[comp.sys.mac] Seagate drive self-seeking -- what is the truth?

ollef@osiris.sics.se (Olle Furberg) (05/14/89)

In article <102@mountn.dec.com> minow%thundr.dec@decwrl.dec.com (Martin Minow) writes:
>Summary: people notice that their 3.5 inch Quantum (40/80 Mbyte)
>disks occassionally do some I/O without any prompting from the
>host.  They asked why. I talked with my local Quantum technical
>support person.  Here's his answer:
> [---]
>Quantum drives contain a thermistor that triggers recalibration when
>the temperature changes by 2 degrees-Celsius.  Recalibration is also
> [---]

 I have an Apple HD40 with a Seagate 3.5 inch drive (Seagate ST-157N).
It behaves in the same way, I/O every 20 minutes. It's a bit irritating
because I have the HD under my bed. However, if I park the heads the
seeking stops.
 Note: It's in the HD, because:

1. It does not depend on MultiFinder or any exotic inits:
   I've tried the good old System 3.2 without any inits: it's still there.

2. It continues even if I turn off the Mac

Does Martin's explanation also apply to Seagate drives?


           /Olle


PS. Driver software: Apple's  HD SC Installer version 2.0

paisley@circus.cme.nbs.gov (Scott Paisley) (05/16/89)

In article <2676@osiris.sics.se> ollef@osiris.sics.se (Olle Furberg) writes:
   In article <102@mountn.dec.com> minow%thundr.dec@decwrl.dec.com (Martin Minow) writes:
   >>Summary: people notice that their 3.5 inch Quantum (40/80 Mbyte)
   >>disks occassionally do some I/O without any prompting from the
   >>host.  They asked why. I talked with my local Quantum technical

>I have an Apple HD40 with a Seagate 3.5 inch drive (Seagate ST-157N).
>It behaves in the same way, I/O every 20 minutes. It's a bit irritating

>2. It continues even if I turn off the Mac

>Does Martin's explanation also apply to Seagate drives?

>	      /Olle

I had an external seagate 277N (from Hard Drives International) which
also would "chatter" or access the drive every 20 minutes or so.  It
would do this even if the Mac was off.  I called tech support and they
said that I had a bad bearing in the drive.  I sent it back, got a new
one, and this drive is quiet all the time.  (I don't turn the drive
off.)

If some of you are having hard drives which access themselves, you
may want to contact the company and see if the drive is supposed to
exhibit this type of behavior.
--
"...and this thing you call language - you depend on it for so much,
 yet none of you are its master."  		-Carlos the Medusan

Scott Paisley        paisley@cme.nbs.gov        ..!uunet!cme-durer!paisley