on gas shocks. The side panels can then be removed by lifting
> up on the two metal square handles on either side. Pull them up and
> the sides will fall away, usually onto your foot. :)

Ouch! That little problem called gravity at work ...at least it's not
like the side of a full-height rack dropping or a horse stepping one's
foot and then standing there staring at one, not wanting to move; it
will painless comparted to that. :-)

> The electronica door in the back can be removed by pulling the
> lower hinge-pin up using the little metal bar atteched to it for

Got the boards out. I think I see some not-too-easy to find chips
I can use for for my 11/44 with an intermittent CPU problem.

> The PSU slides out on regular chassis tracks, which have a clip
> release at the end of the extended travel. Remove all the wiring
> first, then extend the PSU until it stops, then find and depress the
> tabs on the outside middle of the slide tracks and withdraw the
> PSU... and watch it... it's close to a 100lbs, tho it doesn't look

Wow! It looked somewhat heavy, but I didn't realize it was that heavy.
Before being told I couldn't take the drives apart any further, I was
all set to carry all four of these from the front hallway back to my
office (one at a time, of course).

> like it. (If the 'braid' you mention is flat and silver, it's a
> ground bonding conductor... unscrew it or cut it. If no other
> tools, you can just work it back and forth at one of the connectors
> untill it frays and breaks. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Me too. Used key's to saw through things, etc. :-) It looked like a
thickish copper braid.

> If you're really ambitions you could remove the HEPA filter and
> the disk spindle assembly... the rest of it's scrap at this point.

Already got three HEPA filters, and a few springs before being told to
stop; they're sitting here next to my chair.

> snif,,snifff.. :(

:-(

Why to I get the feeling that some funeral march music should be playing?
Do I hear pipes and drums off in the distance?

> Hope this helps a little.

Yes, thanks.

-- 
R. D. Davis                            
rdd_at_perqlogic.com                      Be careful what you wish for --- you
http://www.perqlogic.com/rdd           may get your wish ...and it might not
Tel: (410) 744-4900                    be what you were expecting.
Received on Fri Oct 08 1999 - 11:18:07 BST

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