rps@homxc.UUCP (07/08/87)
In article <613@homxc.UUCP>, rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) writes: > > HELP!! HELP!! > > Well, it finally happened, 4 days out of warrenty, my Seagate ST-225 gives > up the ghost. It didn't crash, it just failed to start spinning. It is > getting power from the computer and the controller is working, the motor > just doesn't turn. ... > I believe that the reason the motor doesn't turn is because the > electronics on the bottom of the 225 have fried, not because the motor > or platters are bad. My idea is to swap the circuit board on the bottom > of the drive with the one on the bottom of another 225 I have. ... > > Russ Sharples > homxc!rps > GOOD NEWS! The act of removing the circuit board and reinstalling it fixed the harddisk! It must have been a loose or dirty connector on the PCB, a loose wire on the connector block, or the motor was stuck in some strange postion where it could not get started (doubtful). Of course, I am now worried about the thing dying again while writing out data or something, I'll have to see. I will back it up daily for a while. Russ Sharples homxc!rps NOTE: The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T. These opinions are my own and the results of un-scientific and highly irregular analysis methods.
sheldon@quest.UUCP (Scott S. Bertilson) (07/09/87)
I have had this problem repeatedly with 2 of 7 7300s I have used over the last year and a half (with Miniscribe 20 Meg drives). We try to leave the machines on all the time to avoid this. Failing that, I have found (after the hassle of opening up the machine a couple of times and pushing on the spindle to free it) that I can turn the power on and give the machine a good whack perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the disk...both machines are working well (I've done it twice on 1 and once on the other). The first time I figured out what was wrong and pushed on the spindle, I found that it took more than a light push to free it. I worried that the drive might be ruined, but this has been going on for more than 6 months now with no catastrophes. The other machines seem to have no problems with this sort of thing. Scott S. Bertilson Minnesota Supercomputer Center Inc. (affiliated w/University of Minnesota) -- Scott S. Bertilson ...ihnp4!quest!sheldon or scott@uc.msc.umn.edu
toddg@hpldoma.HP.COM (@Todd Goin) (07/13/87)
I have had a similar problem with a Seagate drive and it DOES seem to be
that the motor stops in an odd position. I have picked up the computer
box and shaken it side to side (on the advice of our in-house repair
shop) and lo-and-behold the drive works!!!!
Upon talking to the service dep't (here) the drive seems to stop
out-of-phase with the motor and will not be able to spin.
Shaking the box (POWER OFF OF COURSE !! :-)) seems to jar the spindle
just enough that it will now begin turning.
MORAL: I no longer turn off my system unless absolutley necessary!!
Todd Goin
@ Hewlett Packard Logic Design Operation
NOTE: The above are my own views and not those of my employer!!john@bby-bc.UUCP (john) (07/17/87)
> I have had a similar problem with a Seagate drive and it DOES seem to be > that the motor stops in an odd position. I have picked up the computer > box and shaken it side to side (on the advice of our in-house repair > shop) and lo-and-behold the drive works!!!! > > Upon talking to the service dep't (here) the drive seems to stop > out-of-phase with the motor and will not be able to spin. > > Shaking the box (POWER OFF OF COURSE !! :-)) seems to jar the spindle > just enough that it will now begin turning. It could also be the brake. I had the same symptoms on my drive (nota seagate) and when I took it apart I could see that the brake shoe (just a little cork pad) was worn asymmetrically. When the drive stopped there was enough play that the brake would become skewed and sort of wedge the motor in place. I just took the solenoid out and trimmed the cork with a razor blade so that the face was properly at right angles to the body and everything worked fine after that. john