jdm@warwick.UUCP (03/23/87)
My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with
the internal drive. Here`s what happens:
intermittently a disk will not eject completely.
Instead it stickes out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is
some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually
pull the disk out.
Using the old paper clip trick doesn`t seem to help.
I have the feeling that its just some bit of metal
slightly bent so the spring mechanism won`t release.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions on
how to fix it? My drive is still under warrenty, but naturally
they want to charge me for the labour of replacing it (at about
$60/hour!!!!)
Jim
jdm@uu.warwick.ac.uk (UUCP) \
> until 30 April
jdm@ubu.warwck.AC.UK (ARPA) /
jdm@ut-ngp.utexas.edu thereafterschmidt@lsrhs.UUCP (03/25/87)
In article <420@euclid.warwick.UUCP> jdm@warwick.UUCP (Jim Meiss) writes: > > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with >the internal drive. Here`s what happens: >intermittently a disk will not eject completely. >Instead it stickes out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is >some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually >pull the disk out. I dove into a friend's Mac+ the other day -- she was having the exact same trouble. The solution involves opening the case, removing the disk drive enclosure and the disk drive from the enclosure. > > Using the old paper clip trick doesn`t seem to help. > I have the feeling that its just some bit of metal >slightly bent so the spring mechanism won`t release. Right. Whatever you do, DON'T pull on the disk. Follow these steps: 1) Open the case. Torx-15 screwdriver required, must have a long arm or it won't get the screws in the handle. Remember, there are five of the suckers (one in the battery compartment). Pry the back off slowly and carefully. 2) Put Mac on it's face and examine the bottom of the logic board. If you can't see the screws which secure the disk harness to the case, you'll have to remove the board (I don't remember whether or not I had to pull the board). I think though, that you don't have to go so far. Unscrew the screws and detach the ribbon cable from the logic board. 3) Once the harness is free, go to work on the screws which hold the drive in the harness. Once the thing is free, look at it's "left" (as seen from the front) side. You may want to take a spare disk and examine it (look for the small circular notch on the disk's left underside near the metal door). The disk in your drive is being held by a small arm which swings into the little indentation on the side of the disk, and which SHOULD swing out and allow the disk to move freely after you use the ol' paperclip routine. If you try that now, you'll see that the arm doens't move far enough out. Take a needle-noser and VERY GENTLY bend the arm outward. Voila, the disk is free. Work it in and out until satisfied. >they want to charge me for the labour of replacing it (at about >$60/hour!!!!) Make that $100/hour in some places. You can now undersell the b*st*rds nicely. GOOD LUCK! -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chris Schmidt/Lincoln-Sudbury High School/390 Lincoln Rd/Sudbury/Ma/01776 (617) 926-3242 -----> mit-caf!lsrhs!schmidt@eddie.mit.edu (And for you, Mr. NSA Line-Eater: drugs, terrorists, Libya, 1984)
mrh@Shasta.UUCP (03/25/87)
In article <420@euclid.warwick.UUCP>, jdm@warwick.UUCP (Jim Meiss) writes: > > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with > the internal drive. Here`s what happens: > intermittently a disk will not eject completely. > Instead it stickes out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is > some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually > pull the disk out. .... > Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions on > how to fix it? My drive is still under warrenty, but naturally > they want to charge me for the labour of replacing it (at about > $60/hour!!!!) > jdm@uu.warwick.ac.uk (UUCP) \ > jdm@ubu.warwck.AC.UK (ARPA) / Just yesterday we did some surgery on a disk which had exactly the problems you had. I don't recommend doing this if you aren't familiar with taking the Mac apart but YES we were able to bend a part to enable the drive to eject disks more easily. When we were assembling the Mac back together we noticed that the drive was not originally well centered on the hole intended for the disk so we loosened the whole cage from the front until and slid it down just a bit (where it should have been in the first place). The alignment is now much better and so far I've had no stuck disks. Previously disks with no labels would be difficult to eject and I had to use the dreaded paper clip. It is hard for me to believe that the people who want to charge you labor for fixing your disk while your upgrade is under warrenty are not trying to rip you off. If it is an official Apple dealer then I believe their time is paid for by Apple if they are doing warrenty work on your Mac. I would call another dealer to find out what their policy is. David Gelphman BITNET address: DAVEG@SLACVM Bin #88 SLAC ARPANET address: DAVEG@SLACVM.BITNET Stanford, Calif. 94305 UUCP address: ...psuvax1!daveg%slacvm.bitnet 415-854-3300 x2538 usual disclaimer #432 applies: my employer apologizes for the fact that I have access to this net.
