DEC stuff

From: allisonp <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Sat May 13 16:57:21 2000

>If that fails, then you can try opening the HDA (screws on top) and
>freeing the head by hand. Needless to say this should really be done in a
>clean room, but you can _often_ get away with doing it in a normal room
>if you keep the dust down (obviously, don't smoke, and keep the cat out
>of the way :-)).


Hints for those that have to resort to this.

First clean the outside well, use compressed air and a damp rag to wipe it.
This gets rid of local dust Wipe the area too. then wash hands, you laugh!
Washing the hands gets rid of oils and dust that and all.

Now, you can open the cover, use clean tools as well. once the cover is
loose you can get inside. To do this part the drive needs to be powered
as it's not safe to move the heads with the platter not rotating. Control
cables are not needed, just power. Power up and observe the platters
and heads, likely you will see spin up but, no head movement. If this is
the case with the patters spinning give the head arm a push, if thing go
well it will sweep the full travel then home in on track 0000. Now the
drive
can be covered. For the brave used to fine work a liitle plastic (clear
packing tape) over the offending bumper will prevent this from happening
again. hopefully the rescued drive has no other problems and an OS.

If the head will not move the head lock (under the HDA and controboards
on the bottom may be stuck. if it is put the cover on flip it over and
remove
the solenoid (it will run fine without it, never ship it though!). Retry
the spinup.

I've done this on several drives, all of which I still use. What makes
this work
is the basic design and physics. Spin those platters at 3600 rpm and
landing on them heads for the walls. Since there is rotation there is a
basic
airflow pattern that insures and dust in side gets picked up. Fingerprints
on
the platter are bad though but I've never had a crashed one, though I did
take
one with other bad problems and try a few things. Oh, it took writing on
the
platter with pencil to make the head crash. ;)

Anywho I've found this drive has two problems, heat and heat. The bumper
problem is heat related. So if you keep the drive cool it does seem to last
many years. this is true for a lot of the older drives.

Keep them fans goin.

Allison
Received on Sat May 13 2000 - 16:57:21 BST