dgold@apple.UUCP (03/25/87)
In article <420@euclid.warwick.UUCP> jdm@warwick.UUCP (Jim Meiss) writes: > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with >the internal drive. Here`s what happens: >intermittently a disk will not eject completely. >Instead it stickes out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is >some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually >pull the disk out. >...My drive is still under warrenty, but naturally >they want to charge me for the labour of replacing it (at about >$60/hour!!!!) Your dealer has a pretty strange idea of what "warranty" means if he wants to charge you for labor for repairs done under warranty. You might want to check the text of your warranty to see exactly what's covered. It sounds like your new drive was not properly mounted in the Mac's frame. If the 800K drives are not properly aligned with the frame and the front bezel, it can cause friction which in turn causes ejection to fail as you describe. Your dealer should make sure that the drive is properly mounted and aligned. -- David Goldsmith Apple Computer, Inc. MacApp Group AppleLink: GOLDSMITH1 UUCP: {nsc,dual,sun,voder,ucbvax!mtxinu}!apple!dgold CSNET: dgold@apple.CSNET, dgold%apple@CSNET-RELAY BIX: dgoldsmith
straka@ihlpf.UUCP (03/26/87)
In article <420@euclid.warwick.UUCP>, jdm@warwick.UUCP (Jim Meiss) writes: > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with > the internal drive. Here`s what happens: > intermittently a disk will not eject completely. > Instead it stickes out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is > some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually > pull the disk out. There is a simple workaround (not a fix, but a band-aid until you can get it properly straightened out): Get the Mac to try to eject the disk. While it is just starting to eject, gently grab the disk with 2 fingers by the wide opening in the disk access slot, and pull (gently). This seems to work on a Mac in our office, and it does not put ANY stress on the disk or Mac. It's a pain, but will get you by for a while. I don't know what is binding internally. -- Rich Straka ihnp4!ihlpf!straka
omh@nancy.UUCP (03/27/87)
If you'd rather not take your Mac Apart, I can suggest trying a technique
that I've used successfully at least three dozens times.
Warning: The recommended suggestion is to take your Mac to a dealer. Trying
the below technique may somehow be classified as "abuse" and may void your
warranty. But if you're out of warranty, and you gotta take it into the
shop anyway, and you feel lucky... ***BUT*** Don't blame me! I tried to save
you a $100 service call.
Problem: Disk only ejects about 1/8 inch and won't go out any further. You
push it back in and the same thing happens.
Suggestion: Don't pull out the disk!!! Don't pull out the disk!!!
Instead, get a piece of cardboard, nothing heavy, about 100 lb or so. A 3x5
card is perfect. Insert this *above* your disk. Insert it approximately
as far as the length of the disk, but don't force it (don't force anything, be
really gentle. Just kind of slide it over towards the left side of the disk.)
Now re-insert the disk, making sure the card goes in about the same distance.
You can still slide it in here, if that's your idea of a good time.
Now eject the disk, If it doesn't come clean, my name's not Ronald Reagan.
P.S. Some one at a BCS meeting let it slip (this was not an official pro-
nouncement) that an IBM PC disk cover works wonderfully in place of the
above cardboard. See that. You never know when an IBM PC will come in handy!
Owen Hartnett
Brown University Computer Science
omh@cs.brown.edu.CSNET
omh%cs.brown.edu@relay.cs.net-relay.ARPA
{ihnp4,allegra}!brunix!omhgraifer@net1.UUCP (03/27/87)
In article <420@euclid.warwick.UUCP>, jdm@warwick.UUCP (Jim Meiss) writes: > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with > the internal drive. Here`s what happens: ... > Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions on > how to fix it? My drive is still under warrenty, but naturally > they want to charge me for the labour of replacing it (at about > $60/hour!!!!) I think its time that we start posting the names of unscrupulous (sp?) dealers in our articles. That way 1) we can all avoid them. &2) maybe our friends from Apple will forward such things on to the appropriate department there. If I was in Apple marketing, such stories would distress me! Anybody have major legal objections? Jim, are you willing to help the rest of us? Dan Graifer graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU Disclaimer: Nobody ever listens to me anyways; Why should they start now? -- Dan Graifer graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU Disclaimer: Nobody ever listens to me anyways; Why should they start now?
jordan@apple.UUCP (03/27/87)
A follow up of bad dealer questions: Please post or send to me reports of your problems with dealers. It would not be correct to charge someone for warranty repairs. The Apple warranty covers parts and labor. -- Jordan Mattson UUCP: ucbvax!mtxinu!apple!jordan Apple Computer, Inc. CSNET: jordan@apple.CSNET Tools & Languages Product Management 20525 Mariani Avenue, MS 27S Cupertino, CA 95014 408-973-4601 "Joy is the serious business of heaven." C.S. Lewis
denbeste@bgsuvax.UUCP (03/31/87)
in article <13901@brunix.UUCP>, omh@nancy (Owen M. Hartnett) says: > Problem: Disk only ejects about 1/8 inch and won't go out any further. You > push it back in and the same thing happens. > > Suggestion: Don't pull out the disk!!! Don't pull out the disk!!! > > Instead, get a piece of cardboard, nothing heavy, about 100 lb or so. A 3x5 > card is perfect. Insert this *above* your disk. Insert it approximately > as far as the length of the disk, but don't force it (don't force anything,be > really gentle. Just kind of slide it over towards the left side of the disk.) > Now re-insert the disk, making sure the card goes in about the same distance. > You can still slide it in here, if that's your idea of a good time. There are actually 3 different problems that I have encountered. 1) The metal shield will catch on the mechanism and prevent the disk from ejecting. The above procedure should work for this, but I have not had a disk jam in this manner recently. 2) The label on a diskette starts to peel, and causes the disk to jam in the drive. I have solved this one by replacing the label on my data disks. For commercial disks, with neat labels, I cover them some really nice wide crystal-clear tape that I ordered from a library supply house. This keeps the label in really nice condition. The edges don't peel and the label stays nice and clean. 3) In my external 400K drive, blue sony diskettes eject about 1/8 of an inch. They are not jammed, however. If you can grasp them, they come out just as easily as any other disk that ejects normally. I suspect that the problem is that the sony disks are a tad thicker than the other disks that I have. I have never had this happen in my internal 800K drive or any external 800K drives. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Wiliam C. DenBesten | ... !osu-eddie!bgsuvax!denbeste UUCP Dept of Computer Science | denbeste%research1.bgsu.edu@csnet-relay ARPA Bowling Green State University | denbeste@research1.bgsu.edu CSNET Bowling Green, OH 43403-0214 | #include <std.disclaimer.h> --------------------------------+---------------------------------------------- There is no difference between theory and practice in theory, but there is often a great deal of difference between theory and practice in practice.
jdm@warwick.UUCP (04/02/87)
Due to the tremendous response (great to have friends!), I solved the problem with my 800k disk drive. Since there were over 15 replies, and basically three suggestions as to what might be wrong, I thought I`d summarise here. Here was the problem: > My recently upgraded Mac 512E is having problems with >the internal drive. Here`s what happens: >intermittently a disk will not eject completely. >Instead it sticks out of the Mac about 1/8 inch, and there is >some mechanism in the drive which won`t allow me to manually >pull the disk out. Apparently this is a very common problem! These 800k drives are overly sensitive to alignment, and their eject mechanisms are not very sturdy. The first suggestion involves disks with too many labels attached or with a label that is not attached completely. Some said that a label or portion of a label came off in the drive and fouled up the eject mechanism. I examined my drive and couldn`t find any labels or portions thereof. The second is that the drive needs to be carefully aligned to the Mac case, or the disk may rub against the opening, and the eject fail: ---------- >It sounds like your new drive was not properly mounted in the Mac's frame. >If the 800K drives are not properly aligned with the frame and the front >bezel, it can cause friction which in turn causes ejection to fail as you >describe. Your dealer should make sure that the drive is properly mounted >and aligned. >David Goldsmith Apple Computer, Inc. ---------- >I had a similar problem due to misalignment of the drive to the slot >in the case. There isn't any adjustment so I just loosened the >screws, let gravity shift the drive position and retightened the >mounting screws. It's easy enough to try. >Mike Ching <ching@amd.uucp> Advanced Micro Devices ---------- This is what I did. However, it turned out that the dealer who mounted my new drive only put three screws in, instead of the four required. The crucial missing screw was at the front right, and the disks were indeed rubbing against the front right of the bezel. I am currently attempting to get the dealer to give me another screw... but more on that later... The final suggestion was more exotic, but also seems plausible: ---------- >Whatever you do, DON'T pull on the disk. Follow these steps: >1) Open the case. Torx-15 screwdriver required. Remember, there are >five screws (one in the battery compartment). >Pry the back off slowly and carefully. 2) Pull off the logic board (detach the ribbon cable connecting it to the power supply first). Unscrew the screws which mount the drive and detach the ribbon cable from the logic board. >3) Once the harness is free, go to work on the screws which hold the drive >in the harness. Once the thing is free, look at it's "left" (as seen from >the front) side. You may want to take a spare disk and examine it (look for >the small circular notch on the disk's left underside near the metal door). >The disk in your drive is being held by a small arm which swings into the >little indentation on the side of the disk, and which SHOULD swing out and >allow the disk to move freely after you use the ol' paperclip routine. If >you try that now, you'll see that the arm doens't move far enough out. Take >a needle-noser and VERY GENTLY bend the arm outward. Voila, the disk is >free. Work it in and out until satisfied. >Chris Schmidt/Lincoln-Sudbury High School Sudbury Ma -------- There was even a suggestion to solder a metal reinforcement onto this arm. Luckily I don`t think I need to try this. Finally, many people remarked that my dealer was being unscrupulous in claiming they were going to charge me for warrenty work. Given that the problem was their fault in the beginning (missing screw), I certainly agree. However, before being guilty of possible slander, I`m going to have another discussion with them about their policies. If they persist in the behavior, I`ll certainly post the name! (That`s a threat :-( ). Thanks for the help! Its great to have such a support group. Jim Meiss jdm@uu.warwick.ac.uk (UUCP) until 30 April jdm@ut-ngp.utexas.edu thereafter